BFS 101: What It Is, How To Do It, And When To Try It Out

BFS (Bait Finesse System) isn’t a new method of fishing by any means, but it is a style that is getting more and more popular among anglers across the country. It uses specialized baitcasting equipment to cast super lightweight lures that you’d normally be using an ultralight spinning setup for. That gives you all the benefits of using a baitcaster, while also being able to cast tackle your normal setup can’t.

Whether you’ve never heard of BFS, don’t know where to start with BFS, or just want to learn more about this awesome method, this article is going to teach you everything you need to know.

BFS and ultralight spinning setups have a similar end goal, but different ways of getting there. Both of these setups are useful to you when you’re trying to cast light lures farther than a few feet.

The biggest difference between a BFS setup and an ultralight setup is the amount of control that you have. Ultralight setups can work great at covering water, but if you’re looking for a high amount of control or accuracy with your cast, it’s going to fall short. BFS is designed to take on this exact problem. With a BFS setup, you can feather the spool while casting, allowing you to slow down or stop the lure completely and drop it exactly where you want it. 

This allows you to fish a BFS system right up against cover, without risking casting too far and getting snagged in the weeds. BFS is going to be the better option when compared to an ultralight setup when fishing around docks, wood, vegetation, and rocks, where your casts need to be extremely precise.

Ultralight setups win with simplicity. A spinning reel is a pretty easy reel to learn, while the baitcaster in a BFS setup is going to take a lot more practice. This isn’t to say that BFS is too complicated to learn, just that you may be undoing a few bird's nests before you really get the hang of it if it’s your first time using a baitcaster.

So we know what a BFS setup is, but what should you actually be looking for when putting together your first one? Here’s what you need to know:

When picking out a BFS reel, you want to actually pick a BFS reel. It might be tempting to just do a little bit of research and find the smallest profile baitcasting reel you can in 5 minutes. That’s likely not going to be what you want. Instead, look for a baitcaster that is specifically designed for BFS.

The right BFS reel is going to have a shallow, lightweight spool on it that’s meant for the correct line for BFS (we’ll cover that in a bit). It will also be one that has low spool inertia, which makes it easier to cast those lightweight lures. If this is your first baitcasting experience, try to find a BFS reel that has a quality braking system built into it. This is going to significantly reduce the number of bird’s nests you get as you learn how to use it.

When it comes to choosing the right BFS rod, there are a few things to pay attention to. First, try to find a rod that’s actually rated for lures that you’ll be using when BFS fishing. These are going to be extremely light lures (1/4 ounce or less), so look for rods that specifically say they’re made to cast that weight, not just ones labeled light or ultralight.

When it comes to rod length, it’s going to depend on where you plan on BFS fishing. If you’re going out into the woods along a small creek for trout, chances are you’re going to want something in the 6-foot range to help with mobility and tight casting conditions. If instead you’re fishing a pond or lake, you might want to try something in the 7-foot range to give you some extra leverage for longer casts.

It’s also important to pay attention to the action of the rod. Using a rod with a more moderate action will be good if you’re using micro crankbaits, but a rod with a faster action will be better for jigs and soft plastics. If you plan on trying a bunch of different lures when BFS fishing, getting your first rod in the mid-range for action is your best bet.

Now that you’ve got your rod and reel figured out for BFS fishing, it’s time to spool it up with some line. Most anglers are going to want either braid or fluorocarbon for their mainline. Here are the benefits of each to help you figure out what’s right for you:

Braid is a great all-around option for BFS fishing. You can get very strong line that has a very small line diameter, allowing you to fight big fish and have enough line on the spool to cast wherever you need to.

With braid, you’ll most likely be adding a fluorocarbon leader to it. While you can tie braid directly to your lure in some cases, it’s much better to add on that leader to help make your lure look much more natural. This is especially important in finesse fishing, when the fish are going to be pickier than usual. Pay attention to the size of your main line-to-leader knot, as most BFS rods are going to have small guides, and knots that are too big are going to catch on the guides or won’t be able to go through them at all.

If you decide to go with braid, try starting in the 8 to 10 pound-test range. This gives you a strong enough line to fight most bass and other BFS species without any issues. If you know you’re only going to be using the BFS setup for panfish or small trout, you can opt for even lighter line to increase the amount you can get on your spool.

In some cases, it might be better to just spool on fluorocarbon instead. This provides low visibility and a ton of abrasion resistance. These are great features when the fish are really investigating what’s in front of them (braid might spook them), or if you’re fishing around dense cover where braid could get frayed.

If you decide fluorocarbon is the way to go, you should look for something in the 5 to 8 lb test range to give you enough strength to fight the fish you’re after, without worrying about the line diameter and filling up your spool too quickly.

Another nice feature of just using fluorocarbon is that you won’t have a leader line. As we mentioned above, that knot between the main line and the leader line might get stuck in some BFS rod guides, but with straight fluorocarbon it’s a non-issue.

Let’s talk about the best lures to use for BFS fishing. There are a lot of different options out there, but the three you need to pay attention to are micro cranks, small plastics, and tiny spinners. These cover a wide range of scenarios and species that you’ll encounter when BFS fishing.

Micro squarebills, shallow divers, and lipless cranks all fit into BFS methods really well. With all of these different styles, you’ll want to look for cranks in the 1/16 to 1/4 oz range, as these are the perfect size for BFS fishing.

Micro cranks do a great job of imitating baitfish, small bluegill, minnows, and other small fish that are prey to the fish you’re trying to catch. When using these lures, try to fish them near riprap, rocks, docks, weed edges, and other main points of structure that you can work them near.

Small plastics are another great option when BFS fishing. You can use swimbaits, finesse worms, grubs, craws, micro creature baits, and other small options that imitate food in your area. There are a few options for what to pair your soft plastic with as well.

If you’re going for the ultimate lightweight presentation, you can just use a regular hook that’s meant to be fished with that plastic and fish it weightless. If instead you need to get it down deeper in the water column or cast it even further, you can tie on a small jighead, ned jig, or even a lightweight Texas rig.

Small plastics are great to use when working around docks, laydowns, in weed pockets, or under overhanging trees. BFS allows you to use the soft plastic rigs you know and love, but size them way down and fish them in areas you can’t do with your regular baitcaster setup.

Using tiny spinners on a BFS rig is going to be a great option for trout, but it can work well for panfish and even bass as well. Inline spinners, micro spinnerbaits, underspins, and even spoons can get grouped into this category, and all can be fished well on a BFS setup.

If you’re fishing spinners on a stream, try to find current seams to work them through. If you’re on a pond or a lake, shallow flats, weed edges, and isolated areas of cover can all be the perfect place to tie on a tiny spinner.

There are a lot of different scenarios when a BFS setup makes a ton of sense to try. However, there are two standout scenarios that you need to try using a BFS rod and reel for.

Fishing in ponds that see a ton of fishing pressure can be a super frustrating experience. You know the fish are there, but you just can’t get them to eat anything you toss their way. This is a great situation for a BFS setup.

BFS allows you to downsize your presentations more easily, which is something that other anglers in the area who aren’t BFS fishing can’t do. While they’re out there tossing big glide baits, you should grab your BFS setup and try micro cranks and soft plastics. The bass likely haven’t seen these types of presentations, making them far more likely to strike what you’re casting.

Focus on areas in the pond with docks, laydowns, weed edges, overhanging trees, or windblown corners. When you find the right area to fish, stay back from the shore at first. If the fish are pushed up shallow, going directly to the edge of the shoreline is a surefire way to spook them. Instead, stay back and use the casting ability of your BFS setup to get your small lures out to them.

Another great time to break out the BFS setup is if you’re fishing in clear water. Whether it’s a lake, pond, reservoir, or stream, BFS in clear water is a great option.

When you’re fishing in water that’s extremely clear, stealth, casting distance, thin line, and natural presentations all become even more important than in other water clarities. Fish are going to be able to see you (or your shadow) if you get too close, and they can easily inspect every part of your presentation, so it has to mimic exactly what they’re looking for. BFS setups allow you to put these small profile baits right in front of them from a distance, while still mimicking what they want to eat.

If you’re fishing in clear water, you’ll want to focus on outside weedlines, isolated vegetation, transition areas, points, and areas with shade. You’ll also want to match the hatch as best you can; if you can figure out what the fish are feeding on, you’ll want to cast a lure that mimics it closely. Just like with pond fishing, if you can keep your distance from where the fish are at first and cast towards them, then work in as needed, that’s the best strategy with a BFS setup.

While BFS has historically been a more popular method for trout and bass, it’s beginning to see more and more traction with panfish anglers. Panfish are naturally feeding on small minnows, insects, and other tiny forage in the area, which means they’re going to love attacking the lures you’re able to fish with a BFS setup.

Most anglers are used to using their trusty ultralight spinning setup when they go out for a day of chasing panfish. But as we talked about before, there are some definite downsides when it comes to overall casting accuracy on that type of setup. That’s where BFS has really broken into the world of panfish angling. The BFS setup allows you to go after panfish in areas that you’re fishing that are riskier or downright impossible with a spinning setup.

If you always stick to live bait under a bobber, then sure, the ultralight spinner combo is probably for you. But if you want to test out some of the micro cranks, soft plastics, or spinners, that’s where BFS really helps for panfish.

If you’re going to use a BFS setup to target crappie, some great lures to start with are going to be 1-2” soft plastic swimbaits, micro soft plastics that mimic food in the area, and micro cranks. These all do a great job of looking natural and getting crappie to bite.

Look for areas near dock posts, brush piles, standing timber, weed pockets, or shallow spawning cover (if you’re chasing them in the spring or early summer). BFS is going to be the most helpful when these fish are holding tight to one specific piece of cover that requires an extremely accurate cast to fish around.

BFS setups are also great for targeting bluegill. For these fish, you’ll find the most success when you cast out tiny jigs with soft plastics, micro cranks, and small spoons. Each of these lures can look exactly like what the bluegill want to feed on in your area.

You’ll want to focus on areas like weed pockets, shaded cover under docks, shallow wood, and rocks when BFS fishing for bluegill. If you notice they’re pushing out into deeper water as temperatures rise, that can be a good time to tie on a heavier jig with micro plastic to target the bigger fish.

So far you’ve learned the basics of BFS fishing. You know what it is, what gear you need for it, where to try it, and what kinds of fish you might catch while doing it. While that will get you started, you’ll find that there are a few different methods out there that can really take your BFS experience to the next level. Here are three that you need to know about:

Skipping might just be the most fun way to fish a BFS setup. Because your BFS reel will have such a low spool inertia and a great brake system in it, you’re going to be able to skip a lot of lightweight lures across the water.

If you’re going to try skipping, maybe start out with some compact plastics that will cleanly skip across the water. You’ll want to toss it around docks, pontoons, overhanging trees, and other vegetation. This allows you to get your lightweight presentations into areas you normally couldn’t dream of casting into. Just be sure not to hit anybody’s pontoon.

You’ll want to cast your lure as low and parallel to the water as you can, allowing it to skip to your target. You’ll also want to feather your spool on those skips, since every time the bait makes contact with the water you’ve got a chance at getting a bird’s nest. If you’re doing this, start out with some shorter casts away from cover, and as you get better at it, work towards longer casts into more densely covered areas.

Micro-jigging is another great option to try on a BFS rig. Small hair jigs, crappie jigs, and finesse jigs are all made in tiny profiles and can work really well here. It’s best to pair these jigs with a micro soft plastic as well to add to the presentation. You can effectively use these in a few different ways.

First, try casting them out and swimming them back to you through suspended fish (like summer crappies in the middle of the lake). You can also try working these over the tops of grass flats, or let them sink down and hop them along rock piles.

Another option you can try with micro-jigs is to just do some good old-fashioned vertical jigging. If you can find some fish concentrated in an area, position yourself over them and drop it down. Be patient, as these jigs are going to take a while to get down to the strike zone. This can be especially effective on those days when you’re fishing from the dock, and the panfish are holding tight underneath you in the shade.

One thing you’re going to need to pay attention to once the fish is on is fine-tuning your drag for these lighter BFS lines. Whether you’re using braid or fluorocarbon, you’re typically going to be around that 5 to 10 lb test range.

With fishing line like that, you want to make sure you have a smooth drag performance while fighting fish, not just a tight drag. You want to set it just light enough that the fish are able to go on runs when they want to, while letting the backbone of your rod help absorb those pulls rather than the line on its own. If not, you might end up with a snapped line.

You also don’t want to fight back against the fish too hard on a BFS setup. You might get away with ripping bass out of the grass on 30 lb test braid, but you won’t on a BFS rig. Just let the drag and the line maintain pressure with the fish, and reel in when they stop going on a run. At most, you’ll want to add some pressure to the spool with your thumb to avoid letting fish go back into cover, but don’t hold down too long or you might lose your fish.