Recommended rod for a Daiwa PT15E baitcaster

[GreyNurse]

Hi fellow Fishraiders,

I would really appreciate some help here.

I have a Daiwa PT15e baitcaster that I purchased many years ago when baitcasting was becoming popular in Australia. The only time I ever really used it was when I would fish from a mate's tinny in deeper waters in Middle Harbour. (The built in electronics made for accurate depth sounding.) But I never really got the hang of actually casting with it.

Anyway, the past year has seen a revival in my interest in fishing. I have a goodly number of rods and reels, mainly light to medium spin outfits. About half of my rods have come from council clean-ups and the other half I have purchased over the years.

Recently, I took the baitcaster reel out of it's box and decided that I would learn to cast with the thing, even if it took me another year. I spooled it with 8lb mono, which is recommended for this reel. The only two rods I have that are designed for overhead / baitcaster use are a Silstar PT601-TBL, with a trigger grip type reel seat, and a Silstar Deluxe Graphite 1400 60SC, with a pistol grip butt.

Neither display a line or cast weight. At first I was casting a whole 6 meters and producing birdsnests with both rods casting a 7 gram sinker for practice. Then today, I put the reel on the PT601 and tied on a 25 gram sinker and found that I could cast 45 meters, accurately, without any overrun. YeeeeHaaaa, or so I thought.

The problem is, although both rod specs are lost to the ravages of time, I was able to research enough data to learn that the PT601 is, in fact a boat rod, and it's more than likely that I will never be able to cast light lures with it. I've yet to work out what the minimum cast weight will be for the 1400-60SC, but I'm sure it would be more that the lure weights I want to use. In short, Both of these rods are probably not what i need.

Could anyone out there recommend a suitable rod for the reel. I'm prepared to pay up to about $150. I know that won't buy a great rod, but I only want a good enough rod to be able to cast soft plastics and HB's for bream, flathead, etc.

[slinkymalinky]

Maybe a Pfleuger Trion or Shimano Raider. I don't know the reel but if it's suited to 8lb line then you want a rod it the 2-4 or 3-6kg range.

Now for the bad news... fishing plastics and small hard bodies for flatties and particularly bream really isn't a job for a baitcaster. No baitcaster can efficently and comfortably cast any kind of distance with the light weight jig heads and lures you'll often be using. A Daiwa Pixy, ABU 1500 or ABU Revo MGX can cast 1/8 oz ok but not a long distance and you need to be really on the ball with your casting. I use 1/8oz spinnerbaits for Bass with a baitcaster but the reel and rod together are around a $600 outfit and I'm only casting into structure from usually 10-20m away.

Baitcasters are awesome fun to fish with, particularly if you're casting tight to structure, but for the kind of fishing you're talking about stick with light spin outfits.

Cheers, Slinky

[GreyNurse]

Thanks Slinky,

I had my suspicions that that would be the kind of answer I might receive. And that's not a bad thing. At least I can continue to fish with the light spin outfits and not have the nagging concern that I might be "missing out" on doing the same with the baitcaster.

Thanks again,

Nursie

[onearmedfisho]

Thanks Slinky,

I had my suspicions that that would be the kind of answer I might receive. And that's not a bad thing. At least I can continue to fish with the light spin outfits and not have the nagging concern that I might be "missing out" on doing the same with the baitcaster.

Thanks again,

Nursie

Mate i use a Pfleuger Medallist Drop Shot 2-4kgs with my Shimano Curado 200E7. Mine is spooled up with 12LB braid and use it all the time for squid, flattys and occasional kingys busting up on the surface with stick baits.

Love the combo and i use it everytime im on the water.I think it might be worth a little more than $150 but thats the price i payed as it was on special.

Good rod and casts a mile. Maybe try braid and you will cast further....