Spinning reel spool length, what’s your thoughts?

[skeetbum]

My take is a but different, imagine that. I have a shallow spool Presso 1000 with 4lb JDM braid on an 6’7” Abu Garcia Eradicator that has micro guides on it also. It’s one of the best casting rods I’ve ever had in my hand. Next is the 5’6” lightning rod that I've had for years. It has a 20 series President with the same line and jig. It will cast within a couple of feet of the high dollar rod. It has less guides and they’re of larger diameter. Comparing these two rods had me so confused that I quit trying to figure it out. The longer spools and I tried in years past gave me monumental birds nests and I stay away from them. As y’all have said, working with mono instead of braid is way different. I use 4 and 6lb BPS store brand hi-vis and it’s always been as good as any other hi-vis I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried a bunch of em. Cold weather makes mono miserable for memory which is one of the reasons I’ve gone to braid. When I go reel shopping for a rod I try to take the reel I’ll be using with me and try to get a better feel for things.

[The Rooster]

So what is considered a good cast length? Currently, using 4 pound mono on three different rods, I’m casting a 1/32 jig (modified to remove the lead from the hook shank so it’s actually lighter) with a Bobby Garland Baby Shad, I’m able to put it out about 50 feet. I previously guessed about 45 feet but today I measured it and it was right at 50. Is that good for a crappie bait or should I be able to do better? I’m used to bass baits and much longer casts so I just don’t know.

[skeetbum]

One of the tradeoffs with smaller baits is shorter casting distance and getting windblown. Most of my jigheads are from a mold for a 1/32 ball head which doesn’t weigh what it says. When they removed the collar for this mold they didn’t enlarged the head to make the proper weight. So mine comes out weighing 1/43 and its perfect for how and where I fish. Casting is best on my rods with braid. Varivas 4.2lb is what I use a lot of and my casts aren’t much longer, if any, than yours. If i go up to a 1 gram jig the distance is noticeably further and behaves better in the wind. If you want to cast really light stuff, try some Sufix Nanobraid in 2lb size. That’s the smallest domestic braid and it has a very good personality. I believe that this 2lb is slightly bigger than the 4lb that I use but it’s tougher than you would think. Most all domestic lines break over the stated strength and this ones no different. None of the small braids have much abrasion resistance so I always use a 4lb mono leader tied with a double uni knot. It’s something that you’ll have in your mind from the time you use it the first time. I’ve put my tackle in many folks hands and some have become converts to this tiny line and jigs. A President 20 size works well as braid has no memory and a Shakespeare micro series rod of your choice in length and still have a fair drag if you loosen the drag before storing it.

[The Rooster]

Thanks for that information. Do you use the braid solely because it casts better? I haven’t had much experience with braid and only in bass fishing. I used it because of the sensitivity and brute strength it provided, as well as cutting through vegetation. I’d imagine sensitivity and cutting through vegetation might carry over to crappie fishing but brute strength seems unnecessary.