Taking my fiance on a falcon getaway. Problem is she hasn't got the hang of a baitcaster yet. I know a spinning reel might work but I'm booking for other options. Anyone used a zebco type trigger reel? We are going to be throwing jigs and cranks. Any advice is appreciated.

Man, tighten down the baitcaster and keep her a workin. She'll need it on Falcon.

set her up with a good spinning rod and reel with some 20lb braid.

If she can't handle a baitcasting or spinning reel then maybe the Daiwa Silvercast Reel might work.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Daiwa_Spincast_Silvercast-A_Reels/descpage-DSC.html

It will handle 100 yards of 12# test.

Spinning reel with braid. Best option outside of a bairltcaster.

She won't hurt herself with this reel. A spinning reel with braid might get wrapped around her finger.

If she can cast a baitcaster but is having problens with backlashes. Take the baitcaster cast it out pull a few more feet off and put a peice of electrical tape over the spool. That way she gets the power of the baitcaster and the backlashes pretty much go away. If she has them it's just small and not the over lapping ones that are a pain. After a day without the frustrations of backlashes she will start to get the hang of it.

Penn Saltwater reel with Braid or 25lb line.

As a female who just learned to use a baitcaster a little over a year ago, give her a baitcaster, tighten it up and just let her learn. I'm SO glad my boyfriend did that to me. At the time I was furious, cussed him and told him I hated fishing. I think there were even tears at one point. It took me about 4 hours of solid fishing to get the hang of it, enough to not backlash every cast. It took about 2 or 3 trips to really get the hang of it. Now I can cast as far as he does and have more Revo STXs than he does. She will be SO much happier on a baitcast reel than some sort of Zebco. Just take the time now to make her learn. And maybe you'll end up lucky like my boyfriend, a year later and I want to fish as much as he does. We are on the lake at least two weekends a month and just won our first couples tournament this past Sunday on Rayburn.

Get her a Zebco 33 with a med rod and 10/12 lb. line. She will thank you for it and have a good time.

If and when she gets serious about fishing you can teach her to use a baitcasdter in the backyard.

Nothing wrong with the KISS principle.

Get her a baitcaster and hit a local park or even the backyard if you cant get to a local lake before the BIG trip!

haha great story and gratz on the win!! There you have it.

If she's really wanting to get into fishing buy her a baitcast and teach her before y'all go. If she's going, more just to hang out with you. Then go with a zebco, people have been reeling in fish for years on them... And the main idea is having a good time.... That's hard to do working out a nest every 3 or 4 cast.

Best of luck

I took my wife to the Bass Pro in GrapeVine, they hooked her up with a baitcast and then they showed me how to open the real adjust the brakes or maybe its called clutches, afterwards I had her working with it in the back yard with a practice wieght. The only draw back is she is getting better and her feal for the bite is better than most. the great side of it is that I get to do more fishing.

There is NO CRYING IN BASS FISHING!! (The bad stuff that happens just makes good stories!)

If you've held one of those Zebco setups, you'll know how uninspiring it is. They have terrible balance. A good solid, balanced setup will feel much more comfortable. It just takes time. Anyone can throw a baitcaster.

I bought my brother a Currado, and he did the tape thing to get the hang of it. Just draw out an average casts worth of line and tape the spool. Start with some decent weight, and if she's has any desire to fish, she'll get the hang of it.

I think there are plenty of tough enough spinning reels out there. The seem to have heavier drag than most baitcasters to me. You can put braid on em.

Everone is different and everyone likes different things. I know my wife enjoys fishing with me on occasion, but she is a "spincast only" type of lady and has no interest in learning to use an open face reel, let alone a baitcaster. From your post "she hasn't gotten the hang of a baitcaster yet" tells me you might be in a different situation as I take it that she has tried to throw one before.

I think its all about what she's willing to learn, practice, and experiment with.

The other issue I see is that you are talking about going to Falcon. First off, I've never been there ... but from the hundreds of posts on Falcon I've read here, I assume that you need "heavy equipment" I would say that a simple Zebco 33 might not be suitable for that lake. If you are going to go with a spincast, I would instead consider a Zebco Omega (and it may still be not rugged enough for the hogs down there) or a Zebco 808.

Good luck and ya'll have fun down there!!!

Just give her the net she can catch all the fish you bring in seriously I would probably just get a big spinnging set up with some 65lb braid and mh-h action rod. If you don't have time to teach her a casting set up.

Get a 7'0" or so MH spinning combo. Put 20-30 lb braid on it and let her go to work. If the water is fairly clear, put about a 4' - 20 lb. flouro leader on it by double uni.

In the long run, the baitcaster will pay off to learn. If you want her to have a good time on this trip, I would go with the spinning set-up I mentioned. I tried this very thing with a wife a few years ago at Caddo. It was a BAD first day. then It is better to let her catch some fish and start having a good time, then ease her in to the baitcaster. Things will go much better on and off the water.

This is what my girlfriend. Gave her a 1/2oz rattletrap with no hooks and had her cast it. Took about 2 hours at the park and about 4 hours on the lake for her to be decent. Its well worth it. I keep telling her that 90% of the fish you catch are within 60ft of the boat so that was her goal distance with a bait, and she accomplished that.

And remember 30lb braid diameter is about 8lb test as to where 65lb braid diameter is 16lb. Guys are worried about fish seeing line and will go and throw an a-rig with wires everywhere.. sorry rant over lol.

+1

also a quality baitcaster and line helps

That will NOT work at Falcon. The bass out there will destroy that set up and 10-12 pound line would be a joke out there.
Have her learn how to use the baitcaster before the trip.

A Shimano Citica is easy to learn with and spool it up with 20 pound Seaguar Invizx and a m/h action rod. That way she will at least have a fighting chance at getting the fish in the boat.

If they don't know how to hold your rod, or work your worm, find a new one!

Man life is funny. I too am taking my girlfriend down to falcon in Feb. Was in the same situation u are. After reading this I decided to take her out in the front yard and give her a lesson. After about 10 minutes and ten backlashes I could feel the frustration building in both of us. I live on a 9 hole golf course and the #2 and #11 tee box is just in front of the house. As I am picking out another backlash one of the members rolls up to tee off and sees us and starts laughing at me. He says your not trying to teach her youself are you. I nod yes and he says you go sit up on the porch and don't say a word. He takes her out in the yard and after about 15 minutes he has her making some pretty good cast with no backlashes. He tells her to keep practicing and he'll be back after playing 9 holes. He tells me to leave her alone and not to give anymore instructions just let her practice. With each cast she just keeps getting better and better. About an hour later he is back to tee off again on #11 he spends maybe another 10 minutes with her showing her stuff and then he tells her to keep practicing and then comes over to the porch and laughs and grins. I say how did you do that !!! He says my wife is the same way I can't teach her anything. You have to let someone else show them they listen and learn everything alot easier that way. I just laughed and shook his hand and said THANK YOU VERY MUCH. We were out there for 3 hours total. After my first ten minutes with her she had only 2 or 3 backlashes and and fixed them all herself. LOL He did say to try and get her to practice everyday for 30 - 40 minutes until our trip.