Softbaiting on overhead?

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    Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 9:27am
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Just bought myself a Penn Fathom 12 Star Drag with ambitions of straylining and jigging. Its one of the best overheads in its size/price range in terms of casting, so that got me thinking about its softbaiting possibilities.

In theory, wouldn't overhead be more effective for softbaiting? You can thumb the spool on the drop and feel every twitch, and you can put the breaks on a strike much faster compared to flipping the bail arm on a spinner. Or does the more resistive free-spool of an overhead impede the softbaits action?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Telecaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 9:52am
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I sometimes use my Okuma Citrix 364 for softbaiting but find it difficult to cast anything lighter than 1/2oz on it. Being able to thumb the spool is great especially in deeper water.
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If you're talking about casting soft baits (rather than dropping straight down) and you can cast your chosen weight of jig head, then it would work, but it's a pretty big reel for soft baiting.
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The issue is the inertia of the spool. Just way too much weight to get moving with a light jighead, especially once it's full of line.
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Fish 1 ounce jighead deeper water no worries.
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Bass & Barramundy Fisho's use O/H for casting softbaits (and crankbaits etc), especially in shallow water areas where you want a crank on immediately on splash down, instead of having to deal with a bail arm first. Generally they're all low profile baitcaster types tho...like a curado. If you can cast the Fathom ok....why not? but as said above....you might loose alot of distance with the big spool

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Aug 2019 at 7:55pm
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Originally posted by Structfab Structfab wrote:

Bass & Barramundy Fisho's use O/H for casting softbaits (and crankbaits etc), especially in shallow water areas where you want a crank on immediately on splash down, instead of having to deal with a bail arm first. Generally they're all low profile baitcaster types tho...like a curado. 


It's certainly amazing watching the Aussie o/h experts casting softies in the estuaries for bream, mangrove jack, barra, etc. 

Check out the mylurebox guy on YouTube - he can skip lures on the surface under covering trees etc, then clicks into gear. 

They are wizards and prefer the accuracy of the o/h in tight cover, around pontoons, oyster racks etc.
But as you say, low profile overheads.

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All the really good soft baiters I have fished with use the smallest weights they can get away with. and the lightest gear they can get away with. A larger reel will make that tricky, but the bigger reel will have less effect in deeper water - such as 50 or 60m
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I much prefer my little tatula to my spin rod for softbaiting. I thumb the spool and turn the handle to set the hook rather than strike which also obviously puts the reel in gear. I can cast as far as I ever want to also. Almost no birds nests compared to a curado I owned. Almost perfect.
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Originally posted by Rozboon Rozboon wrote:

The issue is the inertia of the spool. Just way too much weight to get moving with a light jighead, especially once it's full of line.


With the fathom 12, upon switching to freespool the spool disconnects from the spindle and other reel innards, supposedly lowering resistance/weight. Would that make much of a difference?
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Originally posted by _jackrw_ _jackrw_ wrote:

Originally posted by Rozboon Rozboon wrote:

The issue is the inertia of the spool. Just way too much weight to get moving with a light jighead, especially once it's full of line.


With the fathom 12, upon switching to freespool the spool disconnects from the spindle and other reel innards, supposedly lowering resistance/weight. Would that make much of a difference?


Yes, it most certainly does. As long as the weight of the jig head you are using is sufficient to take line off the spool whilst in free spool, you are fine. You can test on the boat by putting on the jig head and holding the rod at 45 degrees to see if line will run out whilst in free spool. (I only use overheads & baitcasters for soft baiting and go down to 1/8 Oz. Some times I need to loosen the spool slightly on the bigger reels.)
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 2019 at 4:10pm
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i have read a couple of articles in NZ Fishing News by PJ, (forum member PJay?)who uses o/h for shallow water soft baiting in the Bay of Islands and swears by them.
And obviously there are some exponents posting above. But they are definitely the exception.

I think the differentiation relates to the style of soft baiting people do mostly.

Those who fish 5-15m reefy zones and find that better success comes with long distance casting (mainly to avoid spooking fish) mostly use spin. i'm in that camp. Maybe my skills are deficient, but no way could I cast the same distance with my little o/h Lexa using the equivalent jighead weight.

But those who fish deeper zones and lob ahead, or drop and bounce, or drag in the channels, can do equally well on o/h.
I use a nice overhead rod from Muppet and my little Lexa  for dragging in the Tamaki Strait in summer. Does the job nicely.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote shaneg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 2019 at 10:03am
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Hey TK what size Lexa have you got?

Reason I ask I just acquired Lexa 100 size reel, old stock and picked up on special.
Have not used it yet but was thinking I might try to softbait and micro jig with it out of yak. Was hoping would pair well with quite light Diawa rod I have suited for baitcaster.

I am a huge fan of small overhead baitcasters like Calcutta 200d but probably wouldn’t try softbaiting with that as doesn’t cast really light weights quite as well as spin, but is my favourite for straylining baits.

Like you most my inshore softbaiting apart from dropping down deeper in boat has been on spin. But I thought if I could scale down with a 100 size low profile baitcaster and even lighter braid then casting light weights would be easier. Guess I need to try it to actually find out.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Sep 2019 at 11:27am
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Originally posted by shaneg shaneg wrote:

Hey TK what size Lexa have you got?

Reason I ask I just acquired Lexa 100 size reel, old stock and picked up on special.
Have not used it yet but was thinking I might try to softbait and micro jig with it out of yak. Was hoping would pair well with quite light Diawa rod I have suited for baitcaster.
...

Like you most my inshore softbaiting apart from dropping down deeper in boat has been on spin. But I thought if I could scale down with a 100 size low profile baitcaster and even lighter braid then casting light weights would be easier. Guess I need to try it to actually find out.

Hi Shane,
I've got the 300 size, still pretty compact in the hand and on the rod - certainly compared to the Daiwa SH20 I used to use on my slow jig rod. Nice to have a level wind when you're fishing deeper too, I think.

The Aussies really get their overheads fizzing, even with light gear. They appear to favour a very fast back and then forward overhead whip with the rod almost straight in front of their face.  MyLureBox and Drew M are two exponents I've seen on YouTube light lure fishing for bream, jack, flatheads etc in the Sunshine Coast/Gold Coast area. i think you can adjust the reel spool to spin easier, but probably a fine line (no pun intended) between that and getting overruns!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote muchalls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jan 2020 at 6:58pm
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Calcutta 201 with a non paddle handle is my go to reel. Backup is a Tica Caiman, the only thing I dislike is that the line guide moves when letting out line (Calcutta doesn’t)

I do have a Shimano 4000 spin set but tend to use it for super light jigs
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishinmad1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jan 2020 at 8:09pm
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I use 3 old school reels,
1) Shimano Citica 200
2) Shimano Calcutta 200
3) Shimano Bantam Beastmaster BBM V 2 speed
Although I’m finding parts very hard to find nowadays.
So I really have to nurture them more these days.
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Originally posted by Fishinmad1 Fishinmad1 wrote:

I use 3 old school reels,
1) Shimano Citica 200
2) Shimano Calcutta 200
3) Shimano Bantam Beastmaster BBM V 2 speed
Although I’m finding parts very hard to find nowadays.
So I really have to nurture them more these days.

Nice little reels the Bantams, I use a curado 300 on a 6/10 kg tcurve as well as spin reels.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jan 2020 at 10:51pm
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For old school, I cannot rate the Swedish-made Abu Garcia reels highly enough, 6500 C3 etc. They just keep going and available in left hand wind too.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote PJay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 8:16pm
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Well, after some time away from the forum, I'm now back.

There are threads on this SB part of the forum from some years ago in which I discussed advantages I see of low profile baitcasters, so I'll just summarise:

1. Ability to control line as it goes out off the reel, both during cast and on the drop once the SB has hit the water;

2. Allied to this is accuracy of casting; far better than with a spin reel and comparable rod and line (don't worry - I do have spinning reels for softbaiting, too);

3. The whole rod/reel combo is much better balanced if you hold the setup correctly (ie non-cranking hand around reel so you hold the rod and reel as one unit).

I use mine in all depths from 1m to >100m.

Happy to answer specific questions.
PJ
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