castomatic fishing reel Tiny Baitcast Black Clam Pack tested reel—now 1.5 ounce lighter Feather Chromium Casting Fishing Reels

I always start off using whole fish with the heads, gills, blood and guts in tact

Best to Put a Beating On: Abu-Garcia Veritas PLX VTCRCW70-6 Pros Super-comfortable, ergonomic reel seat Robotically optimized guide train Nicely balanced Cons The jury is still out on whether white handles will resist dirt and grime Key Features Length: 7 feet Power: Medium heavy Action: Fast White closed cell EVA split grip handles These Veritas rods, with white blanks and white EVA handles, look like they shouldnt be able to get down and dirty, but when it comes to performing on the water, theyre one of the best baitcasting rods for bass and taking a beating

Here you can feed line off the reel with a controlled spool drag system

I started to think about taking a second look at using baitcasters for steelhead several years ago after experimenting with a friends new reels on a late summer bass outing

The cold also slows down a bass metabolism so fast-moving baits can be tossed out too