Trying to not hate spinning gear...what NRX to buy?

[oops]

I haven't seriously committed to fishing spinning gear for bass since dropshotting first started gaining popularity in my area. Like the late 90s. I've still put in a fair amount of time on spinning gear for this and that over the years, but I generally avoid it and I haven't invested a dollar into upgrading any of my gear in 15 years. I went out today and put some time in on the shakeyhead and drop shot for the first time in a year or so and sort of enjoyed it but my setup is without a doubt lacking (using Sustain 1000FA with 8lb Yozuri Hybrid on a 7' Fenwick Techna AV L/F that fishes more like M/XF), so I'm giving some thought (for the millionth time) to actually getting a setup that I might really enjoy fishing.

I primarily want to be able to fish shakeyhead and dropshot, but I'd like to be able to throw Pointer 65/78 size jerkbaits, 3" paddle tails on a 1/8-1/4 oz darterhead and fluke style baits under 4". Yeah, that's kind of a lot of different baits, but there is no way I'm investing in multiple spinning rods at this point in time, so I'd really like to pick up a solid all around rod. With all that in mind, what NRX would best suit me? I love my 842c, but if the 842s is built on the same blank, I feel like the tip will simply be too soft for shakeyhead and dropshot. I'm a bit worried that 852s will be too stiff for paddle tails and jerkbaits or that the rod will just feel too stiff to me in general based on what I've read about it. I assume my only 4 reasonable options are 842, 852, 822 SYR and 822 DSR.

[Hogsticker2]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how dropping big coin on a set up is going to make it any more enjoyable if you don't like using spinning gear. It's still the same motions, handling, etc. I did the same thing not long ago, after I had sold all my spinning gear off. Custom rod built, new Rarenium ci4+ . . . Yeah it was a nice set up but it changed nothing. Still wanted to reach for my casting gear and did. The only thing buying an Nrx is gonna do is force you to use it cause you spent so much money on it and feel a greater sense that you have to because of it. Just my 2 cents

[oops]

Yeah this is pretty much the conclusion I have come to every time I've felt this way for the past 3-5 years but today sort of reminded me that fishing spinning gear can actually be fun and it made me more interested than normal in getting 1 nice setup. If I could use it for Pointer 65 and paddle tails on a 1/8oz head which are two ways I actually enjoy fishing, just with smaller/lighter baits than I generally use, I could rationalize the purchase much more easily. It's entirely possible that in the next 72 hours I will be over this feeling completely like I normally am, but at the moment I kind of want to go out and drag some 4.5" Roboworms around again

[Hogsticker2]

I here ya. I don't think I could handle fishing paddle tails and jerkbaits on the same rod though. I hate running, and if I get a pair of 400 dollar kicks I ain't gonna like it any better.

[Jrob]

Just go the BFS casting route. I did and have not looked back on spinning gear. Great finesse baitcast approach and the new reels are just amazing. You can have a really great reel and a major craft BFS Rod cheaper than an NRX too. Just my take since you dislike spinning. Good luck and don't catch them all.

[masterbass]

Just go the BFS casting route. I did and have not looked back on spinning gear. Great finesse baitcast approach and the new reels are just amazing. You can have a really great reel and a major craft BFS Rod cheaper than an NRX too. Just my take since you dislike spinning. Good luck and don't catch them all.

X2. For those techniques just go bfs. I haven't picked my spinning gear for bass in years.

[the hooligan]

I'll also add, go bfs route instead of spinning gear. Much more fun and you won't put it down, lol.

Dropshot is the only technique I reach to a spinning rod for.

[Handler]

As someone who fishes primarily light baits that lend themselves to spinning, I've tried BFS and like it, but as soon a pick up my spinning rod, I immediately think what the hell was I doing. For some presentations spinning just works better.

My BFS set up is:
PXR on a KLXCRT70ML with 15lb Seaguar Smackdown
Action: Moderate-Fast
- Length: 7'0"
- Power: Medium-Light
- Lure weight: 1/16 - 3/8 oz.

With a 3/16 lure, spinning kills it in casting distance. Not even close.

[Hogsticker2]

As someone who fishes primarily light baits that lend themselves to spinning, I've tried BFS and like it, but as soon a pick up my spinning rod, I immediately think what the hell was I doing. For some presentations spinning just works better.

My BFS set up is:
PXR on a KLXCRT70ML with 15lb Seaguar Smackdown
Action: Moderate-Fast
- Length: 7'0"
- Power: Medium-Light
- Lure weight: 1/16 - 3/8 oz.

With a 3/16 lure, spinning kills it in casting distance. Not even close.

I've had the exact opposite experience. Right spool and rod of course. With spinning gear the line has to orbit round and round in 3 different places. The spool and the 1st two guides till it hits the choker. Bait casting it's just a straight shot coming off a hot spool.

[Handler]

Maybe it's because I'm use the brakes a little with some spool tension. I set the spool so the lure drops in a controlled fall and the brakes just to where I'm not spending more time picking out backlashes than fishing.

[oops]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think I have (sort of) been talked off the ledge. I think I may just go with an Omen 2 or Tatula ML/XF and give it a few months to see if I feel like investing more heavily into something fancy. The rod should still be a solid upgrade compared to what I have and combined with actually using braid mainline to fluoro leader, it will probably give me a much better experience all around. Maybe I'll love it and just stick with what I have, maybe I'll upgrade to the NRX and gift the old rod to my buddy...maybe I'll hate it and thank you all for saving me from a $500+ stick that I wouldn't have enjoyed any more than the $100 stick.

As far as the BFS...I've tried to make dropshot work on casting gear on and off since the late 90s, and while I know technology has improved a ton, the mechanics of spinning gear vs casting gear really hasn't, and casting gear simply just doesn't feel right for dropshot and shakeyhead to me. It works, I catch fish, but it just doesn't feel right. Doesn't mean I won't wind up with BFS eventually I just don't feel like it will really help me in this situation.

[ss30378]

As someone who fishes primarily light baits that lend themselves to spinning, I've tried BFS and like it, but as soon a pick up my spinning rod, I immediately think what the hell was I doing. For some presentations spinning just works better.

My BFS set up is:
PXR on a KLXCRT70ML with 15lb Seaguar Smackdown
Action: Moderate-Fast
- Length: 7'0"
- Power: Medium-Light
- Lure weight: 1/16 - 3/8 oz.

With a 3/16 lure, spinning kills it in casting distance. Not even close.

I personally have never been impressed by the stock px/pxr spools casting. At 3/16 the alphas sv is well ahead of the pixy on distance and feels like you put a rocket on the lure compared to the stock pixy spool. On a true bfs reel where I only have 50 yards of line I can nearly spool the reel at 3/16.

[masterbass]

My 51e with avail spool blows my pxr out of the water with light stuff.

[Brad in Texas]

All the while, pros are adding spinning tackle in their arsenals and I suppose some of this has to do with Aaron Marten's recent success and others who use spinning tackle frequently.

I really wonder, it may be presumptuous of me, whether some of it has to do with bad habits learned, that so many of us started out with either cheap spin-casters or cheap spinning reels and never really learned the correct operation.

Go to YouTube and search for Captain Chris Meyers for anyone wondering whether they are using the gear correctly, or for just a great primer on spinning reel technique. He has several videos on many aspects of correct spinning reel usage.

And, what a great opportunity for some of the big names in the bait casting reel world to start working on "finesse" reels that will handle light lines, operate well in the area we now use spinning tackle for.

A finesse guy, myself, I'd much rather use spinning gear than bait casters but I realized I am in the minority here. I can't imagine a guy who is more of a finesse fisherman not wanting and needing spinning gear; I get the idea that if you are cranking long casts in rapid fire succession, fishing heavy mats and a few other apps, that the bait caster is the preferred way to go.

I prefer spinning for: drop shots, split shots, weightless worms, lighter T-Rigs,wacky rigs, shaky heads, spy baits,light lures of all kinds, and . . . skipping/wind/light line needs and much more.

Shimano Stradic Ci4+, 7' St. Croix Med/Fast, 10 lbs. braid to a 6 ft. 8 lbs. fluoro leader - - - my favorite and most used combo.

Brad

[spookybaits]

@brad in Texas
You mentioned Aaron martens & pros- it's worth noting that A mart is now fishing his Enigma rods, and they don't make a casting rod rated lower than 1/4oz, so he doesn't have a choice- he has to use spinning gear.
Same goes for other pro's who's gear options are constrained by what their sponsors want them to use. Their bfs choices are limited, as is their experience using it. If you're sponsored by shimano- odds are they aren't going to be too happy with you running a zpi spool & magnet brake set up in their reel, mated to a jdm shimano rod that isn't for sale in the US. Or any aftermarket add ons that aren't made by shimano.

I used to feel the same- that lighter stuff is best fished on spinning gear. And then I fished true BFS setup and saw what was possible. And that was with 'older' bfs, a pixy on a light action rod. And now with the Daiwa air reels, the Alderbaran BFS reels, the bfs bearings, and all the new aftermarket KTF/ Hedgehog/Zpi spools, And the true BFS rods, I feel like a BFS rig can hang with a spinning rod and even best it in some cases.
I mean I just watched a YouTube video the other night of a dude casting a 1.2g jig 30-40ft on a bfs setup. I can't even do that on my ultralight spinning trout setup

I guess It all comes down to what your comfortable with. For me, spinning gear feels clunky and counterintuitive compared to baitcasting. (Kinda like trying to use a PC after owning a Mac )
I'm not trying to cast anything less than 1/8(3.5g). And even the stock SV reels from daiwa can handle that.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that in 2016, even in the US market we now have bfs casting gear that's capable of throwing the light stuff just a well as spinning gear. And if you look to Japan, they have a whole other level of BFS gear that can be on your doorstep in a week.
If you've never fished a true BFS setup, don't write it off until you've tried it- they're a lot of fun, and if you match the right rod to the right reel they're as easy to use as any other baitcast setup, the only thing required is a softer cast.
The only real problem with bfs to me is that they're addictive. I've put it off for one reason- because I know once I get a nice bfs setup that's all I'm gonna want to throw