Spinning Rods vs Bait casters

[Broker]

Getting a free baitcaster this week So I wanted to hear the experts opinions on advantages and disadvantages , Thanks

[GoneFishin]

Quickly scan through the forum, you'll find about 2 dozen threads on this topic from the last couple months alone.

 

I think the mods should let a board member do a write up on the pros and cons of spinning/baitcasting set-ups and sticky the thing to the top of the board!!

[Broker]

Haha okay thanks , I'll go have a look!

[BillM]

All depends on the type of fishing you are doing. Both setups excel at certain things.

[Pigeontroller]

A 'free' baitcast outfit is likely a cheap one. Quality is important in baitcast reels...Cheap ones wil not nessasarily be very user-friendly.

[registerfly]

we (my son and I) have many of both. I prefer spin, he baitcasters. I ask him what's the diff and he tells me it casts certain baits better. I reply I can pretty much cast the same with my spin and he goes phffht.

to each his own I suppose.

[OhioFisherman]

Tools, use the one that works best for the task? I have casting reels, spinning reels and even some old school spin casting reels. It just depends on the target species and the water I am fishing.

[rufus]

One type of fishing where baitcasters are a must is bottom bouncing. With a baitcaster you can let the line down and out in a controlled way with your thumb on the spool. Using a spinning reel results in the weight and lure crashing to the bottom which often results in tangles and snags.

 

I have been using baitcasters more and more these last few years as my confidence with them has increased. My spinning reels seem to not hold up as well either and ordering parts was a common pastime - the larger fish take their toll on my spinning reels more than on my baitcasters. I don't buy top of the line reels though....

[BillM]

One type of fishing where baitcasters are a must is bottom bouncing. With a baitcaster you can let the line down and out in a controlled way with your thumb on the spool. Using a spinning reel results in the weight and lure crashing to the bottom which often results in tangles and snags.

 

 

I've never bottom bounced with anything but a spinning rod. If you are letting your entire rig 'crash to the bottom' it isn't the rod or reels fault, lol.

[John Bacon]

Bait casters will cast some of the larger baits much better. E.g. I find that a large Suick will be fowled more often than not if I try casting it with a spinning reel. Spinning reels cast small light baits much better than bait casters.

[Broker]

Thanks , I know one of the advantages that outfished me when i was with someone with a baitcaster was using the thumb ( as stated above ) to gradually let line out when going down a dropoff.

[limeyangler]

One type of fishing where baitcasters are a must is bottom bouncing. With a baitcaster you can let the line down and out in a controlled way with your thumb on the spool. Using a spinning reel results in the weight and lure crashing to the bottom which often results in tangles and snags.

 

I have been using baitcasters more and more these last few years as my confidence with them has increased. My spinning reels seem to not hold up as well either and ordering parts was a common pastime - the larger fish take their toll on my spinning reels more than on my baitcasters. I don't buy top of the line reels though....

 

You know what NWO...you just might have sold me on trying a baitcaster for jigging...i often have the bail arm open when jigging to adjust for depth...using your thumb on a spool makes a lot of sense...as long as you remember to crank the handle before the hookset...lol..wow...that would make a mess.

[rufus]

You don't have to crank the handle for the hookset - the thumb stops the spool just fine too

[kickingfrog]

The free spool/thumb down for hook set option works well. I also have a baitcaster with a flippin' switch that I use more for bottom bouncing and trolling for walleye then flippin' for bass. Handy for the boat pilot.

[Dabluz]

we (my son and I) have many of both. I prefer spin, he baitcasters. I ask him what's the diff and he tells me it casts certain baits better. I reply I can pretty much cast the same with my spin and he goes phffht.

to each his own I suppose.

 

He is right you know. There are some lures that get easily tangled up in the line when cast with a spinning rod. Mostly it's the minnow baits that get tangled up so easy. This is due to the fact that with a spinning outfit, the lure tumbles head over heels when cast. However, with a baitcaster, the tangles are less frequent. Very often, the lure flies through the air like an arrow. When the lure does travel straight like an arrow, this increases the distance of the cast.

[dave524]

My preference seems to follow 3 rules

 

1: all trolling done with baitcasters/levelwinds

 

2: lines under 12 lb finds me using spinning gear, don't have a baitcaster spooled with less than 12

 

3: if I am fishing lures under 1/2oz most likely will see me using spinning gear, 1/2oz and over baitcasting gear.

 

works for me