Honest opinions...is BFS really worth trying?

[dragon1]

BSF is a bit like riding a Harley. Modern bikes trounce a Harley in every single measurable. But for some its the unmeasurables that matter most.

I can see it as the Rebel Yell of "smaller is better" vs the big swimbait universe and paradigm...or sumpfin' like dat. Lol.

[Smalleyez]

BSF is a bit like riding a Harley. Modern bikes trounce a Harley in every single measurable. But for some its the unmeasurables that matter most.

I can see it as the Rebel Yell of "smaller is better" vs the big swimbait universe and paradigm...or sumpfin' like dat. Lol.

Or we’re just extra obsessive compulsive.

[tincanary]

BFS is my primary mode of fishing. I can fish most everything in my state with it aside from king salmon, musky, and sturgeon. Everything else is fair game; stream trout, bass, panfish, steelhead, coho, Atlantics, I've caught them all. Fighting a hot Steelie, coho, or Atlantic is a hoot on BFS. The light and medium light bass rods work great for fishing them. Plenty enough ass there to keep them out of the wood and bring them in.

[Fishing4Fun]

It is not BFS unless you are casting a chicken feather

[Slary]

It is not BFS unless you are casting a chicken feather

BFS gear are great. Every fisherman should have at least one set.
It does not matter, what or how light lures you want to throw with it.

[dragon1]

BSF is a bit like riding a Harley. Modern bikes trounce a Harley in every single measurable. But for some its the unmeasurables that matter most.

I can see it as the Rebel Yell of "smaller is better" vs the big swimbait universe and paradigm...or sumpfin' like dat. Lol.

Or we’re just extra obsessive compulsive.

Goes without saying my brother...like "beans being the magical fruit".

[dragon1]

It is not BFS unless you are casting a chicken feather

LMAO...least 'yer not tickling da ivories with da feather.

[John2204]

I gave it a good try with an Aldebaran BFS and a dobyns ultra finesse rod, lots of fun for pond fishing, but not as versatile as a med lt spinning outfit, is till use bfs reels, but I use them with 10lb braid, 10-15 lb floro leader on a med or med lt casting rod, I just prefer a little heavier rod, one that casts 1/8 to 1/4 lures instead of the ultra light stuff.

[John G]

I gave it a good try with an Aldebaran BFS and a dobyns ultra finesse rod, lots of fun for pond fishing, but not as versatile as a med lt spinning outfit, is till use bfs reels, but I use them with 10lb braid, 10-15 lb floro leader on a med or med lt casting rod, I just prefer a little heavier rod, one that casts 1/8 to 1/4 lures instead of the ultra light stuff.

Your mistake was that you bought a USDM BFS rod. If you would have bought a JDM Shimano BFS rod, you would have been able to cast your 1/8oz to 1/4oz baits with no issues.

[John2204]

Well I’m not a fan of split grips or 2 piece rods so I will pass on most jdm rods, but each to his own I guess….

[LowRange]

You went too light. That happens. A ML Phenix Feather probably would have been a good choice or a JDM L BFS rod. My Volkey 68L was perfect for 1/8 to 1/4 total weight.

[dragon1]

You went too light. That happens. A ML Phenix Feather probably would have been a good choice or a JDM L BFS rod. My Volkey 68L was perfect for 1/8 to 1/4 total weight.

^^^THIS^^^

MY Fenwick Tiemco 6'10" LP+J will cast down to 1/16 and is topped out at 3/8... light fast+ tip with a med powered backbone in the least.

Personally, I think the Dobyns BFS rods are trout and panfish rods.

[toddmc]

BFS is really all about combining a light enough spool with the proper braking, the right rod, and the right line for the weight of lure that you are fishing. If any of those are off by much with the real light stuff, BFS becomes a chore. In the early 80's, I was fishing finesse worms on small Bantams that just didn't have a light enough spool. There were a lot of backlashes for a little kid to pick out, but I caught fish and didn't have to use a spinning rod. In the late 80's and early 90's, the light Texas Rig/Doodling technique with 6 lb. line influenced the BFS movement in Japan. I remember being in the back Phenix rods and seeing thousands of Doodling/finesse baitcasting rods being shipped out to Japan. The early Western hand pour worm scene had a lot of tournament anglers fishing tiny stuff on baitcasting tackle. Tournament fishing out West in the 90's had just about everybody fishing some form of finesse lures on casting tackle. Eventually we got a lot more of these sub 10g, spools that are a big improvement over the older heavier spools as long as you match them with a rod and line that matches your lure weight. I even fish trout lures on BFS. It was much harder to do this before.

[2por]

Even though most of my current BFS equipment is for stream fishing, the reason why I got my first BFS reel was to retire my spinning setups for bass fishing. Personally, I just can’t stand using spinning reels. Dealing with the bail on casts and line twist on non-braided line is an annoyance. There is also other things to consider like the slower retrieve of spinning vs baitcaster and the efficiency of making back to back casts. Also, I just never could get the accuracy with spinning setups as I could with baitcasters. So for me, being able to use all the same lures that I normally use on spinning but on baitcaster instead is a pleasure.

The main problem with BFS vs spinning in my books is that spinning reels will always have a smoother drag than baitcasters by virtue of their design.

If you have qualms with spinning setups and prefer baitcasters, then the switch is probably worth it. If you just want to ride the hype, probably not. However, there is joy in messing with new things, so maybe it would open some doors for you. IMHO, worth giving it a shot if you have money to spare.

[John G]

Well I’m not a fan of split grips or 2 piece rods so I will pass on most jdm rods, but each to his own I guess….

I should apologize for my post because I'm sure it came off as being a little bit of a smart ass.
I'm going to take back what I said about buying only a JDM BFS rod because I just remembered the rod that got me started in BFS. My first BFS combo was a Shimano Scorpion XT1000 with a 32mm Yumeya Mg spool and the rod was a G-Loomis CR-721. That is a 6' L power rod with a full cork handle. I still remember the first time that I took it fishing and that unweighted worm just effortlessly casted out. I have been hooked ever since.