Is there a good reason to have a closed face reel in your arsenal?

[lakemonsterrodcast]

Long time fisherman, but just found this forum today. I have been doing some google research and couldn't find much about my question.

So basically I used a baitcaster for my heavy baits (frogs, spinners, occasionally jerks) and an open faced spincast for my lighter soft plastics (senkos, flukes, plastic worms). I was just wondering if there were any specific baits that would be preferred on a closed face spincast rather than an open?

[fishballer06]

Other than being a young child, I can't see any reason for a bass fisherman to use a spincast reel. Especially one who can operate a baitcasting reel. I can't think of any modern tournament pro who uses a spincast reel either. Everyone is using spinning reels for presentations that are too light for casting gear. 

[Fishin' Fool]

No

[Krevo81]

Absolutely not.  They typically have very poor drag systems, don't do great with heavier lines, and you can accomplish any presentation on a casting and spinning gear.  Spincast setups are just easy for new or younger anglers to use, and that's about it.

[Robert Riley]

For when you take the lady or the kid fishing

 

[crypt]

Woo Daves won a Bass Master Classic using a closed faced Zebco years ago. he would not engage the handle until the lure finished the drop. he said using that reel he had more control over the bait. 

[buzzed bait]

my dad only uses Daiwa goldcast spincast reels, has 2 of them.  he hates spinning gear and doesn't care for baitcasters as he thinks they're too complicated.  he's caught 1,000's maybe tens of 1,000's of fish on the 2 reels from the smallest panfish/trout to some lunker lake trout and some fat-daddy catfish.  they've held up very well too.  he never deals with a birdsnest, wind knots, etc. so he's pretty happy with them.  i don't have any, i use spinning or casting reels, but just saying that they can be used to catch whatever you're targeting in my opinion.  just "different strokes" kind of thing i believe....

[riverbasser]

32 minutes ago, Robert Riley said:

For when you take the lady or the kid fishing

 

This

[TX-Deluxe]

I bought my 6 year old son an Abumatic SX yesterday. I set it up with to catch bream on a nightcrawler. I felt like I casted it a mile. Made me kinda grin.

[Yudo1]

I barely even use spinning reels let alone a spincast.  My wife uses them exclusively though.

[the reel ess]

You use spincast reels when you LOVE twisting your line for no good reason. Or if you're fishing for fish that you know are extremely slow swimmers. Or putting yourself at a bigger disadvantage than necessary to the fish. 

I know there are expensive spincast reels, but they are still not as useful as $40 spinning reels, IMO.

[IndianaFinesse]

The only time I use them is if I'm fishing with kids.  Casting distance is tiny, most drags are horribly jerky, and the gear ratio is usually an ultra slow 3:1.

[Bluebasser86]

I own a Daiwa Goldcast and have used the Zebco Omegas. These reels are not Zebco 202's. They cast well, don't tangle, retrieve smoothly, and aren't bad to fish with at all. My biggest issue with them is casting accuracy and retrieve speed. They're very slow, and controlling where the bait lands is difficult at best. 

My wife and son both started with spinning gear, because even as nice as those reels may be, there's no reason to use them IMO. 

[tholmes]

I keep several spincast rigs around for the grandkids. Mostly old Zebco 33s that I've picked up at yard sales and overhauled. I'll use one when I take them fishing, but that's it. 

My wife uses an ABU spincast reel that I bought her to replace the Popiel Pocket Fisherman that she had when we got married. 

Tom

[Crestliner2008]

As tholmes said above, I keep several around for when my grandkids visit, but I wouldn't consider using myself. Main reason is the lousy drag systems and poor line pick-up. Just no advantages that benefit most anglers these days.

[James Pondscum]

  It is the only thing my wife can use?

[jitterbug127]

I have a one that collects dust. I don't use it. I am thinking if using it for bluegill but not sure yet 

[frosty]

I have a Pfluger president closed face that I have used for 4 or 5 years without an issue with, it's caught many fish, including my pb. I don't use it much anymore, as I'm looking to up my game and get some quality equipment that will last, but for panfish and light bait it's great. 

[fishnkamp]

There are different levels in these reels.  If you take a look at the low end of these you will miss some beefy equipment. Years ago I spoke to Woo Davies, at the Baltimore Bassarama, about the reels he used and no they were not Zebco33's.  The Zebco Omega Pro is a pretty smooth reel with a decent drag.  My wife used one occasionally to pitch under docks. Back in the nineties I lived near Harrisburg PA and had a coworker  that regularly caught huge river catfish on his Zebco 808.  He always loved it when the Swatara Creek flowed over its banks, then he would go fish for "big" cats up in between the newly flooded trees. That was no place for wimpy rods or weak reels.