Spinning for salt vs casting for fresh

[813basstard]

Help me with this..I like spinning over casting. My opinion not withstanding, why can they catch giant red fish, trout, snook but 3lb bass require casting gear? 

Honestly, not interested in being converted, just flummoxed as to why? The myriad of bass lures and techniques? The aversion to live bait??

[TylerT123]

It’s what’s preffered, some like spinning for bass and some like casting for bass. Casting gear isn’t required at all, many people just like to use them more than spinning.

[LCG]

I use both spinning and casting. Neither is required, it's about using the right tool for the job at hand.

 

Pitching into heavy cover where bass live does require thicker line and strong drag, something casting reels do well. Accurate pitching is another technique that casting reels excel at, for me anyways. Baitcasting rods generally are beefier for throwing heavier jigs, lures, and plastics. 

 

Open water, lighter line, with lighter baits is spinning terrority. Spinning rods throw lighter baits very well and spinning reels allow the bait to fall naturally. 

 

At the end of the day it's about using what you like. I wanted to learn the advantages of casting reels so I tried one and liked it. It won't replace my spinning rods, rather add more versatility. 

 

Live bait does not work well for my lifestyle. I fish whenever I can, may not be able to store live bait or go get some. I actually enjoy the endless choices of plastics. 

 

Some of it is marketing for sure, some of it is a hobby that people enjoy, and some of it is about learning new things. 

[The Bassman]

3 hours ago, LCG said:

I use both spinning and casting. Neither is required, it's about using the right tool for the job at hand.

 

Pitching into heavy cover where bass live does require thicker line and strong drag, something casting reels do well. Accurate pitching is another technique that casting reels excel at, for me anyways. Baitcasting rods generally are beefier for throwing heavier jigs, lures, and plastics. 

 

Open water, lighter line, with lighter baits is spinning terrority. Spinning rods throw lighter baits very well and spinning reels allow the bait to fall naturally. 

 

At the end of the day it's about using what you like. I wanted to learn the advantages of casting reels so I tried one and liked it. It won't replace my spinning rods, rather add more versatility. 

 

Live bait does not work well for my lifestyle. I fish whenever I can, may not be able to store live bait or go get some. I actually enjoy the endless choices of plastics. 

 

Some of it is marketing for sure, some of it is a hobby that people enjoy, and some of it is about learning new things. 

This.  I would add that I enjoy the endless choices of hard baits. In truth bass tackle choices can be simplified but what fun is that?

[JustJames]

A lot of my friend in Thailand converted from conventional gear to spinning gear because they can cast lure out as hard as they could and don't have to worry about backlash.

So it is not really a must for casting gear it just a choice obviously a popular choic one. If you enjoy spinning gear I would say why not, spinning is not only for finesse but can do as much as casting gear or even better in some situations.

[PatrickKnight]

You see spinning tackle more in the inshore fishing due to casting very light weight lures (often 1/16th of an oz) into fairly heavy winds. If you go to the Texas coast you will see mostly casting gear because the winds in this section of the gulf are not as bad as other parts. 

 

Its about right tool for the job at hand. I can tell you its 100% possible to pull 15-20 lb snook and redfish out of mangroves on 15 lb braid, medium power spinning rod, and a 2500 size spinning reel. So its often not about the fish but more the lure in use. I was skipping a weightless fluke in the situation above but if I was punching mats for bass with a 2 oz weight that same set up simply wouldn't be able to present the bait even though the fish would likely be much smaller and much less powerful.

[813basstard]

Does it have any real effect on baits like crankbaits or is it just easier/more effective on casting reel?

[PatrickKnight]

I think casting gear is just easier for most people to use for an extended period of time. I use all spinning tackle at this point because of the baits I use and where I fish. That being said a full day of fishing is easier on my arms and neck when using casting gear.

[813basstard]

Thanks for the input! Last question, I flip and pitch with an 8 foot Ohero Inshore rod and 3000 Ohero reel with 25lb Power Pro. Besides being taboo, am I missing something a bait caster can offer in this situation besides cranking power? I get bit and catch my share of 3-4lbs in these Florida weeds but I need to know if I’m handcuffing myself

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

The bottom line is you can use spinning gear for every 

technique in bass fishing. Casting? Close, there are some

who only use casting gear, and there are some amazing

YouTube vids out of Japan with guys skipping baits like

they were using spinning gear.

 

A great response to this question is from Tom Rowland 

of Saltwater Experience.

 

https://www.saltwaterexperience.com/blog/2014/12/2/spinning-vs-baitcaster

[LCG]

2 hours ago, 813basstard said:

Besides being taboo, am I missing something a bait caster can offer in this situation besides cranking power? I get bit and catch my share of 3-4lbs in these Florida weeds but I need to know if I’m handcuffing myself

I don't think your handcuffing yourself at all. Use what works for you. I find I am far more accurate pitching with casting gear, which is why I bought one. If your pitching and flipping into heavy cover then I would use a casting rod and reel, if it is more open water then no worries. 

 

I was fishing awhile back using a medium power spinning rod near some lay downs. Hooked a good size bass and he ran for the wood, but I didn't have enough power to stop his run. In the end he wrapped himself around a branch and I could not get him off (bank fisherman).

 

So I now use a medium heavy baitcasting setup for power and accuracy in that type of situation or if I might be bring 10-15 lbs of weed and grass in with the fish. 

 

I recommend trying a casting reel if you can or borrow a friend's for a bit. You can always buy something used and resell it if you don't like it. Worse case scenario, you tried something new   

[islandbass]

16 hours ago, 813basstard said:

Help me with this..I like spinning over casting. My opinion not withstanding, why can they catch giant red fish, trout, snook but 3lb bass require casting gear? 

Honestly, not interested in being converted, just flummoxed as to why? The myriad of bass lures and techniques? The aversion to live bait??

It certainly does not require casting gear. In simplest terms, it's a preference things.

 

And please, don't convert for no other reason than this... that you want to.  If it ain't broken, it doesn't need to be fixed.  Granted, there are a few "snooty" bass anglers that would "never be caught dead" using spinning gear, but that's something that hopefully won't influence you.

 

Honestly, a wide variety of lures can be fished well with both but there are certain areas where one might be a more convenient choice.

 

Try casting a 1/16 oz jig on a standard casting reel into the wind... yeah, right... fat chance.

 

or 

 

Try to get a vertical drop with no effort for you on casting gear. If you don't pull line off a casting reel, you're going to get a pendulum descent, not a vertical one.

 

It's been said a billion times.  Both reels are tools at the angler's disposal.  After all, you could use a butter knife to loosen a screw but a screwdriver is a better choice.

 

I don't know that bass angler's have an aversion to using live bait.  No doubt that live bait is effective.  But here's one aspect of bass fishing with artificial lures that appeals to me and I'm sure my brethren here.  The challenge of coaxing them to bite on something that isn't live bait. That is an art in and of itself. The bass angler has to find the right cadence or rhythm and impart "life" into the lure to solicit an opportunity for the bass to take their lure. It is this, I believe that makes bass angling a joy and an endeavor worthy of pursuit.

 

 

[grub_man]

The live bait aversion is more of a historical and cultural thing.  The popularity of bass fishing historically is tied very closely to tournament fishing.  Bass tournaments typically do not permit the use of live bait.  As such, bass anglers typically posture against live bait in the same way that avid fly rod fishermen will posture against the use of larger lures and spinning rods or gear that doesn't come from Sage or Orvis (I still don't understand the need for ridiculously expensive reels when the majority of fishing and fighting fish is done by hand-lining, but that is a topic for another day).

 

As far as the preference for casting gear, it's largely a cultural thing, but I suspect that it has a bit to do with the reliability of spinning reels early in the days of bass fishing gaining traction.  Back then spinning reels were just beginning to become commonplace in the market and just weren't as reliable as the casting reels of the day.  Also, back then spinning reels didn't have reversible handles, and using spinning gear meant switching the hands used for holding the rod and reeling, and is the reason most people reel spinning reels with their left hand.  With modern equipment, it really doesn't make a hill of beans one way or the other.  Both spinning and casting gear work well.

 

I prefer casting gear personally because it feels the most natural to me at this point, but I pick up the spinning rod and use it when I need to, and it serves me well.

[d-camarena]

13 hours ago, 813basstard said:

Thanks for the input! Last question, I flip and pitch with an 8 foot Ohero Inshore rod and 3000 Ohero reel with 25lb Power Pro. Besides being taboo, am I missing something a bait caster can offer in this situation besides cranking power? I get bit and catch my share of 3-4lbs in these Florida weeds but I need to know if I’m handcuffing myself

No sir, keep doing it your way. I am now 100% spinning myself. Broke my flipping/ punching stick and tried out my daiwa saltist 7ft heavy-fast rod. Its perfect and light. 

One thing i would recomend is to go up in lb test, i use 40 or 50lb power pro for flipping. 

[813basstard]

appreciate all the input for real..I just don’t want my preference to miss some actual black and white differences. Because look, we can all catch fish here but I don’t want to miss fish to another dude who catches because of semantics that I’m not fishing..