What is Bait Finesse System (BFS) Fishing?
(including video below)
Bait Finesse System fishing is using baitcasting reels with special shallow, drilled out/ultralight, spools and light-action rods to throw lures weighing less than approximately 5-7g (3/16 oz to ¼ oz and below). People argue over the “who did what first” in BFS. However, I think that’s completely missing the point!
History is never neat and linear. The important thing to know about BFS is that its early development took place in Japan – with parallel and overlapping lines of experimentation in mountain streams (for char and trout) as well as warm-water/bass fishing. Now it is enjoyed everywhere.
In all cases, the idea behind the technique was to improve success with shy/hard to catch fish.
Watch the first video below to get an instant, accurate impression of high-level BFS fishing…but don’t worry, you don’t need to be a magician to enjoy it in your own fishing – wherever you live in the world.
We’ll walk you through:
What does BFS look like – and who is it for?
Checking out the videos from ANGLER SAITO and you’ll get a great idea of what high-level skills in Bait Finesse System fishing look like - However the video below is just one example in a "non-Japanese" trout fishing context using a combination of vintage reel and modern S-glass rod (though BFS is highly effective for bass, panfish, perch and a whole range of other target species as well as using low-profile reels and graphite rods too):
If you do watch any of angler Saito or Tsurinan (and other Japanese creators' videos) - you might like to know that, the jingling bells you often hear in Japanese mountain stream fishing videos are to give bears plenty of warning that you’re around. That way, you don’t stumble on one and surprise it – which is a very bad idea!
As I said above, though, BFS is not restricted to ultra light trout fishing in Japan. The style now has many fans around the world – whether it is perch fishing in the UK, crappie and bass fishing in the USA and much more. Here is an example of warm-water Bait Finesse for Big Bass in its home country of Japan from Manabu Okuda's Signal Channel on Youtube:
From this you can see that this is really a method for anyone who enjoys light, technical fishing with plenty of scope to keep developing skills in casting and presentation. If you're still not convinced it's something that would work on your waters - how about some urban UK perch fishing (below):
Gallery of Popular fish Targeted on Bait Finesse System Gear
Here's just a selection of some of the favourite fish targeted by fans of BFS:
A pair of largemouth bass caught on finesse worms from Lake Casitas in California (dropshotting with 1/8th oz weight and 6lb reel line).
Perch have a cult following in UK BFS fishing!
John with a nice chub - another challenging target for BFS anglers
With a suitable trace - pike like this one caught on a small jig are great sport
JP holding one of the classic fish that Japanese BFS was developed for - the Iwana (white-spotted char). This one was caught on a fly, so I've put another picture below of an iwana caught by Chris Lynch on the same section of river using Bait Finesse System gear (you can see that their coloration varies a lot!)
Japanese Iwana on BFS by Chris Lynch
Yamame (lady of the mountains) trout on BFS by Chris Lynch
The most beautiful kind of trout on the planet? Japanese "Amago" (rain-child) trout are the red-spotted variants of Yamame. All three of the Japanese species shown here also have sea-run forms. The ones in these pictures are all river-residents and will complete their full lifecycle in the river.
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BFS Rigs
Here are two basic rigs to get you started in BFS fishing (see the section on line choices further down the article for more details).
If you want to get deep into bass and perch fishing rigs click on the orange link text to check out my illustrated guide. I also STRONGLY recommend you learn the FG knot for attaching your leader to a braided reel (to minimise back-lashes due to the knot snagging in your line-guides).
BFS The Book
If you STILL need extra evidence, then there is now an entire book (with supporting digital media) dedicated to inspiring your own Bait Finesse System fishing adventures. You can click on the picture to get a run-down of what is inside this book and media bundle:
Why Use a Baitcasting Reel?
First and foremost you shouldn’t underestimate how nice it feels. If you didn’t care about the aesthetics and the quality of your fishing experiences, you might as well use dynamite to catch fish! It's all about the feel and the enjoyment.
Also, a major practical advantage is your ability to feather the spool with your thumb. This creates a much more sensitive braking of the cast compared to feathering line as it peels off a fixed-spool reel. When using a fixed spool reel, the line has to do almost a full lap around that spool before it comes into contact with your finger. The result is a slightly more jagged on/off braking of the line. With a baitcaster, the pressure can be continual – and is possible to vary with great sensitivity.
The physics of getting the spool rotating at the start of the cast also favour the types of flat-trajectory casts that, with gentle braking, can drop your lure very gently into the water - like this:
Developing that accurate, delicate delivery is where the difficulty AND the benefits of Bait Finesse System tactics lie.
Bait Finesse System Reels
We’ll create separate guides to specific examples of reels from different price points in the market on this site. For the current article, it is important to know the essential features of a BFS reel. I've created another article which gives a complete rundown of choosing, maintaining and upgrading your ideal BFS reel.
There's also our complete lowdown on the highly affordable KastKing Zephyr reel (above) as well as the Fishband GH100 (which also includes a walk-through on how to upgrade the bearings - a quick and easy modification that transforms the performance).
Now there is an ever-changing arms race for who can produce the best casting, yet affordable, BFS reel. In terms of "out of the box" casting performance, probably the ultimate for lures down to 1-g at the moment is the 2022 Black Knight II (pictured below with affiliate link) with the static brakes...and this is because it is supplied with ungreased ceramic hybrid bearings. However, if you are happy to make a small investment into a pair of 834-size Roro BFS ST bearings, then the slightly lighter spool (5.3g versus 5.7) gives a very slight edge to the Dark Wolf Ultra.
Then, there is the "Ultimate ultra-light lure BFS" reel - The Diawa Alphas Air TW 20 - pictured below:
The Alphas Air TW 20 - as shipped from the factory with no tuning or modifications - is already hard to beat when it comes to casting lures under three grams; even down to one gram and a little below for expert casters. However, it is when modified using the new Roro AX22 spool that it REALLY shines for super-ultralight BFS (of course paired with Roro BFS Silent Tune (ST) bearings to bring out the absolute best). See the BFS Reel Tuning components section below.
These days one of the super addictive branches of the whole BFS activity is modifying and tuning baitcasting reels so that they can cast light and ultralight lures.
If I'm honest a kind of cult has built up around the vintage Swedish "Small Ambassadeurs" especially the 1500 and 2500 models (although, be warned, you can pay big, big money for the left hand wind 1501 and 2501 models!).
My 1977 model Abu Ambassadeur 2500C with super-tuning components
However, customising and tuning baitcasters for BFS casting (and cosmetic looks) is really popular for all modern - as well as vintage - models of reel from a wide range of manufacturers.
Factory Specification Shimano Aldebaran BFS 2016
The advent of the Shimano Aldebaran BFS 2016 models marked a significant step-change in dedicated BFS reels. It's not that this was in any way the first true BFS reel. Instead, when super-tuned with after-market ultralight spools (and additional brake magnets) it became famous for allowing people to fairly accurately cast lures down to 1-g a realistic fishing distance.
That performance came at a price - with an already premium-priced reel there's still a substantial cost to the super-tuning components. Of course that tweaking, tuning and investment in gear has its own appeal and rewards too.
There are really three main features that you need to have in a reel for this style. In order of importance they are:
- Super-light, free-spinning spool
- Excellent braking system
- Overall light weight
Bait Finesse System Reel Locked & Loaded - Ready for Action. Photo: Chris Lynch
The reason that a light-weight spool is so important is that there needs to be less inertia to overcome before it starts to spin and pay out line when casting a very light lure.
At some point with any spool, a lure gets so light that it struggles to get the spool moving.
When that happens, you end up needing to put so much power into the cast that, it becomes totally uncontrollable and your accuracy and distance are destroyed.
The lighter the spool, the less force is required to start it spinning – so the lighter your lure can be.
By making the light spool shallow, it preserves a high gear ratio for your reel by keeping the diameter of your spooled line nice and wide. At the same time, you don’t need to add lots of line to create that diameter – which would increase the weight of the loaded spool (and you’d be back to square one).
Great brakes will help you control the rapid acceleration of the spool at the beginning of the cast – particularly when you are casting with more force to make up for a very light lure-weight. In the same way, light baits that are more affected by the wind are prone to slowing down to the point that the spool overtakes them (and you get a backlash or over run).
This guide to the best braking systems for baitcasters explains fully about all BFS brake designs.
Because this whole approach is about sensitive and light tackle, you don’t want your reel to weigh a ton and feel out of place on your delicate little rod. It is perhaps slightly less of a critical performance factor compared to the first two.
BFS Reel Protection & Lubrication
Thanks to the wonders of modern material science, you can now buy lubricants that actively repel water and dirt from the vulnerable working components inside your ultralight baitcasting reels. One of the most important factors here is that the lubrication should NOT depend on the liquid ingredients.
That liquidity soon evaporates or is washed (or even spun) off the surfaces it is meant to protect. The range of products which I've found to do the best job of providing lubrication when dry (as well as actively sticking to the surfaces of gears and other moving parts) is the stuff created by Deuthlon. Click this link or the image above to learn a lot more about this stuff (and for a special 25% off deal on a starter pack).
BFS Reel Tuning Components
As well as ultralight spools, specialist company "Rorolure" have an extensive range of micro-bearings - and regular bearings - rated for specific lure-weight ranges.
Roro is a small, independent BFS tuning components studio turning out fantastic high-end products in small, carefully-made batches. You can examine their full range using my affiliate link to their store here:
The 3.68g (!!!) AX 22 Roro X Spool for the 2020 Alphas Air and Steez Air - also fits the 2021 Gekabijin Air TW and Silver Creek Air TW BFS reels
The importance of lure-weight rating is that micro-bearings make use of smaller, and therefore lighter, ball bearings inside the races. That reduces the inertia of the spool and means that, potentially, it is possible to cast lighter lures. As with everything in life, this comes with a trade-off. In this case it is that the smaller ball-bearings have a harder time sustaining a long distance cast.
You can think of it a little bit like how starting off with a car in low gear is great - particularly when doing a hill-start on a steep incline. However, when you want to get up to cruising speed, you don't just keep it in that low gear - you need to shift into a higher gear.
The latest developments Roro have made are to include their Silent Tune (ST) soft "O" rings into ceramic hybrid bearings to drastically reduce vibration. This makes the whole casting experience smoother and also much quieter compared to regular ceramic bearings.
Roro "ST" bearing with the black "O" ring below the AX 22 spool
WARNING: if your reel's brakes can't handle an easier (and potentially faster) start-up of the spool, there will be no real advantage to using microbearings (for instance I found relatively little difference between the stock and roro bearings for the Clamber Hyper Micro reel - but big improvements with the Dark Wolf Ultra, Daiwa Alphas Air (with AX22 spool) and GH100 reels.)
Micro bearings (sometimes called BFS bearings) by Rorolure
That means you need to choose the bearings for the spool weight, lure-weight and casting-ranges that you will be doing. I've put together a directory of Roro bearings for different reels. Just click the orange link or the spool or bearings photos above to check it out.
Small but Essential Tools for BFS Reel Tuning
Bearing Puller
This costs very little - but you will definitely be glad of it when using ST bearings (the soft "O" ring grips the inside of your side plate like you wouldn't believe otherwise!!
Spool Bearing Pin Remover Tool
You can get many designs of these and most do the job very well - however if you want to change the bearings on a Daiwa BFS reel such as the Alphas Air, you need a special too that is carefully designed to avoid damage to the delicate spool edges which sit close to where the pin and pin-removal tool need to work.
Bait Finesse System Rods
Exploring Korea with BFS rods. Photo: Chris Lynch
I have created a much more detailed guide to the characteristics of your ideal Bait Finesse Casting Rod on this link. Here, I’m going to quickly cover typical characteristics - but if you are looking for specific guidance on which rod to buy right now for your particular style(s) of fishing, then there is also the Fishing Discoveries BFS Rod Buyers Guide Article.
It should go without saying that these rods need to flex easily – and typical lure weights that they are rated for will fall in the 1-g to 8-g range (approx. 1/28th oz to 1/4 oz). Of course, there is a good degree of variance around those very ballpark figures. So much for overall flex, lets look at how and where they bend…
Action
Even if most anglers won’t admit it, there is often a lot of confusion about action descriptions. For example – “Fast” actioned often equals “Stiff” in many people's mind. Even more confusing, we might start talking about “quick recovery” which is different again.
So, here’s how we talk and think about action. The speed of recovery is something more usually associated with fly rods. It means how soon a rod stops rebounding and settles into a straight line after you throw a cast out. This is an important aspect for Bait Finesse System rods too. Rods with poor recovery will continue wobbling for ages after you finished your cast.
Fast and Slow actions, however, refer to where most of the bend is found in the rod. A slow (or through) actioned rod will have an almost “quarter circle” shape when you put a bend in it. This means that the curve extends fairly evenly throughout the rod. A fast-action rod has most of its bend happening towards the tip. So the stiffness increases more quickly as you travel down the rod from the tip towards the handle.
Tsurinoya "Ares" C772UL is a slow (or through) action BFS rod with a one-piece solid graphite blank
Just because a rod has most of its bend at the tip, it doesn’t automatically mean that you need a lot of force to bend that rod.
In other words, it isn’t necessarily a stiff rod.
In fact, for most people, that soft but fast action is a great one for Bait Finesse System tactics.
It really lends itself to the kind of casts that give you the advantages of this style (see casting section below).
Solid tips vs Hollow Tips
The softest tips will usually be a solid tip that is spliced onto the tubular main blank of a rod. The higher a rod’s manufacturing standard/price, the better this splice will be matched to the whole rod. It might also be that a solid tip is a bit more resistant to damage for a given level of flexibility. In other words, making a hollow rod tip of a comparable flexibility might mean that the walls of the tube are very thin.
Kuying Teton TTC-510S 0.3 - 3g is a SUPER ULTRALIGHT BFS rod - yet it has a fast (tip) action
By the physics of hollow, tapering tubes, there is often a degree of increased stiffness in a hollow tip compared to a solid tip of comparable diameter. Because they are often cut from the same original tapering blank, it’s usually easier to match a hollow tip to the rest of the rod.
Graphite vs. Glass (and even Boron)
As well as the various grades of carbon cloth/resins that make up graphite rods, there are other materials that rod builders can choose. One material that is enjoying a bit of a rebirth at the moment is glass. In terms of using glass as a rod building material, it tends to be less stiff than graphite. Some people really like that extra flex. At the same time, it can be better suited to a slower actioned rod for that very reason.
Exquisite S-glass rod with Torzite guides, full custom resin handle (in the FD colours) and ghost-wrap guide whippings by Darren Keats at Resilure
Here's some footage of John's high quality glass rod (by Resilure) casting a small soft-plastic "stick bait" - and showing how forgiving the S-glass blank is of the high-frequency head-shaking of a wild trout. That forgiveness helps to keep the fish pinned and avoid it throwing the hook:
Some super high-end BFS rods are constructed on boron blanks - and have quite a cult following. While I don't, yet, own one of those - I'd like to ask folks who do to contribute in the comments (and I can keep this article updated with your own experiences).
For throwing light lures on stream – a deeper-flexing, high-quality glass rod is an awesome tool.
The almost "self-loading" action of a glass rod when you swing it back to a firm "stop" makes it a ton of fun for those little underhand flips and pitches with the lure sat tight up to the rod-tip.
With all that said on the subject of action and materials, in the end it comes down to casting with each individual rod for yourself with our own setup. That’s the only way to find what is best for you in each situation.
One final point on rods is that:
Unlike river fly fishing, there can be a significant practical advantage in very short rods (of 5ft and under). The main potential benefit is when it comes to some of the casting skills where you don’t have a lot of room – and there’s also lots of vegetation or other obstructions around your feet. Flip-casting with light lures where you have to aggressively load the rod down towards the water/ground with the bait wound up tight to the tip is very difficult with a longer rod...
If you’re wondering what other casting techniques are used in BFS, read on but before that - don't forget your...
Bait Finesse System Casting
Nobody is ever going to pick up one of these rigs and then instantly turn into Angler Saito…Don’t worry though, it won’t take you long to be able to get a basic side-arm cast together. It’s probably best to go for that sideways action first – because it tends to create a flatter “flight-path” for your lure. With a bit more practice, an overhead cast will be possible – but just be aware that anything with a high, looping, trajectory is going to be more vulnerable to backlashes.
Click the following link to check out my detailed guide to the bait finesse casting tips that have worked best for me.
If you're already an expert you can scroll further down past this next video to Taking Casting Skills Up a Notch...
Alternatively, DEBO's Fishing put up a great guide for you if you’ve never cast a baitcasting reel in your life before:
So, to hammer some points home - try to cast quite “flat”, make the movement smooth and be prepared to turn the brakes up quite high. You’ll also need to stop the spool dead with your thumb as your lure hits the water (the other classic cause of an over-run).
Another thing to be aware of (especially if you’re used to casting a regular, fixed-spool spinning reel) is:
You’ll need to release your thumb at a point that feels like much earlier on a baitcasting reel compared to a fixed spool reel.
More on this in the next few paragraphs – including a video example…
Lure Positioning before “Launch” in Bait Finesse System Casts
In most cases, the best position for your lure in BFS just before you cast is to have it wound up close to the rod tip. This helps to avoid strange effects of timing, slack-line and other ways that the flex of the rod can become disconnected from the momentum of the lure. It’s particularly obvious when casting space is confined.
However, there are many individual casts that use more line outside the tip as a starting position. When you know/learn those casts it will be obvious to you how far you should have your lure from the rod tip at the start of the cast.
For instance, what if you end up using Bait Finesse gear to fish for toothy fish like pike (or where pike happen to live and might grab your perch bait!)?
Pike caught on 3-g "spiky shad" jig
Under those circumstances you’ll have a wire trace of typically around 18” in length between your reel line and your lure. That puts a natural limit on how close you can wind your bait up to the end of your rod.
Taking Casting Skills Up a Notch
I said before how, compared to fishing a fixed spool reel, you need to let go earlier in the cast. It's worth going back and checking out the cast at 1 min and 27 seconds by Angler Saito in the clip at the beginning of this article. Look how early his thumb comes off the spool and it starts rotating while the rod tip is still loaded and bent.
That particular cast at 1min 27 is an example of an aggressive “pitching” technique – and is essential for casting under and into cover. The early release seems to be especially important for those pitching casts – otherwise you end up with that high, looping trajectory. Shooting high means you either end up in the bushes, or get a backlash for your trouble…
To start to get really deep into this stuff, there is a LOT for me to learn from Toshinari Namiki. At the very least, check out the slow motion for the following casts:
- Side cast (from 6min 52 seconds on)
- Roll Pitching (!?!) Cast (from 12 min 27 seconds on)
As with any worthwhile skill – everybody sucks when they first try it. In fact, most people aren’t willing to be bad at something long enough to get good at it. However, just sticking with it and doing some practice away from the water (when you’re not distracted by fish) is a sure-fire way to improve.
With that said, you can still have wonderful fishing with just the most basic casting as long as you know how to avoid backlash. That’s a skill level easily within the reach of the average angler.
Bait Finesse System Lures
Classic Fast-sinking Minnow for BFS. Photo: Tsurinan
Really, the only limit to the lures suitable for Bait Finesse System fishing is that they are light enough to match the limber rods and light lines. Classically, the Japanese mountain trout stream fishing features small crank or jerk baits and also light spoons.
The crank baits can be floating or sinking – and we like to replace treble hooks with barbless single hooks (as above). You can also see this on one of Christopher Zimmer's lovely hand-made, light lures below (follow Christopher on instagram @zimmerbuilt to check out his handmade gear - we have no commercial relationship, but he makes nice stuff).
Also - you might enjoy checking out my guide on why the humpback minnow might just be the ultimate BFS Lure.
Christopher Zimmer handmade lure on the scales (note the barbless single hooks)
Obviously, with the expansion of BFS into bass fishing and perch fishing (particularly in Europe), the favourite lures are modified to match the target fish.
Small jigs, chatter baits, little jerk baits, spoons and creature baits can all be fished really effectively. There’s no reason that you can’t throw drop shot rigs if you love the feel and the sound of that light baitcasting reel!
There is something super-sweet about a little hand-made crankbait though - as this Christopher Zimmer lure shows:
Hand made and hand painted - a lovely trout-parr lure by Christopher Zimmer.
BFS Lines
This is one that I should probably open up to the comments section at the bottom of the page. There will be so many personal preferences that it could be hard to generalise. I suspect that whatever I say here could strongly divide opinion – and I’m OK with that!
Well-argued cases for why I’m wrong will be welcomed in the comments…
Photo: Chris Lynch
Braid
The almost zero stretch of braid can have advantages in feeling strikes and setting the hook. At the same time, braid is not especially abrasion resistant. It also tends to tangle more tightly – and can cut into itself and break unpredictably after you’ve removed those tangles. You might also feel that there is more friction with braid passing through the guides on the rod. For people who do use braid, eight strand/rounded profile seems to be beneficial in avoiding the coils of line bedding into each other. Typical breaking strains for braid used on BFS rigs might be as high as 10lb, down to maybe 6lb. For extreme light-lure casting, some people will recommend going down to 4lb, high-performance braid.
A Tank of a smallmouth bass caught by Jay Johnson (who favors Varivas lines for BFS)
Nylon Monofilament
Greater abrasion resistance than braid/More stretch than Fluorocarbon or braid. Nylon is also available in quite a range of textures from harder to softer – and also a wide range of colours. It tends to have a larger diameter for the same breaking strain than fluorocarbon or braid. Its abrasion-resistance and slick surface can make it a very good option – typically in breaking strains of 6lb to 4lb – but sometimes even less depending on species and setting. It's also typically the most stretchy/elastic option out of the most common BFS lines.
Fluorocarbon
Fluoro is more wiry in texture – and rarely available in coloured options (the exceptions are those sold for tenkara casting lines). It can have lower stretch than nylon, with a potential gain in sensitivity to strikes. In my overall fishing experience outside of BFS, I feel that fluorocarbon tends to have less abrasion resistance than nylon in the kind of breaking strains we are talking about here. On that subject, similar breaking strains to nylon are probably most appropriate.
BFS Lines Verdict?
I think for clear streams where you can see/avoid snags – and maybe even wade to retrieve your lure – perhaps there's an argument for a coloured nylon; but then again a really nice ultralight (fused?) braid option that casts really well...ah, I'm easily swayed either way! However, before settling on that ultimate choice - it is worth practicing with affordable fluorocarbon in the 4lb to 6lb breaking strain range. That way you don't feel like crying if you need to take a pair of scissors to a catastrophic backlash.
I do have to admit that for the more pressured waters, I end up fishing clear 4lb fluorocarbon a lot of the time...but
The flight-path of your lure can be tracked and, if necessary, corrected or aborted more easily when using a visible nylon or braid line. There is also an advantage in judging the timing of roll casts when you can see your line – and it does help in visually detecting strikes from fish.
For murkier water with plenty of invisible snags, I might choose a braid of between 8 lb and 13lb – which still have low diameters compared to monofilament. That can give a better chance of pulling your lure free from weed or snags and provides unbeatable feedback due to the zero stretch properties.
The exception may be where there are sharp-edged snags that will cut braid more easily than nylon monofilament.
In short, I think the jury is still out for me when it comes to BFS lines!
Bait Finesse System (BFS) Fishing Conclusions
In this article you've seen:
Now it's over to you...
Feel like I got something REALLY WRONG? Let me know in the comments below.
Maybe I missed out your favourite species or venue? Fill me in by adding your comment below!
If you think any of your fishing buddies might enjoy seeing this article, please either share the link directly to them and/or use the social share buttons on this page to spread the word. The more folks that see it, the more content we can create and share in future.
Paul
Hi Paul, was blown away with your presentation of BFS at the RFCA meeting in June, so much so we have decided to allow that method of fishing on some of our Settle Anglers Association waters on the upper Ribble, North Yorkshire. I would like to be able to advise our members on rods, reels, fishing lines and fishing lures (particularly small single barbless) for catching Brown Trout, Grayling and Chub. Any advice, links to information etc that you could provide me with would be most gratefully received. Kind regards
Tim
Tim Barrett
Secretary Settle Anglers Association Ltd.
Hi Tim that’s really great that there will be some “BFS” friendly water under SAA management!
I’ll reply directly via email too – but here are some quick pointers:
When you choose any lure/lure pack from the Lure Shop on Fishing Discoveries (https://fishingdiscoveries.com/lure-shop/) and click to check out, the website will automatically offer you the option to add barbless hooks and then micro split ring tweezers to your order.
For rod choices you can check this article: https://fishingdiscoveries.com/bfs-rod/
For reel choices you can check this article: https://fishingdiscoveries.com/bfs-reel/
All the best,
Paul
Would it be ok to use PE #1.2, or is that too heavy for line? My target species is anything, and I will be fishing in many different types of environments.
My setup will be the Shimano Curado BFS paired with the Shimano Majestic rod in the 6’4″ bfs model (the total with both rod and reel was $150 from a Chinese website). The reel also comes with free ivanas sfx x8 braid but it’s PE 1.2, which is a bit more than what I’m used to seeing people using (0.6-1).
Also would it be possible to throw a 1 or 2 gram lure on this setup, even if the distance is terrible? I know the curado and the majestic are both suited for lures 3g and up, and PE 1.2 would not help, but I’m just curious. Hopefully I can cast 4.5 -5 g lures a decent distance.. I am just a kid so I don’t intend on making other adjustments.
Thanks!!
Hi, the 1.2 PE line is a little on the thick side for many “BFS” baits – BUT, it should still work for throwing things in the 3g and upwards category. Based on the opinions of anglers I trust, I feel the Curado BFS will struggle with 1 to 2g lures – but lures of 2.5g and above should be fine and certainly above 4-g will fly out really well.
My apologies for a slow reply on this and I hope you’ve been having success in the meantime with your BFS gear.
Paul
Greetings from Thailand, great article and also really very detailed, thank you!
We are tons of Ultra Light casting fishermen all over the word and few days ago I had an idea, why not sharing our personal experiences from own country, different fish but all enjoying the same UL fishing? So I just created a new group in FB dedicated to UL and made specially to allow experience sharing through the entire world. Also, would be really great if the UK community could join and it would be really nice and a pleasure to have you as co-Admin of the group to represent UK continent. The Group is totally new, it is now up to us to make it born: https://www.facebook.com/groups/551273526386676
Greetings from the US of A. Last week I didn’t know that BFS even existed, but now I am studying it to see if it might work for me. I’m considering replacing some of my light spin gear with BFS for better accuracy in tight cover for bass and panfish. Regarding rods, I tried 5′-51/2′ ultralight spin rods years ago but found that they didn’t cast worth a damn. They were also totally gutless when it came to landing fish. So I started using a 6 1/2′ MicroLite rod from Bass Pro Shops. It has an extra-fast action, with a very-thin tip to cast tiny lures but plenty of backbone to get fish in the boat (landed a 10 lb carp on 10 lb braid once). I have built many rods for my own use, often with blanks & components from Mudhole.com in Florida. You could strip down a finished MicroLite rod & turn it into a BFS rod, or just build one from scratch using a spinning-rod blank. There seems to be an emphasis on very-short rods here, so hopefully my comments will at least spark further discussion. Mudhole has some really pretty blanks, in case you find black rods as booring as I do.
Awesome comment James – thank you. I think there is a TON of mileage in modifying (or building on) all kinds of blanks to get exactly the action you want. That being said, there are a whole range of actions and stiffness ratings available in the BFS to “Power BFS” range…with the latter capable of handling bigger fish and harder hook-sets as well as heavier lures.
Paul
Paul, thanks for everything you do to advance this sport that we all love across multiple techniques. Your guidance in particular on Tenkara and nymphing (and now finesse baitcasting has been invaluable. )
For someone starting out in BFS, which do you think is the best line type to use?
I am currently getting very good accuracy in normal trout fishing distances down to 2 grams on a cheapish glass rod (rated 1-5grams – real fun to cast) and the hyper micro, and have tuned my casting stroke to a point where both sidearm casts and flick casts are backlash free, and very accurate, and backhand casts are at 7/10 birds nest free at 2 grams – I chalk that up to need for more practice. But going down to 1.5 grams feels like I am starting from scratch all over again – birds nests from hell…that no amount of troubleshooting with tension and brake settings or casting stroke seems to be able to fix.
1. Do you think the stretchiness in mono has any bearing on the propensity to backlash at lighter lure weights?
2. If not, which part of the cast delivery system (rod reel human) do you think I should be spending the most amount of time troubleshooting?
3. Or have I reached the lure limitation of my reel?
There’s probably a few things going on but I wouldn’t ascribe too much to the mono elasticity (though it could help to go for a non-stretch light PE braid; but just be aware that birds nests can be an expensive business with costly braid!!).
More likely it is just approaching the more unforgiving limits of gear (and when casting low weights, rods become very much as important as reels). You might find that certain rods may, potentially, make the casting of a 1.5-g lure more forgiving (say a high quality and relatively slow-actioned carbon rod – or one of the more expensive glass rods).
For going down to very low lure weights, micro-bearings are often suggested, but it seems that this could be counter-productive with the Hyper Micro if it overwhelms the static braking system… so cleaning the original bearings may be your best option.
I know that the guys at Fishband have managed to cast spoons down to just below a gram with that reel; though you apparently need to turn the brakes up and I expect you’d need to cast with a fair degree of force.
One thing you might want to try is an alternative to using only the recovery of the rod blank to cast (i.e. what you see when you use a backswing/stop and then timing the release of your thumb with almost no forward casting movement with your hand). Instead, go for your backswing as normal and then have a looser forward cast with less defined/harse “stops” either in the back or forward casting swings. Reaching forward a little bit after you release your thumb may help to damp out some of that rod tip vibration and also soften/stretch out the period over which the spool accelerates from static to full speed.
I hope this might give you some improvements (while at the same time acknowledging that 1.5g is genuinely a very low weight for a baitcaster to manage!).
Paul
BTW Paul , do you have a BFS movie currently in the making?
Stephen
We’ve started to make some efforts in that direction – as well as now towards a BFS book (and possibly an online coaching course) – however it is very early stages and we’ve some complex internal arrangements to navigate first!
Paul
Hi Paul,
Great to read your articles on BFS.
Recently Trawling thru the avalanche of You Tube videos and articles on BFS , I have to say has been an overwhelming experience.
Very very confusing and daunting.
My interest in BFS is purely for fishing small trout in a small stream environment.
What is presently turning me off exploring BFS any further is my perceived complexity that it’s not a straightforward exercise as simply purchasing a suitable rod and reel ‘out of the box’ and having a go!
Having to tinker with the bearings or other necessary modifications etc is really off putting.
Hopefully you can continue to put my simple mind at ease with more of your informative articles on BFS
Specifically for fishing small trout in a small stream environment are there ‘out of the box’ options out there in the market readily available?
Personally my preference is to choose a reputable option eg Shimano ,Diawa etc but again I am concerned that if I invest in these I will also have to make modifications. Am I missing something or am I over thinking this .
Any comfort on this topic would be very welcome.
Kind Regards,
Stephen
Hi Stephen – thankfully I can very easily put your mind at rest.
I am confident that, for small stream trout fishing, if you buy the Daiwa Alphas Air TW 20, spool it with 45-m (around 50 yards) of 4 or 6lb fluorocarbon and pair it with a rod rated Ultralight (say in the 1-5g lure weight rating) then you certainly won’t have to do anything to your reel.
In fact DON’T touch the spool tension “zero adjuster” knob on the Alphas Air TW 20. The only things you’ll need to adjust are the drag star to give line and the magnetic casting brakes (start with them close to max and then back off as per the article here: https://fishingdiscoveries.com/how-to-set-up-a-baitcaster-reel/
I recommend fluorocarbon to start with because you WILL backlash a good few times before the casting becomes second nature – but with the setup above, it won’t be the equipment which stops you from having a good experience.
I’d also add some lures around the 3 to 4 gram total-weight range (some simple spoons and maybe some 2″ soft plastic swim baits mounted on a jig hook) and you’re good to go.
Then it’s a case of forgetting about the gear and working on your technique (and I’m looking to continue publishing more on that side of things over time to help).
Paul
Thanks a million Paul.
In some respects there is a bit of a ‘Leap of faith’ here when choosing a suitable rod,reel etc as you can’t at this point drop into your local tackle shop and have a bit of a test drive as most of the gear appears to be predominately sourced from Asia.
I enjoyed the review of the Shimano Cardiff NS BL42 rod and am seriously considering pairing this up with a Diawa Alpha TW20 . The other rods that have caught my eye are the Tenryu Ray Spectras although I must confess it’s purely from reading reviews etc. I could select a rod from China via Aliexpress etc but my concern is that I’ll probably end up biting the bullet and investing in a more ‘reputable’ rod. I know ..it’s that confidence thing again playing with my head! (or is it tackle snobbery or a bit of both) Confidence that if I have a ‘recommended rod from a reputable manufacturer then the odds are in my favour …confidence levels increase…..equating to probable higher success rate…..resulting overall with more enjoyment and satisfaction.
Stephen
I think both the Cardiff and the Rayz are tremendous rods (though for the Tenryu I’m only going on the opinions of some people whose opinion I trust) – and each designed for a slightly different application.
The Rayz seems to have a faster action than the Cardiff – so the Cardiff is likely to be the more forgiving of the two options; giving you a bit more of a window to time your release point on the cast. It is also super short – which makes it ideal for when you want to progress onto flip casting (without dunking your rod tip in the water or undergrowth).
I also suspect that either rod would have a healthy second hand resale value if you found they didn’t quite suit you.
Good luck!
I hope I’m not being a party pooper Paul, but could you explain how different is this method from spinning. Are you advocating using it on trout/grayling rivers such as the Derwent? It seems to me a method I wouldn’t use in these locations, although I don’t doubt its effectiveness in such hands as your expert ones! What are its advantages over a well-presented fly or nymph?
Hi John, thanks for raising a reallly interesting question (with quite a few branching ramifications!).
First of all, I realise that what I say is only my opinion and may have little to no impact or relevance to your own experience, preferences and enjoyment of fishing. That being said, there is nearly always value in exploring everyone’s opinions; so I’ll give it my best shot to capture some of my thoughts on this subject.
In terms of “how different is it from spinning”; I suspect that will vary a great deal – particularly depending on one’s concept of “spinning”. That could be anything from a poacher at one end of a thick, Woolworth’s rod – and an oversized, clanking butcher’s (barbed treble) hook festooned Mepps at the other…all the way through to £500 to £800 Tenryu spinning rods, ultralight, handmade lures possibly costing in the many tens to hundreds of dollars bracket.
So, perhaps it is more valuable to look at some of the common characteristics you actually find in BFS – particularly in the “school” of fishing associated with pristine Japanese trout streams? Firstly, it is far more common for BFS anglers to fish catch and release than in many of Japan’s bait fishing genres (which has deep-roots in the fact that until only a generation or so ago, the leading cause of death in Japan was starvation).
As part of that ethos, the use of barbless single hooks (attached to intricately patterned “minnow” jerk-baits in the 38-mm to 50-mm length range) is a notable feature.
Casts are most commonly made upstream or up and across stream to specific lies/features (rather than the stereotypical image of someone throwing a spinner down and across a pool as far as possible and cranking it mindlessly back). For light, air-resistant “minnow” baits, under 2-g, you might only be able to realistically throw them 15-yards on a baitcaster reel.
The standard of fish handling (and quality of the barbless single hooks) by those mountain stream BFS anglers is generally much higher than what I see in the average UK river fly fishing scene (both in terms of hook-refinement and fish handling) – and that is very apparent.
Another thing that stands out to me as a fisheries biologist and conservationist is how I tend to get trout to the net a bit more quickly using BFS gear compared to fly gear. The longer the duration of a fight, the greater the potential for build-up of the most damaging chemicals in the blood-stream. When you couple that with high quality barbless single hooks, you also avoid the other main killer of cold-water fish such as trout – which is the removal of slime when you have to grip a fish to remove a barbed hook. That slime is not only a barrier to fish losing electrolytes to the surrounding water; but also the main barrier to prevent infections getting in.
You can see in the fish release portion of this clip how easily the hook is slipped out, without needing to handle the fish (and how the fish is supported in the water, while actively pumping water through its gills while being photographed): https://youtu.be/sqgBIdVVriU
Something else that the slow motion reveals in that video is a little of the detail of casting (in this case, with a 50-mm lure weighing just 1.7-g and which is pretty much neutrally buoyant). That’s a fair bit lighter than a wet sculpin fly pattern for comparison!
I’d like to think I’m a competent fly caster and I can confidently say that to cast an ultralight baitcasting reel and lure both accurately and without birds-nesting the whole thing is noticeably more difficult. So, it is far from the easier/more basic option compared to fly fishing.
While it is true that, sometimes, BFS can tend to pick up a larger-than-average trout compared to fly fishing; there are also many days when dry fly will outfish BFS by many times over. If trout are knocking off duns like a metronome, you’ll do much better by dropping a dry fly in front of it and just let it float over it – rather than trying to throw some kind of bait-fish imitation at it.
Conversely, if trout are happy to key in on baitfish, then a fly angler can be highly effective (witness Martin Smith and our own Duncan Philpott) when using a suitably “fishy” fly imitation – while the BFS angler should also expect good results.
In general, I would say that I catch fish at a much faster rate on a fly rod (if we were being crude and looking at “fish-per-hour” as a measure) compared to BFS – but the average size of fish that grab a suspending minnow is possibly skewed towards a little larger size. Not that either of those things are particularly good measures of enjoyment/quality of a day’s fishing mind you.
Of course a fish “grabbing” (or even territorially bumping) a minnow is one thing – hooking that fish is quite another matter. I think it is the lower hook-up rate with BFS/lures that accounts for a good proportion of the numbers difference between fly and BFS (since the dressing and generally smaller size of the fly means it gets entirely engulfed when the fish sucks water into its mouth). Streamer/sculpin anglers on the fly will also attest to that lower hook-up rate with those bigger mouthfuls (particularly when the fish are not in exactly the right mood).
With all that said, I hope that you can see how much I enjoy both fly fishing and BFS.
When it comes to skills/difficulty and fish welfare in combination there are good arguments to suggest that BFS will have a lower impact on trout and grayling waters (by less deep-hooking, a generally higher standard of single barbless hooks and lower average fight durations).
It is quite rare to catch grayling on BFS unless using smaller soft plastic “nymphy” type baits – and even then in nothing like the numbers you get in a good hatch on the dry fly or when they’re packed together in winter on nymphs).
The “advantages” therefore stem from the fact that it is plain difficult – and therefore a certain satisfaction is inevitable when you manage to overcome the odds and everything goes well. You deliver an accurate cast, get it under an overhanging branch and “damp” the landing of the lure so that it makes only a tiny splash (and doesn’t spook the fish). Then you bring the inanimate balsa to life by co-ordinating rod-tip and reel-handle, watching all the time behind the lure for signs of a following fish or imminent attack (the fish often grab the lure on the “pause” when it turns out in side-profile) and then you try to time your hook-set correctly.
Keeping the fish “pinned” on a barbless single hook is no mean feat (and many jumping trout throw the hook in the first few seconds).
So I’d say the advantages are largely what it does for you as an angler to improve your skills on-stream – and the ability to occasionally reward you with a larger than average fish when you do everything right.
The advantages of fly fishing are to imitate a wider range of prey items (from insects and crustaceans through to bait-fish) and always be able to target a feeding fish at any time of the season.
From the above considerations, it will probably be unsurprising that I’d absolutely advocate it – done correctly (and I’d say the same for fly fishing) – on wild trout and grayling waters.
If I was following an angler up a river, then I’d want to follow a fly angler with my BFS gear…and if I was following a BFS angler I’d want to be using my fly rod. That way I’d be in with the best chance of targeting the fish that are less effectively covered by the last angler that they’ve seen. I’d also probably fancy my chances that a BFS angler would have “lined” fewer fish than someone fan-casting with a plastic fly line.
The one thing I’d not want to do is follow hot on the heels of a fly angler while I, too, had to use a fly rod.
I hope that the above information contains some interesting thoughts to consider and thank you again for your questions,
Paul
I enjoy this discussion. I can give you some of my personal believe. Again it’s only my understanding from my past experiences, not a correct answer.
I always don’t quite like to use the term BFS a lot, as there is nothing wrong to do “finesse fishing” with spinning gear. The difference here I believe is the word “control”.
There is also a master caster in Japan who does spinning gear. I saved a video of his. https://youtu.be/skAlqkh3pcQ
Firstly, We need good rod so that the casting accuracy can be maximise, maybe the recent KR-Concept guides placement is essential. Even though it is still harder to control the accuracy in comparison with a bait caster as the fishing lines are sent out in a completely different way.
Also, how to stop and land the lure? It is an important skill to practice the “index/middle finger touching the spool” to brake the casting.
My understanding is, to cast further, you need bigger “lure weight/line weight ratio” on the spinning reel than bait caster. i.e. the smallest weight I want to cast with spinning reel is probably 4g, otherwise I need spider silk as line. However, I can go lower to 3, or 2.5 on BFS.
The other thing is when you want the line loose a bit so the lure can be drift down further. Its way harder to do it with spinning reel. Open and close the bail vs. Pressing down the clutch.
So my conclusion is, the difference is the way or the level of “control”. Assuming an angler can proficiently use either a bait caster or a spinning gear, He would use BFS for it’s easier to control than spinning. It’s not about the level of fishing skill, it’s about the design of different reel.
You can do “finesse fishing” with spinning reel, it’s just harder to master, and even you master it, it is still not as effective as using a bait caster.
Absolutely agree that you can certainly enjoy finesse fishing with spinning gear (I’ve done a reasonable amount of that myself).
I’m only using the BFS label with the “B” to indicate baitcasting gear as the anglers in Japan have come to refer to that style of ultralight baitcasting fishing (I think the term might have first been used by the Shimano company – but I’m not 100% certain on that).
I am also very aware that people have been fishing with ultralight baitcasting gear for a long time before the “movement” of BFS got its name in Japan.
Thank you also for the interesting YouTube video link – I really appreciate that,
Paul
For glass rods that have all that flex, would you recommend braid or mono or FC as a main line? Am thinking of pairing a glass rod with a CQ BFS but would like to avoid having to tie leaders. Without leader knots I can bring the lure all the way close to the last guide to do all the flipping and pitching without knots exiting/hitting the guides. Would FC or mono add to the flex and stretch and make good hooksets even harder? What were you using in your video? Thanks for any advice.
Hi Andrew, there are a lot of pretty complex considerations and, for sure, the non-stretch effect of braid is one of its major advantages.
There is a very good reason that I now use the FG knot to attach fluorocarbon leaders to my braid line (and my favourite BFS braid right now is Varivas Double Cross PE).
I also use affordable, clear Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon in 4lb – which is stealthy and works really quite well given the price you can get it for.
Yes there is more stretch, but at short range, that isn’t always a bad thing. With glass, as long as you can keep in touch when the fish comes downstream towards you, they are actually pretty good at keeping a fisn “pinned” since they absorb the fight of the fish with a little less chance of bouncing the hooks out compared to a stiffer rod. Yes, at longer range (or other circumstances where you’re struggling to get a good initial hook-set), opting for braid may well be your best choice; but the stretch can have its own advantages too.
Paul
Interesting read.
The fact that the Aldebaran wasn’t even worthy of mention, if for no other reason than to explain it’s glaring shortcomings, is highly suspect.
Thanks for one of the more provocative responses to the blog David. I’m now kind of intrigued of what suspicions the omission has provoked!! 🙂
Also, feel free to list out the shortcomings you mention and I’ll compare to my own experiences in the near future (since I’ve managed to borrow an Aldebaran on temporary loan from one of my fishing buddies).
All the best,
Paul
I enjoyed the casting technique shown in the first video with a baitcaster, especially the slow motion. I always get labeled as a finesse fishermen by the Bass guys here in the USA commonly throwing a 1/16oz. (1.8g) on 6lb. (2.7kg) or less line with my spinning outfits, but have started to downsize using baitcasting outfits to provide similar presentations. Although I don’t have the skill set mastered in first video, I can see that he is likely a well rounded fishermen leveraging fly fishing techniques, which I believe makes a much better fisherman. Much luck, and it was a pleasure to view this style of fishing, as there is nothing like landing both small spooky and larger fish using small gear, especially in small streams. Keep up the great work and slow motion videoing demonstrating this type of fishing. I’ll be checking out the BFS line soon!
Thank you Larry for your great comment, I’m really pleased that you found value in this post – and I’ll keep adding to it over time.
Good luck with your experimentation in BFS style!
Paul
Excellent. Thank you for producing this tutorial.
Thank you Bill – It is really important for us to receive and act on feedback (regardless whether it is for when we do things well – or badly!).
Cheers and your comment is really appreciated,
Paul
I’ve been an avid bass, trout, carp, and muskie angler for many years. I’ve pursued all with fly, spinning, and bait casting equipment. In the past, I’ve found that trying to use a bait casting outfit with baits of less than 3/8 oz (9 g) has been an exercise in frustration, especially on windy days! Consequently, I’ve used spinning gear for casting small (less than 1/8 oz [3.5 g] ) spoons, spinners, etc. for trout. I’m evaluating BFS gear in hopes that it will give me the casting precision that I get when using low profile bait cast reels for bass but with the ability to cast the small lures used for trout. I haven’t yet had a chance to extensively test braided line (GSP) on a BFS outfit but have had great success using braid on spinning gear to cast spoons and spinners for trout. I’ve seen several advantages to using braid versus nylon: 1) braid is quite immune to the line twist imparted by spinners [no more bird’s nests!], 2) most braided lines are more slippery than nylon enabling smoother, longer casts, 3) comparing diameter to diameter, braid is generally twice as strong as nylon or fluorocarbon, 4) braid has virtually no stretch (2-3%) versus nylon (25-35%). Braid’s strength to diameter ratio enables anglers to either use smaller diameter line of the same strength as nylon line or to use a stronger line at the same diameter as nylon line. Braid’s low stretch is a two-edged sword—the lack of stretch can result in more fish getting unhooked unless a softer action rod is used. The manufacturer of a BFS reel I recently purchased recommends using “PE” (i.e.—GSP/braided line) due to the potential for the “stretchability” of nylon line to crush the highly-ported, lightweight spool. I’ve also struggled to find bait casting rods with the softer action needed to cast light lures. In the past, I’ve occasionally used bait casting reels on spinning rods to get the lighter action I needed. Hopefully, BFS rods will become more widely available.
Thanks Steve – it seems to me that you are the perfect guy to start experimenting with this style.
Depending on your budget, there is already a good range of BFS rods available – but you are probably going to be looking at imported rods. However, if you are willing to wait a little while on delivery, there are some really very good rods available from Aliexpress. There are rods in a whole range of price brackets from Japan also.
I have one rod (a 5′ 6″ UL rated for 0.5g – 4g lures) which cost me $20 fully delivered. It’s currently retailing at $37 – which is still a great bargain as it performs really well. This is the Acehawk CU double 562 UL…This model only has one tip – but the 6ft version comes with both UL and L action tips…
I find that fused braid is a little stiffer and that helps with BFS casting – and is also a bit more tangle-resistant than the really limp PE braids.
Paul
Buy the Megabass Triza Aello casting rod. It is very soft. but has nice power and a great tip, and its a 3 piece travel rod! Even though you would never know. It is around 3 ounces and is beautiful with hand painted accents and burlwood reel seat. This is a super high end JDM rod that can be found for around $315-$369 readily.
This is a cool tip Matt – thank you. As an aside, I just took delivery of a really very sweet custom-made glass rod (5ft, 3-piece and rated 1 – 5 g)
Paul
Hi;
Very interesting – thanks for the thorough info!
I do have a question… Do you have recommendations for US-local equipment at a lower pricepoint? I can’t justify $1,000 US… how close can light action get?
Although not local (since I don’t think brands like Lews yet produce BFS models), your best bet for budget-friendly bfs is to brace yourself and dive into Aliexpress.com
There is now some really surprisingly high quality gear available if you know where to look – and by making one or two trial “budget” purchases, you can narrow down your potential, future, premium/Japanese Domestic Market wishlist!
The Fishband GH100 reel (especially if you spend another $15 or so to upgrade the bearings) really does give you a good experience at an exceptionally low price.
Rods like the Tsurinoya “ARES” 4′ 7″ one piece ultralight are really very good (that one is a super soft action and suits lures from 1 – 5g, though I think it would actually cast lighter if you could find a baitcasting reel/aftermarket spool that can cast under 1g). This is one of the more expensive Chinese-made options, but it is still extremely affordable.
Even cheaper still (and rated for lures down to 0.5g) the Acehawk CU Double – which has a 5’6″ (comes with 1 tip) version or 6ft (comes with two tips – one light and 1 ultralight) is a faster-action than the rod above (which is really full-flex) which you might prefer.
Of course, there is the inevitable longer delivery times from Alibaba and Aliexpress, but for dipping your toe into a new style before deciding to invest the big bucks in JDM or other premium kit can really reduce your risk.
Paul
Outstanding overview.
Thank you.
Might be getting into Bait Finesse System fishing but reluctant due to the lack of USA supported products.
Living in the US, I want to be sure I can have a $300+ Shimano serviced and parts sourced before buying.
Looking forward to all your other blogs.
Be well.
Thank you so much – I just got back from some vacation time (so apologies for a delayed response). I’m super glad that you found this post useful and I hope you enjoy the lure content that we’ve got coming up.
Paul
Thanks for all the insight. Great read and best on the web. I’m looking to get into saltwater bfs for trout redfish and flounder… I like to cast light plastics and struggle with current setup… currado cu 100 b5 on 6’6” medium h20 express… so of course distance is an issue… any suggestions for bfs setup for saltwater inshore gamefish?
Hi Carl, I won’t profess to have enough experience in saltwater with the bfs around the world (I’ve got more experience fly fishing the salt). So I’ll stop short of saying “I know the perfect rig for you!”
Instead, I guess what I would say is that, with bfs, you’re by definition limited to relatively close range fishing; so sometimes it might be about looking to things outside of your rod and reel – since the close-quarters super accuracy is integral to the activity. Maybe, instead it’s worth looking at your ability to get good positions to fish from and take advantage of that finesse and accuracy. So, for instance, investing in kayak fishing might be better than trying to achieve an extra 5 yards of casting distance with a super-tuned bfs rig.
Best of luck and I’d be keen to hear on any options that you do try out,
Paul
Braid tends to create less birds nests from poor casting compared to nylon. One thing I don’t like about braid is that it is so small, it is hard to see. If I’m fishing super technical water and trying to hit tiny currents or casting under overhanging foliage, nylon has a much better advantage for visualizing the lure’s trajectory.
Nice stuff Jay – when I get round to redrafts I’ll include those comments as a quote from you if that’s cool?
Paul
Totally agree with braid being less prone to birds nest, I would suggest also that braid type matters for the waters being fished. I tend to use x4 braids for snaggy water due to it being more resistant to cuts or frays on structure. Open water or weedy, then I prefer to use 8 or 9 strand braids. I wouldn’t recommend to fine a diameter on chinese bfs reels or reels that have clearance between the chassis and spool.
Russ – your point on spool tolerance is a really good one.
Nothing more frustrating than having a loose loop of line jump behind the spool and get chewed up by the gears/wrapped around the brakes.
Paul
Nice read!!! I love using BFS gear and have been using it for years. Trout season is 6 weeks away for me. I do YouTube videos on BFS. I like seeing someone else sharing their love of BFS.
Sweet – and thank you so much for your really kind comment. I will have to check out your YouTube channel.
I hope the next 6 weeks pass quickly for you and you can get out to flick some little baits at them before you know it.
Paul
Let me know what I got right – and what I got wrong in this piece…All well-argued contributions welcome!