Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Picking the BFS rod and putting away the spinning finesse rods.
Been using spinning for finesse bass fishing since the late 80’s when dart heads w/flutter craft 4 1/2” worms and split shot became popular.
Spinning finesse took a long time to spread across the bass world of fishing. Today it’s as popular as bait casting.
Now Bait Finesse System a combination of highly tuned shallow spool bait casting reels from Japan designed to cast lures 1/16 oz formally only spinning could cast effectively have become or becoming very popular. Gary Dobyns saw this coming introducing his Sierra BFS rods and few took this until now. Shimano, Daiwa, Ark and several others offer BFS reels and Phenix plus JDM offer rods and reels.
I am putting away my spinning outfits and picking BFS to eliminate line twist and enjoy the controlled casting of light weight finesse lure and presentations.
Anyone using BFS in lieu of finesse spinning?
Tom

I have always used light finesse baitcasting combos for target casting light Texas rigs, dropshot, and tubes in shallow water over the last 40 years or so. The BFS spools continue to get lighter and more capable, but you won't want to ditch the spinning setup for deeper water. It's a lot easier to open a bail and to keep a sinking bait from penduluming back toward you with spinning than with casting equipment. As you go down to a 5g spool and an ultralight rod, you get closer to JDM BFS. I fish 4lb fluoro with my lightest spools for trout in the Eastern Sierra creeks.

We used super tuned Abu 2500C reels with ML rods back in the day with 5 lb Max UG mono.
This was the west coast BFS made famous by Don Iovino.
Today’s BFS reels have free running spools that you can use like a spinning reel, even with Senko’s.
Tom

Hey , Tom years ago like most everyone else I went to braid -flouro leader on a spinning rod and was suffering so many knot failures in the beginning between the braid and leader I thought I would try what was basically BFS back then . I bought a Lamiglass drop shot special casting rod and used little Ambassador Max 1600 reel and loaded it with 6# flouro.
Funny thing was it worked pretty good and I caught a 22 lb limit of LM with a 7.4 lb BF drop shotting during the daytime on full moon in July on a day I was expecting to catch only dinks? The reel was always the limiting factor despite adding ceramic bearings and a carbon drag washer . The parabolic action of the rod helped absorb surges around the boat with the light line and compensated for the inconsistent drag on the reel .
I picked up a little "Daiwa Liberto Pixie " reel on EBAY a few years ago and that little reel is simply amazing .
Tiny spool that starts up easily with light baits and has magnetic braking . I don't believe Daiwa is making them anymore but if demand is there perhaps they are once again ? They are kind of pricey and seem to have a cult following in Japan .
4" senko neko rigged on #6 line for finicky deep fish this little baitcaster excels!