Daiwa Pixy vs BFS

[dragon1]

Was the BFS term even a thing when pixies came out? I can't imagine it being a thing prior to early 2010's.

Come to think of it, when the original pixy came out, i had no idea they existed, and back then i was using Quantum reels

Daiwa actually made the ProLite series and even HT 1000 (my first ever BC) in the 1980s, designed for lighter offerings. Shimano also had the smaller Bantam 10 series with graphite spools, and then there is the Abu 1600...all from several decades ago.

[Aquaftm45]

Was the BFS term even a thing when pixies came out? I can't imagine it being a thing prior to early 2010's.

Come to think of it, when the original pixy came out, i had no idea they existed, and back then i was using Quantum reels

The first I have seen the term "bait finesse" used was a in a blog post in early 2009 by Yukihiro Sawamura (KTF) when he had just completed his super shallow spools for the Revo Elite and recieved his prototype Fenwick rods. He had made a couple of spools for the Pixie and the Revo the previous couple of years, but this was his first super shallow spool. His 2k pages of blogs dating back to 2007 and articles on "Bait Finesse Approach" very interesting reads

circa 2009
"Casting a lightweight lure that was unimaginable with bait tackle has become a reality, and as many people as possible know the world of bait finesse that expands the range of approaches, and you can fully enjoy the pleasant casting feel and ease of handling. I hope you enjoy it."

This is one of the main tackles in this weekend's Top 50 Round 2 at Lake Kasumigaura.
GWT64CLP+ & Revoeri Works Spec Finesse & Vanish Ultra 6lb
Lure is Swimmy Bullet 3.8” + 1/64 One-up Sinker Neko Rig Hook: Mosquito Heavy Guard #0

KTF BFS 1.jpg (23.47 KiB) Viewed 1508 times

[Polkfish1]

BFS is a mindset unable to be defined by measurables. One must look inside one's self to determine the best tool for the job. I suggest fasting to rid yourself of worldly toxins that can interfere with this introspective deep dive within yourself. Place some senkos on a candle warmer. Soak yourself in an array of salts and essential oils to transcend your conscience from the burden of your daily life.

Only when you search deep within your soul and find the exact deviation of spinning vs baitcasting (without a BFS reel) in YOUR fishing situation...that is what defines BFS.

Hummmmmm....hummmmm

Are you BFSing me?

[dragon1]

Was the BFS term even a thing when pixies came out? I can't imagine it being a thing prior to early 2010's.

Come to think of it, when the original pixy came out, i had no idea they existed, and back then i was using Quantum reels

The first I have seen the term "bait finesse" used was a in a blog post in early 2009 by Yukihiro Sawamura (KTF) when he had just completed his super shallow spools for the Revo Elite and recieved his prototype Fenwick rods. He had made a couple of spools for the Pixie and the Revo the previous couple of years, but this was his first super shallow spool. His 2k pages of blogs dating back to 2007 and articles on "Bait Finesse Approach" very interesting reads

circa 2009
"Casting a lightweight lure that was unimaginable with bait tackle has become a reality, and as many people as possible know the world of bait finesse that expands the range of approaches, and you can fully enjoy the pleasant casting feel and ease of handling. I hope you enjoy it."

This is one of the main tackles in this weekend's Top 50 Round 2 at Lake Kasumigaura.
GWT64CLP+ & Revoeri Works Spec Finesse & Vanish Ultra 6lb
Lure is Swimmy Bullet 3.8” + 1/64 One-up Sinker Neko Rig Hook: Mosquito Heavy Guard #0
KTF BFS 1.jpg

Man, love those Tiemco Fenwick rods.

[goldrod]

BFS is a mindset unable to be defined by measurables. One must look inside one's self to determine the best tool for the job. I suggest fasting to rid yourself of worldly toxins that can interfere with this introspective deep dive within yourself. Place some senkos on a candle warmer. Soak yourself in an array of salts and essential oils to transcend your conscience from the burden of your daily life.

Only when you search deep within your soul and find the exact deviation of spinning vs baitcasting (without a BFS reel) in YOUR fishing situation...that is what defines BFS.

Hummmmmm....hummmmm

Are you BFSing me?

[John G]

In full disclosure, I stopped reading on page 1 because it became a what in your opinion is BFS Thread. I think the Japanese have done a fantastic job of marketing BFS. I'm now seeing Smith Be Sticky trout rods as being marketed as BFS for trout fishing. I personally think they are marketing that towards the US domestic market versus the JDM market. I think I've been doing BFS for probably close to 11 years now and when I think of BFS, I think of bass fishing. It's not throwing 1 g trout magnets with bait casting gear. All I have to do is watch the video in the link that I posted. I think that Yukihiro Sawamura is the father of modern day BFS for bass fishing. The idea of BFS to me, is using finesse jigs and no sinker worms with line that is not suitable for spinning gear and fishing into heavier cover. I think that is what BFS bass fishing started out to be but has evolved into throwing the lightest weight lure possible. As far as the Pixy or the PX-68 is concerned, I think they are more than capable of throwing finesse jigs or no sinker worms and that makes them fully capable of being BFS.


https://youtu.be/WplRXwskwpU

[LowRange]

In full disclosure, I stopped reading on page 1 because it became a what in your opinion is BFS Thread. I think the Japanese have done a fantastic job of marketing BFS. I'm now seeing Smith Be Sticky trout rods as being marketed as BFS for trout fishing. I personally think they are marketing that towards the US domestic market versus the JDM market. I think I've been doing BFS for probably close to 11 years now and when I think of BFS, I think of bass fishing. It's not throwing 1 g trout magnets with bait casting gear. All I have to do is watch the video in the link that I posted. I think that Yukihiro Sawamura is the father of modern day BFS for bass fishing. The idea of BFS to me, is using finesse jigs and no sinker worms with line that is not suitable for spinning gear and fishing into heavier cover. I think that is what BFS bass fishing started out to be but has evolved into throwing the lightest weight lure possible. As far as the Pixy or the PX-68 is concerned, I think they are more than capable of throwing finesse jigs or no sinker worms and that makes them fully capable of being BFS.


https://youtu.be/WplRXwskwpU

This is what I have come to understand as well. The reality is that it has leaked out into the western world and everything UL casting = BFS today. This does muddy up the conversation when people are looking for a "BFS rod" because you have no idea if they are stream fishing or bass fishing. This is why I will always ask what species and baits they want to fish on their BFS rod to recommend them something appropriate.

[Cal]

This is why I will always ask what species and baits they want to fish...

Which is essentially true for anyone seeking advice on fishing tackle

[goldrod]

In full disclosure, I stopped reading on page 1 because it became a what in your opinion is BFS Thread. I think the Japanese have done a fantastic job of marketing BFS. I'm now seeing Smith Be Sticky trout rods as being marketed as BFS for trout fishing. I personally think they are marketing that towards the US domestic market versus the JDM market. I think I've been doing BFS for probably close to 11 years now and when I think of BFS, I think of bass fishing. It's not throwing 1 g trout magnets with bait casting gear. All I have to do is watch the video in the link that I posted. I think that Yukihiro Sawamura is the father of modern day BFS for bass fishing. The idea of BFS to me, is using finesse jigs and no sinker worms with line that is not suitable for spinning gear and fishing into heavier cover. I think that is what BFS bass fishing started out to be but has evolved into throwing the lightest weight lure possible. As far as the Pixy or the PX-68 is concerned, I think they are more than capable of throwing finesse jigs or no sinker worms and that makes them fully capable of being BFS.


https://youtu.be/WplRXwskwpU

I can see your points
Thanks for that video. I was excited to see that

[LowRange]

Awesome video. The one I watched might have been the same guy although I thought he was using a majorcraft rod. Same type of video from the same period. He was shooting little baits to cover for high pressure Japanese bass on a 6'7" L BFS rod with an Alphas KTF. Seeing that video is what prompted me to get an Alphas SV from Japan and track down one of the last Volkey L BFS rods. Also those Daiwa reels in that video are awesome. Something about 2010s Daiwas. They have soul. Especially with Japanese tuning spools and parts on them.

[Johnny A]

1. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line + Philosophy = System

2. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line ≠ System

3. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line = TACTIC

Slider worms, from back in the day, with a light spinning rod/reel and 4-6lb test was a similar presentation

There is nothing new under the Sun, just a marketing approach.

[LowRange]

1. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line + Philosophy = System

2. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line ≠ System

3. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line = TACTIC

Slider worms, from back in the day, with a light spinning rod/reel and 4-6lb test was a similar presentation

There is nothing new under the Sun, just a marketing approach.

Similar but I have never seen a spinning rod with a taper like my BFS rods. Once my Volkey L BFS or Trickster UL BF load to the 1st guide they completely shut off. They are broom handles from the butt to the 1st guide and act as levers to steer fish away from cover while the rest of the rod absorbs the fight. Its that build that makes them special or unique amongst other casting or spinning rods of the same power.

Also, I'll add that these old tactics like a slider head fishing are still deadly today. When wasn't casting to targets I would crawl a 1/16 oz slider head and finesse worm over weed beds on slow days. It just works. I would use my 5:1 SS SV with BFS spool on the Volkey BFS. I miss that rod.

[Johnny A]

1. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line + Philosophy = System

2. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line ≠ System

3. Bait + Rod + Reel + Line = TACTIC

Slider worms, from back in the day, with a light spinning rod/reel and 4-6lb test was a similar presentation

There is nothing new under the Sun, just a marketing approach.

Similar but I have never seen a spinning rod with a taper like my BFS rods. Once my Volkey L BFS or Trickster UL BF load to the 1st guide they completely shut off. They are broom handles from the butt to the 1st guide and act as levers to steer fish away from cover while the rest of the rod absorbs the fight. Its that build that makes them special or unique amongst other casting or spinning rods of the same power.

Also, I'll add that these old tactics like a slider head fishing are still deadly today. When wasn't casting to targets I would crawl a 1/16 oz slider head and finesse worm over weed beds on slow days. It just works. I would use my 5:1 SS SV with BFS spool on the Volkey BFS. I miss that rod.

It’s been a long time but I remember the rods being softer than the sensitive rods we use today.

[dragon1]

In the vein of what is "BFS", my only true to Purist form BFS rod is a Fenwick Tiemco Golden Wing 6'10" LP+J...just an awesome rod for lots of Mag-finesse applications, although a bit too much for UL/L. The only other one I used to own was a Major Craft 6'4" Light XF Speedstyle 2-piece with a solid tip.

Everything else will have to be suitably termed "mag-finesse", which is term I generally always use anyway.
I gotta say, my Vinnie custom Lamiglas Infinity 873 is just an incredible MH "BFS-in-spirit" complete build. I can literally cast 1/8 oz Beetle spins and #2 Mepps and other inlines (about 1/8 oz), and turn around and toss 1/2 lipless and spinnerbaits, as well as 1/8-3/8 swim jigs jigs, 1/8-3/4 Tokyo rig/tubes/trigs, and even smaller 1/4 Topwaters and jerkbaits up to Pointer 100s..all this because the tip is truly hinged and bordering on XFast, and shuts off immediately about 1/3 down the blank and into a full MH powered backbone. I just change out the line type, but nearly always pair with an Ian tuned and modded Steez Limited SV 105 and Megabass IS finesse spool.

Good topic and enlightening responses.

[SSS]

This thread made me want to find a good Fenwick rodHaven't owned one in over 10 years.