Those who prefer fishing baitcasters over spinning gear will likely find a BFS reel enables more precise casting of lightweight lures than a spinning setup. (Photo courtesy of Rapala)
January 03, 2025
By Shane Beilue
As a kid, I loved the little balsa plane kits that were “lighter than air” and could glide long distances while riding the breeze. Some decades later, I still have an affinity for balsa, though now mainly in the form of crankbaits made from this soft, porous, lightweight wood. The subtle action of a balsa lure has the unique ability to catch cold-water bass when other lures fail, yet the thing that makes balsa such great glider material also makes it a challenge to fish. Casting a balsa crank is often akin to throwing a potato chip in the wind.
While some balsa crankbaits are internally weighted and offer improved casting, such as the Rapala DT Series or the Bagley Balsa B series, the balsa lures I like for shallow finesse cranking in winter are considerably smaller with minimal wobble. The No. 5 Rapala Shad Rap and the Rapala OG Tiny 4 are prime examples. Their small profiles and subtle actions provide a fusion of “finesse” with the “power fishing” tactic of shallow cranking.
I was first introduced to the appeal of this style of balsa crankbait by a friend more than 30 years ago. Fishing side by side with him from the deck of his boat on a frigid winter day, he caught three fish to every one of mine as he slowly cranked a No. 5 Rapala Shad Rap while I banged away with everything from shiny spinnerbaits to hard-charging plastic plugs. He resorted to 8-pound monofilament and a spinning reel to cast the balsa lure weighing just under 1/4 ounce, as the baitcasting reel technology circa 1990 couldn’t effectively cast the feathery Shad Rap beyond the boat’s gunwales.
The Rapala OG Tiny 4 features flat sides, a circuit-board lip and a tight wobble, making it ideal for finesse presentations. (Photo courtesy of Rapala) Though baitcaster technology has progressed significantly over the past several years, spinning tackle has remained the best approach for casting lightweight balsa plugs. However, growing up with a baitcaster in hand, spinning gear is challenging for me to use around shallow cover, as the inability to control the line throughout the cast equates to poor accuracy and a lack of distance control.
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BFS TO THE RESCUE When I saw my first BFS (bait finesse system) reel a few years ago, I thought the technology was interesting but shrugged it off as something for the niche enthusiast who wanted to cast tiny crappie lures for bass. As a devout power fisherman with a rod box full of 200-size baitcasting reels, I didn’t see the appeal of BFS until a manufacturer sent me their reel for a gear review. Needing to evaluate the performance, I dug through my tackleboxes for the lightest lure I could find, which was a 2-inch No. 5 Rapala Shad Rap weighing 3/16 ounce. After landing the first cast precisely between two shoreline bushes, this BFS skeptic became a convert.
As most anglers now realize, BFS technology centers around a highly specialized, ultra-lightweight spool that holds a mere 50 yards of line to reduce the overall weight and provide easier startup inertia to initiate the cast. A BFS spool consists of more air than material, as manufacturers drill out large portions of the spool, which is often weighed in grams instead of ounces. Most BFS reel frames are considerably smaller than the typical 200-size baitcaster frame, making them lighter and easy to palm. With an accompanying BFS rod that is soft and limber, a BFS reel can easily launch micro-lures as light as 1/16 ounce.
In addition to the impressive casting distances with ultra-light lures, BFS reels allow the angler to thumb the spool during the cast to precisely control distance. One can also return to the lower launch angle of the sidearm roll cast to land the lure with greater accuracy and a quiet lure entry. Lastly, a BFS reel offers the comfort of a traditional cranking handle and a faster gear ratio than a spinning reel, which simplifies speed control of the lure.
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Finesse cranking is a go-to technique during the tough fishing conditions that are characteristic of winter. (Photo courtesy of Rapala) WHERE TO FINESSE CRANK I resort to finesse cranking with a small balsa plug in winter months when the water is cold and the sky is high and bright—conditions considered difficult for catching numbers of bass. Cleaner water with visibility of at least 12 to 18 inches is better than muddy when water temps are less than 50 degrees.
Steeper shorelines toward the back ends of major creeks are key locations in winter and remain effective until early pre-spawn. The presence of scattered chunk rock or gravel virtually guarantees the presence of largemouth, spotted and/or smallmouth bass during these cold-weather months.
Casting to these steeper shorelines at a 45-degree angle, I want to land the crankbait right against the bank, as the bass will often hit on the first crank of the reel handle. It’s fascinating how shallow the bass can be, even in the coldest part of winter. Of course, a slower retrieve with the crankbait is best when the water is excessively cold.
A reduced spool capacity, small profile and low weight are hallmarks of BFS reels like the Shimano Curado BFS. (Photo courtesy of Shimano) THE SETUP My preferred setup for finesse cranking in winter is a hybrid approach, as I lean on the advanced technology of a BFS reel for precision cast control with the balsa crankbaits, but rely on a slightly more powerful rod and fishing lines that may be considered outside the realm of BFS.
Several reel manufacturers have jumped into the BFS game, with Japanese companies like Daiwa and Shimano being some of the first to enter the U.S. market. However, brands like Abu Garcia , Ark and KastKing also offer impressive BFS reels. My latest BFS reel, the Daiwa PX BF70, is representative of the advanced technology manufacturers are now offering. The smaller size-70 frame weighs 5.6 ounces and holds 50 yards of line. It has a traditional 90 mm cranking handle and an 8:1 high-speed gear ratio. Once a fish is in open water, the drag is extremely light, smooth and responsive to quick adjustments for handling a bass of almost any size. The Daiwa PX BF70 goes for $349.99, which isn’t inexpensive, but reasonable for a quality BFS reel.
I’ve experimented with various rod lengths and actions for finesse cranking and settled on a 7-foot, medium-action graphite rod instead of a designated BFS rod with a considerably lighter action. I want to maintain a semblance of control when a quality bass eats the crankbait near shoreline cover, and though I’m not horsing the fish to the boat, I maintain the ability to direct it with the slightly more powerful rod.
Choices abound when selecting a quality 7-foot, medium-action rod. I’ve been using a 7-foot 1-inch Fenwick World Class ($449; fenwickfishing.com ), which represents the length and action I like for finesse cranking. One can go even lighter in action with a 7-foot Kistler Helium ($250; kistlerrods.com ) in the “medium lite” designation. Again, the key is to find the right balance of flex for easier casting and absorbing the surge of a bass, while maintaining enough strength to direct the fish away from cover.
Line choices for finesse cranking are growing as manufacturers develop thinner “finesse” braids and improved fluorocarbon leaders for BFS fans. I fill most of the spool with 10- to 15-pound braided line tied to a 15-feet-long, 8-pound-test fluorocarbon leader. Braid offers good sensitivity for detecting the subtle wiggle of the balsa crankbait while also eliminating line stretch to better secure the bass with the sideways sweep of a hookset. Of course, fluorocarbon is virtually invisible beneath the surface, which is helpful in clear water.
Several finesse braids have emerged onto the market, such as Seaguar PEX8 , Sufix Nanobraid and SPRO Finesse Braid 8X . These lines are thinner in diameter than heavier “power” braids and cast farther. For the leader, Seaguar Tatsu or Gold Label fluorocarbon is abrasion resistant, but also thin and soft.
This article was featured in the December-January issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
