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I've become a baitcasting reel convert. I've always liked the way the drag worked on a baitcasting reel. They were reliable, strong and did not twist the heck out of the line in the hands of a neophisherman. The draw backs are the fact that the majority of baitcaster reels have the crank on the right side for a right hand retrieve. I have several customers who fish with both and for the life of me, it makes no sense that they hold their spinning rod with their strong arm which is usually the right arm and then they retrieve/crank on the left. Then they pick up their baitcasters with their weak arm (left) and crank with their right hand doing the whole switch thing while casting. Makes absolutely no sense whatsever and I point it out. I have them crank a spinning reel in the manner to which they are accustomed and then do the same with a baitcaster with left hand retrieve. Shouldn't be all that different. Grab the handle between thumb and forefinger, crank. Go around and around. It's not hard and it's not even different! Nope - none of them can actually do it!!!!!!!! It doesn't feel right????? What is SOOOO different? When I point out the left-hand crank fact, they STILL THINK they can't do it. Crank your spinning reel with your left hand or your baitcaster with your left hand. How are those two ways different? It's unbelieveable to me!!!!
That being said, I set out to actually spend some time with a great baitcaster and rod on my own to see how this new technology might be different than that of years ago. I picked a Pflueger Summit Low Profile reel that I rigged with Gamma 10 lb. test mono. I also grabbed a US made, Falcon graphite baitcaster rod in 6'6' length. Off the top of my head, I can't remember the model, because I'm too lazy to run down to the store in the dark and read the model, but it was a really good choice.
I , and my friend Paul, took the whole shebang down to the dock on Jasper Lake, put on a 5/8 ounce plug, set the spool tension on my lure drop and turned up the Mag adjustment on the side of the Pflueger Summit reel. Using my right arm - which is my strong arm for casting - I swung the rod back and and let fly. The lure went into orbit! As it was in the air, I switched hands to assume holding the rod with my left arm and retrieving with my right ( non-crank ) hand. The lure ended up WAY the heck out on the water and smoked in with the 7.1 to 1 retrieve of the hot Pflueger Summit. I tried it again - same thing - WAY out there and all I did was lightly thumb the spool on lure touch down. My friend Paul was standing on the dock marveling at the distance and the fact that I did not get a massive birds nest in the spool, cast after 80 foot cast. He tried it. Same thing. Way out, no bird nest problems.
I decided to cast the way this rod & reel combo made sense. Cast left handed and crank with the right hand. No switching around silliness. Albeit, my left arm is not my strong casting arm, I did a two handed cast with the rod, cranked with the left and STILL put the lure out there with little or no backlash problems.
I was able to cast about 50 casts after which I experienced a moderate (at best) backlash. Paul was so impressed with the cast-ability and overall handling of this combo, that he went up to the store and bought a left-handed Pflueger Trion and a Falcon rod. Instead of having the Mag-centrifugal adjustment of the Pflueger Summit, the Trion has series of clutch adjustments under the hood on the right side of the left-handed reel. Paul adjusted his new reel and was out on the lake putting heavy plugs into orbit.
Joe's Pflueger Summit/ Falcon rod Summary-
I am NOT a patient man when it comes to equipment function. I can't stand having to mess with stuff when I want to be accomplishing something like making great casts. I don't mind making adjustments in the field if they are not too difficult or involved. The Pflueger Summit was an absolute blast to use! With minor, quick, easy adjustments, I was zinging lures into the wind, with the wind and through crosswinds. I actually came into testing this reel & rod combo thinking that it was really going to stink. Admittedly, that's a heck of a way to come into a field test, but this case of extreme prejudice taught me a lot about today's toys. I was really impressed by the awesome performance of this rod and reel. And Falcon - hardly anybody really knows about this American-made rod (in my neck of the woods) and I gotta say Falcon can do no wrong in my book. Fantastic balance and casts like fine machinery! If you are stuck on St.Croix or Loomis, you are selling yourself short by not seriously looking at Falcon's American-made rods. Compared to those other two awesome rods, Falcon gives you more value for less money in casting and spinning rods.
While I will never stop using a spinning rod, I'm now committed to using a baitcaster for heavier tackle and trolling. I'm sold!