PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant VBA_SCRIPT - assumed 'VBA_SCRIPT' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in ..../includes/functions_navigation.php(802) : eval()'d code on line 1 Baitcaster for Schoolies & Longtail?
I have never had a baitcaster before, but on a couple of recent trips we spotted boils of school macs and longtail tuna in the southern bay. (Different days)
The sad old boat rod/Alvey reel combo that I was using, didn't have the ability to flick lightweight slugs to the toothy critters that I was greedily eying off.
I have been browsing thru ebay and catalogues from fishing tackle shops for a suitable baitcaster.
I'm not sure whether a 2-4 Kg outfit would be able to cope with the longtails if I should chance upon them again soon.
Given my intended use of the outfit being for longtail and schoolies (using 15 - 30g slugs), as well as perhaps teasing some bream and flathead etc with soft plastics - What sort of outfit would suit?
Or am I living in a dream world?, imagining that a single combo can handle the above critters.
Should I get a heavier outfit - perhaps the 4-8 Kg line class.
I have never played with a baitcaster before, so would probably need something with magnetic/centrifugal overrun controls.
Would braid be better/easier than mono on baitcaster?
Also, "She who must be obeyed" wouldn't complain if the outfit was below $200
Your probably in a dream world. To start with a baitcaster is designed to cast lure with precision over a short distance. It is true that when casting larger metals (60grams plus) a large baitcaster can be used just as effectively as a spin reel if not more but for 15-30grams you'll be lucky to make it half way to the school. you will find that small baitcasters also lack the crank speed and line capacity required to chase pelagics properly. something around a 2500 daiwa to 4000 shimano with 10 -15lb braid would be more suited to your needs.
Sea-dog,
Jeremy has summed it up prety well, but I think you need to be aware that when the tuna or mackeral are a bit nervous, and/or picky about the size of the lure (which they often are), you need to be able to cast small slugs a fair distance, and then you need to crank them back really FAST!!.
The only commonly available, reasonably priced reels that will do this are eggbeaters like the Shimano TSS4, the big Okuma high speed or something similar. Whatever the brand, they need to have a big spool diameter and a high gear ratio.
I love my baitcasters and I've never been all that keen on eggbeaters, but there are some jobs that the spinners will do better than any other type of reel, and casting for pelagics is one of them.
Also, if, you hook up to a longtail, it could well be up to 20kg and you will need a fair bit of line to stop them. Yes I know - it's possible to chase them with the boat and I have had to do this, but it's a lot easier said than done, especially if your'e out on your own.
If your heart is set on a baitcaster, take a look at the Abu 5600C4. It's quite cheap, casts well and at 6.3:1 it fast. Eggies are a better choice for this style of fishing.
I feel the NEED...the NEED FOR SPEED !!!! get yourself a Shimano TSS-4 and a decent 7-8ft spinning rod. I have my TSS4 matched to an Albagraph 6 (7ft spin). That outfit is now over 12 years old and has served me very very well, and still going strong. I fish 6-8kg mono and have found the extra line capacity pretty handy, especially when hooked up a decent longtail or spaniard etc. The spin outfit is always handy, with a raider or slug ready to go. You never know what can turn up... forget the baitcaster for Longtails etc... SPEED is the key... one of the best reels I've ever seen and used for Mackerel off the Urangan Pier was a TSS-3. I wish they never stopped making them. What a killer that reel was. Plenty of speed and tough enough to handle the scorching runs of Tuna and Macks.
I have to agree with the above comments, schoolies are fine for a highspeed baitcaster like the abu 6500 c4 with a high ratio as you can usually sit on a school or near them and take them from under the boat as I've done in the past, though fishing for the longtails is more visual than anything and if you have chased them around you will know how easily spooked they can be, I bought a new setup to chase longtails around the bay and have got myself an 8ft live fibre 8-10kg with a tss4 loaded with 14lb fireline. I have only used this setup once so far due to the poor weather we have been having but I'm super impressed with the distance you can cast light weighted slugs and I can see how it will make life a lot easier chasing longtails around.
Get yourself either an 8 or 9ft spin rod and a highspeed eggbeater and make life easier on yourself!
I have bought (lay-byed) a TSS4 and an 8' Uglystik. I had a word with dave? (the short, solid bloke) at BCF Springwood/Slacks Creek. He showed me the live fibre rod side-by-side with the Ugly stik. He held the tip of the rods and told me to put a working curve into the rod, then to put some decent effort into it. This was done for both of the rods and I couldn't feel a great deal of difference between the two.
The Live fibre rod had one more guide than the Ugly stik, and its guides were smaller in diameter.
I asked him what difference the size of the guides would make to the performance.
He said that the smaller guides would mean more accurate casting, but less distance. Whilst the larger guides would mean possibly another 3-5 metres distance than the smaller ones.
I don't kid myself that my casting accuracy would be good enough to make use of the more accurate rod.
For the sake of domestic harmony, I elected to go for the $100 cheaper Ugly stik.
I also got a couple of goodies to go with the outfit. Some 8 Kg mono, and some soft multi-strand wire for use on the schoolies.
I asked if the schoolies were bothered by the wire, and he said that they were more bothered with the stiff wire that some use, and they seem less bothered with the soft wire.
Now I just await the opportunity to go out and look for
birds working the bait schools.
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