BFS rod
BFS rod
I’m looking for suggestions for a 5’ to. 5 1/2’ BFS rod for trout in the 10” to 16” range with an occasional 18” fish. I’d prefer a short handle for easier pitching and underhanded casting. The creek is smallish and brushy, but it has some pretty decent brown trout. I’ll mostly pitch 3-5 g minnow baits. I have an Acehawk CU double on order, but I’m not sure if that rod with the light action tip in place will be enough. That and I wouldn’t mind something a little nicer. Thanks in advance.
Last edited by Smalleyez on Thu Feb 09, 2023 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RRR (Round Reels Rule!)
Re: BFS rod
Well I’m doing my due diligence and came across some very positive feedback on the Major Craft Finetail FSX B4102UL. Anyone care to comment? It seems to check the boxes, maybe a little shorter than I envisioned, but perhaps it’s just right.
RRR (Round Reels Rule!)
Re: BFS rod
I’ve not owned a bfs rod that short. I had a custom 6’1” rod built off a phenix mirage trout blank and that one was a riot with just about anything on the end of the line. I’ve had my share of MC rods and love them all.
-
- Angler
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:27 pm
Re: BFS rod
What’s your budget and what’s your preferred action? For streams like you mentioned, if you want something similar in specs and price to the finetail, consider the Palms Rera Kamuy RKSC 53 UL. It’s 5’3” right in the middle of your length ask, and lure rating is also right where you’re looking. I had the finetail you mentioned and it was fine, but I ultimately sold it off. I now have two Rera Kamuys though and they’re both perfect for a whole lot of things.
Re: BFS rod
It's kind of hard to say. There are several factors to consider. Even when you say 10-16" with occasional 18" trout, we don't know if that means that 90% of the trout are 10" and like 1% chance are 18". Also, you have to factor in speed of current. If your streams are fairly slow and most of the trout are small, I'd suggest going with a fairly light (as in UL) powered rod just because that would mean the majority of the fish are more fun to catch. You'll just have to just battle the bigger ones.
Hobie-Wan Kenobi has a lot of rod/reel review videos on YouTube including a "how to choose a rod" video. You should check it out if you haven't already.
My suggestion for rod would be the Silver Creek Glass Progressive 4'6" UL rod if the majority of fish are under 12". The 5'1" L model is good if majority of fish are 12" or larger, but it is feels much stiffer than the UL. My rod suggestion is limited because I only have experience with those 2 rods and the Tsurinoya Ares C562UL, which is better for 10" and under trout, in my opinion.
Hobie-Wan Kenobi has a lot of rod/reel review videos on YouTube including a "how to choose a rod" video. You should check it out if you haven't already.
My suggestion for rod would be the Silver Creek Glass Progressive 4'6" UL rod if the majority of fish are under 12". The 5'1" L model is good if majority of fish are 12" or larger, but it is feels much stiffer than the UL. My rod suggestion is limited because I only have experience with those 2 rods and the Tsurinoya Ares C562UL, which is better for 10" and under trout, in my opinion.
Re: BFS rod
Glass Progressive might be mighty rod. Tsurinoya Ares I like, but Tsurinoya Master I like much more, because it has better reel seat and grip, and it has a little more power and backbone and it casts better, especially 3-5 gram lures. I haven't had issues with this rod with any fish. Biggest ones caught are Rainbow Trouts little less than 2 kg. It's not bad rod for small fish either. It's by far my favorite stream fishing trout rod. Naturally I know that many people don't share my opinion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIz_fnZXv_w&t=285s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIz_fnZXv_w&t=285s
Re: BFS rod
Thank you and I’ll follow up on all suggestions. I have watched almost all of Hobie’s videos and they have definitely broadened my understanding of the nuances of BFS trout rods along with the effects of line choice.
I listed the wrong Major Craft Finetail above with the FSX B4102UL. I meant to say the glass version, the FSG B4102UL. At the end of the day for me it comes down to casting accuracy and the fun factor, and from what I’ve gleaned this glass version is a solid performer with the ability to handle the occasional larger fish. I have no interest in throwing Trout Magnets. Last night I weighed my collection of minnow baits on my electronic scale and they range from 3.5 to around 5 grams.
That said I have a butt-ugly narrow and steep-banked creek within a mile from here. It runs through farmland and doesn’t get fished because of the thick and gnarly cover along the banks. Most people don’t even know there are trout in it, but there are, and some are quite large. An older neighbor told me about catching an 8 and 4 pound brown out of one short stretch. I never see anyone fishing there and in the past when I tried it was very difficult with my longer rods. Now the option of working a shorter BSF rod with pitching and backhand casts opens a door.
Thanks again for helping me out. Tackle Tour has always been a great resource for me and the knowledge shared here is top notch.
I listed the wrong Major Craft Finetail above with the FSX B4102UL. I meant to say the glass version, the FSG B4102UL. At the end of the day for me it comes down to casting accuracy and the fun factor, and from what I’ve gleaned this glass version is a solid performer with the ability to handle the occasional larger fish. I have no interest in throwing Trout Magnets. Last night I weighed my collection of minnow baits on my electronic scale and they range from 3.5 to around 5 grams.
That said I have a butt-ugly narrow and steep-banked creek within a mile from here. It runs through farmland and doesn’t get fished because of the thick and gnarly cover along the banks. Most people don’t even know there are trout in it, but there are, and some are quite large. An older neighbor told me about catching an 8 and 4 pound brown out of one short stretch. I never see anyone fishing there and in the past when I tried it was very difficult with my longer rods. Now the option of working a shorter BSF rod with pitching and backhand casts opens a door.
Thanks again for helping me out. Tackle Tour has always been a great resource for me and the knowledge shared here is top notch.
RRR (Round Reels Rule!)
Re: BFS rod
I need to follow up the paragraph above to say this creek above and 4-8 lb trout is an exception to my normal trout fishing. My usual fish in my usual creeks are in the 10-12 inch range with the occasional 16” fish and once in a great while an 18-19 incher. The ugly local creek above with the big fish potential falls into more of a special operation adventure, definitely not the norm.Smalleyez wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 4:25 am
That said I have a butt-ugly narrow and steep-banked creek within a mile from here. It runs through farmland and doesn’t get fished because of the thick and gnarly cover along the banks. Most people don’t even know there are trout in it, but there are, and some are quite large. An older neighbor told me about catching an 8 and 4 pound brown out of one short stretch. I never see anyone fishing there and in the past when I tried it was very difficult with my longer rods. Now the option of working a shorter BSF rod with pitching and backhand casts opens a door.
RRR (Round Reels Rule!)
Re: BFS rod
First post on this didn't show, but what strength and type of line are you using?
Hobie had mentioned it in a video, something I have always wondered about and tinkered with, is line affecting action. If the rod you get is too slow or overly moderate tapered, a braid will help speed the action up a bit. Opposite for a fluorocarbon or mono, they can help to slow down an overly fast action rod, maybe more so for the mono. Just something to think about in case the rod you pick doesn't have that perfect action.
I'd like to know what you pick, BFS Ross are much harder to pick than the reels. I wish I had ordered more when Aliexpress had better prices a few years back, really like the one I have.
Hobie had mentioned it in a video, something I have always wondered about and tinkered with, is line affecting action. If the rod you get is too slow or overly moderate tapered, a braid will help speed the action up a bit. Opposite for a fluorocarbon or mono, they can help to slow down an overly fast action rod, maybe more so for the mono. Just something to think about in case the rod you pick doesn't have that perfect action.
I'd like to know what you pick, BFS Ross are much harder to pick than the reels. I wish I had ordered more when Aliexpress had better prices a few years back, really like the one I have.
Re: BFS rod
I have this exact rod, the FSG B4102UL. I have very limited experience as I have only used it a few times this past spring, but I think it will work very well for exactly what you have planned. I had it paired with an Alphas Air with 0.8 Goh PE to a 4# fluorocarbon leader and used 4-4.5 gram sinking minnow baits exclusively, with my favorite being the Duo Spearhead Ryuki 50S at 4.5 grams. It cast very well in that wait range and could easily go lower as well as handle up to 5 grams without issue. The largest trout I caught were in the 12-14" range, but it handled them without issue in fair current in early spring. I now have it paired with a Silver Creek Air Stream Custom with the same 0.8 Goh PE and can't wait to get it back out there in another month or two. Seems like a lot of great suggestions in this thread, but I don't think you can go wrong with the Major Craft, especially if you are just starting out or relatively new to the game like myself.Smalleyez wrote: ↑Thu Feb 09, 2023 4:25 amThank you and I’ll follow up on all suggestions. I have watched almost all of Hobie’s videos and they have definitely broadened my understanding of the nuances of BFS trout rods along with the effects of line choice.
I listed the wrong Major Craft Finetail above with the FSX B4102UL. I meant to say the glass version, the FSG B4102UL. At the end of the day for me it comes down to casting accuracy and the fun factor, and from what I’ve gleaned this glass version is a solid performer with the ability to handle the occasional larger fish. I have no interest in throwing Trout Magnets. Last night I weighed my collection of minnow baits on my electronic scale and they range from 3.5 to around 5 grams.
That said I have a butt-ugly narrow and steep-banked creek within a mile from here. It runs through farmland and doesn’t get fished because of the thick and gnarly cover along the banks. Most people don’t even know there are trout in it, but there are, and some are quite large. An older neighbor told me about catching an 8 and 4 pound brown out of one short stretch. I never see anyone fishing there and in the past when I tried it was very difficult with my longer rods. Now the option of working a shorter BSF rod with pitching and backhand casts opens a door.
Thanks again for helping me out. Tackle Tour has always been a great resource for me and the knowledge shared here is top notch.
Re: BFS rod
I’m going to go with the MC Firetail FSG B4102UL. Got to start somewhere. Even on the largest creeks I fish it’s still a short range game. I jumped into BSF about three years ago and owned a Conquest BSF and an Airstream Custom. Great reels but I never had them matched up with complimentary rods and the adventure lost traction. Flash forward to about two months ago when I discovered the world of YouTube my excitement lurched forward again. Hobie Wan Kenobi’s videos in particular got the juices flowing again and inspired me to go with a left hand reel this time. I also decided not to settle in regards to reels (not that I ever have) and I went for arguably the best in a couple Aldebaran 22’s. A lefty for stream trout and a righty for my longer panfish rod. I live in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin and close to the Mississippi River where I fish for smallmouth and walleyes hence my handle “Smalleyez.” For those adventures I use medium light gear. I also fish for panfish in the river backwaters All good and thanks again for the feedback.
RRR (Round Reels Rule!)