Spin To Win

It’s no conspiracy theory that Texas’ coastal waters have received a significant increase in angling pressure in recent years. Thanks to “work from home” jobs, even a weekday outing can feel a bit crowded on the water. This gives our flats fish fewer rest days and can make catching them increasingly difficult.

Being a guide, I must be prepared to take anglers of all skill levels in a variety of conditions. This is where a spinning rod truly shines. A spinning rod properly set up can allow an angler to cast a light lure greater distance, placing a small offering within the strike zone of a fish that may not be willing to hold within a hundred feet of a skiff. Stubbornly sticking with a fly rod could land you a goose egg on a day when the fish can be a bit negative. Some anglers are just fine with that, and I totally get it. Believe me, I’ve caught my fair share, yet I still like to catch a few even of the toughest of days.

To me, a spinning rod is just another useful addition to the angler’s tool kit. Much like you wouldn’t work on your broken-down truck with only flat-head screwdrivers, I don’t leave the dock with only one type of rod and reel. Unless, of course, this is requested by a client that is “fly or die” and sees a spinning rod as some form of taboo.

To achieve presenting a finesse bait to wary redfish on a gin-clear flat, you’re going to need the right stick. Although I’m still hunting down the absolute perfect spinning rod for this purpose, I have gathered a good basis of data to work from. A power rating of medium-light is a good starting point; however, this can vary slightly based on the manufacturer. For length, 7 feet to 7 feet 2 inches is good for the job at hand although some may argue that a 7 feet 6 inch rod with a slower action is just right for casting a light bait. Keep in mind, however, we still want to be accurate at shorter distances for sight-fishing opportunities.

Line ratings can be a bit squirrely in this class of rod. Currently I have medium-light spin rods with ratings from 6 to 8 pounds, 4 to 10 pounds, and 6 to 12 pounds. All of these rods are suitable for the 8 pound test braided line I plan to use. The rod manufacturers lure rating is probably the most important specification to pay attention to for selecting this type of rod and I have found them to be fairly accurate. For the sight-fishing scenario, I’m looking for a rod that is designed for 1/8 ounce lures on the low side, and anywhere from 1/4- to 1/2-ounce on the high side.

In addition to the length and action playing large roles in my rod selections, there are two other small, yet important details I look for in a light-tackle spinning rod.  First, is the placement of the hook keeper so that it’s not likely to hang the line during a cast. This could be on the top side of the blank just above the reel seat, or if it’s a split grip, in between the butt and reel seat. The most foolproof is actually no hook keeper at all. The majority of the time, clients will place the hook on one of the eye guides frames anyway. The second small detail I look for is the style of the tip guide. My preference here is one that is at least as large (or even larger) than the last running guide, with curving support braces to enable line to flow freely and combat the “tip wrap” that is so common when using light, braided fishing line.

My go-to reel to complete this combo is the Shimano NASCI in the 3000 size. I’m not on any kind of Pro-Staff with Shimano; this is just a truly great reel for the money. Now that you have a reel, you need some line. I recommend filling about 1/4 of the spool with 8 pound test monofilament for backing. Mono will lock onto the spool better than tying braid directly and will save you money each time you respool. For the main line, I prefer four-strand braid. Lately, I have been liking Cortland Master Braid. As mentioned above, I tend to favor 8 pound test. If you’ve never thrown anything this light, you may want to start with 10 or 12 pound test and then work your way down after building confidence. Following the main line, you’re going to want a leader. Not only will a leader give you some shock absorption when trying to land a fish boatside, it will also give you something to grab, keeping the thin braid from cutting your fingers like a knife. With 8 pound test braid, I prefer to make a stepped leader and start with about 2 to 3 feet of 12 pound fluorocarbon tied with a uni-to-uni connection knot. From there you can connect about an 18 inch section of 20 pound fluorocarbon with a blood knot. This is the most reliable leader I have found that’s easily repaired on the water. Believe me, I have tried all the fancy, new-fangled braid to leader knots.

So now that you’ve got the right rod, reel, line, and leader, you might say, “Well, what lure should I tie on?” I like to start with a small paddletail for most flats fishing scenarios. Over the last couple of years, I’ve favored the Down South Burner Shad with a 1/16 ounce KWigglers 2/0 jig head. If you need to downsize from there, I like the Gambler 3 inch TZ, which would pair well with KWigglers’ new 1/0 jig heads.

When the wind picks up and there’s lots of grass starting to snag your hook, switch to a Johnson 1/8 ounce weedless gold spoon. If the wind gets downright snotty, bump up to a 1/4 ounce spoon, which with this rod and reel combination you can throw a country mile. On the flip side, when it’s dead calm, sunny, and the fish are scared of their own shadow, fall back to a lure as old as time that not many people use anymore – the bucktail jig. A 3/16 ounce bonefish style head on a 2/0 hook tied in all white can be a deadly bucktail for sight-fishing. Throw this a bit beyond a targeted redfish and reel it up to their nose; let it drop; then when the fish moves towards the jig, lift your rod and watch the fish inhale it!

A light spinning outfit, like the one we have covered here, is a great tool to add to your arsenal. You can put a very fishable combination together for around $300. In addition to being a great rod for spooky redfish, it can also help an angler of any skill level throw small lures greater distances, thereby increasing their catch ratio a bit. So, next time you’re at your local tackle shop, pick up a new medium-light spinning rod and 3000 size reel. Don’t be surprised if it becomes your favorite combo in the boat!