new baitcaster

[STEELnICE]

I'm looking at trying a baitcaster and buying it off the internet. I've never owned one. I hold the rod with my right hand and reel with the left. Should i be looking for a right-hander or a left? Thanks.

[STEELnICE]

I'm thinking about getting the baitcaster with an emphasis on running bobber and skein for kings with heavy (15#) leader as well as throwing hardware. Would a 10' rod rated for 10-20# line be good for this application? The only main problem I can think of is I may need to cast with trees above my head and behind me. Would this be too difficult with a 10' rod and a baitcaster? I might run mono mainline at times too so im guessing I will need a round baitcaster instead of the low-profile model?

[ESOX]

I hold the rod with my right hand and reel with the left. Should i be looking for a right-hander or a left? Thanks.
Edit/Delete Message

That would be a left handed reel.

Would a 10' rod rated for 10-20# line be good for this application? The only main problem I can think of is I may need to cast with trees above my head and behind me. Would this be too difficult with a 10' rod and a baitcaster? I might run mono mainline at times too so im guessing I will need a round baitcaster instead of the low-profile model?

10' is a lot of rod. I use a 9' extra fast hot shot rod, with an Abu 5600 Record. Low profile bass reels have very little in the way of line capacity. Most are lucky to hold 125 yards of 14#.

[Alpha Buck]

I own the abu record as well and it is a great reel for the money. As for the length of the rod, that would depend on the type of water you are going to fish. If you are going to spend most of your time on smaller water then go with a 9 footer, if you are going to be on larger water go with something 10 foot or longer. I have a 10'6 st.croix wild river that's rated for 8-20lb line, it is good king rod for casting hardware and floating bobbers. If I was going to use it for fishing steelhead I would go with a lighter rod, maybe an 8-14lb rating. If you have the extra money and are going to use the rod alot look into the new loomis steelhead series rods or an imx.

[STEELnICE]

I can side or underhand cast a 10 foot rod with a spinning reel just about anywhere. Would I be able to do the same thing with the baitcaster or will I need more room / a shorter rod?

[Alpha Buck]

It seems to be a little easier (for me anyways) with a spinning reel to work around brush and trees, but as long as I am not standing in trees or branches I usually do not have much trouble with a baitcaster and a 10'6. I guess if I was going to fish anything smaller than say the Betsie I would go with a shorter rod like a 9'er. If your not planning on doing much hardware fishing stay with the length and if your are planning on doing mostly hardware I would go with the 9footer. With that said, I usually fish a float reel on atleast a 13' rod when bobber fishing so I am a little biased toward a longer stick. I usually only break out the baitcaster when I need to really horse fish or when I am fishing hardware.

[thousandcasts]

Skein fishing kings, I use the Shimano Cardiff 201 round baitcaster on a St. Croix Wild River 10'6" medium action rod.

spawn fishing for steelhead (bobbers) I have a Shimano Castaic 201 on a 10' 6" St. Croix wild river Medium Light action rod.

My crank/hardware rods are 9' medium action Cabela's Fish Eagle II rods with Shimano Cruxis 201 reels.

All my baitcasters are the LH models...love 'em!

[tokenfinn]

I bought a left handed baitcaster because I reel all of my spinning rods left handed. BIG mistake! It was very awkward feeling. I tried it for a couple of years and finally gave up. I really want to spend the big bucks and get a nice right handed one but I have yet to pull the trigger.

[STEELnICE]

I'm curious as to why a shorter rod is better for throwing hardware?

[TSS Caddis]

Why deal with the extra weight and extra awkwardness of the extra 1.5' of rod for just hardware? The longer rod only comes into play when bobber fishing, so why not use something lighter and easier to deal with when fishing hardware.