It is funny how I will spend an entire day, trying to take in a 30-minute video. But I do, and you guys are the absolute best. Appreciate this and every bucket of golden content!
hell of a video man! all of it! i run a lot of 10-12# sniper leaning more on finesse presentations so this vid hit home for sure and peaked my interest...especially the BFS flipping.
Maxima Ultragreen mono was THE ONLY LEADER LINE used in the 1980's and early 1990's along Michigan's Great Lakes tributaries for salmon and steelhead. Sure, guys would use Trilene or Stren mono on their spinning reels, but the leader was ALWAYS Maxima. I still have my dad's Maxima leader spools from back in the day.
Thanks for the BFS videos. I got into bfs by accident. I got a Zypher for skipping jigs and found out I can skip a really light jig, and use really light line, which has proven invaluable this year because of the ultra clear water at LOZ.
I’ve been using different sizes of the Daiwa Hidden Fluoro over the past few months, and it is THE TRUTH! 🔥 I’ve used it both as leader material (what I normally do) AND straight mainline (which I almost never do) and it is ridiculously strong, low memory, almost as supple as Sniper, and it lasts forever. Truly crazy line. That little plastic cuff it comes with to protect it/keep things neat is a really nice touch too!
Just got to where you cover the Expride B 7'2" ML Rod. I can also confirm 100% of everything you said. I absolutely LOVE that rod and stumbled onto it testing different rods for BFS. I primarily use it now as my small 3/8 oz. crankbaits. That 7'2" ML rod paired with a Curado BFS Reel and a Strike King 3XD or a Rock Crawler or a 6th Sense Curve 55 is THE DEAL!!! SUCH A GREAT ROD!!!
Such a great video breaking down BFS as a technique, where it comes from, and the differences in the US adaptation for those that don't understand! I'm going to start sending my friends over to watch this video! I try and explain it to them but they don't "get it" This is very easy for them to understand! Awesome video! Thanks as always for what you and Tim both do for the Bass Fishing Community! It almost makes me thing, BFS would be a great topic for one of your 90 minute seminar videos. Keep it in the back of your mind next time you go to film one of those.
Baby plugging and Pop-X stick are great rods, the Siglett in the P5 lineup is also a great BFS rod. Throwing 2” swim baits far and accurate. Catching fish is a blast on it.
I‘m eyeballing the Siglett to cast sub 5 gram hardbaits but I fear due to the solid tip this might not be the best idea. Can you tell some of your experience with this rod? Would be highly appreciated.
@@arnemueller2112 I’ve caught big fish on the Siglett throwing the lucky craft pointer 65 and other lures. If you don’t try to flip fish into the boat or from the shore you won’t have a problem with the tip of the rod. The rod really pins the fish when loaded. And with lighter lures you’ll have a blast!
The little megabass pencil bait ive already crushed on alone. That thing jumps and dives around like a stressed fish. Landed a bunch of smaller fish and crappie on it along the weed lines and edges. The 4" is my favorite but the 3" senko has caught me 100s of fish from big bluegill to 3lb bass easy.
Really good idea to go 5” slim senko I was trying a 3” fat senko but I think the longer profile will keep the panfish away. Try putting your 3” fluke baits on 1/16 oz flashback mini chatterbait the action is unreal and will catch fish anywhere. I like the 2.4 metacraw on a bait finesse Evo jig right now too around cover it’s an awesome new jig. I got a 7 lber from under a dock this spring on a 1/16th oz spin jig and 6 lb line by doing just what you said I kept pressure and let him come out. He had wrapped around a piling but with the soft rod I just kept pressure and didn’t panic and he unwrapped himself and came out from under. It was wild. BFS has made fishing so much fun for me over the last couple years.
Hey Matt, let me put on on almost 49-year-old "get off my lawn" old man cranky "grandpa" (not yet a grandpa) hat for a moment.😅 Tim and you have fallen in love with BFS, very cool... and yet I find it interesting that the two of you never discuss the extraordinary lineup of ultralight hard lures from Rebel and Heddon. IMO, the Teeny Wee Craw and Teeny Crickhopper come in ultra-realistic colors and anatomically precise designs to "match the hatch" as well as any lure manufactured anywhere. I regard the "full size" two-inch Rebel Wee Craw, a finesse crankbait just a hair bigger than "ultralight" or "BFS," to be one of the best bass lures ever made, BAR NONE. Also, the Cotton Cordell Super Spot comes in a 2-inch 3/16 oz. size. Have you seen those? It's a no-brainer for BFS equipment because it's like trying to cast a potato chip, SERIOUSLY!!! Man, it's a cool little lure, though! The Heddon Teeny Torpedo and Zara Puppy, along with the Rebel Teeny Pop-R, have been ultralight staples in my surface lure arsenal for, well geez, for about FOUR DECADES. Rapala's Original Floating Minnow also comes in a BFS size, Husky Jerks, too. I could go on, and don't get me started on trout-sized in-line spinners and twister tail grubs. THE ULTRALIGHT PLASTICS ARE THEIR OWN RABBIT HOLE A MILE DEEP! Innovative lures absolutely come from Japan, no doubt about it. That being said, I think the TacticalBassin family might enjoy a "Budget Introduction to BFS" video. You could highlight many of the ultralight hard baits that have caught fish for decades. There's a ton of less expensive domestic options from which to choose. The variety of soft plastics could be a video onto itself. Ultralight spinnerbaits and buzzbaits in the 1/8 oz. and 1/6 oz. size also produce extraordinary results. I'd also like to hear what you think of the KastKing Zephyr, good or bad. The KastKing Spartacus II and Royale Legend II were my first two baitcasters. While they performed fine and they encouraged me to get further into baitcaster gear, I thought their components, like the nuts on the handle, were a little soft and the reels generally lacked durability. Is that the story with the Zephyr, or is it a good jumping-off point for the BFS curious? Is there a budget BFS baitcaster rod that makes sense? "Budget," as always, is a relative term. Just some thoughts, perhaps too many, from a big fan. Thank you again for giving all of us this incredible resource of fishing knowledge.
BFS fishing !!! I’ve been telling people it’s the way to go! Im throwing 1/10oz cranks and the bass have been loving them. If the bass are not biting then I stoop low and throw a 1/16 th to catch a gilly to boost my confidence up lol.
I'm hooked on BFS for summer pond fishing! Buy a pack of cheap trick worms and cut it down to about 4 to 4 1/2 inches (use the tail end) and hook it on a standard offset round bend worm hook. It doesn't have to be a light wire hook. It's actually best to use non-lightwire as it helps it sink at a nice fall rate with a good shimmy. You can dead fish it like a senko or swim it by jerking it like a fluke. The finicky big ones munch on them too. Only drawback is the big ones that can pull drag break me off when they make it into vegetation.
Great videos as always! I own a Megabass P5 Baby Plugging Rod and it's great for all these small BFS hard baits and small swim baits especially when dealing with wind. I also own the Megabass Triza Aello BFS travel rod and it's great fun fishing all these new smaller BFS lures as well! I would just add Lucky Craft makes a 65 and 55 mm sized "Sammy" walking bait, that I have had great success fishing top water.
If i may add to bait finesse history. Bait finesse concept was developed in japan by pro bass angler yukihiro sawamura for highly pressured bass in clear water lakes. The main advantage you get from using it is the ability to cast,pitch and skip light weight jigs/soft plastics that are traditionally used on Finesse spinning gear with 6-8 LB fluorocarbon lines for bass in and around cover and structure. It utilizes special shallow spool baitcasters with high gear ratios and rods that have soft tips strong backbones to help cast,skip and pitch the light weight jigs/ soft plastics and to keep bass from going into cover. Japanese Bait finesse rods even the UL and L models are actually bass power rods with soft tips with strong backbones.
So I recently went to academy and found an h2o express ultralight kit for 13$ it has the tiniest little spook style bait along with others. I was a little skeptical at 1st but I changed out the hooks took it to the pond and within 20min I had caught 5 bass and one crappie. The action on this little bait is unbelievable walks as good as any regular size spook. I'm using the curado bfs on a aird 6'6" medium. Awesome rod btw
Awesome video. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not ready for the fishing part of the year to be cold hahaha. That being said very helpful video, I hope everyone has had a great year with friends family and the fishing 🤙
Your lil underspin paired with 6th sense 2.7 divine swim bait is lights out. Body roll head hunting. It does it all definitely a pairing y’all need to try
I just like throwing smaller and lighter tackle and lures but I am a bank fisherman and always tried to limit what I would take with me so now I'm taking one or two rods and reels and going out being able to throw normal baits and lures and then really small ones on my bfs baitcaster I bought a kingdom micro monster bfs baitcaster from Amazon and I couldn't believe how far with out backlashes I could cast a tiny little ned rig it's crazy I will have to say probably my favorite reel right now
This may be an odd question. I see the Curado BFS is only offered in a 8.2:1 gear ratio. Have you found the high gear ratio to be an issue with any techniques while BFS fishing?
thanks for showing us spinning reel guys some love recently started fishing some months ago and i watch you guys vids almost everyday trying to soak up all the knowledge thanks for always putting out great content, from a fairly recent subcriber 💯
Thanks for the content as always. Off topic, what is the make of your electronics support on the front of the aluminum boat? It looks like an elevated double decker bracket. Thanks
I throw my Yozuri twitch bait Matt. Same concept as the Karashi but weighs 1/2 ounce. The Twitch has a prism color 27:07 pattern and is very effective at first light
@@thesonorandesertangler After having seen the Duo Factory Tour from the HookUp Tackle you could be right. I‘m not sure whether Megabass has it‘s own production facilities. Maybe Duo mass produces and Megabass creates the prototype.
On a normal spinning combo, do you guys ever go to 8lb or less for finesse tactics on the great lakes? I'm talking main line braid. I normally use 10lb but wondering if there's benefits to go lower without risk of breaking off.
😂 So you have been reading my comments protesting you talking about the Karashi! 🤣 And I like the fact that you get it, even though its your deal to give away all the goods. Since youve let the cat out of the bag already, try fishing that Karashi in the winter on those warmer than average sunny days when the no see um minnows sun themselves at the surface. I've destroyed walleye, bass, and crappie when you start seeing those sub surface boils. Anyhow, there it is.
What do you think. An old Shimano Scorpion 1000 (2000) on a Shimano Crucial drop shot rod with 8# fluoro Can I get an idea of how BFS will work for me before I invest. I have the spinning side covered. Thanks for the video. Great info.
In the south we don't do the spinning reel thing when starting out. I realize that up north it's kind of traditional to buy your kid a spinning reel and then they graduate to casting gear as they get older and gain experience. Down here, we tend to be on our own- most of us anyway. There's no one buying us anything, or showing us anything- and we're kids, trying to figure it out on our own- so of course we're going to buy what's sexy and fun- not what's practical. So- we all end up with casting gear on the day one. Then we spend the next 2-3 years trying to figure out how to use it and making a huge mess of it. Constant blow ups and problems- but eventually, even we catch on. And by year 4-5 we're using casting gear like a pro. So- I didn't try a spinning reel until I was older and had years of experience fishing- and I instantly fell in love with it. I keep trying to tell my brother and his fishing buddies- the key is using braid to leader. Braid is ten times easier to manage as a main line- no more loops and tangles, no more line jumping off the spool when you flip the bail open, etc.- but you need a leader to actually catch something. And- you have to learn not to lob casts- keep the bait low to the water's surface- and don't reel in slack. That's the most important part- do not reel in slack- reach out and pull the line taught- now reel it in. But see, because none of us grew up using them- they give us fits. It gave me fits until I figured it out- but once you do, there's no denying that a spinning reel is designed much better for fishing than casting gear. The way the force is applied to the rod means the tip doesn't rotate as the rod bends, and all the force is applied to the line guides- which are placed strategically on the rod so that the force is dispersed over the full length of the rod. I think that's why so many guys who go after truly large fish use spinning gear. You can call it a ferry wand if you like- but it catches more fish, and it does so more efficiently.
So I use my spinning rod specifically for my wacky worm but I like to run it weighted with a 1/16ounce weight and I heard u talk about the sink so I guess my question is I plan to switch from spinning to bfs this next year smart and effective decision or not ?
Yo Zuri has a fantastic little walking bait also that I have been crushing the schooling fish on. I believe it is called the 3DR-X and they have some fantastic colors to.
Built a 7' 0 power BFS rod. Little swimbaits and spybaits, junk fishing at its finest, but man when you break that 2lb mark hold on. Thanks for the video, some things to add to the box. Need to upgrade reels something fierce the Zephyr sucks.
You advocate a lot for BFS, and I've seen your videos featuring Duo International baits. I still don't get why you haven't gotten in the Duo Tetra Works line. It's literally Duo's finesse line. They have TONS of baits well suited for BFS. Topwater pencil? Tetra Works Yurapen at only 2.5grams. Walks amazingly well for something so small. Peacock bass crush it!
just picked up the curado BFS and paired it with the Zodias 7.2 ML BFS. will that work for the same techniques mostly as the expride you mentioned. I love my other zodias rods. Thanks for sharing your treasure trove of angling advice
Hey, can you do a video where u talk everything about hover shoot/ midstrolling? Great Videos btw I’m from Germany and can use a lot of the stuff for perch fishing in our clear water lakes :)
Can you guys do another video on top water? I have been throwing a whopper plopped in all of the right places at the right times and seem to not get any bites
I thought i was the only who bfs flipping. Have been doing for years with a bps pro finnesse baitcaster with a bps inshore extreme ml 7ft 6in rod i also use 8lb floro.
@@tacticalbassin The Megabass Destroyer P5 (JDM) Tequilla vs A Dobyns 734 need help deciding in what to use for a all around rod the P5 looks amazing definitely a rod that wouldn’t need to compete in my dobyns / g loomis lineup . I just want the best and love the 734 since it’s longer and really there isn’t a bait you can’t throw with it !
BFS almost scares me. Recently tried 10lb floro on a lighter baitcaster (not a bfs reel) and I got some decent bites but I did break off a few times. Hit and miss but I would need to buy BFS specific gear to dial it in.
2:30. Matt, you said BFS allows you to cast finesse lures further than any spinning outfit? I’d have to see that to believe it……What if you’ve got a 3000 series spinning reel spooled with 6-8lb braid and use a 7’6” moderate/fast, medium light action rod? I can cast quite far with that spinning setup….I’ve got much more line spooled on my spinning reel than on a BFS reel, and no internal breaks in free spool……hard to believe I can cast further with a shorter length BFS rod too. When you say “finesse lures”, are you talking below 1/4 oz? I guess the micro sized baits do need a light action rod to catapult your lure out a distance, but I can’t see my spinning reel being the limiting factor for longer casts on finesse baits…🤔
The bait finesse is about casting baits less than like 1/8th ounce and ultra light gear... in Japan that's basically 1-3lb test for 10lb fish 😅😅 and yeah 20-25yd casts on baitcasting gear... US bfs is like 4-8 lb and under a 1/4
Instead of using traditional bullet weight. Have you tried the Free, Tokyo, and Jika rigs? Might work better paired with a neutral buoyant or floating soft plastic.
I’m trying to follow the rod recommendations you guys have posted in past videos. I’m looking at adding a Medium Light rod to my rod lineup. Comparing a ML spinning rod and a BFS baitcaster, it seems like they are 2 very different styles of fishing. Is this accurate? I have come to really love my baitcaster and would like to keep up with that if possible. But if BFS is a whole different category, should I keep my eye on spinning gear rather than BFS?
Daiwa is my choice of rods and reels. Is the SV Tatula 70 a good BFS reel? Great video. Thanks for sharing the information and listing all the equipment. Wealth of information.
I love all my Daiwa reels too I bought the Daiwa sv 70 at the classic and it's a great little reel but doesn't cast super light baits like my shimano curado bfs does the sv 70 is better for 1/4 oz up
For anyone who isn’t as crazy as Matt… you can also use 20 pound braid to a 12 pound fluorocarbon leader on your curado BFS for Flipping like I do. 😂😂😂😂
I'm still confused though... Why does a BFS reel cast further with lite stuff? Is the reel physically smaller? The spool itself smaller/less spinning mass? I get what it is on paper, but I still have never held or casted a standard and BFS baitcaster side by side?????
Hey I’m struggling to decide what rod for bottom contact bfs. I’m looking at the shimano 163 light bfs and the 165 ml bfs. Any experience with any of these rods?
I went down that BFS rabbit hole for bass and trout😂 will never pick up a spinning rod again. Anyways 1/2 the thing you have in the description are out of stock any other website you use?
This is probably one is the best moves I have seen in the last few years by the fishing industry to bring this category over to the US. By doing this, you can see the fishing market has peaked and the companies are reaching now with 💩 baits, So called FF sonar baits, and all the blatant copycats. It will be interesting what we will see the next 5 years but I believe this will be the peak for a while
I like spinning rods I think most of my finesse with stay tied onto a spinning rod. However I think small jerk baits, (110jr) smaller top waters, flukes and maybe a 2.8 swimbait would be a good application. Is there a BFS rod that would be good for that
I'm not Matt, but I am a jerkbait nut and also fish alot of BFS. BFS is a bit too light for a 110jr, matter of fact, I even think BFS is a bit too light even for an X-Nanahan. There are some jerkbaits like the "Raid Level minnow quick 72" or Megabass Great Hunting line that would work well with a 1 power BFS fast action. For a 110 Jr I think at least a 3 power rod is required to get good crisp action and not get jerkbait elbow at the end of the day...lol. Anyhow, I've tried BFS on a number of small jerbaits but if they aren't 3/16 of lighter, you just won't have the control you need. A great rod for 110's and smaller down to X-Nanahan is the Megabass P5 110 Stick, it's the best I've found so far for that size. Hope this helps.
@@Tbowie13 appreciate it! I just hate throwing a jerk bait on a spinning rod. Some guys dig it, it just doesn’t feel right to me. Will definitely take your advice! And yeah none of us are Matt 😂
I wanted to ask you how you fish your korashi in stained water or if you do. I’d be interested in a while vid dedicated to the korashi. I have one but haven’t had much luck with it yet. Thanks matt.
theyre pretty decent, pretty easy to take apart and clean. theyre almost exactly the same as lews in terms of how they come apart for cleaning. kastking has a nicer bfs reel out now, thats similar in price to the curado. i hope TB checks it out.
I’ve been wondering about that Kestrel for a bit. I have the SLX BFS and it’s great, but some stuff like the 1/15th Zman micro shroom with the Shad Fry seems a bit too light for it. Is the Kestrel any better for that next level down from bass BFS to true BFS?
No not really. The BFS RUclips world has it in the 2.5 gram and above. You need a 1 gram capable reel: Shimano Aldaberan, Ark Gravity BFS, and Kingfisher Flight Feather are the only options we have at the moment.
Been fishing my whole life BFS in my opinion is the coolest thing to happen to fishing in a long time.
It is funny how I will spend an entire day, trying to take in a 30-minute video. But I do, and you guys are the absolute best. Appreciate this and every bucket of golden content!
Same nothing better than spending the day learning new techniques before you go out!
Throw an 1/8 oz Beetle Spin on BFS. It is a blast pulling it under a lay down and a 3lb bass comes out of it. 💥💥
hell of a video man! all of it! i run a lot of 10-12# sniper leaning more on finesse presentations so this vid hit home for sure and peaked my interest...especially the BFS flipping.
Maxima Ultragreen mono was THE ONLY LEADER LINE used in the 1980's and early 1990's along Michigan's Great Lakes tributaries for salmon and steelhead. Sure, guys would use Trilene or Stren mono on their spinning reels, but the leader was ALWAYS Maxima. I still have my dad's Maxima leader spools from back in the day.
Thanks for the BFS videos. I got into bfs by accident. I got a Zypher for skipping jigs and found out I can skip a really light jig, and use really light line, which has proven invaluable this year because of the ultra clear water at LOZ.
Taticalbassin is by far the best channel around appreciate all you guys do
I’ve been using different sizes of the Daiwa Hidden Fluoro over the past few months, and it is THE TRUTH! 🔥
I’ve used it both as leader material (what I normally do) AND straight mainline (which I almost never do) and it is ridiculously strong, low memory, almost as supple as Sniper, and it lasts forever. Truly crazy line. That little plastic cuff it comes with to protect it/keep things neat is a really nice touch too!
Just got to where you cover the Expride B 7'2" ML Rod. I can also confirm 100% of everything you said. I absolutely LOVE that rod and stumbled onto it testing different rods for BFS. I primarily use it now as my small 3/8 oz. crankbaits. That 7'2" ML rod paired with a Curado BFS Reel and a Strike King 3XD or a Rock Crawler or a 6th Sense Curve 55 is THE DEAL!!! SUCH A GREAT ROD!!!
Keep the BFS videos coming !!! I can hear you talk all day Matt👌🏼👌🏼
Such a great video breaking down BFS as a technique, where it comes from, and the differences in the US adaptation for those that don't understand! I'm going to start sending my friends over to watch this video! I try and explain it to them but they don't "get it" This is very easy for them to understand! Awesome video! Thanks as always for what you and Tim both do for the Bass Fishing Community! It almost makes me thing, BFS would be a great topic for one of your 90 minute seminar videos. Keep it in the back of your mind next time you go to film one of those.
Baby plugging and Pop-X stick are great rods, the Siglett in the P5 lineup is also a great BFS rod. Throwing 2” swim baits far and accurate. Catching fish is a blast on it.
I‘m eyeballing the Siglett to cast sub 5 gram hardbaits but I fear due to the solid tip this might not be the best idea. Can you tell some of your experience with this rod? Would be highly appreciated.
@@arnemueller2112 I’ve caught big fish on the Siglett throwing the lucky craft pointer 65 and other lures. If you don’t try to flip fish into the boat or from the shore you won’t have a problem with the tip of the rod.
The rod really pins the fish when loaded. And with lighter lures you’ll have a blast!
@@chadc7846 Great, thanks!
For me, the appeal of bfs is the significant increase in controlling the cast around targets.
The little megabass pencil bait ive already crushed on alone. That thing jumps and dives around like a stressed fish. Landed a bunch of smaller fish and crappie on it along the weed lines and edges.
The 4" is my favorite but the 3" senko has caught me 100s of fish from big bluegill to 3lb bass easy.
Well done matt,long live the king,been throwing the small stuff in the California delta,it's a blast
Have you done a underwater view of the thin, regular and fat Senko to see which shimmies the most?
Really good idea to go 5” slim senko I was trying a 3” fat senko but I think the longer profile will keep the panfish away. Try putting your 3” fluke baits on 1/16 oz flashback mini chatterbait the action is unreal and will catch fish anywhere. I like the 2.4 metacraw on a bait finesse Evo jig right now too around cover it’s an awesome new jig. I got a 7 lber from under a dock this spring on a 1/16th oz spin jig and 6 lb line by doing just what you said I kept pressure and let him come out. He had wrapped around a piling but with the soft rod I just kept pressure and didn’t panic and he unwrapped himself and came out from under. It was wild. BFS has made fishing so much fun for me over the last couple years.
Hey Matt, let me put on on almost 49-year-old "get off my lawn" old man cranky "grandpa" (not yet a grandpa) hat for a moment.😅 Tim and you have fallen in love with BFS, very cool... and yet I find it interesting that the two of you never discuss the extraordinary lineup of ultralight hard lures from Rebel and Heddon.
IMO, the Teeny Wee Craw and Teeny Crickhopper come in ultra-realistic colors and anatomically precise designs to "match the hatch" as well as any lure manufactured anywhere. I regard the "full size" two-inch Rebel Wee Craw, a finesse crankbait just a hair bigger than "ultralight" or "BFS," to be one of the best bass lures ever made, BAR NONE.
Also, the Cotton Cordell Super Spot comes in a 2-inch 3/16 oz. size. Have you seen those? It's a no-brainer for BFS equipment because it's like trying to cast a potato chip, SERIOUSLY!!! Man, it's a cool little lure, though!
The Heddon Teeny Torpedo and Zara Puppy, along with the Rebel Teeny Pop-R, have been ultralight staples in my surface lure arsenal for, well geez, for about FOUR DECADES. Rapala's Original Floating Minnow also comes in a BFS size, Husky Jerks, too.
I could go on, and don't get me started on trout-sized in-line spinners and twister tail grubs. THE ULTRALIGHT PLASTICS ARE THEIR OWN RABBIT HOLE A MILE DEEP!
Innovative lures absolutely come from Japan, no doubt about it. That being said, I think the TacticalBassin family might enjoy a "Budget Introduction to BFS" video. You could highlight many of the ultralight hard baits that have caught fish for decades. There's a ton of less expensive domestic options from which to choose. The variety of soft plastics could be a video onto itself. Ultralight spinnerbaits and buzzbaits in the 1/8 oz. and 1/6 oz. size also produce extraordinary results.
I'd also like to hear what you think of the KastKing Zephyr, good or bad. The KastKing Spartacus II and Royale Legend II were my first two baitcasters. While they performed fine and they encouraged me to get further into baitcaster gear, I thought their components, like the nuts on the handle, were a little soft and the reels generally lacked durability. Is that the story with the Zephyr, or is it a good jumping-off point for the BFS curious? Is there a budget BFS baitcaster rod that makes sense? "Budget," as always, is a relative term. Just some thoughts, perhaps too many, from a big fan. Thank you again for giving all of us this incredible resource of fishing knowledge.
Excellent, as always! Have a nice weekend Mat….
BFS fishing !!! I’ve been telling people it’s the way to go! Im throwing 1/10oz cranks and the bass have been loving them. If the bass are not biting then I stoop low and throw a 1/16 th to catch a gilly to boost my confidence up lol.
So helpful been watching for a couple years you guys are absolutely mind blowing top notch 💯
Great video! Another great BFS bait is OSP Picro 68, in either the slow fall or floating model.
I use a bass pro flick n shimmy worm on 6 pound floro its crazy how a pan fish make you smile
I really like that Expride for the little 2.4” Dark Sleeper too.
Winter is here! Bfs time!
I'm hooked on BFS for summer pond fishing! Buy a pack of cheap trick worms and cut it down to about 4 to 4 1/2 inches (use the tail end) and hook it on a standard offset round bend worm hook. It doesn't have to be a light wire hook. It's actually best to use non-lightwire as it helps it sink at a nice fall rate with a good shimmy. You can dead fish it like a senko or swim it by jerking it like a fluke. The finicky big ones munch on them too. Only drawback is the big ones that can pull drag break me off when they make it into vegetation.
Love the videos. Saw your guys first bfs video and thought I gotta do that!
Great videos as always! I own a Megabass P5 Baby Plugging Rod and it's great for all these small BFS hard baits and small swim baits especially when dealing with wind. I also own the Megabass Triza Aello BFS travel rod and it's great fun fishing all these new smaller BFS lures as well! I would just add Lucky Craft makes a 65 and 55 mm sized "Sammy" walking bait, that I have had great success fishing top water.
If i may add to bait finesse history. Bait finesse concept was developed in japan by pro bass angler yukihiro sawamura for highly pressured bass in clear water lakes. The main advantage you get from using it is the ability to cast,pitch and skip light weight jigs/soft plastics that are traditionally used on Finesse spinning gear with 6-8 LB fluorocarbon lines for bass in and around cover and structure. It utilizes special shallow spool baitcasters with high gear ratios and rods that have soft tips strong backbones to help cast,skip and pitch the light weight jigs/ soft plastics and to keep bass from going into cover. Japanese Bait finesse rods even the UL and L models are actually bass power rods with soft tips with strong backbones.
So I recently went to academy and found an h2o express ultralight kit for 13$ it has the tiniest little spook style bait along with others. I was a little skeptical at 1st but I changed out the hooks took it to the pond and within 20min I had caught 5 bass and one crappie. The action on this little bait is unbelievable walks as good as any regular size spook. I'm using the curado bfs on a aird 6'6" medium. Awesome rod btw
That is a phenomenal rod.
@matthewotis3594 I had just got it the same day an from the 6 fish I caught on it. I'm in love lol
I’m watching this while rigging catfish and musky gear. Talk about two different worlds whoa
Awesome video. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not ready for the fishing part of the year to be cold hahaha. That being said very helpful video, I hope everyone has had a great year with friends family and the fishing 🤙
Love your vids! Keep up the good work
Your lil underspin paired with 6th sense 2.7 divine swim bait is lights out. Body roll head hunting. It does it all definitely a pairing y’all need to try
I just like throwing smaller and lighter tackle and lures but I am a bank fisherman and always tried to limit what I would take with me so now I'm taking one or two rods and reels and going out being able to throw normal baits and lures and then really small ones on my bfs baitcaster I bought a kingdom micro monster bfs baitcaster from Amazon and I couldn't believe how far with out backlashes I could cast a tiny little ned rig it's crazy I will have to say probably my favorite reel right now
I love to use the 20 pound Samurai J-Fluoro in the clear for my jig fishing and bigger baits
This may be an odd question. I see the Curado BFS is only offered in a 8.2:1 gear ratio. Have you found the high gear ratio to be an issue with any techniques while BFS fishing?
That Dog X Jr is a killer it even catches the bigger class fish
I love the rhythm wave up here in pa for smallmouth man ohh man it does work
I’ll have to try the rhythm wag
Howd u rig the senko? Put the hook through the worm? Or use a ring?
thanks for showing us spinning reel guys some love recently started fishing some months ago and i watch you guys vids almost everyday trying to soak up all the knowledge
thanks for always putting out great content, from a fairly recent subcriber 💯
Thanks for the content as always. Off topic, what is the make of your electronics support on the front of the aluminum boat? It looks like an elevated double decker bracket. Thanks
I throw my Yozuri twitch bait Matt.
Same concept as the Karashi but weighs 1/2 ounce. The Twitch has a prism color 27:07 pattern and is very effective at first light
I'm pretty sure Duo Realis is the OEM for Yo Zuri hardbaits, so it's made in the same factory.
@@thesonorandesertangler I don‘t think so, as the Karashi is made by Megabass and not Duo. Or do you know where the Katashi is produced?
@@arnemueller2112 I'm not sure if Megabass does it's own OEM for their hardbaits. It looks a lot like the Deps Wakasagi bait too.
@@thesonorandesertangler After having seen the Duo Factory Tour from the HookUp Tackle you could be right. I‘m not sure whether Megabass has it‘s own production facilities. Maybe Duo mass produces and Megabass creates the prototype.
Put light line on most high end reels and you can chuck an 1/8th oz lure no problem. Even an slx. Just not the truly small stuff.
I have been tearing it up throwing the finesse underpin and the damiki disco deep 38 all summer.
Good meeting you and Tim last Saturday. Y'all have me ready to dive into BFS!
Learn something new everyday...thought BFS stood for BIG FREAKIN' SMALLMOUTH
Caught me my first striper In saltwater on ultra light ugly stick paired with genius
Thanks for the tips
On a normal spinning combo, do you guys ever go to 8lb or less for finesse tactics on the great lakes? I'm talking main line braid. I normally use 10lb but wondering if there's benefits to go lower without risk of breaking off.
I fish 8 pound braid to 5 pound fluorocarbon regularly.
Have you thrown the original lunker city sluggo in 3 inch black multispecies destroyer sir. Tight lines
P5 Bait Finesse works well for 5" senko too.
😂 So you have been reading my comments protesting you talking about the Karashi! 🤣
And I like the fact that you get it, even though its your deal to give away all the goods.
Since youve let the cat out of the bag already, try fishing that Karashi in the winter on those warmer than average sunny days when the no see um minnows sun themselves at the surface. I've destroyed walleye, bass, and crappie when you start seeing those sub surface boils. Anyhow, there it is.
What do you think. An old Shimano Scorpion 1000 (2000) on a Shimano Crucial drop shot rod with 8# fluoro Can I get an idea of how BFS will work for me before I invest. I have the spinning side covered. Thanks for the video. Great info.
I hit the like button before Matt had a chance to say "welcome back to Tactical Bassin" 😂 I think that means I need to get a BFS setup
In the south we don't do the spinning reel thing when starting out. I realize that up north it's kind of traditional to buy your kid a spinning reel and then they graduate to casting gear as they get older and gain experience. Down here, we tend to be on our own- most of us anyway. There's no one buying us anything, or showing us anything- and we're kids, trying to figure it out on our own- so of course we're going to buy what's sexy and fun- not what's practical. So- we all end up with casting gear on the day one. Then we spend the next 2-3 years trying to figure out how to use it and making a huge mess of it. Constant blow ups and problems- but eventually, even we catch on. And by year 4-5 we're using casting gear like a pro. So- I didn't try a spinning reel until I was older and had years of experience fishing- and I instantly fell in love with it.
I keep trying to tell my brother and his fishing buddies- the key is using braid to leader. Braid is ten times easier to manage as a main line- no more loops and tangles, no more line jumping off the spool when you flip the bail open, etc.- but you need a leader to actually catch something. And- you have to learn not to lob casts- keep the bait low to the water's surface- and don't reel in slack. That's the most important part- do not reel in slack- reach out and pull the line taught- now reel it in. But see, because none of us grew up using them- they give us fits. It gave me fits until I figured it out- but once you do, there's no denying that a spinning reel is designed much better for fishing than casting gear. The way the force is applied to the rod means the tip doesn't rotate as the rod bends, and all the force is applied to the line guides- which are placed strategically on the rod so that the force is dispersed over the full length of the rod. I think that's why so many guys who go after truly large fish use spinning gear. You can call it a ferry wand if you like- but it catches more fish, and it does so more efficiently.
So I use my spinning rod specifically for my wacky worm but I like to run it weighted with a 1/16ounce weight and I heard u talk about the sink so I guess my question is I plan to switch from spinning to bfs this next year smart and effective decision or not ?
Yo Zuri has a fantastic little walking bait also that I have been crushing the schooling fish on. I believe it is called the 3DR-X and they have some fantastic colors to.
Do you cast the lite baits further with the bait-finess or spinning rod sir? I find it would aid in my opinion on trying this BFS method of fishing.🧐
Built a 7' 0 power BFS rod. Little swimbaits and spybaits, junk fishing at its finest, but man when you break that 2lb mark hold on. Thanks for the video, some things to add to the box. Need to upgrade reels something fierce the Zephyr sucks.
Old 18 rods makes alot of bfs rods. They are also American made. Could you guys do any reviews on them? 😊
You advocate a lot for BFS, and I've seen your videos featuring Duo International baits. I still don't get why you haven't gotten in the Duo Tetra Works line. It's literally Duo's finesse line. They have TONS of baits well suited for BFS.
Topwater pencil? Tetra Works Yurapen at only 2.5grams. Walks amazingly well for something so small. Peacock bass crush it!
just picked up the curado BFS and paired it with the Zodias 7.2 ML BFS. will that work for the same techniques mostly as the expride you mentioned. I love my other zodias rods.
Thanks for sharing your treasure trove of angling advice
Yes, it will absolutely work for those same situations 👍🏼
Hey, can you do a video where u talk everything about hover shoot/ midstrolling?
Great Videos btw I’m from Germany and can use a lot of the stuff for perch fishing in our clear water lakes :)
Hey Matt, odd question but what kind of pants do you wear on sunny days? The khaki color ones 👖
I use that Daiwa line in 20 lb on the combo I pitch into wood with.
What is the brand and size/weight of the blue braided line you have spooled on the Kastking Kestrel? It is not suffix 832. Thanks.
Can you guys do another video on top water? I have been throwing a whopper plopped in all of the right places at the right times and seem to not get any bites
I thought i was the only who bfs flipping. Have been doing for years with a bps pro finnesse baitcaster with a bps inshore extreme ml 7ft 6in rod i also use 8lb floro.
QUESTION: On 21:38 you said you don't want to open your bait box because it's humid. Can you explain please😃
Excess moisture can rust the hooks in the box and if you don't catch it.
@@tacticalbassin The Megabass Destroyer P5 (JDM) Tequilla vs A Dobyns 734 need help deciding in what to use for a all around rod the P5 looks amazing definitely a rod that wouldn’t need to compete in my dobyns / g loomis lineup . I just want the best and love the 734 since it’s longer and really there isn’t a bait you can’t throw with it !
BFS almost scares me. Recently tried 10lb floro on a lighter baitcaster (not a bfs reel) and I got some decent bites but I did break off a few times. Hit and miss but I would need to buy BFS specific gear to dial it in.
2:30. Matt, you said BFS allows you to cast finesse lures further than any spinning outfit? I’d have to see that to believe it……What if you’ve got a 3000 series spinning reel spooled with 6-8lb braid and use a 7’6” moderate/fast, medium light action rod? I can cast quite far with that spinning setup….I’ve got much more line spooled on my spinning reel than on a BFS reel, and no internal breaks in free spool……hard to believe I can cast further with a shorter length BFS rod too. When you say “finesse lures”, are you talking below 1/4 oz? I guess the micro sized baits do need a light action rod to catapult your lure out a distance, but I can’t see my spinning reel being the limiting factor for longer casts on finesse baits…🤔
The bait finesse is about casting baits less than like 1/8th ounce and ultra light gear... in Japan that's basically 1-3lb test for 10lb fish 😅😅 and yeah 20-25yd casts on baitcasting gear... US bfs is like 4-8 lb and under a 1/4
That's too big of gear at 3000... 1000 is on the large end. A 500 size spinning gear is bfs size and like 3lb test.
Instead of using traditional bullet weight. Have you tried the Free, Tokyo, and Jika rigs? Might work better paired with a neutral buoyant or floating soft plastic.
I love the Karachi. Unfortunately, so do the pickerel! Hard to lose a $20 lure instantly like that. I’m going to save them for smallmouth.
I’m trying to follow the rod recommendations you guys have posted in past videos. I’m looking at adding a Medium Light rod to my rod lineup. Comparing a ML spinning rod and a BFS baitcaster, it seems like they are 2 very different styles of fishing. Is this accurate? I have come to really love my baitcaster and would like to keep up with that if possible. But if BFS is a whole different category, should I keep my eye on spinning gear rather than BFS?
Wish cashion 6’10” med/hvy are you referring to in the video for a first rod?
What knots are y’all using on your braid to leader with the finesse gear
Can you do a hole tutorial video on the karashi
Do y’all still use the CBR 864DF rod for BFS fishing? I know you recommended it but I have never seen y’all use it.
Daiwa is my choice of rods and reels. Is the SV Tatula 70 a good BFS reel? Great video. Thanks for sharing the information and listing all the equipment. Wealth of information.
I love all my Daiwa reels too I bought the Daiwa sv 70 at the classic and it's a great little reel but doesn't cast super light baits like my shimano curado bfs does the sv 70 is better for 1/4 oz up
For anyone who isn’t as crazy as Matt… you can also use 20 pound braid to a 12 pound fluorocarbon leader on your curado BFS for Flipping like I do. 😂😂😂😂
I'm still confused though... Why does a BFS reel cast further with lite stuff? Is the reel physically smaller? The spool itself smaller/less spinning mass? I get what it is on paper, but I still have never held or casted a standard and BFS baitcaster side by side?????
Hey I’m struggling to decide what rod for bottom contact bfs. I’m looking at the shimano 163 light bfs and the 165 ml bfs. Any experience with any of these rods?
Whats the best rod/ reel for bfs for throwing the 1/8 0Z underspins 2.8 KIETECHS
Is TW out of a product you talk about in your videos before you up-load them or does this happen after they go live?
Can you explain why you and a lot of other use left hand spinning and right hand baitcaster
I went down that BFS rabbit hole for bass and trout😂 will never pick up a spinning rod again. Anyways 1/2 the thing you have in the description are out of stock any other website you use?
What bfs reel you guys like ??? Just picked up the cashion icon 6'10 ml
Gotta check out mule fishing man
Do use floating or sinking karashi?
Question for Matt. What is your biggest hybrid striper?
Dang. The dogx jr has been out for a week and because of the video is gonna be sold out everywhere
Which is a better bfs rod, 6'8"mxf MOJO bass or the bass x?
This is probably one is the best moves I have seen in the last few years by the fishing industry to bring this category over to the US. By doing this, you can see the fishing market has peaked and the companies are reaching now with 💩 baits, So called FF sonar baits, and all the blatant copycats. It will be interesting what we will see the next 5 years but I believe this will be the peak for a while
Precision, efficiency, feel and fun. BFS is the future of fishing and the Everest of finesse. If you do not include fly fishing...
I like spinning rods I think most of my finesse with stay tied onto a spinning rod. However I think small jerk baits, (110jr) smaller top waters, flukes and maybe a 2.8 swimbait would be a good application. Is there a BFS rod that would be good for that
I'm not Matt, but I am a jerkbait nut and also fish alot of BFS. BFS is a bit too light for a 110jr, matter of fact, I even think BFS is a bit too light even for an X-Nanahan. There are some jerkbaits like the "Raid Level minnow quick 72" or Megabass Great Hunting line that would work well with a 1 power BFS fast action. For a 110 Jr I think at least a 3 power rod is required to get good crisp action and not get jerkbait elbow at the end of the day...lol.
Anyhow, I've tried BFS on a number of small jerbaits but if they aren't 3/16 of lighter, you just won't have the control you need.
A great rod for 110's and smaller down to X-Nanahan is the Megabass P5 110 Stick, it's the best I've found so far for that size. Hope this helps.
@@Tbowie13 appreciate it! I just hate throwing a jerk bait on a spinning rod. Some guys dig it, it just doesn’t feel right to me. Will definitely take your advice! And yeah none of us are Matt 😂
Oh, the sting to hear that "D" brand... please, please tell me that you are testing out Shimano's new Mastiff FC fluorocarbon line... please 🙏
I wanted to ask you how you fish your korashi in stained water or if you do. I’d be interested in a while vid dedicated to the korashi. I have one but haven’t had much luck with it yet. Thanks matt.
What color is your Karashi? I’ve also been struggling to catch a bunch in stained water
@@davebonham798 I have a pearl one which you’d think would do alright
I think the zephyr might be the biggest splash into bfs market….curado got the bass man’s attention
theyre pretty decent, pretty easy to take apart and clean. theyre almost exactly the same as lews in terms of how they come apart for cleaning. kastking has a nicer bfs reel out now, thats similar in price to the curado. i hope TB checks it out.
nvm, he talked about it toward the end of the video. lol
@tacticalbassin I wonder if you still use leader with main line or not
Yes we do 👍
Hook replacement for the karashi? What size?
4lb p-line xtra strong is incredible for bfs
I’ve been wondering about that Kestrel for a bit. I have the SLX BFS and it’s great, but some stuff like the 1/15th Zman micro shroom with the Shad Fry seems a bit too light for it. Is the Kestrel any better for that next level down from bass BFS to true BFS?
No not really. The BFS RUclips world has it in the 2.5 gram and above. You need a 1 gram capable reel: Shimano Aldaberan, Ark Gravity BFS, and Kingfisher Flight Feather are the only options we have at the moment.