I’m looking to buy a new baitcaster…suggestions?

To those of you who remember my question line, I’ve gone off and on with using baitcasters.

Like others have said, most of your low-profile reels have better magnetic casting controls. Low-profile reels are also “easier” on your hands and come in a variety of gear ratio’s.

Whats the deal with gear ratio’s & ball bearings?

Ball bearings? In the “old days” (25 yrs ago), how many ball bearings in any given reel , (spinning AND BCing), would usually determine how SMOOTH and long lasting the reel was. In those days, if you had a reel with 3-4 ball bearings it meant you had a fantastic reel.

Today, HOW MANY ball bearings isn’t nearly AS important as how well-built the bearings are.

About 15 years ago, “certain” reel manufacturer’s started adding tons of bearings to their reels in hopes of luring fishermen to purchase their reels. Ironically, company’s like Shimano, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Etc didn’t HAVE to add many more bearings to their products because the bearings they ALREADY were using were more than sufficient, (and of better quality).

In this day and age, (with all the high tech designs & metallurgy), if your purchasing a reel in the $100 plus realm you don’t really need to worry about “bearings”. “Bearings” have become a “selling point” for the uninformed.

For example? Shimano Citica E only has 3 Ball bearings, (and 1 roller bearing). Those 3 bearings are GOOD bearings! You don’t NEED 12 bearings in a reel for it to be super smooth or work well- unless your initial reel design is total crap!

In other words, don’t worry about bearings, (esp if your spending over $100 on a reel). If your budget was (say) $30, maybe THEN counting bearings might come into play……….otherwise…

Gear ratio?

Simply put- the higher the “numbers” the quicker the retrieve rate of your line. The highest (and fastest) reel gear ratio is 7:1:1 and the slowest would be a 3:8:1. Very few reel company’s are making super slow ratio’s like a 3:8:1, (esp for light-tackle/Bass fishing), now-a-days.

Why would one need or want a “slower” retrieve rate?

#1. When fishing for BIG fish a slower ratio helps you fight fish better- your lower ratio helps you “winch in” the fish MUCH easier.

#2. A lower gear-ratioed reel generally has a “stronger” drag and the drag system will (95% of the time) last much LONGER than a higher ratioed reel. That is why you see many of your Inshore and Offshore conventional reels have low gear ratio’s.

Generally, low ratio reels are deemed “powerful”.

So, WHY would you WANT a high ratio reel? Esp for Bass/Pike fishing?

#1. Lures- Lures have CHANGED dramatically in the last 25-30 years. Today, there are a VAST array of “reaction strike” lures we use as fishermen that we didn’t HAVE back in the “old days”. Most of those lures work MUCH better with a higher rate of retrieve. Why not just “speed up” your retrieve on your older 5:2:1 or 3:8:1 reels?

Have you ever tried to “burn” a Spinnerbait, Buzzbait, Crankbait with a low ratio reel? It’s a nightmare!

#2. Playing “catch-up” with fish swimming TO the boat- How many times have we “barely” hooked a monster fish only to have the guy swim directly AT us and end up losing him at the boat? A higher ratio reel helps to eliminate the frustration of “playing catch-up” and losing fish.

#3. Hookset’s- A faster ratio helps you drive the hook home easier.

In my opinion, unless you intend to do quite a bit of “deep cranking” in waters deeper than 18Ft forgo purchasing any “Bass reel” that has a ratio lower than 6:2:1. (All my Bass Tourney outfit’s are 6:3:1 or better.)

I own C-3’s and C-4’s and they are generally used for Big Pike & Musky fishing AND when I go to Florida to fish for Trophy Bass using 8-10″ Shiners. As far as I’m concerned, “round style” reels really don’t have a place in an arsenal for “everyday” Bass fishing. Low-profile reels are MUCH easier to cast and “palm” than ANY round-style reel. Plus, low-profiles have much better magnetic casting controls, (allowing for “finesse” fishing with super-light lures if need be). Try CASTING a 7″ weightless worm in the wind with a C-3…(lol)!

The BCX is a “pseudo” Abu crafted from Chinese parts. (I’m not sure if it’s also “made in China”.)

The way I look at it- If your gonna spend $50 on a “questionable” Chinese-made P.O.C. why not spend $30 more and get something more reliable with a solid reputation.

Lastly, I think Backwater’s suggestion of a Shimano Citica is right in-line with the Revo.

Thumbs up to Bc.

Hope this helps ya?

ABU GARCIA 6500 CT Spin time

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The Ayyubid dirhams of Az-zahir Ghazi and al-adil Abu Bakr bearing dates after their death ...