The Bait finesse project is born :)

Well we are a few years into the Rockfish game styles now and things have evolved somewhat haven't they? Starting out and going through a great many rods and reels never quite happy enough. Until i started using  bait-cast set up for all of my HRF duties. Still i was missing something then came the advent of Bait Finesse styles using all the same techniques but with lighter rods and super tuned reels enable a cast of down to 1.5 grams with relative ease with a little practice and the right gear that is.
Over the time of running the Rockfish revolution a lot of people came and went but the fishing was always good but i still wanted a bigger challenge something new something i could get my teeth into a chance to hit big fish on light gear but still maintain fish safety and handling ability in rough ground.

Hence Bait finesse rods designed for busting big fish from heavy cover but allowing the use of a small light sub 2 gram bait but heavier lines when needed. no species is safe anymore be it freshwater pike, Perch, Trout, Sea Trout, Salmon, Carp, Tench Bream? Salt species anything that takes a lure big bass and wrasse are a prime target.
Myself and mark sat drinking coffee and making the next batch of bucktail jig heads one night considering the project and should we make the jump fully into bait finesse only? This was 4 months ago now with the end of the year nigh it is the right time 2014 will see the end of the revolution and the start of the Bait Finesse Project in earnest.
No longer fitting into LRF or HRF for that matter but using skills from both sets for all species dropping off the many sessions everyy week for small fish but fishing dedicated sessions for a species decided on the day by and large. bu the change of casting a 1 inch minnow or a 6 inch weightless stick bait.
Tackle wise current line up sees rods and reels from Daiwa, Megabass, Shimano, Abu Garcia, Nories, Palms, Major Craft, we dont need to change rods or reels to match this seasons in make or type as a year changes we may make upgrade changes to reels or spools but over all there isn't the need to change tackle all the time anymore. Upgrades and super tuning yes couldn't resist that part still :)
Last year saw us fishing dropshot for tench and carp with a good success rate but stalk a carp in the margins with a true lure? chase Barbel in the rivers with Senko's? A 10 gram casting rod and 5lb Wrasse?
Much the same as when lrf and hrf started out people said it couldn't be done and we pretty much expect the same reaction but only through attempting and failing altering until success is achieved can anything evolve and this is the drive that is behind the project. Where will the journey take us i havent a clue but i am looking forwards to exploring new places with a different approach i for one can not wait for the year to start a fresh so watch this space :)

Tight lines all for 2014 :)

Scratching the bucks tail :)

Scratching the surface

The title says it all really, a couple of years ago tinkered with 21 and 28 gram bucktails, success was had in deep water but i needed heavier rods to launch them a distance into the surf etc. Then i started using them on bait finesse gear well i was glad i did to say the least :) Every session the bucktails have picked out the better fish now. But i quickly found that there are rules appearing rather quickly.
At night the white and chartreuse heads are out fishing all over colors though during the day the head color is less important it would seem? White and chartreuse still fish better than all other colors but why?? I feel at present this could be a strike point in the light and bright colors arousing interest from the fish? The more i fish them the more i find that i am asking more and more questions.
I must have spent thousands of pounds on hard lures over the years but nothing has fished this well and in comparison they are cheap as chips but a dam site more versatile. Why do they work? When they are in the water they form the profile that is designed when tying them in the first place slim fat medium differing head types color variants on the head body color? All of these are changed with ease stinger hooks fitted for shy taking fish. When fishing a Fiish minnow i would go through a great many bodies they work sure but now take a bucktail that will outlast 10+ Fiish bodies?
So they last but what about shapes or weights?
This leads me into the next phase of bucktail research it has become a personal project for me now i have taken fiish for weeks with out a blank session. I have taken a great many fish and species now. But head types? I have been using a minnow head from 3-10 grams i could also use a much lighter version don to 1/64 of an ounce if i should wish. Bullet type jig heads, banana types jig heads hot lips type jigs all falling differently or bouncing at a differing angle? Them i could look through the hand painting options with a airbrush or hand painted and dry brushed? This is all in the future though at this stage.
But what about species and takes? Well ?







Well i think that we can safely see that the bucktails are working well enough :) But i do think that they could work a lot better given time and experience. I have found favor with the 4,8,10 gram versions for my own fishing both with and with out trailers and stingers fitted.
As for the coming year when i could buy a mold to make a differing type of jig for less than the coast of 2 hard lures it really is a no brainer on costs for fishing. Hard lures and soft lures all have a place as do bucktails. Using the right technique or lure at the right time will land more fish and provide great sport at the same time.
but on top of this i have been using a 6lb mono for a couple of sessions now, i did find that on smash take i did lose a couple of fish on the fluro lines, though this said with the mono i was finding that the slight shock absorption was providing a nice cushion and the lines were landing almost all fish. I lost a cracking fish and my favorite jig the other night. This said i am only scratching the surface on the use of buck tail jigs and i have a long time ahead of me to learn and refine fishing the jigs. Traditionally they have been fished heavy but i like using the lighter versions. I did have issue finding them so i started making them down to 2 grams at current on small hooks and very slight dressing but giving the bait-fish profile tipped off with isome if i am going after micros species. I have also been tinkering with the smaller version and flies tied on jig heads that have been killing it for close quarters work but keeping that under wraps until the trout season kicks off again but i am very excited i must admit :)

Bait finesse a following?

Bait finesse a following?

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Bait finesse gaining a following J

 We have been busy working recently on a great many things and making changes learning new skills changing kit etc yet again but through all of this we have been finding ourselves somewhat. I have personally found a long time ago a liking for using bait cast equipment with the accuracy and power provided from the rods they lend themselves to rock fishing styles very nicely indeed. 

But what has changed? I personally started off working with baitcast gear for my hrf duties a while ago now and i have haven’t looked back i have returned to using fixed spool but wasn’t feeling it to be honest. I am not saying that baitcast set ups are the be and all for everybody but for me they work.  The upsides are:

Accuracy
Use of fluro and braided lines
Pitch and flip techniques
Feeling a bait down against the spool
Engage free spool  for a drift
compact size
Salt or freshwater uses
Modifiable to own needs
Power of the rods ( more powerful for a lower rating than many fixed spool rods)

Downsides

Costs they are often a lot more expensive for a good rod and reel
Distance when open casting for some people
Often 1 piece rods
Availability in the uk

But when looked at the ups are out weighing the downs for my uses and Mark has taken a lot of time to go through my casting and help me with my techniques. Being a lot more experienced than myself though in a recent session we were both on an equal footing. A lot of people i have spoken to are afraid of bait cast gear and the blow up’s, over runs, birds’ nests etc but with a little practice this is more often than that of a wind knot with a fixed spool rod.
I have been using braids and fluro lines on the reels for a while now and took a little of a back seat in the past 12 months but rest assured i have been fishing and catching a lot of fish.

It was a decision that i wanted to understand baitcast and all disciplines but the one that i feared the most was the bait finesse angles i have been fishing it for a long while now and made a lot of mistakes but the positives were great and i have enjoyed the journey all of the way through. Myself and mark have combined all the gear and skills we both collected over time with rods and reels ranging from 0.9-7 grams through to 7-28 at the moment covering all of our needs for the coming seasons. It has taken a long time now but it is all coming together with the current rod selection with rods from:

Nories
Megabass
Palms
Tenryu
Graphiteleader
Major Craft

The reel selection is just as varied using the:

Abu Revo LTZ AE74 Racing condition
Megabass Luvito 103
Megabass zonda hedgehog special
Daiwa Alphas ITO Ai special edition
Daiwa Certate 2506 2013  

So tackle hasn’t been an issue for a long time and the lure selection is something that i will go through over the coming months having taken a break from mentioning tackle somewhat.  But we have taken out time in trying to see what happens and what works and when for what etc in the southwest of the UK.
It is with this in mind that we went out for a purpose bait finesse session the other day @ Simpson Valley fishery in Holsworthy and had an absolute blast there one of the best sessions in a while for big fish numbers and a great chance to test some theories we had put together J

We had hatched plans weeks previously but time wasn't allowing us to get out at the same time for a prolonged period. We got together during the week to put together a list of what tackle to take for the day and put it all together.
We decided that we would work the bait finesse angle for the day but take a pair of fixed spool rods in case they were required for casting weights or wind conditions. As it happens the fixes spool rods were say there all day and not even used as the bait finesse BFS kits were covering everything we needed cast down to 2 grams with rods weighted above this weight. This in turn opened other questions that need answering in due course.

But how did the day go? We made an early start to make the hour drive and set up before the weather might turn for the worse. Arriving t the complex and sorting out fish tickets etc. Speaking with the fishery manager and discussing the needs of the fishery and tackle choices. Debarbing the lures and hooks that we were looking at using for the session.
We arrived at the lake we wanted to fish that has a good head of rainbow and blue trout as well as jack pike to around a couple of pound in weight. Mark opted for the Megabass eiger  3.5-14 gram rod with the Megabass zonda 68r hedgehog and a 5lb fluro mainline, i opted for the Palms mola BFS 3-10 gram rod with the ABU Revo LTZ ae74 with a 4lb fluro mainline.
Little did we know that there would be so suitable to lure and species choice for the day J Mark was into a small jack pike within 3 casts and his first freshwater lure caught fish in the uk. With his previous freshwater experiences being in Texas in the USA for bass fishing. The look on his face was priceless watching the rod tip bend in on the take. The rod absorbing each lunge with grace and power the Duo tetra bivvy was working its magic on the day.

Soon after this i was set up with a Duo popco sub surface popper and had a cracking take that jumped my lure losing me a good sized trout. But not dis heartened in the least i changed to a DUO Perakko 4.2 gram propeller bait and fish were hitting thick and fast on a jagged retrieve taking my first trout for the day and a couple of small jacks.

I wanted a change and put on the Breaden Minimaru something that i haven’t really played with in the past enough letting the lure settle nose down on the bottom and the fish were hitting the lure stationary on the bottom feeling every hit and suddenly it locked up solidly and a good pike had taken the lure and really wanted it badly. Stripping line off the palms and ae74 but quickly subdued and landed a quick couple of pics and released. The thing that i noticed over all with the breaden was that fish were hitting the lure when it was dead sticked i didn’t have to do anything. This was an incredible feeling of sensation through the fluro lines, the Duo lures were work down through the water column and the minimaru was stationary between a handful of lures we were covering all eventualities . It reminded me of watching a video on the minimaru when it was cast and left to sink once it is stationary it sits nose down with the rear hook very exposed giving a great hook up J

But more on the lures used in the next article as this is more of a catch report J
At this point it was about time for a coffee break sitting and discussing what’s happened and worked so far it was clear that most fish were taking a lure either OTD (on the drop) or after a jerk movement to another place akin to a baitfish moving between cover. A straight retrieve was producing fish but only deep in the water column and slowly moving akin to hard needle techniques was this merely coincidence?  Time to repeat the actions and compare the results again which we due did and the results were a mirror image of the first time.

We cycled through lures between 2-8 grams for the day and on the final casts decided to both clip on a duo tetra bivvy and cast 45 degrees in each direction within seconds on the second jump over a bar that was visible through the water we both hooked up! The best end we could wish for a double bait finesse hook up J We released the final pike of the day packed up and left the complex with grins like a Cheshire cat.
Having agreed that the fish landed were indeed no match for bait finesse tackle and next time to take the graphitleleader veloce and major craft volkey bait finesse rods both rated at 0.9-7 grams and test them with the same lures and much lighter again but using the same reels and lines.

I have experimented with bait finesse in the salt already and have known for some time that the heaviest rod i require is 18 grams in casting weight for the species i chase on a regular basis now, but also the lighter rods would cope with most of the species to a delightful insight in to Bait finesse in all its glory and a cracking days fishing in great company what more could you ask for? Not a lot i can tell you, we have used a boga type grip in a couple of images not normally used but to show that if you should use them then support the weight of the fish too, when weighing a single live fish i will always carry a mesh sling that takes no room in the tackle bag to protect the fish during weighing and digital scales that can be zeroed and give an accurate reading unlike the traditional boga grip. Do not hang a fish from the lip and return it this can often cause irreparable damage to the fish care is paramount i still use the same sling i used carp fishing many years ago and its going strong coast around £6 so it’s not a lot really is it guys?

I am not in the area of telling people how to fish and dictate a catch and release policy; i do indeed fish a catch and release policy unless i am fishing to eat as was the occasion with the trout on this session. Though the same care was taken with each fish and i got the chance to show mark the most effective technique to dispatch a fish with ease and speed.

Bait finesse has grown in the uk with a steady following but it has so many things that need to be tried and experimented with that time and patience will have to prevail. I have taken the Palms out with the kayak a couple of times recently and it has been a right scream especially for the lower sitting bass behind structure and small lures. But time hasn’t a allowed for a lot of this experimentations in the past few weeks and i am lining up for a lot of shore hrf and freshwater antics this season for sheer enjoyment and testing the shore based boundaries of bait finesse.

The tackle that was used on the session was the Palms Molla 3-10 grams impressions of the rod have improved over and over again, loading with a full 10 grams and wanting more but pitch and flip with a 2.5 gram lure with ease. A 3lb + trout was taking line and the rob was absorbing a turning lunge and just cushioning the 4lb line we were using like a dream. I had the chance to really work the Breaden minimaru with this rod and it was a sheer dream using the standard and deep versions. With a good pike the best of the day taking the lure dead sticked, hit after hit was forth coming through the day . The fluro mainline we used was sending through a shock through the rod tip and down the blank like an electric shock. A rod that i have truly come to appreciate in its entirety. If you want to look at the Palms rods more in-depth then you could do worse than check out www.lureheaven.com the importers of angler republic gear to the uk.
The other rod we used was the megabass Eiger 3.5-14 grams casing rod the new 2013 X7 version now i have fallen in love with this rod J this was the first outing with the rod and it performed like a dream casting well down into the lower reaches and lower again. A couple of decent fish putting a cracking bend into the rod and again absorbing line with a 5lb fluro mainline. Being the first outing for the rod i will fish it again and again before i figure a final opinion as first impressions could be misleading but as yet it was a dream though will a salt outing be different?

For the reel choices we employed the ABU Revo LTZ ae74 with the finesse spool and a few KTF (karil tuning factory) upgrades weight and cosmetic upgrades thus far. But the reel would pitch and flip or open cast everything i have checked at it thus far down to 2 grams i do feel it could go lower but not by that much with the stock bearings this will be retro fitted with hedgehog studio finesse air bearings. But this said for general bait finesse use it has fished very well and hasn’t let us down just yet and we have tried only a couple of minor over runs at present.
The megabass Zonda 68r Hedgehog bait finesse special was the other reel first proper outing and what  could i say but bloody hell!! This is some performer if the Daiwa T3 air is the ultimate reel then it has to go some to better this reel we had the brakes on around 30% and the cast control set so the spool was almost clacking the sides and it was brilliant i could not fault it with a lsightly heavier weight 8 grams it was hammering out the lures i put on a 5 gram minimaru and bang cracked it out and there wasn’t much left on the spool line wise after this.

Impressed was an understatement i can assure you, from pure cosmetics through to the spool weight and build i could not fault it at all. Though now we have been trying to test differing items against each other and long will this last and continue but also we have been playing with different lures that suit the bait finesse weight ranges. It is our intention to go through the lures in due course and photo and report each of them. Well i have to get some bits and pieces ready for the next session so until then guys

Baitcasting Finesse Fishing Part 2 - Setting up

Those who have read the first part of this article will have set their own opinions of the pros and cons of BFS fishing and based on these opinions would have decided whether or not its tackle philosophy they wish to is adopt. This second part is for those who have decided that BFS is the way to go or is keen to try, here we shall discuss the setting up and application of BFS tackle.

Considerations. 

The most logical way to approach the setup of a baitcasting finesse setup is like any other forms of fishing; it should be oriented towards the target species. Note that in every category of tackle, there are equipment that weren’t designed for the species targeted but with modifications can utilised for the task. Starting from the target species, it is logical to work backwards from terminal tackle to the rod and reel.

Assessment process: 

1. Type of fish: considerations here would be the types of natural prey for particular fish, the depths in which the quarry feed and the characteristics of the fish that would affect the fight post hook set, e.g. Barramundi with their toothless yet abrasive mouth, mangrove jacks that strike close to cover and needs only a short powerful run to reach snags, mackerel itch their blistering runs and razor teeth etc etc.

2. Terminal tackle: The hooks required to take the fish. In the beginning of this BFS journey, bass finesse lures from megabass, bassday and cultiva were used in their stock form. Although they had little trouble taking bream, sooty grunter and perch, but when it came to the heavy hitters such as the mangrove jack and barramundi, the size 10 or smaller hooks were quickly taken past their capabilities with the lures trebles seldom usable after one fish. I have since adapted lures to optimise both hook set efficiency and keep the line away from the fishes mouth.

3. Line: Major considerations here is the typical distances the target species run and the cover (snags and vegetation) available in vicinity of the fishing area. Braided lines can help increase line capacity without adding too much to the total spool weight but keep in mind that with some spools braided lines are not advisable as the pressure of successive wraps around the spool can deform these very thin walled spools. Hence when choosing spools in some cases particular reels considerations of target species is pertinent.

4. Rod: With rods the major factor is the casting distances required. This is quite simple, the further you need to cast the long it should be. A lot of anglers like shorter rods for accurate for close point targets but in these instances I prefer to pitch the bait into location so for myself, it's a case of picking something as long as possible and still be comfortable.

5. Reel/spool: this last component is the one that is most discussed and usually when new a new product is introduced, the most excitement is garnered, yet it can also be the most difficult component to pick. Since the conception of BFS tackle in Japan was to target trout and bass, both fresh water only species, most of stock BFS reels are not rated for saltwater use with spools and other parts utilising magnesium alloys to lower weight. A lot of the lighter spools have very thin walls with a large percentage of it surface drilled out to minimise spool inertia, these reels can be quite restrictive in line choices with braid and even heavier monofilament not recommended. What makes it difficult is that these restrictions usually translate to a reel with incredible performance! The best example comes to mind is the Daiwa x KTF T3 Air, with 5.6g spool it is not recommended for salt or brackish, using braid or line heavier than 8lb or longer than 50m creates a risk of deforming the spool, even intricacies such as spooling with more than 500g of tension or pulling on the line to free a snagged lure is not advisable, but follow those guidelines and a reel that seeming defies the laws of physics and aptly nicknamed the "AirBender".

For those who already own a small low profile baitcaster, the chances are if your reel is from Abu Garcia, Daiwa or Shimano, there are shallow spools available for a BFS conversion.

Spool braking systems 

Casting brakes are the thing that prevents birdsnest when casting, every brand has the variations and combinations of brakes but there are essentially 2 main types, magnetic and centrifugal. As a general rule centrifugal brakes are better at controlling the spool at the beginning of the cast where as magnetic brakes are better at controlling the latter part of the cast. What does that mean to an angler? It means centrifugally controlled reels are more forgiving to hard snapping casts but magnetic brakes controls the spool better when casting into wind. There are reels with both brakes, with shallow spools available however they do weigh a little more. Whether this is due to the braking mechanism installed on spool (both, centrifugal weights and inductor plate) or the spools available is to be further investigated. Currently one aftermarket company Avail has a simple but effective solution of using the spool wall itself as the inductor, this has resulted in stronger, uniform spools, that is competitive in spool weight without drilling of the spool wall.

The setup of a BFS system.

With so many considerations the variations in choices; like fishing tackle in general, can be staggering. For purpose of competitions or a day out targeting a specific species, those considerations is used as a guide for setting up. However one setup I wish to share is my general purpose setup, a rig that I would take on trips and just fish without a targeted species with versatility in both species and baits in mind.

Reel: Shimano Core 50mg7. Although it has the same frame design as the Curado 50e and Chronarch 50e, the Core 50 mg7 has frame and handle side plate constructed from magnesium alloy, hence it's much lighter than its siblings which balances out the rod of choice perfectly. Furthermore a lighter overall systems translates to less fatigue during long sessions of fishing. Besides its svelte form and weight it also has fast but torque oversized main gear allowing a large aftermarket carbon fibre drag disc. Reliable, constant drag performance is critical to protect the very light lines used in BFS, especially when up against small pelagics with their often blistering runs.

 

Spool bearings: Hedgehog 1030 AIR finesse bearings. These bearings have balls and inner race in the smallest size possible, to minimise spool and bearing inertia ( note: the outer race is heavy but since it doesn't spin it isn't part of the kinetic system ). This allows less effort for spool to start up and slow down, reducing effort in cast and spool braking to prevent professional overruns. According to manufacturers, these bearings assists in a flatter flight trajectory with the lure casted.

Spool: Avail Microcast ALD 0929 Spool. Weighing in at 8g and capable of holding 50m of 0.31mm line, it is a good balance of weight and capacity for general purpose fishing. This capacity allows for the UL top shot. More on that later.

Casting brakes: Avail SHSC-05A step less magnetic brake. Great control in headwinds and since nothing is added to the spool, minimises spool weight. Can fit up to eight magnets and adjustments can be made on the fly by screwing the magnet holder in and out ( increases and decreases the distance between the magnets and the spool). The only downside is that it requires more modifications to the reel compared to the simple drop in process of a centrifugally braked spool.

Line: UL top shot: for optimal casting performance minimal line is best. However when attempting to overcome 20-30lb fish on 8lb line, capacity is needed to tame those runs. the solution is a UL top shot.

Firstly a metre or two of monofilament is anchored on as braid will slip on the spool, this is followed by that it is PE line as thin as possible with optimally a PE line with its knot strength breaking roughly that of the top shot monofilament's breaking knot strength. then last, a casting length of roughly 30-35m of monofilament is wound on top. I will use my personal setup as an example. I start of with 1m of the most supple nylon in 4lb strength, next I use 50m either Tasline All White or SAS braid 6lb which has a true breaking strain of over 8 and more importantly when employed in a FG knot breaks at about 6lbs. This correlates to the 35m of fluorocarbon 8lb where by using a San Diego Jam knot or palmar knot, an average breaking strain of 6.1 is achieved. This allows runs of up to 85m, there is no leader knots to interfere with the guides and levelwind and lastly 35m of monofilament stretches on load which acts as a shock absorber that tires out the fish quicker and keeps trebles pinned to the fish, it also helps cushion the shock of big hits and hook sets where a joining knot on a short leader may fail. When I happen to snag or my quarry finds suitable cover to stop the fight, I know the weakest link is the terminal knot ( unless the fish ran past the length of the monofilament ) and after breaking retying is a quick process without having to deal with tying on a new leader.

Rod: I use the Majorcraft Volkey BFS 692. It length is a balance between manoeuvrability and distance. Equipped with microguides, it has very low tip weight which gives it very crisp casting characteristics. With a soft tip yet powerful lower sections, it is adept at protecting the line yet allows decent force to be imparted on the fish. Furthermore. Being a 2 piece rod it can easily be dismantled for remote fishing spots where the insertion phase is either on foot or by mountain bike. 

Lure: whatever fancied at the time!

I hope that information and methodology described here will work for readers as well as it had for me. Keep in mind this techniques are not the only solution that with a virgin technique tweaks and improvements are constantly developed. B'n'B hopes to stay at the forefront of this development and keep readers informed as it arrives.

 This has been repoduced with kind permission of Martin Lo from www.boar-barra.com we are in the midst of writting a larger piece on bait finesse and findings between the continents and the differences and similarities contained so watch this space :)

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Baitcasting finesse fishing. Part 1

For those among us who are tackle hounds for import tackle or frequents browsers of fishing forums, you may have heard of the term Baitcast Finesse Casting or Systems, or BFS for short. And among those who enjoy fishing light gear and relishing the skill involved in winning the fight on light tackle, one had to ask; what is this BFS? For the record, although I will try to write this article as subjectively as possible, the BFS concept has yours truly hooked line and lure. 

So what is BFS? Simply put, baitcast finesse system is the use of specialized baitcasting equipment to present light lures accurately in a subtle manner. With BFS fishing, the majority of techniques used in bass fishing could be applied, from jerkbaits and deep cranks to dropshotting and swimbaiting, techniques used in regular angling are used in BFS- only smaller and a lot lighter. 

Baitcast finesse systems were first used in Japan to effectively target species that are heavily pressured by overfishing. Originally begun using trout and panfish gear, anglers were casting baits weight a maximum of 1/4 oz. (7g) however 1/8 (3.5g) or even 1/16 oz is the norm. Casting baits usually reserved for spinning or spincast gear was suddenly possible with traditional baitcast reels.

Why bother? This is something one must ask- what is wrong with ultra light spin setups ? Well there are advantages and disadvantages among both of them, more on that later.

Many finesse fishermen will note that finesse does not necessarily mean small, after all, a 6" plastic on a dropshot rig is still a finesse setup. So why do BFS fisherman employ such small and light artificial baits? Smaller baits offer several advantages, those being:

1. Smaller and consequently lighter lures are less likely to spook a fish, which is desirable in heavily pressured fisheries. They also tend to illicit strikes by a larger range of sizes and species of predatory fish as well.

2. Because of their subtle presence, they can be worked faster than large lures without spooking fish off the bite and hence allow the angler to cover more water in the same period of time.

3. Lighter baits require lighter equipment and, over a long day spanning hundreds of casts, lighter baits reduce fatigue through reduced effort in casting and retrieving. This subsequently allows alertness and accuracy to be sustained for longer periods. 

Small lures doesn’t necessarily equate to small fish….be prepared!

Baitcasting finesse systems were first devised to target bass in Japan, however they have been very effective targeting other species including fish much larger than bass in both fresh and saltwater. They can be seen as an alternative to a light or ultralight spin setup. Indeed, BFS devotees often use lures designed for light spin rigs. In a bream fisherman's context, lures such as Megabass Live-X Smolts or baby Griffons are all within the capacity of BFS setups. 

A typical BFS lure: Megabass Live-X Smolt 3.5g jerkbait. 

Which leads to the $64k question; why BFS when there is plenty of ultralight spin equipment readily available? For the record, the author prefers BFS compared to light spinners but by no means states that BFS setups are superior to UL spin. What can be done however is a subjective analysis of the advantages of the two types of equipment 

BFS vs UL spin comparison.

 

Author’s UL spin setup of choice, a Shimano Vanquish C2000s slung on a Daiwa black label SSS 641LXS … the best of the big 2 

Casting weight and distance: When it comes to casting the extremely lightweights say 1/32 jigs, UL spin will cast easier and further that BFS lures ( with exception of 1 or 2 elite BFS reels ) however for practical distances crank baits around the 2g region are easy to cast with BFS reels.

Winner: UL spin.

 Price: For now, light spinning gear is by and large much more affordable than BFS equipment. Where the cheapest BFS setup will cost around $400 AUD, a Sienna FD and 1-3kg or 2-5kg rod could be owned for a fraction of the cost. That said however, even the entry level BFS gear are of a premium standard and the conversion of a regular baitcaster into a BFS reel is very affordable - an expanded purchase and upgrade guide in Part 2.

Winner: UL spin

 Ease of Use: This aspect can be rather debatable, baitcasters can and will birdsnest, and spin reels get wind knots. Yours truly is quite adept at not getting overrun and rectifying birdsnests, but hasn't figured out how to prevent wind knots...and dread doing the "tug and pray" each time a wind knot occurs. What can be said however, is that BFS reels are outfitted with extremely light spools and cast light baits- hence there is very little spool inertia (i.e. the spool keeps spinning after the bait has stopped). This results in a reel that is resistant to backlash and when it does happen the birds nest is not overly severe. At the top end of the BFS reels, thumbing is not required as the brakes will sufficiently stop the spool once the lure hits the water.

Winner: Tie

Lure Presentation:

The accuracy and subtlety in presenting the lure is highly subjective to the user experience. Depending the style of reel used most, some anglers will swear by thumb manipulation whereas others will maintain that feathering a spin reel can approach similar levels of control. BFS tends to favour low flat trajectories but for pitching and skipping lures, these techniques are much easier to achieve with spin reels. For this who like to power fish their way through snags, working the lure only in the immediate strike zones, BFS can be a joy to use. With rapid short accurate casts, rapid transition from casting to retrieving and the ability to cast, jig and retrieve one handed- it is possible to launch half a dozen casts at a snag from multiple angles while drifting past.

Winner BFS. 

Choice of lines:

When it comes to lines the main deciding factor between BFS and light spin will be line capacity required. For open water such as light inshore jigging, spin reels definitely hold the advantage. Light spools is the key to BFS fishing and the compromise is limited capacity. On most shallow spools, 80yd of 8lb line is the maximum capacity with super shallow spools holding approximately half that.

It is common for BFS aficionados to spool 35-40m of line for maximum casting efficiency.

Very light, very shallow spools.

However, the variety of lines that could be used on a BFS reel is it's advantage. Unlike spin reels baitcasting reels do not twist the line, which can create problems when using stiffer or thicker lines. This is a major advantage for targeting species that will grind through line- barramundi being an example. For those who prefer fishing light with straight mono and especially fluorocarbon lines BFS is by far the most efficient system.

Lastly, due to its small capacity, it is relatively quick, easy and economical to either turn over or replace line after each outing or in event of tangles- ensuring that the reel is spooled with pristine line at the optimum length. For uses with braid coupled with a leader, a leader much longer than the rod is possible as the leader knot is less likely to cause problems during the cast in a baitcasting setup, as opposed to spin setups where the knot pulls on loose loops. These are a major cause of wind knots. For those that worry about bringing in a fish that likes to run, there are adaptations to do so...more on that in part 2.

Winner: BFS 

Fighting the fish:

Post hookset, BFS being a baitcasting setup provides a more effective solution to controlling a fish. With the reel close to the rod and usually held by the reel, it is easier to change direction of pull when attempting to turn a fish around. Furthermore the typical use of a long leader or purely plastic lines allow for more shock absorption using the "belly" of the line, reducing the chance if hooks pulled and knot failure.

The author’s first foray in to BFS. A modified Shimano Core 50mg7 mounted on a Majorcraft Volkey BFS 692 XUL. On the exterior the Core 50mg7 looks stock, inside however it is loaded with parts from Avail and Hedgehog studio

 Now that the pros and cons of BFS setups are laid out and examines part 2 will divulge into the choice of kit, setups and rigging. Also, as the author regularly fishes in barramundi country, adaptations made to BFS setups to target species much larger than manufacturers ever intended for bait finesse. 

This articles has been reproduced with kind permission from Martin Lo from www.boar-bara.com , please also feel free to check the 2nd installment of this piece in out techniques section here