How do I get more casting distance with micro fishing lures? I get this question all the time, so I felt it was time I make a video on this subject. As you know, I love ultralight fishing for numerous species of fish. One of my favorite ways to catch anything that swims is to throw tiny jigs and let them sink slowly through the water column. That super slow rate of fall paired with a tiny realistic profile just flat out gets bit.
The hard part, however, is casting them effectively. When I say ultralight lures, I am talking about less than 1/16oz. Anything 1/16oz and above is pretty easy to cast on most setups. The 1/64oz or even 1/80oz Mule Jigs absolutely wreck fish, but they can take some special techniques to cast.
First off, you NEED the proper gear. I talk a lot about that in this video. Reel, Rod, & Line all play a critical role in this. Secondly, you need to learn how to cast the right way. While it isn't much different than casting a standard lure, it does require a bit more "flick of the wrist".
**GEAR**
Trilene Sensation: discounttackle.com/products/b...
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Great presentation. Invaluable information for this beginner and refresher for anyone. Waiting, not so patiently, for NY's opening day.
Hope you get out there and crack on some soon! Thanks Charles :)
Thanks for the tips! Especially around the holiday season!
Go get them! 👊🏽
I've fished most of my life but never ultralight. I had a lot of questions about equipment and you answered a lot of em! Thanks! 👍
I am happy to hear that! If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out.
Nice. You are right about the small presentation being an effective way to catch fish. This year I tried some really small lures and jig heads and it was funny how a big pike or bass would give up their ambush spot to come out and grab a tiny snack. I am going to get some trilene sensation and give it a go next season. I am definitely getting into ultralight fishing. Thanks for the video Ethan.
Thanks Paul! Good luck, I think you’ll like it!
The description of a rod as "fast" or "slow" or similar is actually a description of the tapering. Fast means the action is in the tip. Slow means the action is more spread out along the length. Slow action rods are ideal for casting live baits as it reduces the stress on the bait. Fast action is as described, to fling a lure with more stored energy.
I've been learning bass fishing over the last 3 yrs or so, and have never really understood the "fast", "moderate", or whatever the action of the rod is. This is far and away the best description that makes sense to me. You, sir, were meant to cross my path! Thank you for your knowledge and sharing it here!
agree with the other guy. i'm a noob and this is the clearest explanation of action i've heard so far
love the info Ethan. Also, agree with the weather. I wish we had a little more warm weather.
It’s never enough! Thanks T!
absolutely awesome video dude, insanely descriptive in every way that i was lookin for, appreciate it man
So happy you liked it! Thank you Keith :)
@@FishAnything of course (: also idk if you've tried it or how well it'll work, but have you heard of drop shotting flies on an ultralight setup?
Last cast paid off!! Nice crappy! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.😊
Thanks for watching, Leo!
Awesome video on ultralight gear and presentation. I really appreciate how you broke down the reel, rod and what line you use. Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much!
Lots of great information and perspectives, and so very well presented. Thank you!
Thank you very much!
This has been my first season fishing ultralight, thanks mostly to your influence, and I’m loving it. I still get pumped when I manage to send a 1/64 mule jig and horsefly combo a whopping 20’. Just recently I paired a DTJ with a 1/16 workhorse on Burly’s good recommendation and I can really launch that one.
The workhorse jig was designed to help with that exact thing! The only thing is… the 1/64oz mule jig does a better job drawing strikes in a lot of scenarios. I’d keep working on it if I was you. Maybe drop your line diameter a bit and see if you gain distance!
Just use a Sabiki, you can tie an 8th ounce weight on the bottom and put your 1/64 on top that way you can just kinda dangle it on the bottom, but of you wanna suspend you can Sabiki 2 16th or 32nd ounce jigs and you can really yeet those I bet if you can sling just a single 16th.
@@Gstar5150 Adding weight can be great to get more distance and depth, but it can also hurt the action and reduce total bites. Just depends on the situation!
@@FishAnything that's why I said you can mix it up with Sabiki combos you can tie a 32nd on top of an 8th ounce weight and when you dangle it on the bottom that 32 will have a nice subtle action. Or you can even pair 2 16ths or 32nd ounce jigs together so you can suspend.
Loved ultralight fishing this year. Ethan and Mule fishing have made it so much fun. Cant wait for warm weather again. Favorite presentation, 1/64 chartreuse mule jig with a 2.2 Dakota Sunrise Mule Minnow. Caught a nice 3.5lb Large Mouth on that setup. Thanks again Ethan for getting me hooked on Ultralight. #Mulefishing ohh and keep the videos coming during the winter months :)
THANK YOU CHRIS! More videos to come this winter, although I can’t promise any good open water fishing haha
Ultra light fishing has changed my life dude it’s so much fun. Me and my brothers at my dads there’s a little creek to small for bass but loads of creek chubs so I brought my ultra light and was down there all day and cought about 9-10 creek chubs it was so much fun it was a hook up after hook up we doubled up to many times to count😂
Love to hear it! Ultralight fishing can open up so many doors!
Great communication, man. Very effective and easy to listen to and understand
Thank you so much!
I think the best metaphor to use is the lever advantage for lifting. If your rod loads up more, you get faster starting velocity for the lure, and therefore, you get farther casts.
Definitely a great way of putting it! The small jigs need to put a load on the rod for it to have a chance.
Enjoyed your video. Good advice for anyone trying ultralight fishing for the fist time. Using the right gear is critical to enjoying your fishing and you can land surprisingly big fish if its balanced. Here in the UK we only really have Perch to go at for our light predator fishing. However , last winter I managed to land a Pike of about 6lbs on my ultra light set up. I was a bit lucky for sure, but my gear was balanced!
Heck yeah, Mark! Thanks for watching and glad you agree. I bet that Pike was an absolute blast :)
I like this format of video. It’s nice to mix up the videos a bit. We have varying opinions on some of the points that you mentioned but all good info!
I’d love to hear what your varying opinions are! You probably like longer rods? And that’s fair because you use solid tipped models so they retain a true fast. Most standard graphite rods don’t maintain a good fast past 6’ ish. What else do you think differently on? I always love your opinion and try new things because of it.
I’m glad to see someone explain how to put the right weight onto the right rod and how to load it up and use the flex and how much it all matters........I wish I’d seen this many years ago. LISTEN TO THIS MAN......HE IS GIVING YOU THE BEST ADVICE THAT YOU COULD GET ABOUT CASTING.
Thank you so much for the kind words :)
Try fly fishing
ETHAN YOUR THE MAN.AND AGIAN THANK Q SUCH MUCH FOR THE YODA LURE.ITS IN MY SAFE.THANKS AGAIN FROM A 67 YEAR OLD MAN WHO LOVES TO FISH AND WATCH YOU
You the man, Ian!
Great video, I randomly stumbled upon this I mostly fish for bass but now I want to get an ul set up because of this video lol
Heck ya! It’s such a blast - I hope you try it out 👊🏽🤠
Great video I got a bunch of good information from you on that thank you
Glad you liked it! Thanks LBF
Good video with a lot of information.good job
Thank you Daniel!
I was just looking at the Varivas lines today. Awesome. Hopefully you can look at the Tenryu or a fine tail JDM rod in your panfish rod series.
I did the finetail just recently! I’ll look at that Tenryu.
Super informative vid. I need an ultralight setup so bad. That's the only way to guarantee breaking any skunk!
Ultralight fishing is a great way to avoid skunking!
The selection of rods and lines is huge. I have mostly light and some ultralight spinning gear. Paired with no more than 4# mono or the newer 5/6# braids has worked. I like Berkley lines so maybe I give 2# Sensation a shot here. On the current setups I can sling 1/64 & 1/32 jigs pretty well and ultralight hard baits. The length sweet spot seems to be 6-6'6 rods. Thanks Ethan
Sounds like we have similar taste! I think you’ll like that sensation. Let me know if you try it!
Fantastic; I am so thankful for this video. Will definitely be able to use this info moving forward. "Elephants eat peanuts too." 😂
🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
Another great video Ethan.👍🏻 Since you are using fast action rods you certainly need to snap that cast with your wrist to get that slightly stiffer rod to load up on the cast.
Yeah it all depends on your own styles. Moderate rods are fine too but definitely a different motion.
I've been fishing Toquish Creek in Michigan. Lots of brush and high banks. I'm using an 26" ice rod just so I can get a cast. I've been watching your channel for tips. I've been chucking 1/80 oz Mule jig 20 feet. Thanks for the tips. 8:21 8:23
Happy they help! Hope you’re having a great summer :)
I've been using Suffix pro mix the last 3 years or so and I've had no complaints about its sensitivity or durability but I'll definitely give that line a try next season when I respool. It's a good time to hit the smallies in the river I think it's time to throw the insulated waders on an do some fishing
I need to give that stuff a try!!
I love 2lb line for panfish but never tried trident sensation. Going to order it!
It’s a good budget friendly product!
Thank you for some pointers that confirm much of how I think about the science of casting. I think a lot of us learned bad habits from our fathers who did not have these awesome modern rods and fishing lines. I’m liking the Daiwa J-Braid. You didn’t get into the importance of the back action and turn-around of the cast which initially loads up the rod tip. At least for me, this is the difficult part to master. When I put an effort into loading up the rod tip if often leads to a wild cast in an unwanted direction but then, not all men were intended to be be great fishermen. Another thing that I’d like to get better at is the quick turn around after a retrieve that is displayed by many youtube fishermen. In the end I suppose its just practice practice practice. I’m look forward to spring.
It can sometimes be challenging to give tips when so much of this stuff is muscle memory! Practice is absolutely the best way to get it down.
Try using what we call a stalker rod. 5’6” ultralight. I personally tend to cast way better and more effective with the shorter rod.
I was going to get an Ester line for Ajing but will have to try that Variva FC line. Thank you.
Hope you crush fish on it!
really nice video learned a lot
Happy to hear it! Tight lines
I like floppy ultralight rods, very parabolic. A little while back I found a Canyon Creek Super Ultralight 7' (model DS-702SUL). I think I paid like $18 for it at my local Dunham's. This is a gem of a rod, especially for the price. And it's actually rated for 1/64-1/8 lures. I have a Piscifun Viper X 500 on it, with 6lb Calamus Bastion braid to a 2lb Trout Magnet S.O.S. mono leader. I use the braid (neon green) because I simply can't see 2lb mono. I'm able to cast Joe's Flies with it, fairly well depending on wind. If you know what those lures are, they weigh practically nothing, they almost don't even sink in water, and they catch wind like nobody's business. It holds up too, it easily landed a channel cat for me today.
That’s awesome! I’ve heard that’s a good rod for the price. I’ll have to look out for one.
🎣 during the colder season, I like to use a 1/64 oz or a 1/32 oz. The reason for this is these are lighter jigs and they will sink slower in the water and I think the fish has a better chance to go after them too. Haven't really been fishing all that much lately, work getting hard rain like crazy once again. Great video and information, enjoyed watching.
Definitely! Thanks Shawn, hope you get out there and catch some soon!
@@FishAnything You're very welcome. I highly doubt I'll be getting out there anymore this year. Also the rain is just crazy too. In the process, I am restocking up on trout fishing stuff and trying to get a lot of my bass fishing stuff ready too. I want to start doing bass fishing besides trout for 2023.
I just got a ultralight combo at Walmart 6 foot comes with 6 pound test I am going to try it out soon I wanted to thank you fore this information you gave me watching this video thank you and love and respect to you and your family Paul frome p.a
Fair warning combos that come pre spooled usually have trash line but good luck on your Ultra light travels. Get ya a nice smallmouth and giggle like a little kid the whole time
@@eagletalon6240 should I replace the line if I do what should I use it is 6 pound test
@@paulbohn1971 for ultralight I prefer 4 and I've landed plenty of quality crappie, smallmouth and walleye with it but it's all preference I'm usually using 3/32 to 1/16 jigs etc so it makes a noticeable difference also try and find a line that gives you good sensitivity an isn't to stretchy because it makes crappie fishing in sub par conditions difficult. I use Suffix pro mix but I've heard good things about trilene sensations
Good callout! Most prespooled reels have really cheap mono that has a lot of memory. I’d probably get some higher quality co polymer like trilene sensation. Go with 2lb if you’re fishing tiny stuff otherwise 4lb is great too!
I've mostly used your 1/80 oz jigs when wet wading in shallow water I'm feeling like 20-30 feet is pretty healthy for that size. They also cast well on tenkara (barely light enough) which is super fun. I just ordered some 1/64 and 1/32 though. They should be stocking rainbows in the Lower Salt River soon and I need to restock my freezer.
YES! So happy you’ve been enjoying the gear so much :)
Get ready for some chunkers, azgfd outsourced pretty sure since page springs had the bacterial outbreak In july...some real nice 14-16" inchers and larger.
@@lagginswag I was out there today and it looks like it's still not stocked. Still had fun catching bass and then I jumped over to Saguaro and played with some gills. It will be worth the wait to get some larger fish. I remember in 2019 there was an issue with our hatcheries and they brought all those trout from Colorado. Only problem was that it was a bunch of their brood stock and I kept getting eggs and jizz all over my shoes lol. They were nice big fish though.
When I was growing up I used ultralight 5ft to 5 1/2 ft Rods and 4lb test line for Trout in Mountain Streams in the California Sierra Mountains. And drink right out of Streams of that clean snow water too. Oh those were the days.
Sounds like a darn good time!
I'm excited about your content! I find UL rods w/whippy tips adversely affect casting distance,so I'm currently using a 4'6" medium heavy ugly stick. I cast using a modified dock shot underhanded cast I developed while fishing under bridges. But as you already know, I want more distance. All thoughts are welcome.
How heavy of lures are you typically presenting? I’d recommend going lower diameter on your line if you want to get more distance!
I got into ultralight crappie fishing and I got 7’ moderate action and just like you were saying i just gives too much that it doesn’t help load the cast. Thanks for the videos!
Also with it being a moderate action I’ve found that crank baits work the best for it jigs i feel I miss the hook set more
Totally makes sense! I am a "fast or bust" kind of guy. I don't really find much of a use for moderate ultralights.
I've been a "finesse" fisherman my whole life since before it became a hype word, it was nice to see someone else rocking the 2lb line and tiny Jigs. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to share this to my teen son's company page as most of what he makes are micro plastics and I'm hoping this can help his customers.
Thanks! Go right ahead thanks for sharing :) good luck to your son!
Very good guidance on ultralight fishing basics. I appreciate the way you covered all aspects from rod type and length, lure weights, line test size, casting techniques, and expected casting distance. This video answered many questions I've had regarding lightweight fishing! Thanks!!
Thank you so much! Tight lines :)
Ty for for advice 😊
👊🏽🤠happy to help
Great content! If you want to cast a 1/64th jig far, try Berkley Nanofil line. 6lb or 4lb test. I use 1/64th jig heads a lot with 2" Baby Shads for Crappie w/a ACC Crappie Stix rod and I can throw em really far. Sometimes I step down to 1/80th or 1/124th jigs if I want a really really slow fall if Crappie are finicky. Berkley Nanofil is considered a Nanobraid. Its very strong but thin. I believe Suffix makes a Nanobraid too but I have yet to try it. Next time I place an order I'm going to try the Suffix Nanobraid but the Berkley Nanofil is amazing line!
I plan to try the Sufix Nanobraid soon actually. I picked up 3lb test. I agree that Nanofil can cast pretty far but my frustration with it was the memory. It is very wiry feeling so it doesn't quite lay as flat as I prefer.
I've used sufix nanobraid. It cast amazingly, but its so thin I couldn't kept breaking off my leaders at the knot (Using FG knot)
Thank you so much for showing ultra light fishing , I'm 64 and have been ultra light fishing all my life, even salt water, it was getting hard for me to tying 2 pown line, then I bought a sewing niddle tool for threading a niddle , I use mono line, I've tried all the other lines , mono is the best, for 2 to 4 pound line
Legit question, is ultra light fishing in saltwater basically using bass fishing gear on freshwater? I live in the Midwest and have never been saltwater fishing.
@@Nohhbody no ultra light fishing is using, a true rod for 2 to 6 pound test , most of us after years of fishing, 2 to 4 pound, I caught a 6 pound Walleye with 2 pound test line, when I was station at little rock AFB,, if y'all didn't have such cold ass weather, be in winter, we southerners would move up there and y'all could move down here, ultra light fishing, can be used any where, you just have to know, mostly, always take the drag washers out and geasse them ,, no matter the cost of the Rell ,, and I only use spending reals , learned how to apply pressure while back realing
@@rayhall3010 I never would've thought of using such light line in the ocean. It is definitely getting cooler. High of 31 this Saturday. It will be nice fishing season soon.
Happy you guys like ultralight fishing too! Such a fun way to target fish of any type like you said. I’d love to try some more saltwater fishing in the future!
You are spot on longer rods in UL don't cast further. I have found a shorter fast rod will cast further with less effort and better control .I own UL's from 4'6" to 8'6" and I always pick up a 5' to 6' rod for my UL fishing.Thank you for all your UL videos.
Thanks man! Glad we agree on that. The 6' length feels like the sweet spot in my experience.
I just bought 5’6 okuma rod and am having trouble casting good distance
In my opinion I'd rather use 4lb line and reduce the risk of leaving a hook in a fishes mouth even if it does reducing my casting slightly. Also daiwa jbraid is fantastic just like you said
Fair point. I think that braid helps with that tremendously. Use a strong leader that has good stretch with braid and you will rarely break a fish off.
@FishAnything absolutely. Even 4 pound braid really can withstand 6 to 7 pounds easy. I feel naked when I fish without braid haha
Just leave the drag loose enough and you will rarely break the line. Reeled in a 14 lb pike last year with 0.06mm jbraid. Lucky it didn’t chomp thru my 0.20mm fluoro leader. Haven’t had a single line break with 3-7 lb bows either, except when I’ve forgotten to loose the drag.
@DirtyMardi that doesn't resolve the uncontrollable variables like rock rubbing and Line knicks. Where I'm at the bottom of my lakes and rivers are primarily sharp shattered rock and slate.
@@camdenfurry5187 oh yeah, that’s part of the reason I use leaders, sometimes even wire, if there’s a lot of pikes.
I would recommend checking out a 3wt (2wt if you figure out the casting but if there's any wind the 3wt is better) Butterstick from Reddington. Fly fishing isn't as hard as people make it out to be and the 3wt makes it amazing for small fish. I love mine and it's hard to leave it behind when I go to bigger water.
Good video, only thing what was missing for further casts is to fill up your spools👍😉
Fill them up, but don't overspool them! Good callout.
Loved the video as I learned a ton on a topic I knew little about, so thank you!!! In the first part of the video you’d mentioned having a reel video that would also be relevant to casting ultra light lures. Anyway, could you please direct me to that video?
Thank you Ron - happy this helps! The video I mentioned is here: kzhead.info/sun/i5SieaiCo6WBjHk/bejne.html
Have that same temple fork rod but in w 5’6 and i gotta say i get impressive distance from those tiny lures
Yeah that little rod works pretty well!
The last 2 years I've switched over to UL setup for bass fishing and I love it. I live in WV and bass are usually in 1-3lbs range, so I've felt secure with my setup (especially after bringing in a 5lbs LMB and 9lbs blue cat on those setups, haha). My question is with line though. I'm still figuring it out. My one gripe with ultralight fishing is casting distance. I've been a fluorocarbon man forever, but you're video is making me consider switching to mono. Any suggestions? I usually use 1/16 to 1/32 jig sizes.
1/32oz - 1/16oz jigs should cast extremely effectively on an ultralight rod. Fluorocarbon is fine but I have found it can be a bit brittle in low diameters and a good co polymer or monofilament are more forgiving in
I use a 5 1/2' light action Ugly Stick with a Pflueger President reel loaded with 4# line. I've not yet seen anything lower than 4#. It catches fish just fine.
I have used a st croix 6’-0” ultra light rod with a Pflueger President Spinning reel and Damyl Tectan Superior Monofilament Line at 6.6 lb strength .18mm dia. For years. The key is the line.
100% agree that line is the ultimate difference maker!
1/8 oz carolina rig with 6lb line is a my to go, always catch anything with it
Sounds like a fun rig!
Solid tips, great video. Gotta step up (down) my gear game because I've been using a medium heavy rod with stiff tip to cast 1/32oz jigs and 0.35mm 26lb mono to target carp and I get maybe 10ft casting distance at most. Kinda hoping they just inhale the jig since pike and walleye are still a no go in my area. I'm thinking a light, medium light rod with 12lb mono should be able to pull out 10lb carp?
I’d swap that mono out to braid and run a leader. Braid can greatly reduce your line diameter pound for pound so you will be able to increase your distance by a long shot
I love trilene sensation, my goto 2lb line!
Cheap and effective! Love it!
My question would be what rod type fast or medium would be best to lob a red worm and and a # 8 hook no sinker bobber or even swivel just the hook
My favorite ultra lite pole is a 7 foot . I get more action that helps me cast farther . I also use 4 lb test mono or 6 lb braid . I catch to many nice bass and trout when fishing for crappie and bluegill . I used to use the same 4 lb mono for my salmon and steelhead jig pole . My girl uses a 6’6” pole for her ultra light pole . She is 5’ tall . She caught a nice 4lb trout when we was out with our ultra light poles .
Yeah, 7' is the ticket for me too. I use higher end rods, and they generally aren't "whippy". Whippy rods, for me anyway, are only used for micro cranks and inline spinners
i'd love to see your opinion on Gliss braid. i fish ultralight for trout in Australia throwing some small minnow plastics on 1/32 jigs. Gliss gave me an extra 15 feet easy compared to the 4lb braid i was using.
Hmmm I haven't heard of it but will be on the lookout! Thanks for the suggestion :)
You should create a small creature bait for mule fishing and or a small skirted jig like 1/64-1/16 ounce jig. Not marabour or fur but some sort of silicone type material that can pair up with the mule minnow and donkey tail. Horsefly too!
Thanks for the suggestion - definitely some interesting ideas I will look into!
Great video! What’s your take on BFS fishing? Weights you can cast with it best line for it etc!!
BFS has a time and place. I don’t think it’s an effective option for true ultralight lures though (sub 1/32oz). It can vary a ton too, so it’s hard to say what the best line option is. Just depends on what you want to do. Example - for bass fishing bfs applications, I’d go 10lb braid. For panfish I’d probably go 4lb mono!
For my years 15-35 i only used 5ft-5'6" ul and lite action rods and have caught sheepheads and carp 15lbs and it awesome! I only the past 5 years branched out to heavier rods and still choose the smaller ones all around
Heck yeah! Small ultralight rods are a blast :)
I have always enjoyed ultralight fishing. One advantage not mentioned is how much less fatigue you get during a day on the water due to not carrying and flinging as much weight. My go to is 4# mono, and 6 to 6.5 ft rod and 1/16 to 1/8 ounce lures. One note is you must pay attention to knots and line nicks. 4# is very strong, but a little frayed knot or section of line really can loose a nice fish, because the strength margin is small. Another thing is to be easy when snagged or you'll loose you lure. After a fish or a snag always recheck knots and for fraying.
Wrist snap like a forehand Frisbee throw helps me get my stuff out further
Good way to put it!
i just ordered that dobyns rod for my diawa ballistic 1000 reel
It is a heck of a rod, you will enjoy it.
I agree that when casting micro jigs, having a 7' ultralight is too long and "whippy", as you said. What pound braid do you use?
I usually use 6lb test just because it is the most easy to get. Hoping to get some 3-5lb range in the future though!
I think the kinematics of casting have some similarities to cracking a whip. The right inputs on the big end will maximize the effect at the skinny end.
It’s all physics!
Brian Flieshig of Mad River teaches fly casting (with a fly rod) and his analogy to the wrist movement is like flicking paint off the end of a brush or throwing a dart. In this case, instead of waiting for 20+ feet of line to load, it is pretty instantaneous with a 2' of line and a tiny jig. I thought the camera view of "loading the rod" at 14:21 in the video was a perfect teaching moment. Also that side cast is something used often to sort of get under the wind on windy days (A Roland Martin tip) which in this case also could help to lengthen the cast a bit.
@@baronistheone I use my 5'6" spinning rod on windy days specifically because I can side/underhand cast it and shoot out just above the water and get the line down on the surface before the wind has a chance to blow a big belly in it. Brian Flechsig is great. I watched a bunch of his old DVD flyfishing tutorials years ago.
"at least we are on the board" amen to that !
Any fish is a good thing, especially the first one :)
I am curious to the reasons why you don't like the 13 fishing reel. I am currently shopping for a new ul, they have a setup that is 6'2" with a 1000 series reel. Thanks for a great video
The one I owned just felt clunky and not smooth compared to what I’m used to. I’m sure they work fine but it just didn’t feel right to me. Personal preference!
What reel size do you normally use. I’m new to ultralight fishing, and want some tips on what is recommended. I’m getting a temple fork outfitters 7ft ultra light, Piscifun carbon x ll size 2000.
I almost always use a size 1000. I’ll bump up to a 2000 if I feel it will balance better or I want more capacity.
3 rods and reels to consider. Rods at 1/64 oz rating Hi Tech SUL rod $15 Denali Pryme $60 Kastking Kestrel $90 Reels KK Zephyr SFS $70 Tica Cetus $60 Piscifun Carbon X $60
Thank you for the suggestions! I will look into them :)
Just learning to try and fish light stuff with spinning rewl, so appologiese if this is stupid question but with only using a 2lb line, wouldnt that increase the line breaking off on snags more/things of that nature, etc.. ? Not tring to debate, just asking question.
100% it will. Pros and cons of fishing with ultralight gear.
One of the most deadly panfish tactics.I know where I live is waiting around and pitching ahead through really thick tangled trees logs dead falls and wheat beds. Sometimes I'm only in fifteen inches of water catching fish. In these conditions, the fish are so spooky that no jighead, bobber, bubble, or sinker can be used, so I am "free-lining" half nightcrawlers or sometime Gulp minnows. It's literally impossible to cast overhead because of the trees. I'm often pitching out line ahead of maybe three times the length of my rod maximum. So it's very specialized but a six foot rod with very few guides a stiff middle, fast taper and soft tip is exactly what you need for this. I usually go with four pound line because the fish are going to immediately start swimming through the logs. And where I'm fishing for bluegill, there are often bass up to twenty inches. The up-side is, if you can sneak up on the fish, they can not stand watching that worm sink that slowly. My one innovation is that sometimes a perfectly clear plastic bead,, about 3/8" dia. CAN used right ahead of the hook.
Mid Michigan here. Wonder where you're based. Would love to run into you sometime and pick up more tips on micro fishing.
I am on the west side of the state. Feel free to DM me on instagram if you have it.
Do you recommend the Dobyns over the TFO trout and panfish for throwing your lures for trout?
Probably not. The TFO is softer and is probably better for most trout applications.
Thanks for the vudeo
Great video, I've noticed one thing though. You seem to be righthanded, you cast with right then you switch sides when using the reel. Wouldn't it be way easier to have your reel handle on the left sinde, so you don't switch sides that often? Cheers!
Hey Leeroy! Yes and no… I have played with a LH retrieve but it’s tremendously uncomfortable for me and I’m not coordinated properly to work my bait the best way. I find that I catch way more fish by simply switching hands. In an ideal world, I would have learned to avoid this though.
@@FishAnything I do the same thing for the exact same reasons😂😂
I'm struggling to find a good line choice for distant, i started with sunline super mono 4lb, throwing your 1/32 mule heads and getting okay distance, then switched to 6lb sufix 131 G Core to 4lb mono and feel like I've lost distance when using a 1/32 jig head, I travel the country and fish full time so, not sure 2lb mono or braid would be my best option, I have the TFO 6"6 UL paired with a shimano vanford 1000, any suggestions? Would like to stick to the Braid to leader combo for best casting distance
I’d get a smoother braid like spro finesse or Daiwa j braid. Sufix might be a bit more wirey which cuts down on its velocity out of the spool.
Hey Ethan Been wanting to get into BFS reels lately. Can you get almost the same distance with bfs as you would with spinning?
Not for true ultralight lures. I find that BFS is good for the light lures (1/16oz or so) but can be challenging for anything a lot lighter than that. You can cast it, just not as clean and effective as a spinning reel.
@@FishAnything hmm. I might get it for 1/8 oz jig heads bc I’m finding it less fun fishing with spinning. I don’t have the equipment to throw 1/8 oz jig heads bc it seems too heavy for my ultralights reels. Although I did have a blast catching a 22” striper on ultralight with a 1/32oz jig head with a 2” keitech :)
Hello from Italy. I've never understood why you hold the reel backwards 🧐 I mean: I'm right-handed, I cast with my right hand, I hold the rod with my right hand and with my right hand I jerk, twitch, and work the fish in combat. I spin the reel with my left hand. I use the reel with my right hand when I do deep sea fishing, then I have more of a winch than a reel and I turn the handle with my right hand because it is stronger.
I have 3 500 sized Shimano on my rods. I have a super ultralight St croix trout 5’4” with a sahara fj 500 on 2 lb test. Then a 6’6” st croix avid ultra light with a shimano sedona 500 on 3lb and finally a 6’ st croix Avid panfish UL with another Sedona 500 on 4lb and ill range between the 3 setups from 1-32 - 3/16. Sometimes i’ll throw 1/4oz but i believe at that point it becomes a light application so it defeats the point of UL.
A product called "reel magic" will do all the things it says on the can, one of which is cast farther. You spray it on the line directly on the reel. Good stuff. Got it at Acadamy sports.
I will have to try it out!
I need to know. What is your go to always got good luck with it. What lure and what color and what color jig head and size
Hmmm a seemingly easy question but I throw different colors all the time. I’d probably say a Chartreuse 1/32oz Mule Jig with a True Chartreuse Donkey Tail Jr.
Do they make 7 foot telescopic rods? I have just a little Shakspear travel Rod and its barely 5 feet. Its okay for the tiny trout pond but even then I can't cast things like a trout magnet very far. With a bobber I can maybe sent is 35+ feet but that's a lot of work. 😅 Thanks in advance.
Telescopic rods exist, but in my experience, they are not made with near the quality of a standard rod blank so casting is always a challenge. I would probably look at the 7' Daiwa Presso Travel Rod. Not telescopic, but it does break down and fit in a rod tube.
Lure line weight and rod power and action are all important for effective casting. I look at it this way, are you flicking a booger off your finger? Or tossing a boulder from a catapult? A booger is so small and light you wouldn’t hold your arm straight and pivot to get it off, you’d curl your finger and flick it very fast to get it to fly. A boulder you couldn’t flick, it’s so heavy it needs that big long heavy catapult arm to move it through the air without breaking.
Good comparison! I will now refer to my ultralight lures as boogers :)
@@FishAnything “the mule booger! In stores now!”
Any thoughts on the Ugly Stik Elite Ultralight? I just started bass fishing this year using an Ugly Stik Elite 7' Medium spinning rod and I've been happy with it so far. I'd love to target more species (crappie, perch, trout) so I've been eyeing the 6' 6 Ugly Stik UL. Having a 2-pc option is also important to me. Thanks in advance!
Check out the new Ugly Stick Carbon Crappie rods. A good assortment of UL sizes. I haven’t tried one yet but I have hinted hard to my wife that I want the 6’ carbon crappie for Christmas. So I hopefully I get to try it out soon.
I have been using the 7’ Ugly Stick Elite ultra light for a few years and it is a great rod. Casts the small mule jigs with no problems and has the back bone to land large bass, cats and carp when they get in the way.
@@Triaz357 thanks, I’ll check it out. Hope your wife took the hint!!
@@fish2reelaxfishing662 awesome, thanks. Do you find that it’s sensitive enough for crappie and trout?
@@YungTry70 I have used it for both
I'm using 2lb braid, the only problem is that it can often dig into itself on the spool and on occasion it can lead to the jighead or leader breaking off
Yeah 2lb braid is crazy. That is extremely low diameter!
@@FishAnything it's .03mm or less. 4lb will be my go to for the future. It was more for the fun of being extreme
I always cast in a big arc when I do overhead. I can't get past 15 feet on a side cast. What am I doing wrong? When should Iet go of the line? Wait until I am pointing the rod where I want it?
Watch that part where I slow down my snappy cast a few times and try to replicate that. All a flick of the wrist and let go right as it’s getting towards the area you’re aiming.
Do you think a 64th Oz would be to light for 6 pound sufix nano braid ?
Nope! I think it would do just fine with the right rod. I haven’t used my nano braid yet but I have a 3lb spool ready to throw on a reel
Having a hard time with wind knots. My rod is rated for 1/64 but even with 1/16 lures if I try to cast further I windknot. Using 4lb mono, it’s not overspooled and it’s not really a windy day. Is it my technique?
Sorry to hear this! If I was a betting man, I’d guess there is some kind of line issue. It’s so hard to say without seeing it.
I use a #0.2 PE braid mainline and a short fluorocarbon leader of 2 lb (0.12) and rods rated between 0.2 - 4 grams
Sounds like you’re a true ultralight angler!! Love it
I'm running a 5' 6" St Croix Ultra-Light, Fast Action rod with a Pflueger President 2500: 6lb Braid w/ 4lb Fluro Leader: so far I'm enjoying the action. Going to trade out the brand of braid, as the Fireline for sure has too much memory.
Great setup! And yeah dude you will be stoked when you change it out for J Braid or Spro Finesse Braid. Those lines cast 5X farther than Fireline with micro baits.
I had bad luck with varivas blue moon 2.5lb Constant wind knots until it ate my spool up. Had even worse luck with sunline small game both JDM lines
Wind knots? Wow that’s kind of surprising. I like the line for what it is, but I prefer co polymer by far. So much stronger.
@@FishAnything I may try that next. Is copolymer as invisible as fluoro ?
Is it ok to cast maximum lure weight on ultralight set up rod rated 1-7grams and using a 7g metal jig lure with 4lb braid ?
Yeah, it is fine to cast on the high side of your ratings. Just make sure you are easy on your rod. Casting something higher than your ratings full force may cause some problems, but as long as you are cognizant of that, you shouldn't have issues.
Quick ? how many feet should you be able to cast a 1/32 jig. Thanks
On a decent ultralight I’d say around 50 feet? I am not great at judging that stuff so that’s just a rough guess. I’ll try to measure some soon.
Lots of good information. I just couldn't help cringing every time you had to switch hands between casting and reeling. Move your crank to the other side of the reel and crank with your left hand.
Thank you! Not sure why it makes you cringe though lol. Just what feels most comfortable to me! I am more accurate casting with this hand and more comfortable presenting a lure with the other.
Dang wife texting about errands. Lol
Lol to be fair I probably do the same to her while she is doing things she likes!
@FishAnything I know what you mean bro 😃
Nice to see somebody else being a lefty on the rod, lol
Where are you in MI?