Hitotoki Works is a small manufacturer of mountain stream rods that incorporate a system that allows the rod and grip to be detached.

 

 

 

In the world of lure fishing, trends change every day at a rapid pace, measured in seconds.

 

In recent years, the number of people enjoying mountain stream lure fishing using bait tackle has been increasing rapidly.

 

 

Until a few years ago, it was common for people to use spinning tackle to catch stream fish in mountain stream lure fishing.

 

I would like to summarize my own thoughts on why ``mountain stream bait finesse'' using bait tackle has become so mainstream.

 

 

What got me started with mountain stream bait finesse?

 

Around 2009, bait finesse started to become popular in the bass fishing world.

 

Various manufacturers have simultaneously released bait finesse reels equipped with lightweight spools to make it easier to cast lightweight lures.

 

I still remember that I was working at a fishing tackle shop at the time, and the year after Shimano released the Aldebaran Mg7 in 2009, I was convinced that it could definitely be used in mountain streams! So I decided to try mountain stream bait finesse fishing.

 

 

However, back when mountain stream lure fishing meant using spinning tackle, I recall that there were hardly any bait trout rods, like the many available today.

 

When bait finesse reels first appeared, many bass fishermen probably considered using them for mountain stream lure fishing, but many of them gave up on mountain stream lure fishing with bait tackle because they didn't have the rods.

 

So, making use of my experience making rods as a job, I thought "If it doesn't exist, I'll just make one!" and destroyed my spinning stream rod and remade it into a bait tackle. When I tried mountain stream bait finesse fishing for the first time, I remember being impressed by how much easier it could be.

 

 

Why mountain stream bait finesse is advantageous

 

Why has bait tackle made mountain stream lure fishing easier than the spinning tackle of the past?

 

When thinking of baitcasting reels, many people probably think of "backlash," where the line gets crumpled when casting.

 

Just like with spinning tackle, if you snap your wrist too much when casting, you are likely to cause backlash, so it may take some time to get the hang of it at first.

 

The performance of bait finesse reels is so high that it is rare to experience a backlash while fishing, and you will hardly notice any disadvantages.

 

The other day, I lent a bait tackle to a friend who was new to fishing and asked him to try fishing with a mountain stream lure for the first time. After about 15 minutes of practicing casting, he was able to cast the lure to the desired spot.

 

If you are starting mountain stream lure fishing for the first time, we definitely recommend "bait tackle"!!

 

Here is the video of my first time practicing casting with a bait tackle:

[playlist type="video" ids="3461"]

 

There are two things that impressed me when I first tried bait finesse in mountain stream lure fishing!

 

 

Advantages of mountain stream bait finesse 1: Quick turnaround

 

In the fast current, you have to cast into the tiny space behind the rocks...

 

Moreover, the current was fast near the shore, and the line was quickly carried away...

 

Such situations occur frequently when lure fishing in mountain streams.

 

It is in high pressure fishing spots that the fish remain in these "small places".

 

 

In such situations, it's important to get as many twitch actions into the lure as possible in a small space, giving the fish more time to bite .

 

With spinning reels, you have to manually return the reel bail after casting, so there is inevitably a delay of a beat.

 

In comparison, with a baitcasting reel you can start reeling as soon as the lure hits the water!

 

This slight difference in lost time can make a big difference in your catch and the stress you feel while fishing.

 

Furthermore, when casting with a spinning reel, you also have to lift the bail, which can result in a lot of lost time and stress when fishing in mountain streams where you are hitting one spot after another.

 

 

 

Advantage 2 of mountain stream bait finesse: Easy pinpoint casting

 

 

As mentioned earlier in the section on quick handling, accurate casting is required to reach small spots.

 

Casting accuracy becomes so important that even a slight deviation in casting can change the fish's reaction.

 

Baitcasting reels allow you to easily fine-tune your casting distance by using thumbing, making it easier to cast more accurately than spinning reels, which use feathering to adjust the distance.

 

 

Advantage 3 of mountain stream bait finesse: It’s cool (lol)

 

 

Just as many people want to fish with bait tackle, bait tackle has a cool look and functionality.

 

Personally, I think this is a common symptom of people who, when they were in elementary school and only had spinning tackle, dreamed of becoming adults who handled bait tackle. (laughs)

 

The truth of this is uncertain, but there is no doubt that it has a unique atmosphere that appeals to men's sensibilities in a way that is different from spinning tackle.

 

 

Advantage 4 of mountain stream bait finesse: Less lint

 

This may not be an advantage in recent years as PE lines have become mainstream, but with spinning reels, where the line is released in a spiral, using nylon or fluoro line can easily result in fraying and the line becoming tangled.

 

 

Baitcasting reels are designed to release line by rotating the spool, so the line is released in a straight line.

 

Therefore, its structure makes it less likely to produce dandruff.

 

Even with a spinning reel, you can prevent this to a large extent by feathering the line with your fingers when it hits the water, but this is a difficult technique for beginners, so line trouble caused by fraying is likely to occur.

 

 

Advantage 5 of mountain stream bait finesse: Strong winding power

 

This is a type of fishing that does not allow you to catch large fish that require reeling power, but this reeling power may be of some advantage when fishing for large trout in Hokkaido or overseas.

 

Due to the structure of a spinning reel, the direction in which the handle rotates is different from the direction in which the bail that winds the line rotates, resulting in a loss of power.

 

On the other hand, bait-casting reels, in which the handle winding direction and the line winding direction are the same, allow for winding with more torque and less power loss.

 

It may also be beneficial in areas where large bycatch is unexpectedly caught.

 

 

 

Disadvantages of mountain stream bait finesse

 

I've only written about the advantages, but are there any disadvantages?

 

Are there any cases where spinning tackle is more advantageous?

 

I would like to write about that point as well.

 

 

Disadvantages of mountain stream bait finesse 1: Poor casting distance

 

 

In mountain streams where casts of 5 to 15 meters are the norm, there may not be many situations where you will need to use long casts, but in some places, such as large pools or open areas, long casts may be necessary.

 

Bait tackle can be cast about 20 meters, but spinning tackle can be cast about 5 meters further.

 

For those who value distance in mountain streams, spinning tackle may be a good choice.

 

 

Disadvantages of mountain stream bait finesse 2: Vulnerable to headwinds

 

I think the biggest enemy of bait tackle is headwind.

 

In this area, where fishing is done in a valley bottom surrounded by trees, there may be few situations where you have to fight a headwind, but in areas with a lot of open space, there may be situations where you have to fight a headwind.

 

In such a situation, spinning tackle would be more advantageous.

 

 

Disadvantages of mountain stream bait finesse 3: Small amount of line wound

 

Personally, I think the biggest disadvantage of bait finesse reels is the small amount of line that can be wound on them.

 

I haven't had any problems though... (laughs)

 

Bait finesse reels have extremely lightweight spools to make it easier to cast lightweight lures.

 

Therefore, it has an ultra-shallow groove spool that can only carry the minimum amount of line, and can only hold about 35 to 70 meters of line.

 

 

 

When you are a beginner, you may experience backlash and be unable to untangle the tangled line, which may end your fishing trip.

 

If you are worried, it may be a good idea to bring extra lines and reels.

 

 

What reels can be used for mountain stream bait finesse?

 

 

What kind of reels are used for mountain stream bait finesse?

 

I would like to touch on this point briefly as well.

 

They can mainly be divided into low profile reels with plastic bodies and round reels with metal bodies.

 

Judging from what I see on social media, I think nearly 70% of people use round reels.

 

Why are round reels so widely used?

 

 

Advantages of round reels: Classic look is cool

 

 

I think this is the only part. (laughs)

 

Because it is made of metal, it has a luxurious and classic feel that matches well with mountain stream fishing.

 

So what kind of round reels are used?

 

It is divided into three main reels.

 

 

Round reel 1: Ambassador

 

 

Many people may have the impression that round reels = Ambassador.

 

It seems that there are a lot of Ambassador fans, as he is the creator of the round reel.

 

Since they are no longer being manufactured, the problem is that there are only a small number of reels available.

 

As the number of people engaging in mountain stream bait finesse fishing increases, they have become increasingly rare, and are now being traded for ridiculous amounts of money at auctions...

 

The difficulty in obtaining it is a drawback (>_<)

 

It is also necessary to change to a shallow spool!

 

 

Round reel 2: Isuzu BC series

 

 

For mountain streams, the 420 and 421 series are easy to handle.

 

I use it myself and like the classic yet elegant design.

 

Compared to the Ambassador, it has a much lower profile and is easier to palm.

 

Because it is a centrifugal brake, the final stretch when casting feels great!

 

This too will need to be replaced with a shallow spool.

 

 

Round reel 3: Calcutta Conquest BFS

 

 

Major Manufacturer

As it is the latest reel made by Shimano, it is by far the best in terms of performance.

 

One of the best things about this reel is that it has a faster winding speed than other round reels.

 

Unlike other round reels, it also has a magnetic brake, so it seems less prone to backlash.

 

I own one myself, and use the Calcutta Conquest BFS when the water level rises.

 

It also looks cool!

 

 

Disadvantages of round reels

 

The main disadvantages of round reels are:

 

1. Heavy

 

2. It is expensive. If you need to replace the spool, the price will go up even more.

 

3. The winding speed is slow except for the Calcutta Conquest BFS.

 

4. Tall and difficult to palm

 

The reality is that many people choose to use round reels even if they have to put up with these four drawbacks.

 

On the other hand, the Low Pro Reel is a functional reel that meets all of these criteria.

 

Next, we will introduce some low-pro reels that are used for mountain stream bait finesse fishing.

 

 

Low Pro Reel Part 1: Daiwa/SS Air

 

 

This is a low-profile bait finesse reel that is also popular with my Daiwa friends.

 

It's extremely light, and the spool rotation and winding are extremely smooth.

 

When using a thin PE line, there is a very rare problem where the line gets caught in the gap between the spool and the body.

 

The compact body makes palming very easy.

 

 

Low Pro Reel Part 2: Shimano/Aldebaran BFS

 

 

I have never used this model, but I did own the model prior to it.

 

Since switching to this model, I've found that the overly avant-garde design no longer suits my taste...

 

But the performance will undoubtedly be great.

 

 

Low Pro Reel Part 3: Abu/Revo LTX-BF8

 

 

I have also owned this reel.

 

The Revo series is not too expensive and I think it is a reel with excellent cost performance.

 

The black-based design is cool and this reel has been very useful to me.

 

 

summary

 

I have written about the advantages and disadvantages of bait finesse tackle from my personal perspective.

 

As someone who regularly uses bait finesse tackle, this article may have leaned more towards bait tackle, but don't you feel that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages?

 

In fact, the sales ratio at Hitotoki Works is about 8:2, with bait tackle dominating the lineup.

 

We predict that the number of people switching from spinning tackle to bait tackle will likely increase.

 

Why not use this article to understand the advantages and disadvantages and then give stream bait finesse a try?