Trout Starter Set

How small is your rod and how light is your line? It's not about the size of your tackle, but how you work it. Come share your Ultralight and Bait Finesse System (BFS) fishing success here!
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Aquaftm45
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Trout Starter Set

Post by Aquaftm45 » Tue Feb 28, 2023 4:45 pm

My trout fishing starter set is coming together. Lefty Conquest BFS is obviously held up, but the CT SV w/KTF should fill in fine as long as the purple and green contrast doesnt scare away the fish. I bought some standard minnows and spoons (brown wallet with wool) and then went on a bender on YJP picking up handmade balsa's (green wallet with fur). If your familiar with any of the lure makers, here is a list. Moku, Rei's, Casket Trad, Anglo Hobo, Sprouts, O'parts, Indigo Blu, Sprouts, Kobu, and Mojo. The leather lure wallets I found on YJP are awesome and were a good deal. I think I might have went a little overboard.
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SteveSchmelzle
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by SteveSchmelzle » Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:46 pm

very pretty.

those hard baits are all nice looking. =D>

but if they aren't working, just throw a simple mepps or panther martin.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit I've caught 10+ trout on a spinner for every single trout I've caught on a hard minnow bait.
1-2%

John G
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by John G » Tue Feb 28, 2023 11:25 pm

Everything you have there looks great and I don't think anyone here thinks that you've overdone it. :lol:

tincanary
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by tincanary » Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:40 am

Looks like you're doing great to me. Now you need to sell off a leg or two and build out a 2500C :D lol

Aquaftm45
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Aquaftm45 » Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:05 am

tincanary wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:40 am
Looks like you're doing great to me. Now you need to sell off a leg or two and build out a 2500C :D lol
I literally just got outbid on a black one. When I do eventually get one, I will probobly be texting you alot for advice..haha

tincanary
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by tincanary » Wed Mar 01, 2023 6:47 am

Aquaftm45 wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:05 am
tincanary wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 4:40 am
Looks like you're doing great to me. Now you need to sell off a leg or two and build out a 2500C :D lol
I literally just got outbid on a black one. When I do eventually get one, I will probobly be texting you alot for advice..haha
Feel free to pick my brain. They respond to mods and upgrades better than anything else. If you're wanting to build one out, I'd skip buying a complete reel since you're going to replace most of the parts anyway. Get a nice set of side plates, a pinion yoke, and the rest you can get through Avail and Valleyhill.

This is my latest build, the only factory parts are the pinion yoke and side plates. The handle is Haneda Craft, level wind is Valleyhill, and the rest is Avail. It weighs 7 ounces, similar in weight as a 2017 Conquest BFS and it palms great thanks to the offset frame.

Image

Aquaftm45
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Aquaftm45 » Thu Mar 02, 2023 10:16 am

SteveSchmelzle wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:46 pm
but if they aren't working, just throw a simple mepps or panther martin.
I'd be lying if I didn't admit I've caught 10+ trout on a spinner for every single trout I've caught on a hard minnow bait.
Thank you for the kind words.
I can probobly catch more slapping a piece of corn on that rod too, but that is not always the point.. :-k :lol:
In my limited foray into trout fishing out west, I struck out on spinners so I went to the Ned to catch some bass and ended up slaying about a dozen trout. You just never know..
(please excuse my ignorant handling of this fish)
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Aquaftm45
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Aquaftm45 » Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:19 pm

My impatience for the Conquest BFS release got the best of me. I had been looking and bidding on Abu's for the last month, never finding the right reel for the right price. I was also a little daunted by the fact that I would still have to invest time, effort and 1k for a full avail build. I'm glad that did not come to fruition before I made a hard left turn into a Try-Angle 420 10th anniversary. What a stellar reel, a hommage to the Abu, done up with Japanese pride and craftsmanship. Out of the box ready for 2grams at a respectable 212 grams. Initially from the pictures I was put off by the bronze colored knobs and on the fence about the handle. So much so, that I spent all of 4 hours searching for a 35MM black NS Craft single handle, so I could swap as soon as it arrived. Never found one. While unboxing, after bieng taken aback at how incredibly compact this reel actually is, I realized that the handle and knobs bring an element of further refinement to this reel, I'd go as far as to say boujee. Not much to upgrade on this reel, I ordered a carbon drag (might already have it?) and a double ball bearing cog. Can't wait to get it on the water.

Oh, a day after ordering this I found the right Abu at the right price, it's on its way :doh:
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Dalleinf
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Dalleinf » Fri Mar 10, 2023 9:30 pm

SteveSchmelzle wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:46 pm
very pretty.

those hard baits are all nice looking. =D>

but if they aren't working, just throw a simple mepps or panther martin.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit I've caught 10+ trout on a spinner for every single trout I've caught on a hard minnow bait.
I am on the same page. Love spoons and hard minnows, but spinners have caught me many hundreds if not a thousand trout of >40 cm…
Mepps aglia and comet for the win :-)

Aquaftm45
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Aquaftm45 » Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:37 am

Starter set is coming together. Put the Abu on an Avail Diet, thanks to Tincanary for helping me through the process. Picked up some NS Craft handles and an I's Wood Craft grip system. M-Aire UD glass should arrive early next week. Time to put this stuff to the test.
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Bronzeye
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Bronzeye » Thu Apr 27, 2023 4:38 pm

Those are some beautiful handles!

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Cracker
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by Cracker » Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:13 pm

Rick, you are killing again =D> if I would be that trout, I would swim hundred miles to bite your hardbaits! As always, nice tackle man!

tincanary
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Re: Trout Starter Set

Post by tincanary » Thu May 04, 2023 5:26 am

Glad to be of assistance, she came out beautiful. Try both the mag and centrifugal brake and see what you like best. I really love the centrifugal for as primitive as it may seem. It's very effective and the reel will do exactly what I ask of it every time; bomb casting, pitching, etc are all great in that 2g and up range. This is with a little lateral play in the spool. I run a single Avail extra small brake block and nothing else.

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