No worries at all sir! After more than four decades of using spinning gear, I was apprehensive about making the switch to BFS too, but the results speak for themselves! I have better casting accuracy and control, more power on tap for setting the hook, and I can easily fight the fish since the drag on the Shimano 22 Aldebaran is a clicking drag just like on my Stella and Exist spinning reels. Lastly, should I need it, there's always the "emergency maneuver" to press the cast release button and use my thumb on the spool to assist at boatside should the fish warrant it just like when muskie or pike fishing.
Certainly, you don't need a slew of expensive JDM BFS gear to get started, most of my Trout BFS friends all own affordable Tsurinoya casting rods via AliExpress which are fantastic rods for the value proposition. It isn't until you get to the JDM LRF (Light Rock Fish) Aji and Meberu rods and bass BFS rods where it gets expensive to even silly expensive for these casting rod masterpieces. In addition, I might still pull the trigger on a new Shimano 23 Conquest BFS simply to compare it to the five Aldebaran BFS reels I now own.
Safe travels and good luck in the Northwoods this week sir!