Over the years anglers and companies have perfected the art of crappie fishing and the Bait Finesse System for crappie is just one. While there are those that still prefer the old school ways of catching crappie there are those that have embraced the new school technologies for catching crappie. One of those new school ideas is the technique called Bait Finesse System or BFS for short. The technique was developed in Japan to catch hard-to-catch fish in pressured environments. Initially the BFS system was used to catch trout in shallow streams, but it was later adopted by bass anglers to cast finesse baits to hard to reach cover where the bass were holding.
The Bait Finesse reel has a lightweight and shallow line spool. This spool needs less weight to get it spinning on the cast allowing for the use of lighter baits that can be cast with a baitcaster. The BFS reel also has a smother drag than your typical baitcaster, the shallow spool also helps with this. There are other technical aspects to these reels but casting light baits and a smooth drag is all I need to know about them to catch crappie with a baitcasting outfit.
The rod is a vital part of the Bait Finesse System and can make or break your ability to cast light baits as far as the BFS is capable of. It needs to be strong enough to handle fighting fish while also sensitive enough to feel the bite. BFS rods have a light weight and fast action to make them as responsive as possible. They use lightweight graphite blanks that range in length from 5 to 7 feet with low line ratings of 2-8 lbs. A thin, ultra-fast tip section and large, light guides are key features that help light lures cast farther while still maintaining optimum sensitivity.
You can cast small lures accurately, detect subtle strikes, and effectively fight fish on ultralight lines with a high-quality BFS rods. To get the most out of this finesse system, make sure to invest in a BFS rod that is tailored to your requirements. I use a Phenix Bait Finesse System Rod and love it, you can check them out here www.phenixrods.com There are many other rod builders now offering BFS rods so they are not as hard to find as they once were.
Reasons I Like Using The Bait Finesse System
Over the years I have used spinning reels but never was a fan when making a lot of casts. An example is casting a shakey head worm all day in a bass tournament. While there are little tricks to help keep line twist at bay inevitably it will start causing issues. So, I used a baitcasting reel anytime I could but with light line and small baits a spinning reel was really the only option.
Today the Bait Finesse System offers another option and could almost eliminate the spinning reel from your arsenal when you need to use a weightless wacky worm or tiny swimbait like our Lil TUFFY Swimbait for crappie. I have even used my BFS for redear and bluegills. While I will admit that I haven’t mastered casting a 1/32 oz Hairy Cricket Jig but I can mange 25 to 35 foot casts and this is often enough. There are some that can cast much further but something I am still working on.
My main application for the Bait Finesse System is fishing brush piles for crappie. I have cast to open water crappie with it but prefer fishing brush piles myself. However, with practice you can accurately place your bait in front of a cruising crappie with the Bait Finesse System.
The way I fish for crappie in brush piles is to spot lock my trolling motor on a brush pile using my Minn Kota Ultrex. I use Garmin Livescope and have my transducer on a pole over the side of the boat. I can lock on a brush pile no matter where it is in relation to the boat. Having the transducer on the trolling motor would make my spot lock feature worthless.
I like to lock on the brush pile 30 to 40 feet away. Crappie can be skittish after being pressured and some say that the Livescope signal spook crappie so making a cast to the brush as far as possible helps. I use the wind in my face to keep the spot lock as accurate and quiet as possible. Facing into the wind will keep the trolling motor from hunting as the back of the boat swings in the wind. By keeping away from the brush, you can keep the shadow of your boat from casting over the fish which can alert them to your presence.
With the Bait Finesse System, even though it is a baitcaster, you can use light line. The reel is smooth enough and the shallow spool helps as well. I like to use 6-pound test when fishing for crappie in the brush but have used 4-pound test when the water is clear. The lighter line will also allow the bait to sink faster. This is important when fishing a 1/16 oz jig in 25 feet of water. A 1/16 oz head on my LiL TUFFY Swimbait is my go-to rig when fishing brush with my BFS. I have fished 1/32 oz jig for redear with it but I still need some practice to make casts with that small of a jig but it will do it.
In addition to the aforementioned reasons for using the Bait Finesse System for crappie fishing, there is one other aspect I particularly appreciate. When fishing deep cover, as I allow my bait to sink, I can watch, and when more line is needed, I just push the button on the BFS reel and pull some line out to sink deeper. This is so much more precise and less cumbersome as I watch my bait sink and work the Livescope pole. No more having to open the bail on a spinning reel to get more line, and that makes fishing brush piles for crappie much more efficient, allowing me to hit more brush in a day.
If you have thought about using the Bait Finesse System for crappie, I encourage you to give it a try. If you already use a baitcaster for bass or other fish then you will have no problem picking it up. Never used a baitcasting reel? There will be a learning curve, but with some practice, you will get it. I think you will enjoy using the Bait Finesse System for crappie, both in deep water as well as casting to shallow cover in the spring. Give it a shot, and good fishing.
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