They do different tasks.... well, atleast you got the point... I got some 6oz swim baits I'd love to watch you throw on your surf caster...
They all have their place, there is a reason people take the time to learn a bait caster... larger baits, more cranking power in a much lighter package but most importantly, cast control. I use both spinning and bait casting set ups regularly and there is no contest as to accuracy or the ability to land a large bait softly and precisely... the debate on which is better is absolute stupidity, it's like arguing which is a better tool, a hammer or a saw? It's also a debate normally perpetuated by people who can't use a baitcaster... ironically...
Yes I'm a bass hole... started out riding my bike from the trailer park to our polluted river filled with deformed smallies and been addicted my whole life! Cut my teeth in an old Sears jon boat covered in bondo and day dreams, 25 years later I'm just as addicted and now I do it out of a 21' Ranger filled to the brim with tackle... I earned it, I cherish it and I share the experience with everyone I can!
Ha Ha! That's funny right there... I know I'm not rich! Just years of collecting and crushing credit card debt my friend!
No I mean I have 30 to 40 different rods for various techniques and typically carry 20-25 in my rod locker in the boat at any given time... moral of the story is if your like me, your time on the water is your therapy so if a rod, a lure (fly) creel or whatever is gonna make it more enjoyable, do it... your asking other fisherman their parameters to justify spending on our sport and my response is... if you want it and can afford it, fricken buy it, life is not a dress rehearsal so enjoy your one go around while you can! Tight lines!
I use braid on every rod I own with whatever appropriate leader... I typicaly get 3 seasons on a bait caster and 2 on a spinning reel...
I mean I'm a bass guy so 30-40 rods is the norm.... my theory is if you like it buy it...
Ned heads use light wire hooks, they penetrate VERY easily so if you set the hook like it's a 5/0 EWG your gonna tear a hole in the fishes mouth and make it super easy for them to throw it, try easing up a little bit.... just reel and lift the rod tip....
For walmart? Berkley shock rod, 7' medium... GX2 is a tough rod but it has zero sensitivity and it's heavy as hell after 8 hours of casting. pair it with the best quantum they have in 3000 or if you have too, the mitchell 300... 20lb power pro and learn to tie fleuro leaders. That's a $100.00 set up that will handle just about any freshwater fish we have ( and most any technique ) except for the really big cats and sturgeon.
The senko is probably hands down the most effective bass bait ever invented ( and all it's copies) most hardcore bass guys feel defeated having to resort to them... but I promise there's a bag on just about every bass boat on earth!
#1. Jerk baits
#2. Top water anything
#3. skirted jig + Trailer
#4. drop shot
#5. Weightless flukes/ soft jerkbaits.
If you seriously want to get good with a baitcaster, do yourself a favor and spend the money on a decent reel.. one with both centrifugal brakes and an external magnetic brake. I actually like the BPS stuff... carbon lites, pro qualifier, even their bionic reel has magnetic brakes. Crank out the brakes, tie on a whopper plopper 90, adjust the tension knob so it has a controlled fall and your in business... Make sure you use your thumb to stop the cast right before you hit the water. I've tried all kinds of lines and I personally feel power pro 30lb is the easiest to learn with. (it's pretty easy to untangle if you mess up)
Make sure there are actually fish where your fishing... 90% of fish in a lake are in 10% of the water and 80% of being successful is finding them. That's why pro's are running around with $15,000.00 worth of electronics on their boats... 99 out of 100 times if you put a wacky rig in front of a bass he's eating it, even when they're negative. If your fishing from shore get a topo map, find deep water close to shore, then find weeds near there... Money.
Everything... the pre rigging and boat prep for a tourney, studying topo maps and putting together a game plan for a successful trip, exploring new places, reading the magazines, telling and hearing the fish tales. But the best part of all of it is just being out there turned off from the BS of everyday life and breathing the air...being part of that natural environment. When you truly appreciate what a blessing it is that we get to do this, catching fish is almost secondary... That being said? Holy shit, when you swing on a 6lber and you feel that big slow headshake... That's my heroin... When you bring out a rookie and you see the excitement when they tag a big fish... This deal is priceless folks...
Braid is all about the strand weave, the more strands, the smoother and better casting, less strands, stiffer waaaaay better abrasion resistance. I've tried everything under the sun and even though I have a new romance with Berkley X9 and Nanofil... original power pro has been the hands down most trouble free and longest lasting braid I've used. I use fleuro or mono leaders for everything but punching and I have baitcasters with 3 year old powerpro that I still trust tourney fishing. On a 1000 size real 6-10lb max. if you don't know them already, learn to tie an alberto and an FG knot so you can use leaders. Mono for topwater and C-rigs, fleuro on everything else.
It happens... there are tons of studies on mortality rates of gut hooked fish and they have about a 97% survival rate... my best practice with this is, if you can't easily remove a hook, remove as much line as possible and set em free... you'll do significantly more damage to the fish trying to perform surgery to remove a hook. Their bodies will eventually push the hook out just like when you get a splinter.