open face setup

Any of you guys use an open face setup for flats? I have a new rod that I think would work well, its an abu garcia workhorse ss304. Anybody ever used one of these?

I know of a few guys that use spinning reels. They work fine. If that’s youre preference, go for it!

I have a Cabela’s Salt Striker SBF50 with bait clicker that I love. Mounted to a Berkley Glowstick an spooled with 60 pound power pro hi-vis yellow. Works great and it one of my favorite rods. It was the first one I bought and is still the first I grab.

I use spinning reels for channels and this year I am going to use them for flats when I am not fishing heavy cover. I just bought two new spinning reels with the bait feeder feature. I’ve always wanted to try the bait feeders for flats. I bought the Cabela’s Salt Striker Bait Feeder in the SSBF 40 Model and the Okuma Avenger Baitfeeder in the ABF 30 Model. I plan on using them as all purpose reels for flats, channels and sturgeon. I’m going to pair them up with white medium heavy Shakespeare Ugly Stick Catfish rods.

I was with you all the way until the

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white

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Then I choked.

TC, I don’t use open face reels…but there are a number that do…as Ralf said.

The only concern I’ve heard about an open face is if it’s under sized for the fish/drag, the spool will bend off it’s axis.

Now remember this spring when you are having your photo taken of your 50 pounder…make sure the reel gets in the pic!

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I was with you all the way until the

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white

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Then I choked.

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I put that in just for you. I knew you couldn’t resist commenting on that.

My channel cat rods are all white but none of my flathead rods are. I prefer white rods so I’ll do double duty with these spinning rods at times when the conditions permit spinning gear with a lighter medium heavy rod with lighter line.

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The only concern I’ve heard about an open face is if it’s under sized for the fish/drag, the spool will bend off it’s axis.

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I don’t see how you are going to bend the spool off it axis if you have the drag set correctly. I wouldn’t be worried about that at all – set your drag correctly and play the fish to match your gear and you won’t have any problems.

BK only has two drag settings on his reels. All the way loose or cinched all the way down

I wouldn’t get all caught up in which is better. Use what you feel comfortable with. 2 of my biggest flats, 57 and 54 were both caught on an affordable Salt Striker open face reel. Not to mention several over 40.

Make sure your rod is stout enough to muscle the fish if need be, use at least 65lb braid, and set your drag properly. You’ll be set for the biggest of Flats around here.

There are a few good options for spinning (open face) reels. Shimano Bait Runner, Penn Live Liner, Okuma Avenger, Okuma Epixor, Cabelas Salt Striker, just to name a few.

Good Luck

Silly guys…I didn’t say which was better.

I should clarify. As with a bait caster, don’t get an undersized spinning reel.

How’s that?

…and Ralf you are correct…although I call all the way loose “winter storage” and cinched “fishing”.

I think the reel I bought is big enough for some big fish but i am not sure of the rod. It seems pretty stout but i have not fished it. Any comments or experiences with the abu garcia workhorse

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I should clarify. As with a bait caster, don’t get an undersized spinning reel.

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Or you could be like Pug and combine the two

Nothing wrong with the spinning reels although I personally feel their are advantages to baitcasters.

– I feel I can cast a baitcaster farther and with more accuracy. Most of the time I’m fishing right out the back of the boat so distance isn’t hypercritical but I’m more comfy with the baitcaster for long casts.

– Clicker is louder. We all love to hear that Garcia clicker going off!

– Better spool control. When a flat is running, it sure is nice to thumb the spool to give him line or apply pressure to “feel” for the fish. Really tough to control the line with an open face.

– White rods rock.

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I should clarify. As with a bait caster, don’t get an undersized spinning reel.

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Or you could be like Pug and combine the two

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What are you talking about? Those larger eyelets meant less resistance and more distance with my baitcaster. Or did I have a spinning reel on a baitcasting rod, I forget?

Steve you’ll like the SBF 40 my little brother is running one.

I have a a ABU 550 reel( a “inexpensive”model) and a “GASP” white 9’MH Cabela’s King Kat rod….
Works good so far but it has not been tested by anything over 20lbs…
But I think it would be up to the task….IMHO

Mudshark went cheap?… Go figure.

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Mudshark went cheap?… Go figure.

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Hey!……..Wait a minute here…..I resemble that remark…

Besides…It’s “frugal” not cheap!!

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– Better spool control. When a flat is running, it sure is nice to thumb the spool to give him line or apply pressure to “feel” for the fish. Really tough to control the line with an open face.

– White rods rock.

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I use spinning reels exclusively – my favorites are the Okumas. I think you can control the line much easier with a spinning reel because you can palm the spool. Having a larger surface area to grab gives you better control. Maybe you guys have huge thumbs, but I’ve never been able to exert the same pressure with my thumb that I can by palming a spinning reel spool.

As for setting the drag – the whole spool palming thing makes it possible to fight the fish right to the boat with a lighter drag setting, making it extremely unlikely to ever lose a fish by the side of the boat (they run – take your hand of the spool – voila!)

White rods rock – agreed!

Add my vote for the Shimano Baitrunners. Great reels.

Just say NO to white rods!

RB…I think we are the underdogs here.

I’m an equal opportunity fisherman

If you put a gun to my head (don’t get any ideas) and I had to choose one, I’d go with a bait caster because I have better control casting them. I no longer have an aversion to spinning reels. There are situations where I like them better.

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There are situations where I like them better.

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Catfishing?

This may sound weird, but I prefer the baitcaster setup for casting and placing my bait and the clicker, but prefer the spinning setup for setting the hook and fighting the fish.

Either way, as long as they are on a White rod they will catch big fish.

Walleye fishing.

Anytime I want to go lighter where bait placement is not important or were I want distance over accuracy with my cast.

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Walleye fishing.

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Thought so…

I have been keeping myself off this board for too long – it is just too hard to bear not fishing this time of year.

That said, on my primary channel rod (Shakespeare Wildcat) I use a Mitchell 300 spinning real that was made in the late 50’s spooled with 30lb PP. That thing is a freakin’ tank.

Those old Mitchells are great reels. I have one about 30 years old, but I crank righty…so I don’t use it. Amazing how some of the reels with the least amount of extra parts (tons of bearings, one way clutch) last forever. There’s a lesson there.

I use a few spinning reels (Bass pro Mega Cast, Pflueger, small shimano) for all around fishing and catfishing, as well as catching bait. Got a Salt Striker baitfeeder all spooled up with 20# mono for flatheading this year, can’t wait to try it out.

I use the spinning reels for flats sometimes, but in close to heavy cover I prefer baitcaster unless I’m using a float.

I use 7′ medium/medium heavy rods on just about all, except I have one 6’6″ cabela’s classic, and one 8′ offshore angler.

Shawn