BFS Hunting

[earthworm77]

-2 (to uljersey and allsorts )

The OP asked about BFS BC tackle. He never made this into a spinning vs BC thing. I am sure he is knows about "the laws of physics", and that spinning gear in many fishing situations would be the rational choice.
I like reading threads about how light you can go with BFS - right until the usual input about a spinning rig being better for most sub 1/4 oz presentations.
My response is: So what. Not again. Who cares.

BFS is what the thread is about. BFS may be the better choice in some of the situations faced by the OP. Finally, and most likely, the OP may - just as I do - plainly love BFS fishing.

In many situations I can present a fly better with spinning/baitcasting tackle than with a fly rod. However, I see no reason to report that in a thread on fly fishing (with fly fishing tackle).

On topic: I would go with the shimano bfs xg or perhaps an avail honeycomb spool for one of your mets.

Well honestly, I think it becomes more of a matter of practicality than is one better than the other. I mean, it is factual that spinning gear excels with lighter weights, so in reality we are testing the fringe of the lowest weight BFS can handle before its benefits become negated and spinning gear would be the better option. I don't necessarily feel this was a spinning gear is better than BFS thread.

I like BFS fishing as well. I have 2 Major Craft rods on miniscule Shimano reels and I love to use them. But, I realize their limitations and that they are just a tool for a relatively specific job as far as my fishing is concerned. I do use them for light jig fishing, especially hair jigs but also with tiny crankbaits. It just feels way more natural to throw cranks on casting gear and I like the 1/8oz and smaller models from Rebel and Rapala as well a few Megabass and Lucky Craft offerings. But anyway, I realize the limitations of BFS and I don't try to get under that 1/8oz level at all and might actually prefer to throw 1/8oz jigs on spinning gear for better efficiency.

[ss30378]

When it comes to bfs some will say what's the point? Usually those are the ones who have little to no experience with it. I've had quite a few bfs combos now and I will say with the right setup you can get down to 1.0g (1/32oz) with bait casting gear. I have both the ss air and alphas air as well as a few shimanos and I can get just and much distance as spinning gear down to 1/16oz or 2.0g. But it will cost much more than a spinning setup. With bfs you will gain accuracy and the ability to gently land a lure where it need it to go. I can also use 6lb test with bfs vs the 4lb needed to get distance with spinning gear so the bfs gives me a bit of an advantage when a big one gets on.

The alphas air is a fantastic reel and is probably the best bang for the buck out of the box bfs reel now. Smooth solid and a nice multi disk drag. I just got a nice 5lb 4oz bass today on a strike king Bitsy pond minnow on the alphas and I pulled him in without issue. On my ultra light spinner it would've been a 10 minute fight.

[mudzilla89]

I'm new to the BFS game, I'm surprised to see you're getting equal distance out of casting and spinning gear at 1/16th oz. I did back to back casting of a bare 1/8th oz jig head and got 35-40 paces with spinning gear and could only muster 20-25 paces with my casting gear. I definitely need to work on my casting technique and reel adjustments.

Spinning setup: batson xp840 blank, daiwa tdx 2004c reel, .007" line.

Casting setup: pacbay qlp841 blank, silver daiwa pixy with hedgehog bfs spool bearings and .008" line.

[Dalleinf]

I do not get the same distance with spinning and casting either. However, I find that the best/newest of my BFS reels take my 1/8 oz lures almost as far (as my spinning outfits). I am sure that the Silver Pixy with hedghehog BFS bearings is a very nice reels (unfortunately I do not own one). Still, I believe that you would get slightly better distances with 1/8 oz lures with newer BFS reels, which have much ligther spools.

[ss30378]

You are right. The distances really go up once you get the very light spools and good bearings to match. I think with both ultra light and bfs the light weight lures become the biggest hinderance to distance as the air slows them down much faster regardless of setup. With the ultralight spool/ precision bearing setups down to 1/16oz lures, I believe the total amount of friction for the outfit (line coming off the spool and running through the guides) become so close to that of a spinning reel in a cast the it's the lure itself that dictates casting distance.

1.5g and less lures spinning outfits still cast better. But 2.0g is heavy enough to get the spools rolling in the bfs and distances even up. But as said before the casting setup will cost you a lot more to get there.