Walking The Dog... Better With Baitcaster Or Spinning Reel?

[airborne_angler]

Is there really a difference? I fish sitting down in a jon boat and was throwing a popper yesterday.I wasn't using a cadence, just a constant "pop pop pop" With that retrieve, I noticed my bait was walking a little bit, left and right. At first I was using a spinning outfit but put it down in favor of a Baitcaster because every so often I would get a birdsnest on the spinning reel. I didn't have the same issue on the Baitcaster...so for everyone who walks the dog the typical way, what's your preference...spinning gear or baitcaster?

[Megastink]

Much, much, much better with a high speed gear ratio. Seeing as, when you walk the dog, you jerk the slack line, it is optimal to be able to pick up said slack line quickly. Could you use a spinning rod, SURE! But I like to walk the dog fast (I call it the "cha-cha"). I illicit more reaction bites that way.

[Chris at Tech]

Baitcaster. You need slack in your line for this technique, and to me, loose line on a spinning reel = bad

[airborne_angler]

Ok so the birdsnest I was getting on the spinning reel wasn't necessarily my own fault then...ill have to remember to do a deliberate cadence on my popper when I fish spinning gear...

[Crappiebasser]

Lately I have been using a spinning rod for Sammy's and poppers and I like it better. I tend to fish too fast with a bc plus it's easier to skip them under docks on a spinning rig. I use a snap swivel to stop wind knots. JMO

[Diggy]

Much, much, much better with a high speed gear ratio. Seeing as, when you walk the dog, you jerk the slack line, it is optimal to be able to pick up said slack line quickly. Could you use a spinning rod, SURE! But I like to walk the dog fast (I call it the "cha-cha"). I illicit more reaction bites that way.

Many spinning reels have a much higher inches per turn than 7 to 1 ratio baitcasters

 

34-41 ipt on a stradic FJ  in comparison to 30 on a chronarch in its highest speed

[LARGEMOUTH ANGLER]

spinning reel only

[MCS]

spinning reel only

X2 I have no issues with the slack line or getting proper action from lures.

To me the key is the rod if you have a softer tipped glass rod you don't need as much slack in your line versus a graphite type rod and a better action in general with the lure.

However I do consider getting a bait casting combo for this purpose because the reel being under the rod sometimes hits my leg/gets in the way and the balance of having a smaller light mass closer to the rod may make it easier.

But I think this particular question is more of preference, comfort and proficiency with the gear selected.

[thehooligan]

I use both but prefer spinning reels. Like diggy said, all the shimanos have higher ipt's, so you can work the bait faster. I like a 6'3 - 6'5 medium rod, 1000 spinning reel, and 10-20lb braid, makes an awesome topwater setup.

[BrettD]

A good tip I was told when learning to walk the dog is after you twitch/jerk the rod immediatly point the rod tip back at the bait to give it slack.

[0119]

95% of my fishing is while sitting in a jon or a kayak.  I cant walk the dog for long with a spinner.  While sitting my belly gets in the way of the reel.  Besides the weight of a spinner gets to me after a short while.  Palming a casting reel is more comfortable.  Slack line techniques are more carefree with a baitcaster too.  I am walking the dog more than any other type of fishing. I find the spook jr. and the Bomber Ba Donk a Donk walk easier than the more expensive lures. They are not a well built though.  Quick snaps, point the rod tip back toward the bait, its easy to nearly walk it in one place or to half cadence it and steer it under overhanging trees/docks.  I prefer a slow gear ratio to help force me to slow down the walk.

[.RM.]

When i'm using poprs, chug bugs, zulus, etc. either can be used, but I prefere a Bait Casting reel because of the higher GR's that are availible.

When the explosion happens and I feel the weight to set hook, I want the line coming to me faster than I can get with a Sinning system..

 

 

Tight Lines!  

[ec1]

Completely up to you and what you're more comfortable with. I find with my RH baitcasters and LH spinning gear, I'd prefer to use the arm that is less tired for the day. That being said, I think the BC gear gets more use.

[MrSwimJig]

Definitely a bait caster. Want that higher gear ratio.

[baluga]

Definitely Bait caster.  Tried it on spinning and it just does not feel right for me.

[J Francho]

Hmmm, shouldn't make any difference.  My spinning reels take up 34 IPT.  Those little poppers are impossible to throw on casting gear.  I prefer a MH spinning rod and 20# braid with a leader for that.  Anything bigger than 3/8 oz., and I'll use casting gear.

[Gavin]

Baitcaster most of the time, but I'll use spinning tackle for small walking baits, and poppers. Spinning gives me a little more casting distance with the small baits.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Bait caster for sure feels way better to me

[xbacksideslider]

Any jerk/stop retrieve presents this problem, jerk baits, topwater . . .

 

Braid is the difference.  Mono and flouro spring off the spool on a spinning reel where braid just lays there. 

 

There are also almost unconscious habits of line control that spinning reel users have.  For instance, every time that I miss my target, a miscast, I pinch the line against the rod while I wind it back in to repack the spool.  When I make my last cast at a spot, I do the same, wind it in with tension on the line, change the retrieve to steady, no jerks or stops.  The fish might want a change up anyway.

[derekxec]

spinning only here too.... i can get the line more slack with a spinning reel and i can reel the slack in very fast when needed that and i can get a better retrieve from the type of handles spinners have....well that said i use spinning for everything anyway lol

[shootermcbob]

I use both, however, I have found that I had to get a couple of left handed baitcasters to properly "walk the dog" ...I apparently am not coordinated enough to work the rod with my left hand and reel with my right while "walking the dog"...I can, though,  and it has been witnessed by others...walk and chew gum at the same time :Idontknow:

[SirSnookalot]

Spinning.............do they make anything else, lol?

I think the rod being used can make walking the dog easier, like a 6'6 rod, not that I don't use up to 8 footers.  Walking the dog, or many types of presentations with spinning gear is a matter of getting your cadence down, sometimes it takes a few casts for me.  IPT or gear ratio is something with spinning gear that I pay little attention to as I'm always working a lure, whether I'm jerking and pausing, working a top bait or jigging and reeling up slack.  Spoons, cranks and spinnerbaits just get reeled in at my desired speed which I vary as well, I find no extra effort is needed.

[fishking247]

i use a spinning reel

[OkobojiEagle]

I guess we decided that!

oe (bait caster)

[Capt.Bob]

I am not aware of any baitcaster with higher speed enough to retrieve more line per turn than the Stradic FJ I use (2500), even the large spooled 300 series Curado's are about 3 inches behind it per turn. I use both but have to pay much closer attention to the line spooling on my spinning reel to avoid loose line and winding problems. I prefer a rod under 6'8" with either and like a 6.4 gear on my baitcaster, have to slow way down winding my spinning reel as it will pickup more line than I want if I am not careful.