How necessary is a baitcast rig?

[MickD]

14 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

Spinning can do anything.

Not quite.  When you want to go from retrieving or trolling to giving line quickly and easily, spinning cannot do it as well as baitcasting.  Not as big a deal with bass as with some other species, but it's a fact.  When you want to go to freely giving line instantly, spinning cannot do it.  You have to open the bail instead of just hitting the thumb bar.  An example, trolling for cuda-they notoriously cut the bait in half and come back for the part they missed.  Which will have the hook in it.  Easy, efficient, with baitcaster, not at all easy and fast with a spinner.

 

I also prefer the more "direct" connection offered by the baitcaster for some techniques, but I admit it is a preference, nothing like a show-stopper.

[Pikeman12]

Gotcha. My main spinning setup is a 7' medium/fast st croix with a shimano sustain 2500 on it. I use 20-30 lb braid most of the time and the sweet spot has been throwing 3/8-1/2 oz. I figured anything under 3/8 is pretty much ultra lite fishing lol. 

[Sam]

Confidence.

 

It boils down to confidence.

 

If you have strong confidence in your spinning setups then stay with them.

 

If you want to purchase a baitcasting rig and give it a try then do so and decide if you can have confidence in it.

 

Be sure to know how to set up your baitcaster or you will have some terrible backlashes.

 

Good luck and have fun giving your baitcaster a try.

[LonnieP]

8 hours ago, Jrob78 said:

It's pretty funny. I use spinning gear about once or twice or year, mainly because I own it so I might as well use it. Spinning gear offers nothing that I can't do better with baitcasting gear, including ultra light fishing. I hate spinning gear and don't care if I ever use it.

 

My point is, use what works for you but don't limit yourself to one thing without at least seeing what the other has to offer.

I totally agree. Once in a blue moon I’ll bring my one spinning rod and maybe make 5 or 6 casts with it. It just doesn’t feel right to me.

[Darren.]

You can use spinning for every single bass fishing technique.

 

Casting, as @roadwarrior suggested, probably handles moving

baits better. Cranks, for instance, can get tiring if thrown all day

on spinning.

 

As has been said, confidence is what it boils down to.

 

My own experience has led me to spinning for the majority of all

I throw, and I have one casting reel and two rods to change out

based on what I want to throw.

 

I set out to go 100% casting, and did quite well doing so. But one

day a light came on while I was on the water with only two casting

rigs. One of them backlashed (and I'm very competent at casting,

BTW). That day it dawned on me that there are certain things 

spinning rigs excel at, including windy conditions, straight drops,

etc. Point being, use what you feel competent/confident in, and don't

bow to pressure that you *have* to use x or y in order to be a complete

fisherman. That's just not true.

 

If @Fish Chris and @SirSnookalot were still around, they'd have some 

good spinning advice. And Fish Chris has caught some of the biggest

bass you and I will ever see - on spinning gear.

[jimmyjoe]

1 hour ago, MickD said:

Not quite.  When you want to go from retrieving or trolling to giving line quickly and easily, spinning cannot do it as well as baitcasting.  Not as big a deal with bass as with some other species, but it's a fact.  When you want to go to freely giving line instantly, spinning cannot do it.  You have to open the bail instead of just hitting the thumb bar.  An example, trolling for cuda-they notoriously cut the bait in half and come back for the part they missed.  Which will have the hook in it.  Easy, efficient, with baitcaster, not at all easy and fast with a spinner.

 

I also prefer the more "direct" connection offered by the baitcaster for some techniques, but I admit it is a preference, nothing like a show-stopper.

   Well, I learned something today! I guess you can figure out how often I've trolled, or even been around other people who have trolled. But I see what you mean, and it makes sense.  Thnx.   jj

[Deleted account]

26 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Well, I learned something today! I guess you can figure out how often I've trolled, or even been around other people who have trolled. But I see what you mean, and it makes sense.  Thnx.   jj

Yeah, except it's wrong.

[MN Fisher]

49 minutes ago, LonnieP said:

I totally agree. Once in a blue moon I’ll bring my one spinning rod and maybe make 5 or 6 casts with it. It just doesn’t feel right to me.

 

27 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Well, I learned something today! I guess you can figure out how often I've trolled, or even been around other people who have trolled. But I see what you mean, and it makes sense.  Thnx.   jj

 

Just now, reason said:

Yeah, except it's wrong.

Exactly, @reason, it depends on the spinning reel. If I do any trolling it's with my Cardinal, which has a trigger on the side of the bail to instantly open it if I get caught on a snag or a larger fish grabs it and runs. It's as fast as the thumb-trigger on my baitcasters.

[jimmyjoe]

12 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

 

 

Exactly, @reason, it depends on the spinning reel. If I do any trolling it's with my Cardinal, which has a trigger on the side of the bail to instantly open it if I get caught on a snag or a larger fish grabs it and runs. It's as fast as the thumb-trigger on my baitcasters.

   Okay  ....  now I'm REALLY confused!  I think I'll have a sazerac and turn in.    jj

[MN Fisher]

A pic of me activating the bail trigger. I can do this with the hand on the rod, never needing to remove my hand from the reel-handle.

[CrankFate]

16 hours ago, islandbass said:

 

Also, the bc reel is one tool you CANNOT afford to skimp on in quality. Higher quality bc reels not only perform better and last longer, the also make learning to use a bc reel much easier. Trust me. No, you don’t need $300 reel, but don’t make things more difficult for you by learning on junk. 

 

Good luck and keep us posted on your journey. 

This.

[jimmyjoe]

15 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

A pic of me activating the bail trigger. I can do this with the hand on the rod, never needing to remove my hand from the reel-handle.

   Oh. Yeah. One of those. I've seen them. I didn't know they could be used that way.  Now I do. You realize, of course, that you made me oxidize 2 ounces of sazerac for no reason at all, don't you? 

   Thank you for that.  ?   jj

[Mobasser]

After you fish for a while, you can make your choice of tackle based on what you like, and what works best for you. Don't worry about what others think. Fish your style! That's what all the best fisherman do. You'll be more successful doing this.

[AC870]

May have been mentioned (I only read the first page) but stuff like Alabama rigs, big spinnerbaits and really “chunking and winding) traps and squarebills, you really need a baitcaster. Heavy vegetation, baitcasters have more power to winch them out. And I don’t know anyone fishing an Alabama rig on spinning gear. 

That said, I love fishing Texas rigs around docks with my spinning gear. I just kinda beefed up a spinning rig for that. 

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, AC870 said:

May have been mentioned (I only read the first page) but stuff like Alabama rigs, big spinnerbaits and really “chunking and winding) traps and squarebills, you really need a baitcaster. Heavy vegetation, baitcasters have more power to winch them out.

I think it has been mentioned - but I'll re-iterate. Buzzbaits, big twin spinners, chatterbaits, larger jerk and crank baits all get done on my 'lighter' Baitcaster...use to be the Ambassadeur, now will be the President with 20#PP

 

Can't use Alabama rigs here - at least not with hooks on every end...illegal in MN. One end can have a hook or lure, the rest have to be hookless.

 

Heavy vegetation - that calls for the Fuego CT with the 50#PP

[FishTank]

For me they are different tools for different things (techniques).  I prefer baitcasters for certain things and spinning reels for others.  It's not a iPhone versus Android type thing for me.  It's more like Mac versus PC> each one excels at different things and I have to use both to be good at my job. 

[Pikeman12]

How heavy of lures are you guys throwing on your med-heavy bcs? 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Pikeman12 said:

How heavy of lures are you guys throwing on your med-heavy bcs? 

My MH rig is the Fuego CT on a Diawa Aird-X MH/F - it's not the weight of the lure that's the issue, it's getting the lure through the lily-pads, reeds and milfoil that needs the heavier equipment.

 

My President will be on a M/F Aird-X - the chatters/buzz/spinners are 3/8 (all I got since I have to be a frugal fisherman by need)

[Heartland]

It casts the line to da fishes

[Jrob78]

1 hour ago, Pikeman12 said:

How heavy of lures are you guys throwing on your med-heavy bcs? 

It isn't quite as cut and dry as that. Since manufacturers can put any label they want on their rods, one companies MH might range from 1/4-5/8oz while another might be 1/2-1oz. It's hard to say without actually fishing with the rod.

[BigAngus752]

20 hours ago, Koz said:

 

My son bought a LH baitcasting reel and I tried it out a few weeks ago and it just didn't feel right - kind of like when I bought my first LH baitcaster after all of those years fishing with RH spinning.

 

The one thing that caught me off guard when I first bought my RH baitcaster was when I caught my first 4-5 pounder on that setup. Since my right hand is my dominant hand I felt weak horsing in the fish with my left hand holding the rod.

That makes sense too.  It just felt natural to me going LH but that sure isn't how most people feel.  The only downside for me is the LH reels are harder to find, especially used or on clearance.  

[Deleted account]

11 hours ago, Heartland said:

It casts the line to da fishes

"or it gets the hose again"....

[roadwarrior]

5 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

The only downside for me is the LH reels are harder to find, especially used or on clearance.

Most new reels come in "wrong-handed" and we have several used reels offered on our

Flea Market right now. Keep an eye on the Flea Market or post "WTB".

 

[bigfruits]

not necessary  but you'll be glad once you try one. spend a little bit and get a good one. IMO - dominant hand on the rod is the way to go.

[NYWayfarer]

On 1/18/2019 at 12:39 PM, Jrob78 said:

I completely agree that whatever works for someone is great, I'm not here to say anyone is doing anything wrong. There are no rules in fishing. I'm sure people would think I'm crazy for throwing a shaky head or drop shot or weightless worm or whatever on casting gear. 

A show I watched when I was a kid had a theme song that sums it up nicely,

 

Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum
What might be right for you, may not be right for some
A man is born, he's a man of means
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans

But they got, Diff'rent Strokes
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world

Everybody's got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine
It don't matter that you got not alot
So what
They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine
And together we'll be fine....

Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world
Yes it does
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world