# Baitcaster v. Spinning reels???????



## Captain Ahab

What will a baitcaster reel do that I cannot do with a spinning reel?

Every so often I get my mind around this question and cannot come up with an acceptable answer. 


I fish with lots of guys who use baitcasters and never seem at a disadvantage. In the salt we use baitcaster type reels (we call them conventional) becuase of the greater torque, higher line capacity and better drag system. It is very rare in the sweet water that any of these factors come into play.

What are your thoughts?


----------



## BassAddict

The only thing I see you can do with a baitcaster and not on a spinning reel is stopping the spool while your bait is in the air, but besides that I think its all just personal preffrence with what reel you use. For me a baitcaster is just way more confratble and easier to use than a spinning reel.


----------



## redbug

I use both, and I find that when using a heavier line (above 10lb test) I have more control of my cast due to line memory.
I use my spinning tackle for around 70% of my soft plastic fishing.
my casting gear is used for flipping jigs and my heavier line plastic fishing in heavy cover, my Carolina rig fishing (I like a long rod for that) 
All my crankbaits and buzzbaits are casting gear as well as my topwater.

I don't see any reason not to use spinning gear for these other than line memory with heavy line, but since you use braid that would not be an issue

Wayne


----------



## nicdicarlo

Usually the only time I use casting gear for bass is when I am fishing from a boat. I generally don't use it for soft plastics because most of the soft plastic fishing I do is with light weights, or no weight, and relatively small baits. If I fished heavier cover from a boat, I would probably want to use a casting rod, just to give it a shot. I like the baitcaster when I'm casting and cranking all day with something like a spinnerbait or a spook. For me, its less tiring and I have a lot more control of my casts when trying to place a spinnerbait in tight spots. I also feel like the hooksets are stronger for these types of baits on casting gear, since with spinning gear I always backreel instead of using the drag.

The other application I use casting gear for is when live bait fishing for flatheads. I just feel more comfortable casting 6-7oz of weight and fighting larger fish with a baitcaster. Not sure why. A comparable spinning rod for this type of fishing would look something like a small surf rig. A reel that size is much larger than something like an abu 6500/7000 and feels a little awkward to me, probably because I'm not that used to it. There is also a lot of debate on "torque" and such with this type of fishing. I just think its whatever you feel comfortable with.


----------



## Bryan_VA

With BC you get better cast control and accuracy. You can stop a bait exactly where you want to and make it drop into the water with only minimal splash when necessary.

There are also times when you need to start your retrieve the instant your lure touches the water, or even before. Buzzbaits are a good example. After you cast a buzzbait with spinning gear the bait starts sinking while you're still reeling up slack from the cast. And if you close the bail during the cast the bait comes crashing down like a rock. 

Baicasters are also better for "run and gun" fishing. No need to close or open the bail and waste a couple seconds reeling up slack after casting. Chuck and wind, chuck and wind...

Spinning gear is definitely more versatile though. I'd say in a given year I probably use spinning reels 70% of the time. If I could only use one kind of reel for the rest of my life it would be spinning.


----------



## Captain Ahab

Bryan - I do all that stuff with a spinning reel - i use two hand to cast, my left hand releases and controls line (like with a fly rod) so I am on the handle before the bait hits the water. I can also cast extremely accurately and without much line slack.

I have a weird but effective technique with spinning equipment.


----------



## Bryan_VA

esquired said:


> Bryan - I do all that stuff with a spinning reel - i use two hand to cast, my left hand releases and controls line (like with a fly rod) so I am on the handle before the bait hits the water. I can also cast extremely accurately and without much line slack.
> 
> I have a weird but effective technique with spinning equipment.



Well technically Snoopy rods don't count as spinning equipment. :mrgreen:


----------



## jkbirocz

I just feel that I have better control over the bait with a baitcaster. I personally can pitch a bait more acurately bith a baitcaster over spinning. I also feel that your retrieve is much more consistent with a baitcaster. I still like spinning a lot though. As said before heavier line is better on baitcasters even when your talking about braid. I wouldn't put anything higher than 30lb braid on a bass sized spinning reel, 30lb is even pushing it imo. For the baits you fish with most of the time I think you are more suited for using a spinning rod anyways. It is just preference, I like having the option of using either though.


----------



## Captain Ahab

Man, I keep telling you it is not a Snoopy Rod - I have the Little Mermaid model


----------



## BassAddict

The Spongebob rod with the Plankton casting plug is the cadilac of all the cartoon themed spincasting rods IMO


----------



## redbug

BassAddict said:


> The Spongebob rod with the Plankton casting plug is the cadilac of all the cartoon themed spincasting rods IMO



I beg to differ !! the superman rod is the top after all it is superman ! the man of steel.
It only has 1 weakness and that stuff looses it's power in water


----------



## Jim

Spinning reels IMO are more forgiving. If I want to pitch a bait 20 feet under a dock or between the pontoons on a boat or even a little hole on a dock, or way back under low hanging trees, I like to use spinning. Its hard enough to cast it with authority and precision, I dont want to deal with spool control on top.

If Im throwing light trout baits, Spinning is the only way to go to. Everything else...Baitcaster.


----------



## FishinsMyLife

For me, I use a spinning setup for saltwater and for bream/bluegill fishing. I also have a Penn I use for bass. I usually have 10 pound line on it so I can throw lighter baits. Most everything else goes on a baitcaster


----------



## Nickk

BassAddict said:


> The Spongebob rod with the Plankton casting plug is the cadilac of all the cartoon themed spincasting rods IMO



Shut up!

the casting plug is Plankton! I gots to gets me one!

oh yeah, on topic content:


-I think a spinning rig is probably more versatile since you can cast much smaller baits*

Okay, I don't want to hear from the masters out there that can cast a 1/32 oz bait on their finesse b-casting rig

-I think from 1/4 up; baitcaster is it, way smoother in my opinion. They feel mechanically superior and that appeals to the gear snob in me. Also, I feel like a pro fishing a baitcaster-and I'm enough of a tool for that to be enough, but not so much of a tool that I won't admit it. Seriously though, for moving baits like spinnerbaits or cranks B-casters are king-so smooth!


----------



## redbug

Okay said:


> But I do throw a 1/32oz on my baitcaster and use 20lb test.. lol
> 
> but most of my soft plastic stuff is on a spinning reel
> 
> Wayne


----------



## jkbirocz

Dave I think you should get a baitcaster and use it for LM fishing and just stick with the spinning for smallies. Get something like a 6'6" to 7' medium or medium heavy. You will still be able to cast just about all the soft plastics we throw for LM with it. Senkos are heavy and cast great with baitcasters, and then you will be able to throw the big frogs without overloading your rod as usual. You can also use one of mine to decide if you really want one.


----------



## Captain Ahab

Thanks Jake - I actually have a baitcaster, I just rarely use it. I am thinking of getting a high quality set up but but am unsure if it is really going to allow me to do any more then what I do now.

Thanks for the comments everyone - keep them coming


----------



## SMDave

Up until last year, I used nothing but spinning reels. I still use all spinning for saltwater. But for last christmas I got an Extreme rod and reel (which is a GREAT combo if you're in the market for a nice combo). I put 30lb. power pro on it, and 10lb. fluoro on the spinning reel. I only have 2 combos. As you can guess, I don't have enough combos for real specific lure techniques, rather, I am forced to make decisions based on the line. For my baitcaster, I have braided line, so I use topwaters (yes, I decided to use it, and I like it! Although the line does still wrap around sometimes), most texas rigs, carolina rigs, jigs, buzzbaits, and bucktails. For my spinning rod, I have fluoro, so shakey head rigs, light t-rigs (or in clear water), spinnerbaits, hard jerkbaits, crankbaits, drop-shotting, in-line spinners, some bucktails, weightless senkos/soft jerkbaits (flukes), wacky rigged soft plastics, and weightless senkos/soft jerkbaits with a screw in for a tiny bit of weight. I also can skip with my spinning outift, where as I always get backlashes trying it on my baitcaster (but then again, I don't try much on my baitcaster). The two combos seem to be balanced in terms of action they see, because both have there strengths and weaknesses. I still get backlash sometimes with my baitcaster, where as I have never gotten a backlash with a spinning reel in 7+ years. Once you get used to baitcasting though, backlashing doesn't happen that often, or too bad that you can't fix it. Growing up with a spinning reel, I learned to cast anywhere I want with great accuracy, where as I am starting to get used to that with a baitcaster since I have only had it for one year. I am learning, but I think you learn to become more accurate quicker with a baitcaster. Baitcasters generally handle heavier (or thicker diameter) lines better, while spinning reels do the light line, but I have used 20lb. mono on a bass spinning rod before. Baitcasters are generally for "power fishing," and spinning for "finnesse." IMO, this is bullsh*t. The only people that say this are probably ones that haven't done much spinning reel fishing. I have used spinning reels all my life prior to the baitcaster, and have handled all types of baits well, including frogs on weededges! Spinning is also easier to handle, all you do is release the bail and cast, baitcasters, you have to disengage, thumb the spool, and stop it at the right moment, but smoothly, not a sudden stop. You can break off, and I have broken off lures this way. Also baitcasters toss heavier baits out farther, while spinning can do both. Try casting an inline spinner on a baitcast, then on a spinning outift with lighter line (or even the same!). It's all what kind of fishing you're looking to do. Hope this helped somewhat in your decision.


----------



## little anth

soft plastics and finesse under 14 lb test spinning 14+ on bc.


----------



## nicdicarlo

Its interesting to hear what strength line everyone uses on their particular set-ups. One a spinning rig, I rarely, as it almost never, use anything heavier than 8lb mono...half the time its 6lb. As I said before, most of my fishing is of the finesse variety (this past season was almost exclusively in rivers for smallies) and I don't trust my drag, so I backreel. On my two bass baitcasters I usually use 12-15lb mono, considered pretty light for some guys I guess. I think next season I'm going to give some powerpro a try and start wormin with a baitcaster. Dave, maybe we should take some lessons :roll:


----------



## FishinsMyLife

SMDave said:


> but I have used 20lb. mono on a bass spinning rod before... Try casting an inline spinner on a baitcast, then on a spinning outift with lighter line (or even the same!). .


With the 20 lb line on a spinning reel, you really probably couldn't throw anything but big Zara Spooks. I use 20lb on my ocean rod and I am usually throwing bottom rigs with two or three ounces on the end. Also, if you invest in a quality baitcaster, you can throw a lot lighter weights than you think. I can throw a 1/8 ounce Mepps spinner for big bream and bass on my Shimano (Cardiff) with 10lb line. It may not go as far as it would on 4 or 6 pound mono on a spinning reel, but I can get a good amount of distance, and that baitcaster is far from the top of the line. I have never broken off on a baitcaster because of suddenly stopping my bait. Bad line? The only times I have gotten broken off involved bad line and drag that was way too tight. My bass spinning reel is used for dropshotting and awkward rigs like live bait (blah, blah, I'm going to hell for using live bait, I know :roll: ). Every other technique you mentioned, I can do on my baitcaster just as good and better than I can on a spinning reel. I fished all my life until 5th grade with spinning reels and then after I used a baitcaster, I never stopped.


----------



## little anth

i use 8lb floro on all my spinning rods


----------



## SMDave

FishinsMyLife317 said:


> With the 20 lb line on a spinning reel, you really probably couldn't throw anything but big Zara Spooks. I use 20lb on my ocean rod and I am usually throwing bottom rigs with two or three ounces on the end.



You'd be surprised. Also, I'm sure you can cast a 1/8 oz. Mepp's with a baitcaster far, but trust me, using a spinning reel is a lot easier to manage lighter baits, and feel them (if that makes sense?). And breaking off at the knot isn't common, I have only done it a couple times, rocketing a 3/8oz. jig out and see it's going to a tree, then killing the cast all together. The braid burns my fingers, and next thing I know, the rod feels 3/8 oz. lighter. It's not bad line, fraying + physics = breakoff. And I don't doubt you can fish all the other rigs on a baitcaster, some rigs are just easier and more efficient to use on a spinning outfit. Also, fishing lures with spinning and baitcasters have a totally different feel. It's all personal preference, and how you like the feel of a lure. For instance, I wouldn't like to drift or liveline with a baitcaster. Some people would love to.


----------



## BensalemAngler

I use my spinning rod for all light worms and plastics. I like my baitcaster for my moving baits, buzzbaits, crankbaits, things of that nature. I just feel I have more control with my moving baits with a baitcaster.

I have had my baitcaster for about a year now and find it hard to fish slow anymore. I decaded almost all of my summer and fall to perfecting crankbaiting. Sometimes even knowing I would catch more fish using a worm and shaky head.


----------



## jkbirocz

I guess I'm the only one that quickly stops baits with a spinning reel? Stick your finger or hand in the line when yout casting. I do this all the time, either when i mess up a cast and its going into somehting I don't want it to and also when im mid cast and I see a fish jump, I'll quick stop it and quickly reel it in. I am sure this is bad for the line, I only use braid, Im sure it would mess up mono fast. I also just fan the line with my finger when it is going off the spool just to control the cast better on the spinning setup.


----------



## nicdicarlo

jkbirocz, you're not the only one. I do it all the time. I also use my finger on the line to slow it down, depending on where I want my bait to land...its basically the same as thumbing a baitcaster. I use mono and haven't experienced too many problems caused by doing this.


----------



## Nickk

I think it's funny when people use the terms light lines and 14lb test in the same sentence. I bought my first bait caster 4 or 5 years back and read that it's easier to pick out a backlash with heavier mono so I spooled it up with 10lb XT. They were right, it was easy for me and that line felt like cable to me after several years of fly fishing only.


----------



## BensalemAngler

jkbirocz said:


> I guess I'm the only one that quickly stops baits with a spinning reel?



Nope I can.


----------



## Jim

AnAngler said:


> jkbirocz said:
> 
> 
> 
> I guess I'm the only one that quickly stops baits with a spinning reel?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope I can.
Click to expand...


Me too, I manually trip the bail. Stops it dead in its tracks.


----------



## SMDave

AnAngler said:


> jkbirocz said:
> 
> 
> 
> I guess I'm the only one that quickly stops baits with a spinning reel?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope I can.
Click to expand...

I do too, with fluoro on my spinning reel. Not with the baitcaster with braid though. No stretch, and heavier lures makes 30lb. braid snap pretty easy if stopped suddenly a lot after fished in rocks.


----------



## shamoo

I'm like Mr. nicdicarlo, I use 6lb. test on a spinning reel for my sliders and little worms, I use 8. lb test on a spinning reel for senkos(5"), super flukes and any 6" worms, any other lures or big plastics I use a bait caster and 12 lb test is the heaviest line I use and thats for jigs.


----------



## Popeye

All my reels before this past year were spinning reels. Started salmon fishing Lake Michigan and all those are casting (conventional) style. Biggest thing is line capacity in a size that doesn't take 2 men and a boy to handle. When a big king starts running and peeling line, the level wind on the casting reels tracks where the line comes off the spool. Also when reeling and a fish is taking line spinning reels can twist the line more. My largest reel is a Penn 330GTi and smallest is an OLD Ambassadeur 5000, old as in like 40 years old. I can cast (somewhat) with the Ambassadeur but mostly just pay out line as I'm trolling anyhow.


----------



## Waterwings

I own 3 spinning reel rigs that I always use. Here's the breakdown with line used:

BPS Extreme XPS 7' MH, with a Quantum Pti40 Catalyst, 10# Yo-Zuri Hybrid line.

Abu Garcia Super7 MH 7', with a Quantum Pti40 Catalyst, 10# Yo-Zuri Hybrid.

BPS Qualifier Metal 6'6" MH with a Shimano Sahara, 8# Yo-Zuri Hybrid.


Can't seem to get the hang of using a baitcaster. :roll:


----------



## nicdicarlo

Wings, how do you like the yo-zuri line? I've heard both great and horrible reviews of it? Is it mono or flouro? To each his own.
I changed over to Suffix Seige mono this past season and was pretty happy with it.


----------



## shamoo

Mr. nicdicarlo, this is scarey, thats all i use myself, changed over to suffix last year :shock:


----------



## Captain Ahab

shamoo said:


> Mr. nicdicarlo, this is scarey, thats all i use myself, changed over to suffix last year :shock:



Hmmm, I notice that I never see you two in the same photo - perhaps you are the same person?

More likely evil twins separated at birth :wink:


----------



## nicdicarlo

Shamoo, that is strange. The Slider world is a small one. The Suffix Seige is good stuff, good all around line. I like the gray color too. I'm going to try their braid next year on a casting rig I think.


----------



## SMDave

nicdicarlo said:


> Shamoo, that is strange. The Slider world is a small one. The Suffix Seige is good stuff, good all around line. I like the gray color too. I'm going to try their braid next year on a casting rig I think.


I hear their braid performs better than power pro :shock:


----------



## Jim

SMDave said:


> nicdicarlo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Shamoo, that is strange. The Slider world is a small one. The Suffix Seige is good stuff, good all around line. I like the gray color too. I'm going to try their braid next year on a casting rig I think.
> 
> 
> 
> I hear their braid performs better than power pro :shock:
Click to expand...


me too!


----------



## mr.fish

Yeah right.


----------



## Jim

nicdicarlo said:


> Shamoo, that is strange. The Slider world is a small one. The Suffix Seige is good stuff, good all around line. I like the gray color too. I'm going to try their braid next year on a casting rig I think.



I have 8 and 12 I think or 10 and 12 pound test. I will send it to you if you want to try it on a reel.


----------



## Jim

mr.fish said:


> Yeah right.




About the powere pro vs Suffix Braid?


----------



## Popeye

I use 30lb Power Pro on my salmon gear and 4lb Trilene XL for my ultra lights that I use for Crappie, Gills and stream trout.


----------



## Waterwings

nicdicarlo said:


> Wings, how do you like the yo-zuri line? I've heard both great and horrible reviews of it? Is it mono or flouro? To each his own.
> I changed over to Suffix Seige mono this past season and was pretty happy with it.



Never had a problem with it so far!  

https://www.yo-zuri.com/Products/Prodline/Hybrid.htm


----------



## mr.fish

Jim said:


> mr.fish said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah right.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> About the powere pro vs Suffix Braid?
Click to expand...


Power pro rules.


----------



## Waterwings

Here's the perfect setup for those that use a baitcaster and a spinning reel:
I call it an Over-Under :wink:


----------



## Jim

Waterwings said:


> Here's the perfect setup for those that use a baitcaster and a spinning reel:
> I call it an Over-Under :wink:



You might be on to something :shock: 

Why wouldnt it work? LOL


----------



## little anth

how much do you think shamano would charge ya for that mabee $700


----------



## Popeye

Or you could do what my wife does. She has a spinning rod with spinning reel set up for right hand use and then holds the rod so the reel is on top and cranks with her left hand. :lol: 

I ain't kidding either.


----------



## SMDave

flounderhead59 said:


> Or you could do what my wife does. She has a spinning rod with spinning reel set up for right hand use and then holds the rod so the reel is on top and cranks with her left hand. :lol:
> 
> I ain't kidding either.


I used to do that when I was a kid. Saw the pros using baitcasters but didn't know what they were!


----------



## little anth

flounderhead59 said:


> Or you could do what my wife does. She has a spinning rod with spinning reel set up for right hand use and then holds the rod so the reel is on top and cranks with her left hand. :lol:
> 
> I ain't kidding either.



i love watchin people fish like that lol


----------

