Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

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!
Bxn7-62
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Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Bxn7-62 » Fri Mar 30, 2018 5:56 pm

I got into BFS recently, and got a used pixy off ebay, which I recently upgraded with ceramic bearings,and a diy spool. I figured I
would share my experience with some rods I have found local and work loading and casting light baits. Who knows,maybe someone could use one of these cheaper rods,as a backup,or to have something while waiting on a more expensive rod to ship from overseas.

At my local walmart I looked for any casting rod that could remotely, possibly load light baits. Most of everything is medium and heavier,but I saw a 10$ zebco slingshot spincast combo rated medium light. I figured yeah,10$ is worth a try. The rod is 2 pieces, 5'6", has a decent bend to it,and can handle 1/16-3/4 oz lures. I had no problems casting my crude custom spinner baits I make, that are between 2.6-3 grams with it. I haven't cast with this rod since upgrading with the bearings and diy spool though. It may cast even better. I would think of the rod as something better suited to handle bass than trout,as it is a bit beefier,and handle a bit heavier lures. While fishing with this I did notice the rod sections did move around a little,so I just glued the rod together with gorilla glue. 5'6 is not too long to fit in the car. I have not landed anything really big or heavy with this rod yet. Just small bass,a small bluegill,some small chain pickerel,and a number of crappies. I don't get as much fish in the winter months.

If someone is into shorter rods for trout,like those expensive JDM ones,look no further than the Shakespeare micro series 4'6" spincast combo! I have never handled those expensive JDM rods before,and I can't compare their actions and handling to this pole personally. I can confirm that this pole casts and loads really light lures nicely,so long as your reel can handle them! The pole doesn't have a lure weight listed on the blank,but it easily handles 1/32,and a bit under. Yesterday I tested out my pixy on the spinning version of this same rod,because I already had a few of them on hand. The rod blanks on the casting and spinning version are pretty much the same. I had fun casting tiny crank baits,some tiny homemade spoons,and homemade top water baits. I tried throwing around a trout magnet,but kind of struggled with it being so light(or it could be my lack of skill with bait casting reels). I didn't really land anything on this setup,except for a small bluegill that grabbed my tiny crank bait's treble hook and fell off as I got it out of the water. I landed them on the fly rod mostly that night. They didn't seem to want cooperate with faster moving lures vs flies. Earlier today I went to the store and picked up the spincast version of the combo,so I now have the correct rod with the right reel seat and line guides for my pixy. The combo runs around 17$ + change,and is very common to find,at many stores. I got mine at walmart. I have landed numerous fish on the spinning rod version,with spinning reels,over years. All kinds of sunfish,crappies,perch(yellow,and white),bass up over 1lbs,pickerel;big and small. You don't have control over what size fish is going to grab small lures you decide to throw,especially in a river with a number of different species. I don't see the casting version of this pole performing any differently than the spinning version.

I noticed while searching on amazon,that there are some BFS rod offerings on there,that are not located over seas. I ordered a johncoo 5'6" UL casting rod for 35$,and it's a decent rod. It's 2 piece,and extremely light! I have only landed a few small pickerel on it. The action is less noodle whippy,so to speak,but still handles 1/16,and a little less weight ok,as well as heavier stuff. It's rated 0.6-6 grams. There's no problem bombing SK bitsy pond minnows with it. I haven't really landed a whole lot on it,and will test it more once the fish start waking up. I really hope more BFS rod manufacturers,start selling their products on amazon,or other places inside the US,so it would be easier for us to get our hands on them. It would be awesome to find kuying tetons,more rosewood stuff,dagger royal spirit rods,ect. on amazon.

Anyways,this is my first post on here,and I really just wanted to share my experience with these rods I found useful for BFS. I'm not being paid by any company to promote these products. I hope my experience can help someone new,getting into BFS,looking for a cheap rod that would work for them.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Fri Mar 30, 2018 7:15 pm

Welcome to the forums and also welcome to the slippery slope of BFS. It's addicting for sure. I somehow managed to limit myself to 3 BFS reels. I have been through so many BFS reels and I think I'm safe to say I'll stay at the 3 I got now.

TackleTour is also full of comments like the one above and the same person is posting that they got another "whatever I was not going to get" a few weeks later.
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Bxn7-62 » Fri Mar 30, 2018 7:39 pm

Thanks! I've been eyeing up other reels myself constantly. I'm planning on getting a Daiwa Tatua CT for throwing some heavier stuff,and a diy spool for it. Possibly later down the line,maybe a Scorpion BFS. I'm new to bait casting gear,and have used mostly spinning gear since I was little,and started fly fishing gear a bit later. I figured best way for me to enjoy getting into bait casting is BFS,because I use mostly ultra light gear. I like to bring a combo or 2,and my fly rod with me most of the time I go fishing. Lately that's been the pixy. In the kayak I'll have no less than 2 combos,and the fly rod with me,just for the sake of having another pole or with a different lure on it. I watch your channel,and I enjoy your videos too!

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:29 pm

Bxn7-62 wrote:Thanks! I've been eyeing up other reels myself constantly. I'm planning on getting a Daiwa Tatua CT for throwing some heavier stuff,and a diy spool for it. Possibly later down the line,maybe a Scorpion BFS. I'm new to bait casting gear,and have used mostly spinning gear since I was little,and started fly fishing gear a bit later. I figured best way for me to enjoy getting into bait casting is BFS,because I use mostly ultra light gear. I like to bring a combo or 2,and my fly rod with me most of the time I go fishing. Lately that's been the pixy. In the kayak I'll have no less than 2 combos,and the fly rod with me,just for the sake of having another pole or with a different lure on it. I watch your channel,and I enjoy your videos too!
Thanks for the support!!!
IG @hobie_wan_kenobi_fishing

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by waterone » Sun Apr 01, 2018 3:47 pm

Ben-72:

I also welcome you to the world of BFS or really UL baitcasting.

I too have a modified Pixy (along with some of the “true” BFS reels) I’ve been collecting UL baitcasting tackle for nearly 35 years, and this is the best time to indulge in the practice.

As to rods, the sad fact is that the vast majority of rods today, with the exception of really expensive rods are not made in the US or Japan or even Korea, but made in China, and just what-ever Multi-National company owns the brand, just puts their brand name sticker on the rod, whether Shakespeare, Zebco, Bass Pro, Abu Garcia, etc.

Even some of the Japanese BFS rods selling for $130 to $225 are reportedly built in China of Japanese produced components.

If you are willing to wait a week or couple of weeks, you can order some really cost effective rods directly from China via AliExpress, which is kinda like, but not directly, Amazon. There have been some really good reviews here on TackleTour UL forum of these rods.

Using a comparison with the Shakespeare Ugly Stick Elite (which is also made in China), you can buy a rod via AliExpress for less money, including shipping that in my opinion, really surpasses the Shakespeare rod.

You’re on an interesting journey.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Bxn7-62 » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:44 pm

Thanks! I've looked on aliexpress and see all kinds of neat stuff. I ordered my diy spool,and pixy, through ebay though. I don't get why they can't just sell more of those BFS rods here. The ones from walmart are made in china too. It doesn't cost anymore to ship those other MIC rods here. They both come from the same place. The issue may be because lack of a market for them,but why not just call them "spincast" rods,and send em right over :big grin: . Something interesting I have seen is a piscifun brand reel that sells for around 50$ something, on aliexpress is actually on amazon,and can be had for 40$ shipped. If you order it from aliexpress,you get a shallow spool along with the deep spool,but not if you get it from amazon. The fact you get get it shipped to your home in a few days,sounds worth it. If you go to the piscifun website you can order that spool for 15$,and I think they have an address in CA. I wish someone would do an evaluation of that reel with the shallow spool,and show how it handles BFS. The spool is 11 grams.


Do you know what kind of bearings the diy spools come with? Are they ceramic? The other day I discovered how easy it is to do slick one handed underhand,and side hand casts. They're My favorite casts to do now,and I prefer them instead of typical overhand casts. Before I upgraded the pixy,I tried underhand casts and they didn't work out for me. The handling of the reel is a day and night difference with the upgrades! What's sad is,rapala minnow baits don't seem to cast real well,but my tiny homemade top water lure casts fine for its weight. I like to build little lures a lot,and it's going to be even more fun using them with the pixy.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by nctrucker » Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:05 am

Bxn7-62 i don't mean to hijack thread but show us some pics of the little baits you make. balsa?

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Houndfish » Fri Jun 29, 2018 5:43 pm

Man, getting into baitcasting reels by way of BFS is a no joke.

The inexpensive rod I have been eyeing is the Daiwa Triforce Shorty.
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The low end is only 1/8oz, but for it looks like a hoot of a rod. Right now Amazon has them for ~$30 but I have seen them in the low $20 range. I keep telling myself that I will pick one up the next time I see it for around $25 shipped.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by 1nutinthewater » Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:45 am

Awful tempting - a 3' rod for $30. Would make a nice stick to attach a cat toy. :big grin:


What the hell are you going to do with a 3'rod?
Our tradition is that of the first who sneaked away to the creek when tribe did not really need fish

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by waterone » Sun Jul 01, 2018 2:16 pm

I’m afraid that casting with that 3’, fairly stif rod will disappoint you, even with one of the really high dollar and high tech reels. Almost all 3’ - 4’ rods are either ice fishing rods or “Crappie rods” with the idea you can “shoot docks” with a spincast reel.
Generally, the nicer rods (which the Daiwa seems to be) are ice fishing rods.

The cheapest real BFS rod are a Japanese pattern Stream Trout BFS rods made in China, as almost all rods less than $150. One of the best is a 5’2” Kuying Teton rod sold by AliExpress. Although there are others, you can often find the Teton on sale for less than $50 via the AliExpress web app.

If you’re anticipating pairing a budget rod with a budget reel, unless your reel is a older model Daiwa Pixy with an aftermarket spool, you’re probably going to be a little disappointed casting below lure less than 1/8 oz.

Sorry, it’s pretty tough to get into BFS for less than $200.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Houndfish » Sun Jul 01, 2018 3:10 pm

1nutinthewater wrote:Awful tempting - a 3' rod for $30. Would make a nice stick to attach a cat toy. :big grin:


What the hell are you going to do with a 3'rod?
Stick it in the waterbottle pouch on my pack and take it hiking! A 3' rod will only stick ~1' above my head when stored that way, so it will be mostly safe from getting snagged.

I don't have high expectations, but so long as it will work with *some* lure that will work for small bass and panfish in creeks I would be happy with it.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by 1nutinthewater » Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:57 pm

waterone wrote:I’m afraid that casting with that 3’, fairly stif rod will disappoint you, even with one of the really high dollar and high tech reels. Almost all 3’ - 4’ rods are either ice fishing rods or “Crappie rods” with the idea you can “shoot docks” with a spincast reel.
Generally, the nicer rods (which the Daiwa seems to be) are ice fishing rods.

The cheapest real BFS rod are a Japanese pattern Stream Trout BFS rods made in China, as almost all rods less than $150. One of the best is a 5’2” Kuying Teton rod sold by AliExpress. Although there are others, you can often find the Teton on sale for less than $50 via the AliExpress web app.

If you’re anticipating pairing a budget rod with a budget reel, unless your reel is a older model Daiwa Pixy with an aftermarket spool, you’re probably going to be a little disappointed casting below lure less than 1/8 oz.

Sorry, it’s pretty tough to get into BFS for less than $200.
Kuying Teton is a very impressive rod for the price! My favorite rod for the Conquest but i have yet to try many....
Our tradition is that of the first who sneaked away to the creek when tribe did not really need fish

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by waterone » Mon Jul 02, 2018 2:59 am

Houndfish, if your criteria is a rod that will just work with “some” lures, I fear that you will be sorely disapointed, but worse, you’ll have wasted all the moneys you had previously spent on going down this path. Then you’d end up thinking that BF?s is a scam. If you just want to do a little, stick with the excellent UL spinning rods and reels.

If on the other hand you desire to come even close to true UL Baitcasting or as the Jspanese and now others Stream Trout, you’ll need to get a proper rod.

If you’re looking for a compact rod, the aforementioned Kuying Teton 522 rod comes in two pieces, with a sleeve case. At that length, it even shorter than the 3.0 rod that you referenced.
When stream fishing more than a little distance from my car, I’ve been known to carry the little 522 Teton, along with a two piece spin/fly rod. The spin/fly rod comes in a hard case with a shoulder strap. I carry the BSF reel, a Daiwa 500 spinning rod and a UL fly reel. All that takes up little room and is just as compact as that Daiwa 3.0’ rod.

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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by gillchaser » Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:18 am

This is my cheap attempt at BFS ultralight baitcaster fishing .
The rod started out as a five foot UL spinning blank I had made into a fly/spin rod which worked as a spinning rod but fell short as a flyrod ( I liked short UL flyrods at the time )
Then I got to reading about UL baitcasting and decided to change this rod to a casting rod and give it a try to see if I would like BFS .
I removed the spin/fly grip and replaced it with a baitcasting grip and handle .
The rod works great IMO . I can cast a 1/16th jighead with the front half of a Zoom Trickworm , my version of a Ned rig . Caught five this morning at the town pond .
The reel is a Daiwa Lexa100 with six pound P-Line . I’m sure I could handle any 1/4oz hardbaits , possibly some 1/8ths . I have thrown some small 1/8th spinnerbaits with it .
I have another I had my rod person make up for me on a 5’4” UL blank , that works good as well , although I could have bought Kuying Teton for less than the custom rod cost me . Gillchaser
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Re: Cheap local BFS rod alternatives

Post by Houndfish » Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:40 am

I have a few bfs combos already, my quest is for the ideal “hiking with non-fisherman” combo. I am looking to spend the minimum amount of time between taking my pack off and making my first cast. Right now I have a telescoping rod (a Daiwa BBB) and it takes around 1min from pack drop to cast. If I use a paint pen to mark the rod to make lining the guides up faster I bet I can cut the time in half. A 3’ rod would let me keep it rigged and ready. And at $30 I will not be too sad when I slip and fall on it. We do a lot of scrambling and bushwhacking so it’s just a question of when, not if, I fall on my rod when it’s stored in my pack.

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