While spin cast equipment is still the number one piece of fishing equipment for Florida Anglers, a trip to the lake region of central Florida shows heavy use of bait casting equipment. For many of our visitors from the Great Lakes region of our country, you will see many excellent anglers using the conventional rod and reel combo we call bait casting. These outfits consist of a seven-to-eight-foot fishing rod designed with eight or nine smaller guides mounted all the way to the tip of the rod. The smaller opening of the guides controls the easy flow of fishing line off a generally stiffer fishing rod. The reels are a mechanical wonder designed with excellent counter balanced weights, level wind spools and trigger releases to allow the fishing line to come off the reel with a depression of the release trigger. The drag feature on the reels is that part of the mechanics that allow the angler to control exactly how much pull it will take by a fish to move line off the reel. The drag mechanism, as it is called, is usually made with washer type pads of nylon, cork, graphite material, or many other specially designed materials manufactures are not ready to reveal.
The bait casting reel is generally controlled using the anglers thumb pressing the reel release, and then by applying some pressure on the spool which holds the line itself. The line spool sits on a bunch of specially designed ball bearings that allows for a smooth release of line out through the guides. The body of the reel, which holds the line spool, drag washers and about a dozen other special features such as an oil port, line click feature, line release feature and many more depending upon how much money you would like to spend to make that reel a wonder. Many of the bodies are made from graphite, specialized light metals, molded plastics and titanium. Together, and designed specifically for the job of casting a lure out into the water with accuracy make up the bait casting reel. Manufacturers such as Penn, AbuGarcia, Shimano, Daiwa, and Ocean Master, all have a full line of reels for every price and budget. These companies, to name only a few, also make sets of rods and reels that make the selection process much easier. As for bait casting rods, the following companies produce many varieties of rods that match the reels on the market. Ugly Stik, St. Croix, G.Loomis, Shimano, Star Rods and Fenwick to name just a few. All these companies make wonderful bait casting fishing rods. Many smaller local companies have entered the market and are now very popular with Florida anglers.
The price of the rod and reel can run from a low of $39, to a high end of $500. Remember, it is often the skill of the angler that should determine the rod and reel that is best for them. Many of the Burnt Store Anglers have caught big tough fish on basic bait casting outfits, and enjoy this type of outfit just fine. Other anglers who have fished with bait casting outfits for many years have eventually bought a high-end outfit as their main fishing rod and reel. Only you can decide which outfit and at what price range works for you. Give it a try. If you have not added a bait casting outfit to your fishing arsenal, you will really enjoy its use. Developing new fishing skills with this type of equipment is lots of good fishing fun.
Tight Lines
