Why use a baitcaster?

[Jonny]

When I was a kid, I was taught to fish with a spinning reel, and I still can't see an advantage to using a baitcaster (levelwind).

 

Is there a baitcaster out there that can top a spinning reel for distance, for example?

 

I remember the days in the 50's when my Mom, who liked a levelwind for trolling, would try once in a while to cast with it and end up with some beautiful backlash birdnests. I know they're much better now, but I still can't warm up to a baitcaster for casting. I have a nice Abu-Garcia Ambassador and use it for trolling.

[Raf]

let me know a spinning reel that'll cast a 16oz lure.

 

spinning reels have their places.. ie. jigging, ice fishn and casting light baits ie. weightless plastics for bass

[Lunker777]

New to the sport myself... so Ill try and give my 2 cents.

A baitcaster has more torque than a spinning reel to help pull those fish out of the weeds. They also help with line spin as they are levelwind. Plus I think they are built a little heavier to help with the bigger fish.

As far as casting distance, I think I could cast my bait caster just as far as my spinning reels depending on the lures of course.

But spinning is good for lighter lures and plastics. Thats the only place I would use them.

Again, Im not a pro so... I just thought I would add some input haha

[trapshooter]

Also, it's impossible to spool a spinning reel with heavy mono.

[ricoboxing]

also cause they look cool!

 

 

heres a scenario when fishing with a noob

 

friend - "hey dude can i try out rod you're using? it looks pretty cool"

 

you - "no way dude, you don't even know how to use a baitcaster. you might birdsnest my new powerpro"

[legacey]

I recently picked up an Ardent baitcaster.....during the opening of walleye, a friend and I had a casting contest off a dock; him using a Quantum PT burner.

 

Although both are extremely nice reels, the Ardent kicked it's butt with a small spoon.

 

And Riccoboxing has it bang on......

 

Cheers

[Golfisher]

No need to open the bail, which means one less step to fire off that cast. I know, I'm that lazy.

[setomonkey]

You have justification to buy more reels & rods!

 

LOL

 

Mike

[muddler]

There's a couple of advantages to using a bait cast outfit over a spinning outfit.

 

The one I like the most is thumb control. I can control the length of a cast by using my thumb to shorten the cast by just pressing on the spool.

 

I can keep the line pinched between my thumb and index finger when fishing a plastic worm. I can feel the light pickup trough the line way easier than using a spinning oufit.

 

Surface lures are just easier to conrol/fish than on a spinnining outfit.

 

Drag can be icreased by just using your thumb on the spool. Great for emergengy turning of a big fish.

 

A properly balanced baitcaster just feels lighter than a spinning outfit.

 

 

muddler

[hirk]

The single biggest reason to use one now? Accuracy,yes you can spool spinning reels with heavy braid and get heavy rods which used to be an advantage to casting reels but you will never beable to place a lure as accurately with a spinning reel.

[John Bacon]

If I try casting a large Suick with a spinning real, it will foul the lure on almost every cast. I don't have this problem when casing with a bait caster.

 

The Suick will tumble through the air when I cast with a bait caster, the line will end up wrapped around the lure on almost every cast. With a bait caster the lure will fly backward through the air and not tumble; and thus avoid wrapping the line around the lure.

[CLofchik]

I don't know about accuracy, I can fire offhand casts alot easier with a spinning outfit than a baitcaster, like seeing a fish or fishy structure at 3 o'clock after retrieving in from 10 o'clock. And there's no switching hands with a spinning reel. And I hate how wet my hands get with spray off the line on a baitcaster.

 

I've always preferred spinning over casters, but am making a deliberate effort this year to get more proficient with them. Really just because I own a few that have been barely touched and it seems like a waste, I don't know if I'll ever buy another caster that isn't meant for trolling.

 

Spinning:

 

Longer casts, no you can't cast a similiar sized lure the same distance with a baitcaster. You just can't.....get over it.

Price, spinning reels are about 1/3 cheaper.

Better drags on spinning reels, you just can't cram anywhere near the disc surface in a casting reel.

Retrieve, you can pick up slack line or running fish alot quicker on spinning reels.

 

Casting:

 

Lighter, more compact setup thats better the heavier your line gets. In my mind the cutoff point is around 20lb/test, around there you're better off with a lighter casting reel to fish all day than some 14oz. spinning monstrosity. 2000 or 3000 sized spinning reels just aren't built strong enough to handle that strength that for long before exploding. 4000 sized reels are getting too big to be casting all day.

 

More capacity for size. Really more of a concern for trolling, but if you need more than 200m of line on a reel you need a caster.

[BillM]

I don't know about accuracy, I can fire offhand casts alot easier with a spinning outfit than a baitcaster, like seeing a fish or fishy structure at 3 o'clock after retrieving in from 10 o'clock. And there's no switching hands with a spinning reel. And I hate how wet my hands get with spray off the line on a baitcaster.

 

I've always preferred spinning over casters, but am making a deliberate effort this year to get more proficient with them. Really just because I own a few that have been barely touched and it seems like a waste, I don't know if I'll ever buy another caster that isn't meant for trolling.

 

Spinning:

 

Longer casts, no you can't cast a similiar sized lure the same distance with a baitcaster. You just can't.....get over it.

 

I dunno about this one... I could see with a lower end, or mid level reel, but if you have ever made a cast with a good baitcaster, they go for miles. I can rocket Zara Spook Jr's with my Shimano Calais further then I ever have with a spinning outfit, not to mention the control I have over it compared to a spinning setup. A night and day difference between that and the Citica I started out with. I won't even mention how far I can toss muskie lures with my Abu Record 60/Shimano Compre 8' combo.

 

Alot of the distance has to do with a combination of the correct rod/reel for the job.

Edited June 8, 2009 by BillM

[CLofchik]

Alot of the distance has to do with a combination of the correct rod/reel for the job.

 

Yup.

And I've done enough spinning vs. casting throwdowns on the pier heads to put that issue to rest permanently.

 

I just don't get how people can even think to argue that somehow there's some magic bearings that will make a baitcasters spool revolve with less friction than simply line flowing off a fixed spool. Just think about it a sec, can't be done.

Equal length rods, equal action rods, same line, same size lure.....spinning will outdistance casters every time. Won't even be close. Find me at the end of August casting for salmon and we'll wager on it.

 

And about "control"........I'd wager it would take a newbie alot less time to learn how to feather line off a spinning reel than learning how to merely cast a baitcaster.

 

Face it, for the most part baitcasters are fishing bling toys. If you're not trolling for salmon or casting for muskies there is precious little advantage to baitcasters, toss price in the equation and it's no contest. There is simply nothing in freshwater you can do with a baitcaster you can't learn to do just as well with a spinning reel, alot of things you can do alot better with spinning reels, and cheaper.

 

"But I can work a bait slower with more precision with a baitcaster!" -- Uh......just slow down.

"But I can cast more accurately with a baitcaster!" -- Sure.....pitching baits 30' away in thick weeds for largemouth you might have a point. So if all you do is fish for largemouth in thick weeds all summer long go nuts. Double that length to an actual cast in anything approaching open water and it becomes pointless.

 

What were the other advantages of baitcasters again?

 

Sincerely CL, Team Spinning Advocate

[BillM]

Hrm....

 

The gear design of a baitcaster is far stronger then that of a spinning wheel. That's not my opinion, that's physics. (I dunno if you want to argue this one, but by all means give it a shot)

 

Sure your spinning reel is easier to fish, but that makes it better? Sounds like the bait caster got the best of you recently I find my bait caster a lot more enjoyable to fish (but again that's personal preference)

 

I'm not even going to bring up the fact that your spinning reel has a bail and a bail spring, you lose points just for that.

 

Casting anything larger then a 1-2oz lure, advantage bait caster.

 

Comfort, line control and accurate casting.... bait caster. Although comfort is a personal thing, you can scratch that off the list if you want.

 

Lighter lines, lighter lures.... spinning setup for sure.

 

Furthest casting? Depends completely on what you are throwing, I think there are to many factors (rod length, action, lure weight, line etc etc)

 

But I'll definitely bring a bait cast setup and toss Cleo's with you off the pier in the fall. Just and FYI, I'll bring what's best for the job, don't handicap me with your spinning rod specifications

[Jonny]

I've fished with spinning reels all my life, and baitcasters here and there, and I have to say that CLofchik says a lot of things that I would say.

 

Distance - just not possible for a well-matched baitcaster combo to outcast a well-matched spinning outfit for just about all of the casting possibilities. CLofchik mentioned why.

 

Accuracy - Defnitely no more accurate than a spinning reel combo in good, practiced hands.

 

Casting control with finger on the spool - not necessary when you can already cast accurately.

 

Line compatibility - yes baitcasters can take heavier line, that's what makes them good trolling reels. For the normal 6 to 14 lb. test for casting, that's a moot point.

 

Thumb on the spool for extra drag - why? To "turn" a big fish? You'll turn him when he gets tired, and he'll tire faster if your drag is set well. Mess with a well-set drag and PING, there goes your line.

 

Quick slack for light-biting fish - with a spinning reel, you fish with an open bail and hold the line againat the rod handle with your index finger. Instant slack.

 

Line feel - you can pinch the line between thumb and index on a spinning reel too.

 

Still fishing or drifting - toss up. It's nice to fish with something different once in a while, so a baitcaster can be nice. Disadvantage - every time you put your rod down, it turns upside down. On the other hand, the weight on a spinning outfit is where it shoud natually be, on the bottom of the rod.

 

Ease of use - Here's a thing that's got me wondering. Me being a lefty, I find a baitcaster perfect for me because I handle the rod with my left hand and crank with the right. But what about right-handers? Baitcasters virtually all crank with the right hand, as far as I know. Do right-handers actually retrieve with the left hand holding the rod, and cast with the right hand??? If that's so, that's a HUGE drawback, having to change hands for every cast and retrieve.

 

Cost - baitcast manufacturers obviously see you coming.

 

Mystique - I guess baitcasters win hands-down.

[Bondar]

on my spinning outfits i reel with my left hand and hold with my right, same as my casting reels (left handed version)

Edited June 8, 2009 by Wiser

[camillj]

I grew up as a spinning bigot (partly because I just couldnt get a baitcaster to match my ability with spinning gear... but all that changed since Lew introduced me to a Calcutta 400 CT .... I would NEVER think of tossing a musky bait with anything else now.... as for trolling for goliaths in salt water there is no question that the big PENN's out perform anything that spins ... period .... I still DO however love my Whisker 1300 on a 10 1/2' rod for drifting steel (or tossing a cleo from a pier)... so everything has its place and if used properly has its advantages ... for example, I wouldnt even consider putting lead-core on a spinning outfit - the reel would last a week.

 

By the way speaking about friction, the friction on the retrieve is wayyyy higher on spinning gear than on the baitcaster ... and for my money (since I have no trouble reaching the target most times) the real difference in feel comes when you are fighting a fish (or working your bait)... my next investment is more likely to be a high quality baitcaster than another spinning reel ... just my 3 1/2 cents.

[salmon]

Yep

I grew up using spinning gear exclusively. But now I have a Steez, Calais 100 and an Calais 200DC, I have not touched a spinning reel.

 

Hey

CLofchik I' ll take you up on the friendly side by side casting competition.

Jose

[BillM]

Accuracy - Defnitely no more accurate than a spinning reel combo in good, practiced hands.

 

Casting control with finger on the spool - not necessary when you can already cast accurately.

 

It must be awesome to make perfect casts, 100% of the time

[charlesn]

Saying one is better than the other for all things is probably an over generalization. If one was better for everything, do you think pros fishing for upwards of a MILLION dollars would not just always use the "better" reel. Certain conditions and techniques can have an equipment preference, but it is certainly not a limiting factor.

 

Baitcasting affords a few technique specific advantages related to the entry of the bait in to the water. Pitching is a technique integral to largemouth bass fishing. A soft, subtle entry of the bait in to the water is a key element of the technique. You can do it with a spinning rod, but it is very difficult to master the splashless entry compared to a baitcaster. Even a novice can master a splashless entry with a baitcaster with some practice. Feathering the spool on a spinning rod is a lot harder to master with the heavier baits used predominantly for bass. On the other hand, skipping a bait like a senko under a dock or tree with a spinning reel is a lot easier for a novice than with a baitcaster. Can it be done, yes, I have seen guys skip a big fat flippin' jig with a baitcaster with uncanny accuracy for a remarkable distance, but that takes a lot of practice. But just about anyone can pick up a spinning rod and begin skipping baits. And maybe it's just me but for side-arm casting spinnerbaits around and under targets (flooded timber for example) a baitcaster is just a lot more comfortable and getting that silent entry even on longer casts is a lot easier with baitcasting. For dropping a bait down in deep water on a fish you see on the graph, the spinning rod does a better job for the applications I have tried (tube, drop-shot & spoon) because it allows for a freer truer fall.

 

Another thing to consider is line twist. Line twist is inherent in a spinning reel's design and can be a very frustrating thing, more frustrating than a backlash in a baitcaster because a backlash once it is picked out is done with. Line twist even if you can "save it" the first time or two, just gets worse and worse and you have to respool to totally get rid of it.

 

For me I'd say I fish about 50/50 of each. Smallies are fished primarily with spinning and Largies primarily with baitcasting. But I always have both. I have used a screwdriver as a hammer in the past, but if I can, I'd prefer to carry both.

 

As far as switching hands when casting (but not pitching), this is an often over exaggerated thing. I have done it since I first picked up a baitcaster and can tell you that by the time the bait has entered the strike zone (water) my hands are in a position to set the hook and I have never once missed a fish from switching hands. I don't cast one-handed though, all of my actual casting (spinning or baitcasting) is of the two-handed variety as perhaps I am a weakling. lol

 

The Baitcaster vs Spinning wars pre-date the internet, but the truth remains that there will be advantages for one or the other in some techniques and they will be a matter of preference for some techniques, but there is not a single technique out there that you simply could not do with one or the other. Fish what you enjoy fishing with. The fish really don't care!

[drwxr]

let me know a spinning reel that'll cast a 16oz lure.

 

mind sharing some pictures of the 16 oz lure? just curious...

[BillM]

mind sharing some pictures of the 16 oz lure? just curious...

 

Musky Innovations makes a 15inch 16oz Super Magnum Bulldawg.

 

[holdfast]

Yup.

And I've done enough spinning vs. casting throwdowns on the pier heads to put that issue to rest permanently.

 

I just don't get how people can even think to argue that somehow there's some magic bearings that will make a baitcasters spool revolve with less friction than simply line flowing off a fixed spool. Just think about it a sec, can't be done.

Equal length rods, equal action rods, same line, same size lure.....spinning will outdistance casters every time. Won't even be close. Find me at the end of August casting for salmon and we'll wager on it.

 

And about "control"........I'd wager it would take a newbie alot less time to learn how to feather line off a spinning reel than learning how to merely cast a baitcaster.

 

Face it, for the most part baitcasters are fishing bling toys. If you're not trolling for salmon or casting for muskies there is precious little advantage to baitcasters, toss price in the equation and it's no contest. There is simply nothing in freshwater you can do with a baitcaster you can't learn to do just as well with a spinning reel, alot of things you can do alot better with spinning reels, and cheaper.

 

"But I can work a bait slower with more precision with a baitcaster!" -- Uh......just slow down.

"But I can cast more accurately with a baitcaster!" -- Sure.....pitching baits 30' away in thick weeds for largemouth you might have a point. So if all you do is fish for largemouth in thick weeds all summer long go nuts. Double that length to an actual cast in anything approaching open water and it becomes pointless.

 

What were the other advantages of baitcasters again?

 

Sincerely CL, Team Spinning Advocate

 

Agree 100 Percent. Bait casters way overrated. People buy them because the pros use em. but they get them for free. My Bait Casters when used are for trolling. Advantage- Holds more line, Balances better with a Bigger Rod, no Line twist to wory about.

 

Disadvantages- Uncomfortable, Casts are weaker and more prone to Tangle. Drag system sucks, Not as smooth. EXPENSIVE and Breaks more often

 

Oh- If I was ever going to use a 16 Oz Jig, Id invest in two Spinning Reels with one heavier. Cheaper than one Baitcaster. Way Way Overated. Its Marketing and sucker fishermen.

Edited June 8, 2009 by holdfast

[drwxr]

i like the info in this post since i never used baitcaster myself, but just wondering if anyone used surf spinning reels for musky, i read that suft fishing guys use heavy sinkers kind of like that bull dawg, that is one huge lure BillM.