Need help finding a Finesse reel

[Finnz922]

What do you guys think about using a t3 for finesse ? I recently bought 1 and I love it I think I'm going to use it as a finesse reel

It has the breaking to do it but I don't know if the spool is light enough. I know the 1016 spool is lighter and fits because it has been posted enough. The only reason I think it's maybe not right for finesse is the fact that they are releasing the Air soon and it specifically says for lures under 1/4oz. Maybe someone that has tried the T3 for finesse can chime in….

[Mcyl]

That new t3 line guide should help reduce line friction by a bit. For me even mag casting brakes a new. Except for for a 20yo abu the Ito ai will be my first mag brake reel. Should be fun casting usually spinner reel baits with a bait caster. I think I'm better at working baits and controlling fish with LP reels. More accurate casting so far too

[JJf3]

What do you guys think about the steez as a finesse reel?

[ma_fisherman]

a tuned steez 103 can toss an 1/8 with the best of the finesse reels out there. if it does fall a few feet short on actual distance i can assure you it will make up for this in the smoothness and ease of casting these light weights. im not sure of how it handles anything below an 1/8 but who cares about casting 1.5 gram baits unless you fish panfish or trout. pick up a spinning combo if your throwing tiny rooster tails.

my buddy was talking about grabbing one of the megabass finesse spools for his 103 but i dont get the idea with that. i feel like the spool on the 103 with the r+ tuned rotor is perhaps the best spool ever made for a non (limited/enthusiast) edition reel. it just doesnt get much better....its why they get about 500 a pop for them....makes no sense to take it out and spend a couple hundred bucks on another spool that probably doesnt match the original in performance for most duties. put the money towards another upgrade. just my two cents. take care.

[Mcyl]

I've been casting 1/8oz jigs and blades with the Ito ai and a LTB ML610XF rod. What are the typical distances for a setup like this? I've been having trouble reaching over 20'

[zenbassr]

yesterday afternoon i was throwing a 1/24oz rooster tail on my Conquest 50S using the stock spool and 2# Toray FC. i was throwing it fine, well in excess of 20ft, though there wasn't much wind to deal with.

but as has been mentioned, the rod is a big factor in the outcome as well. i was using an UL trout rod rated for 2-6lb line, 1/32oz to 1/4oz lures...

also i really think it would be a surprise to many in regards to how much a lure weighs including jig head and plastic - the Worden's rooster tail says 1/24oz 1.18gr on the package but when on my digital scale it comes in at 1.70g. on paper it seems like a trivial difference but when casting it's really noticeable. i had problems yesterday when i switched out to a trout jig which came in at 0.85g on the scale.

[CaptBob]

Try the Lews T.P.

[CaptBob]

My Lew's Tournament Pro7.1:1 , 6'8" Legend elite, super sensitive, and super light!! I put boca orange seal in the Lew's, believe me, you won't gain much! I won't spend 45 bucks like that again, as it didn't gain much if anything. On top of the T.P. being great outa the box, it only weigh's in at 6.7 oz. so the whole thing weigh's 10.5 oz filled with 20lbs. Tracer Braid!! I run the Braid with 8' 6lbs fluoro leader, the tracer braid with it's 29" color change is a blessing for these 57 year old eyes, and Eye can feel them getting close, ( it is like having my own lateral line!) !! awful hard to beat! It will trow a 3/4 over 70 yards, I am willing to bet money there aint a line or reel made that will cast 1/4 oz and under that far with even a spinning reel! But 1/4 oz will cast around 40 to 45 yards with this outfit, a little wind at my back and 50 yards is do able.

[Mcyl]

yesterday afternoon i was throwing a 1/24oz rooster tail on my Conquest 50S using the stock spool and 2# Toray FC. i was throwing it fine, well in excess of 20ft, though there wasn't much wind to deal with.

but as has been mentioned, the rod is a big factor in the outcome as well. i was using an UL trout rod rated for 2-6lb line, 1/32oz to 1/4oz lures...

also i really think it would be a surprise to many in regards to how much a lure weighs including jig head and plastic - the Worden's rooster tail says 1/24oz 1.18gr on the package but when on my digital scale it comes in at 1.70g. on paper it seems like a trivial difference but when casting it's really noticeable. i had problems yesterday when i switched out to a trout jig which came in at 0.85g on the scale.

I don't know if my rod is too stiff but I guess I can test it out by swapping on the core and see if I can cast further with that. just not too sure what is to be expected from an alphas.

[bronzefly]

my buddy was talking about grabbing one of the megabass finesse spools for his 103 but i dont get the idea with that. i feel like the spool on the 103 with the r+ tuned rotor is perhaps the best spool ever made for a non (limited/enthusiast) edition reel. it just doesnt get much better....its why they get about 500 a pop for them....makes no sense to take it out and spend a couple hundred bucks on another spool that probably doesnt match the original in performance for most duties. put the money towards another upgrade. just my two cents. take care.

While I wouldn't disagree that the stock Steez 103 spool is very nice, I can tell you that in terms of finesse casting, the Megabass IS finesse spool is far superior. We have customers who have sold their dedicated finesse reels and pocketed the difference by dropping the Megabass finesse spool in either a Steez/TD-Z or Alphas/Sol platform. Most of these guys aren't full time dedicated finesse fishermen, so having a spool for finesse and the stock spool for "normal" conditions worked for them...

[Mcyl]

my buddy was talking about grabbing one of the megabass finesse spools for his 103 but i dont get the idea with that. i feel like the spool on the 103 with the r+ tuned rotor is perhaps the best spool ever made for a non (limited/enthusiast) edition reel. it just doesnt get much better....its why they get about 500 a pop for them....makes no sense to take it out and spend a couple hundred bucks on another spool that probably doesnt match the original in performance for most duties. put the money towards another upgrade. just my two cents. take care.

While I wouldn't disagree that the stock Steez 103 spool is very nice, I can tell you that in terms of finesse casting, the Megabass IS finesse spool is far superior. We have customers who have sold their dedicated finesse reels and pocketed the difference by dropping the Megabass finesse spool in either a Steez/TD-Z or Alphas/Sol platform. Most of these guys aren't full time dedicated finesse fishermen, so having a spool for finesse and the stock spool for "normal" conditions worked for them...

Is Ito ai spool a finesse spool? It has Ito engineering on it. I'm a little confused at the moment. Having started finesse fishing on UL spin gear I am having trouble with my new combo dropping baits short.

[bronzefly]

Is Ito ai spool a finesse spool? It has Ito engineering on it. I'm a little confused at the moment. Having started finesse fishing on UL spin gear I am having trouble with my new combo dropping baits short.

The Ito ai is capable finesse spool to a degree, for me, down to 1/8oz isn't an issue if matched with the right rod and line. If you're looking for UL spin gear performance out of a casting set up, bigreddog has a few amazing combos that he's mentioned here and zenbasser also has some impressive finesse casting gear. I've fished a Megabass IS73, a Steez, and a TD-Z with the Megabass IS finesse spool on a few different rods - Presso rods, Pixy rods, and a couple other finesse Megabass sticks. I've been very impressed with it's finesse capabilities as a drop in addition to any of those platforms.

[Mcyl]

My current combo is an Ito ai paired with a SC LTB ML 6'10" XF it's lure rated at 1/8-1/2oz I'm using 10lb nanofil with a variety of leaders from 10-20lb. I'll probably get it the reel looked at by a tackle store I trust. Because I just can't get it to cast like I intented.

[Hogsticker2]

I need one too and don't want to spend over 300 bucks, prefer new, not new to me. Would upgrade spool bearings but that's about it. Which would you choose? Shimano JDM Scorpion XT / Daiwa Alphas Finesse Custom 105. Would the Daiwa be worth the extra 100 bucks. I own 1 spinning rod and reel, and would like to replace it with one of these. I have been tempted many times to buy a used Daiwa Liberto Pixy, but i really want new. How about that Pixy, better than the other two reels mentioned?

[Mcyl]

Unless you really want a casting setup IMO a spinning reel is the go. I have a patriarch 9530 wd patriarch xt rod. Casting <1/4oz, my Ito ai+Sc LTB could do 70% the distance. Just bought from tw a cumara 7'2" + fuego a for dad...all for 250. I use BC reels because I love their feel but I think spinners are much more versatile.