How to Setup Ark Gravity BFS Reel for UL Fishing on Tsurinoya Dragon C602UL Rod for Beginners

[@rawrfishing]

Note on Slack Line Fishing: So after some discussion with experts, I was informed that for REAL slack line fishing (apparently I still have a bit of tension, some folks watches my video super duper well lol) Fluoro line is actually better since it's stiffer and so you can feel it better.

[@noobpyrotech9991]

When I am measuring the length of line for the spool; I just measured with a long tape measure and walk out the line. I will say Varivas had a good idea of marking their line midway in their PE BFS line.

[@rawrfishing]

Yes! Metered line is amazing! Not everyone buys those... But I do and love em!

[@rougaroux2359]

Jimbo thanks for a couple things that I wasn’t thinking about that you brought to light. Doing the math without a line counter and the leader knot. I had been using a double Uni Knot and it was getting hung up in the top line guides. Jimbo brothr I’m always learning something new from each video of yours pal. Thank you for your time doing these videos.

[@rawrfishing]

U bet! Do note that IPT is usually reported closer to max capacity... So the number is usually less for what we do. So add a few more cranks! I think it was around 60 cranks to hit 125 feet when I counted and measured...

[@rougaroux2359]

@@rawrfishing I’m not sure if I told you but right now my reel that I am using until I get the Ark is the small spool Gekkibijin. It is the one that has the more narrow spool. I believe it is the PE only version if I am not mistaken. But again pal take care and keep those lines tight and the lips sore.

[@rawrfishing]

@@rougaroux2359 yes sir! The gekkabijin is the PE special edition of the Aatw. Enjoy the spring bite!

[@JoeHazlet]

You always give out a lot of great info in a way that is easy to understand with precise demos. That is easy to follow. You are a great help to your community. Be blessed. My friend.

[@rawrfishing]

Thx, that's the goal of my videos! The niche will keep growing even if I stop making videos! A huge library will remain for years to come!

[@PsychoSynoptic]

My man giving the ark more love. Thanks for coming back to it as this reel has just become my baby.

[@rawrfishing]

I may be a huge Daiwa fan... But I can't buy em all... If I need a 2nd alternative... This is it! Best UL bfs reel for the buck! I said it was gonna be number 1 US release... Even with the 2 new Daiwa reels just dropped... This reel is number 1 still! We shall see if something will take over before it's 1 year old anniversary!

[@williamtomlin9983]

Awesome info now I can set up my ark reel waiting for BFE to get rods back in stocks. Thanks Jimbo

[@rawrfishing]

Very soon! They were orders 2 weeks ago and the reels were shipped last week per BFE. Rods coming in soon too.. China mail lol

[@michaelmcgee5454]

Great content. My buddy is interested in getting into BFS for panfish. I will definetely point him towards this video. All the setup basics are covered well in an understandable manner.

[@rawrfishing]

thank you for the kind words! I am sure your buddy would love to use this setup for some panfishing!

[@greenpea9412]

I love Varivas line. I have switched over to that brand on all my reels.

[@rawrfishing]

They are great lines

[@pacman_17]

Great video. This is the ultimate BFS setup guide but most of it still applies to conventional baitcasters too.

[@rawrfishing]

Thx man. Yes it can definitely work for convention BC reels. Just need to pair the right rod line and reel and ur good to go!

[@millriverbbq2025]

Great video! I just received the Ark Gravity BFS reel and Varivas 4 today. Very helpful information for setup.

[@rawrfishing]

@@millriverbbq2025 thx for the kind words, let me know if u have any questions. This reel is still in my reel rotation for the season! Been fishing it for trout!

[@rogerburton904]

I have the ark gravity paired with dobyns ultra finesse 701c. It's an amazing reel,actually purchased from bfe!

[@rawrfishing]

Sweet man, what sort of fishery you use it for and what lures do you like to fish with on bait finesse?

[@rogerburton904]

@@rawrfishing mostly crappie fishing the 1/16 flash back mini, and some zman micro finesse can cast farther than I can see on my livescope.

[@rawrfishing]

Hotness! I wanna see live scope in action one day!

[@rogerburton904]

@@rawrfishing it will spoil you, thinking of making a power bfs for bigger smallie and largies. Which reel would you recommend I was leaning towards curado on a cashion bfs medium light. Thoughts?

[@rawrfishing]

Curado is nice! If u don't care for a drag clicker... Give the Daiwa Alphas SV TW 800S a shot! Sleeper reel!

[@theoriginaltech019]

I highly suggest the Ark Gravity Bfs as well! After watching you cast test it, I decided to purchase it and got it on sale for 112.49$ and after using it for about a month I gotta I am super impressed. I've been casting lil ned rigs in 30+ mph winds without backlashing. Took some adjusting and working on how to cast but man I am impressed. Great job with the videos! Always on top of the game!

[@rawrfishing]

Glad you like it and agree! I feel that the Ark Gravity bfs reel gonna be top best bang for the buck ul bfs reel for at least a year of its release. (mainstream US market)

[@theoriginaltech019]

It's been some of the most fun i've ever had fishing. I fish a TON of ponds so it was extremely worth it to me to find something to replace the spinning rod. The build quality feels amazing for the price. I honestly have no complaints. So much easier on the body as well compared to throwing a 7 3mh all day. @@rawrfishing

[@rawrfishing]

That is awesome! Definitely fun to use a ML or even L rod for pond hopping. I haven't thrown a MH for a long time! It's either UL, L, ML or up to H and swimbait size lol

[@swimking101]

Great informative video! I'm new to bfs and I appreciate all the knowledge.

[@rawrfishing]

Thx mate! Hope u slay em with bait finesse!

[@thatcantbeso]

I swear u made this video for me

[@rawrfishing]

Glad you feel that way because it's what many folks have asked for. Let me know if u got questions

[@gregchilders7643]

Was going to get the ark gravity bur bfe is out of stock .Want to get something for trout here in NJ would you recommend the tsu genius?

[@rawrfishing]

It's coming, ordered 2 weeks ago and shipped last week per BFE. Genius is okay, but it's night and day for performance! Ark goes down way lower.

[@pequenioedgarito3067]

I got my Ark Gravity BFS baitcaster in Dec 2023. And tomorrow, I go fishing with it. Thank you for the tips. Question: have you tried using. 6lb mono instead of briad? Can u do a bfs test like that?

[@rawrfishing]

Nice! Enjoy! While I never done a test like that for the Ark, I have done it for the genius. It was terrible for the UL side of things. Impacted my casting tremendously. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmjHZGluo8qKaZo

[@DixieNormous1]

Well, I got my ARK gravity BFS reel today paired it with some 6 pound cast king braid… put the brakes in the number two spot and adjusted the tension way down compared to normal… needless to say it will cast a trout magnet 66 feet pretty impressive 🙂 my Zephyr would never do that even with aftermarket bearings, no thumbing required

[@rawrfishing]

Glad ur enjoying it. Not all bfs reels are made to do the same thing! Zephyr is supposed to be for L and ML rods where the gravity is an all rounder that excels on UL! I wouldn't adjust a reel like a centrifugal braking reel tho. This reel is better setup like a Daiwa reel!

[@DixieNormous1]

@@rawrfishing I usually adjust side to side with no play like you taught us on here, but I had to go a few clicks further than that ,it’s still cast way out there

[@rawrfishing]

@@DixieNormous1 as long as it fits your fishing style, that's the most important! :)

[@synaptik111]

Thanks for this video Jimbo! What size MC bearings does it take?

[@rawrfishing]

Not sure since it already comes with micro bearings. No need to replace

[@synaptik111]

Thanks for the feedback - I'll leave the bearings alone

[@rawrfishing]

If u really need higher end ones... I would reach out to customer service to get that info! :)

[@synaptik111]

👍🏾

[@OneAndOnlyChi]

Just ordered my gravity bfs but I will be mostly useing it for bfs bass fishing. What line would you recommend? Was thinking about 6 or 8 lb braid to leader

[@rawrfishing]

I will be doing a lot more bass bfs fishing this year. Something Jimbo slacked on. My plan for this year is the Tatula BF70 with 0.8 gou braid (where as I used 0.6 for my UL). this will ensure that my harder hookset won't snap. 0.8 to 1 gou for ML power finesse bass fishing, depending on actual terminal tackle. Then leader materials for both can run anywhere between 6 to 10 lbs.

[@rougaroux2359]

Most bass fishing I’ve seen done is with .8 goh braid. I know that I’m not Jimmy but I’ve got a little knowledge from him about line. And honestly the Varivas 4 line is my go to.

[@rawrfishing]

nice lol! yeah 0.8 is gonna be a better choice since fish are gonna be likely bigger and u never know how damaged your 0.6 line can get. zero stretch lines can be dangerous and so we gotta up it just a bit as we need stronger hooksets for them weedless lures!

[@OneAndOnlyChi]

@@rougaroux2359 thanks

[@OneAndOnlyChi]

@@rawrfishing thank you.

[@vnin0v498]

About how much feet in leader line do you spool on? What would your recommendation be? Thank you for this! Just bought my whole setup today ❤️

[@rawrfishing]

That would depend on your fishery. But anywhere from 3 ft to a rod length is what I use

[@francescobiffi9852]

i have some problems when i fish 0.06mm or lower diameters of braided line because just after a cuple of fishing sessions it snaps right in the middle(not on the knots nor on the leader) and every time i have to trow away the entire spool of line and is becameing expensive, i noticed that when i use 0.10mm braid with a longer leader the line doesn't snap, do you konw by any chance what the problem is ? i would really like to start using again 0.06mm so that i can lighten the spool and cast further and have mor line in the spool.

[@rawrfishing]

Covered that topic during why you need leader! But also, you need to cast lighter.

[@francescobiffi9852]

​@@rawrfishing ok thanks

[@rawrfishing]

Ur welcome. It is also possible your guides are compromised... If it's damaged.. It will constantly fray your fragile braided line.

[@michaelpage8359]

Daiwa Gekkabijin, Shimano Aldebaran BFS, or Shimano Conquest BFS for all around BFS fishing. Money isn't a factor and I might do a little bit of saltwater mixed in but mostly freshwater. Also, where would the Shimano SLX BFS fall? Any others that would be up near the top to consider?

[@rawrfishing]

While those are all rounder bfs fishing reels, they all sit best on the UL side due to the smaller spools. While it can cast heavy lures on a ML rod, it may not out cast say an SLX bfs on ML for the heavier lures. A good way to make these smaller spool reels cast further on ML woukd be ditch the micro bearings and spool up more line so that it can add weight and also dispense more line per rotation. SLX would be a L and ML. I love mine for L tackle bfs fishing!

[@rawrfishing]

My fav reels are from Daiwa. UL would be aatw / gekka, L would be Tatula BF70 (not Salamandura air tw) and alphas SV tw 800s for ML

[@Psykout]

I did a ton of smallmouth fishing on Vermillion last season with a 6'8 L Expride and an Aldebaran. 10lb Suffix 832 Braid with 8lb Seaguar Invisx and it felt super great. If the pricepoint isn't an issue, that Aldebaran is quite nice.

[@rawrfishing]

Aldebaran is not expensive over seas wink wink! Yen is down! But I didn't like the new Aldebaran nor Shimano direction with the 28 mm spool. They should have stuck with the larger spool.

[@Psykout]

@@rawrfishing Do you think they opted for the smaller spool due to the rise in popularity of braid? I could see that being a factor in their decision making. I will admit that it does feel like a reel for finesse fishing larger fish, such as bass, rather than a BFS reel for very small baits or panfish.

[@thomasburns8375]

I have a question so I have a bfs reel and all I fish for is bass, bluegill and crappie. Could I use the 10 pound 0.6 varivas pe with a 8 pound suffix Invisiline fluorocarbon leader line, or does the leader line need to be lighter?

[@rawrfishing]

While that leader size is fine, it really depends on the rod length, power and your lure range. If ur using 8lb leader.. I assume u throwing heavier lures? While 10 lb braid is fine with that leader.. It's fragile as it got zero stretch. So it may snap when casting, especially if it backlash. I use 0.6 gou PE line for my UL and L rods and lures around 3.5 grams and below. I use 0.8 gou for 3.5 grams to 10 grams for L and ML rods or longer L rods I use 1 gou for ML power rods for 7 grams and up and also for lures with weed guards or needs to be Texas rigged. While these suggestions are based on my fishery, gears and fishing style, it should help ya get started and fine tune it for your setups and fishery. Let me know if u got any more questions

[@thomasburns8375]

Honestly the smallest thing I throw is about 2 grams and the biggest is about 6 give or take. and I haven’t bought a true bfs fishing rod yet because I’m conflicted on which one would be my best all around rod. But the reel I have is a Shimano 22 Aldebaran bfs xg. If you have any recommendations on line or rod please help me out, because bfs fishing is very new to me

[@rawrfishing]

If you are using 2 gram lures, U probably wanna use thinner leader materials. 0.6 gou for braid is plenty. I would drop it to 4 lbs. U can also use mono. Too thick of a leader material will impact small lures and it's action. I am not too picky when it comes to Leader line... U can use regular line rather than leader material as they are more supple and cheaper. Leader material are usually thicker and stronger for when you actually need it for some sort of abrasion resistance.

[@thomasburns8375]

I’m just making sure I understand this. Still use the varivas 4 10 pound 0.6. And drop the leader to 4lb? Will 4 pound still be heavy enough to throw like 5 gram lures?

[@rawrfishing]

4 lbs should be fine, depending on your fishery. the line that would snap is the PE line, not the leader. leader material stretches and can compensate. I would be more concerned with your 0.6 gou for your 5 gram lure. especially if you got a long rod and if you are a heavy caster. you can certainly up to to 6 lbs if you are not confident. but just keep in mind, the 4 lb recommendation was for the 2 gram lure!

[@Zz-id5qp]

Is there any difference between the ark gravity and the arise air? I know the gravity is supposedly smoother but if they perform the same and well maintained for long term usage I might get the arise. Or a reel that can cast from 1/32 to 1/4 oz at most.

[@rawrfishing]

I Dont know as I don't own the arise. I have heard that there were minor issues there. No surprise as I was never a fan of Haibo stuff. But their partners, ark, got a business agreement for em to build out their reels for the US market under Ark while Haibo can sell similar reels under Haibo to the Asian market. This reel should do what you want!

[@DangJon96]

What do you think of .6 on the aldebaran? Or should I go with .8 do you have feedback on which I should go for? Mostly trout fishing with the chance of steelhead if they decide they want to hook up

[@rawrfishing]

All depends on your application. I used 0.6 for UL and some L and 0.8 for L and ML and potentially 1 and up for ML

[@gerlor9425]

Does the line get stuck between the spool and frame when getting a birdsnest? I have that issue with my kastking and other cheaper CDM reels. It's a PITA having to open the spool and undo that mess when on the water.

[@rawrfishing]

Nope, but if u birdnest a lot, get this reel... Doesn't backlash as much as kastking reels when it comes to lower weights

[@moonmoua590]

By chance do you know how to get a hold of haibo? I lost my side plate and want to get another side plate.

[@rawrfishing]

Sorry, Haibo is not a brand I am familiar with other Than they manufactured reels for ark. That's one reason why I don't support CDM reels. Support is usually not available. Also I want to add that they are rude when I ran into them at icast!

[@per-cas]

What was the distance for 1gm and what break setting was think of the Comarant but maybe this Ark is a better alternative money saver your thoughts

[@rawrfishing]

You can view my cast testing session of this reel to see how well it casted a bunch of lures. That video was linked at the end screen. I have zero experience of the cormorant reel so I won't know. But that's one expensive cdm reel. Not worth the price... I would go JDM over cormorant

[@Demolitiondude]

Remember kids. Rocky V + Rocky II = Rocky VII, Adrian's revenge!

[@rawrfishing]

One of the greatest Heroes of Philadelphia is a fictional character!

[@RobbieMarks231]

Do I need pe line or is regular braid ok? I’m getting the pe anyways just wondering

[@rawrfishing]

@@RobbieMarks231 PE and braided are the same thing. U take polyethylene strands and braid them together :P

[@peggoty75]

what about bass fishing?

[@rawrfishing]

I would use 0.8 gou PE . Maybe 150 feet. Use a L or ML rod. You can do 6 to 8 lbs Fluorocarbon as well

[@leepao6302]

for me FG knot is a MUST; else straight flouro/mono; any other knots is useless

[@rawrfishing]

Whatever floats ur boat!

[@clockworkstellar]

I bought two of these and they are terrible. They screech, squeal, and scream with casting and make other unusual sounds when reeling in. I was surprised. I had high hopes.

[@rawrfishing]

@@clockworkstellar I got 3, no issues here. Perhaps a bad batch. Did u try oiling it? My Tatula been going through rain and wading and it got squeely. Just needed lube and it fixed.

[@clockworkstellar]

@@rawrfishing thanks for responding. I just figure since they are brand new, I should just return them. I ordered a Shimano Aldebaran BFS and Shimano Curado BFS. The price hurts but Shimano is the best in my humble opinion.

[@rawrfishing]

In my experience and opinion on the Alde 22 and Conquest 23, they were subpar. Under braked making it tough to fine tune quickly, especially with that silent tuned as you can't tell how much tension you have on. In addition, without dunking the Aldebaran in water, the thumb bar got stuck and takes about 2.5 cranks to pop back up. Happens maybe every dozen or two casts. Then the conquest, it certain does it as well, but I did wade one time and dunk under water slightly once. Might just need lubing, but for the price, THAT should not happen! If you want the best, Daiwa is King in my opinion. Been doing finesse BC reels longer than Shimano and have way more options to suit your needs!

[@clockworkstellar]

@@rawrfishing I just ordered a Daiwa Steez SV TW 24....I'll let you know if it is legit or not.

[@rawrfishing]

I never tried that high end... But I am curious so do let me know!