# Baitcaster or not??



## Donutslayer (Jun 9, 2007)

I dont know anything about the area, but your its always worth having a baitcaster in your kit for cod sessions. One thing to keep in mind is yak fishin is extremely hard on tackle. Your stuff will get dipped regularly, Stuffed with sand and stuff when those beach landings go pearshaped. Personally i wouldnt commit such a fine kit to a yak unless it was ideally suited to the job.
Good luck


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

They are all useless, I'll give $10 bucks for the lot.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

I use baitcasters to fish inshore around Sydney, fishing 10 and 20lb line. Have used them on snapper, salmon, trevally and small kings


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## fisherdan (Apr 17, 2007)

Peril said:


> small kings


Oops, first dig for the year...


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## paffoh (Aug 24, 2006)

Just some comments for local use on a yak, I might go a bit off track so bear with me...

Some people prefer to use Baitcasters trolling, others ( Like myself ) prefer threadline reels with finesse style line weights, depending on the targeted fish species. There is no right or wrong reply to this, just keep in mind though you may hook a monster Murray Cod and you wouldnt want to be engaged in a battle on anything less than 20lb... For the poor fishes sake and yours.

I use 30lb braid / 50lb leader on my TDA 153HST Baitcaster ( 4 - 6kg 7' Nitro Undertaker rod ), 20lb braid / 30lb leader on my Caldia Kix 3500 threadline ( 5 - 7kg 6' Daiwa Procaster ), 12lb braid / 20lb leader on my TDA 2500 threadline ( 4 - 7kg 7' TD Advantage ), 8lb braid / 12lb leader on my Sol 2500 threadline ( 3 - 5kg 7' TD Sol ) and 4lb braid / 6lb leader on my Proshooter 1500 ( 1 - 3kg 6' Daiwa Procaster ).

I spent awhile making sure things would be balanced before purchasing rods to suit, the big cod have smoked me lately as bycatch on 12lb and 8lb braid and once hooked one on 4lb ( A lose / lose situation ).
Even the Canberra fish like a downsized leader, I have managed my biggest Redfin on the ultra light 1 - 3kg combo, managed my biggest Golden Perch on the 3 - 5kg combo ( Plus numerous decent yellas on the Ultra light gear ) and caught a few small cod up to 60cm on the 3 - 5kg gear ( All caught as bycatch ).

One day soon I hope to to hook one on the heavier gear so the fight will be short and sweet, the other day I hooked one on the 3 - 5kg combo that would have been close to the magical mark, within 20 seconds I lost 30m + of braid after some long runs and it bent one of my trebles to the side, while flatening the remainding trebles. While I did get my line and lure back, I was unable to put sufficient pressure on the fish and was smoked heavily.

Hope this helps, I would use them if you can get a rod to match...


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

Seriously though, I use my Daiwa Viento for almost everything now.

It can flick light and heavy lures, and control the distance of the cast a lot more accutately, and trolling wise I prefer it because it sits in my rod holders nicer than a spinning rod, and has a better drag should I encounter a larger cod than average.

Baitcasters are in my eyes a lot more versatile reels once you master them. I'd be bringing your calais out for bass and perch work for sure. They are pretty damn nice reels.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

I strip my fly line directly on the floor of my yak. A shorter rod is better though, bringing fish in is painful because you have to highstick it to get the line close enough grab, but I'm using a 9 foot 7# most of the time, for lack of anything better to use.

It really improves your casting though, takes your shoulder completely oout of the equation for fear tipping yourself out. :lol:


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

I run it long ways down the side of my yak, in the paddle holder ussually :lol:

I rig up before going, a yak is no place to be tying on tippets, fly changes are annoying too.


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

Baitcasters need to catch barra regularly or they disintegrate, it's science. Send that Calais up here and I'll run it back in for you.


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