So I got my first baitcaster this spring and I've gotten reel good with it haha but have only used a casting reel for bass
I want to get a casting rod for Steelhead and pair this reel with it, do you guys think it's enough reel to handle the power of a Steelhead or possible coho/fall chinook?

Its definitely a quality made reel and I just love casting it, would absolutely love to use it for my favorite species!

Thanks for any input!

Here's a pic with some specs

Yeah it took me a while to figure that out also, I am glad to hear you're having less issue with gut hooking!
I'm headed out to the pond again tonight, maybe I'll remember to take a few pics to post, lot's of largies!

I am by no means an expert but the biggest mistake I see with a ned rig setup, is people overworking it, its pretty much a do nothing bait, I get most bites especially in moving water while dead sticking and not moving it at all

Hope this helps!

I believe the question is regarding the difference between spools labeled as leader and spools just labeled line or mainline

For Florocarbon there is a surprising amount of difference between the two

As for Mono I have to research that

Thats definitely too stiff of a rod for finesse applications

I personally use a 7'6" Ultralight for finesse fishing, thats lighter than the average though I'd say

A good medium light rod would go a long way, making all those bites very detectable, also don't be scared to use a longer rod, casts a lot farther and gives the fish more rod bend, helping to keep them pinned all the way in
Just my opinion

I was pretty surprised by the response I got also, I had some labeled as leader and it said, "easy casting floro" and none of the line version said that, I have since realized people who say you can spool a baitcaster with straight Florocarbon are using the leader material and it won't cast.

My buddy spools his casting setups mostly with 17lb Florocarbon and casts a mile farther than anyone I've ever seen and is also the most accurate I've witnessed cast a rod
He told me if you buy the right brand and the correct product its an amazing line, he doesn't use leader, Seagar makes such high quality Florocarbon "main lines" a leader isn't at all necessary

Exactly this ^^
Floro leader and line are very different products, I'd do some looking into the differences for mono

Here's an answer from Seagar about Floro


What are the differences between Seaguar fluorocarbon Leaders and Seaguar fluorocarbon Lines?

Strength – While both are strong and will withstand the lb test listed, leader is stronger over shorter lengths and are not designed to be a long, main line product. The main lines are designed to take the impact load over a much longer distance, transferred throughout the line.

Double Structure Technology – Our FC, FP, GM, and FX are all Double Structure, (2 to 80 lb), a Seaguar exclusive process that injects two different molten resins through a special die. The resins are extruded as one solid piece. The harder, inside resin contributes to the Tensile Strength, while the softer, outside resin creates greater Knot Strength. Our current main lines are single structure.

Price – Leader is more difficult to produce because of double structure and the resins involved, therefore line is less expensive and leader costs more.

Resins – The resins in our line are different than the resins in our leaders.

Can I ask what your rig looks like for suspending eggs off bottom in low to no current? Are you bobber fishing or what?
Thanks man!

I could back that maybe...
If you are very new to fishing/lack common sense and are fishing with underweight gear, and you just let the fish pull drag and swim for half an hour or so

But I have landed Largemouth bass up to 6.8lbs and Smallmouth bass up to 5.3lbs on ultralight gear and have landed them in less than 10 minutes

On the other hand I have hooked into and landed a B run steelhead on A run gear, fishing a river that averages 5-7lb steelhead and found one about 14lbs, that took at least half an hour to land, and she fought for every inch, I chased her through several rapids and for almost a mile down river before she was tired enough to land, put her on the stringer and fished another 6 or 7 hours and she was alive when I went to leave

Your theory might sound good on paper, but in the actual world, for those of us who actually grew up fishing and are passionate about it, its a totally flop
I've never seen proof of this outside fishing for Bluefin Tuna in the ocean

Following this, as I have always wondered what the average sportman thinks about this practice!
I fish with a guide about once a year for either Steelhead or Salmon and he always cleans at the dock and discards all unwanted parts back into the river. He also always asks if anyone wants the carcass or head before tossing!

Do you fish at the Confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers at all? Been looking for a report if the steelhead have started moving into the Clearwater in any numbers lately
Thanks man
Charley

That was absolutely awesome Bobby!!
Thank you for the much needed laugh!

You bet man, its actually a neat little trick, speeds up the retying process a little!
Tight Lines

Usually they pull some slack from the reel with their hand first, and snap the line like a whip to work it through the eyes easier, without having to grab and pull it
Mostly done after breaking off, working some more slack out to make tying up easier

I set mine as loose as possible to start, just enough to drive the hook point in, when I need more a tighten down as needed