How necessary is a baitcast rig?

[Angry John]

[Hulkster]

it is not necessary, but it is certainly a much better tool for throwing big lipped crankbaits and big blade baits (these baits have a ton of water resistance and will tire you out fishing them on a spinning reel quickly. I learned that the hard way).

[FCPhil]

On 1/18/2019 at 8:32 AM, Pikeman12 said:

First off thank you for all of the amazing feedback. I should mention I’m not totally unfamiliar with baitcasters as I use 1 for catfish, but as far as casting lures go, totally unfamiliar. I’m thinking a medium heavy would be good for the heavier lures over 1/2 oz and could be used as a top water rod at least. 

I highly recommend you give baitcasting a decent shot for bass. It is so much more enjoyable to cast in my opinion that I still use it for light lures even though I can’t get much casting distance. I can’t imagine trying to fish a frog or fishing heavy cover with a spinning rod.  I also can’t imaging trying to cast larger swimbaits on a spinning reel. 

 

I started with a $50 Abu Garcia Black Max and a $25 Daiwa Crossfire Rod from Walmart. Could not be happier with both. During the winter when the ponds were frozen I went out to a park and spent a half hour learning to cast it well enough to use.

 

I was on a tight budget. If you want to spend more for a better reel I highly recommend the Daiwa Tatula CT. 

 

I strongly suggest you get a left hand retrieve baitcaster (assuming you’re right handed). You will have more leverage fighting the fish with your strong arm and you won’t have to switch hands when you cast. 

On 1/18/2019 at 9:09 PM, Pikeman12 said:

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

On my medium heavy rod I can smoothly cast a lure ranging between 1/2oz and 1oz. I can cast 1/4oz to 1-1/2oz if needed. 

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, FCPhil said:

I was on a tight budget. If you want to spend more for a better reel I highly recommend the Daiwa Tatula CT. 

 

I strongly suggest you get a left hand retrieve baitcaster (assuming you’re right handed). You will have more leverage fighting the fish with your strong arm and you won’t have to switch hands when you cast. 

There's reels and rods that work well at various price points, just have to decide how much you want to spend.

 

Far as the right/left thing is concerned, that's also a personal thing. I'm a rightie in most things, but my left arm is stronger and steadier than my right. That's why I swapped the handles of my spinning reels to the right side - except the old Pleuger 640...it doesn't swap.

 

You have to try it yourself to see how it works...places with a exchange policy are the best. Get a reel...right or left...and try it out. If it doesn't seem to work quite right, swap it for the other model. Or swap it back if the first one is better.

[bayvalle]

Baitcast pros vs spinning ...more accuracy, lighter weight (less fatigue), faster casting, easier to adjust the depth when jigging, stronger drag, better for heavier line, less line twist.

Spinning pros vs Baitcast... Better for smaller diameter line (flouro under 10lbs, braid under 15 lbs), better in wind, easier to learn, less backlash issues ( settings, practice and improved reels minimize this in baitcasters), cheaper, easier maintenance.

Baitcasters are my preference unless I'm fishing light rigs or needing to cast into the wind on windy days

I am right handed and prefer left handed retrieve. This allows me to make faster casts since I don't have to switch hands to retrieve. Plus if I get a bite as soon as the bait hits the water I'm not caught switching hands.

[Choporoz]

I use both, but primarily casting for bass.  I still use spinning for drop shot, split shot, many jerk baits and weightless plastics lighter than a senko, like flukes.

I prefer baitcasters because for me:

1.  I am more accurate 

2.  I can make many more casts/pitches/flips/retrieves in same amount of time 

3.  I do most of my fishing seated in a kayak, wearing a pfd, and when holding a spinning rod, my hands are unnaturally farther out from my torso and it is surprisingly tiring.

4.  Strike detection.  Two factors. I feel that I detect a lot of strikes through the reel handle of my baitcaster and that doesn't seem to be the case when I have a spinning rod...might only give me a tiny fraction of a second over what I get from the rod specifically,  but I think that makes a difference for me.  The other strike detection factor is that with a baitcaster,  I can often have a finger touching the line forward of the reel, but i haven't mastered that with a spinning rod.

[dodgeguy]

I grew up using spinning. At about age 30 I bought my first baitcasters. 30 years later I have given my last spinning rod to my daughter and now have nothing but baitcasters. 

[Hulkster]

On ‎1‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 8:22 PM, Angry John said:

I posted this on my bulletin board at my work. a few of my coworkers are fishermen too. and none use a baitcaster except me hahahaha.

[Pikeman12]

Hey guys, thanks again for all the help. Decided that I am gonna go with a Pflueger president for my first low profile baitcaster with a med heavy rod.  Gonna use it for frogging and throwing bigger lures in general. Thanks for the insight guys!

[superkamikazee]

I throw jerk baits / crank baits on spinning setups, and frogs on my bait caster in the thick stuff. I personally prefer the spinning setups, and have no issues with accuracy, casting distance, or see any difference with which bait is tied on. I use the lightest weight spinning setups I can, 6-7 oz spinning reels at size 2000, and they feel great all day. My spinning setups are 6:2:1 ratio and 31"-32" of line per turn which exceed my bait casters 7:1:1 29" of line per turn. 10lb / 15lb braid on the spinning setups, and 50lb braid on the bait caster. My bait caster is a left had retrieve since I didn't want another variable to deal with when learning the bait caster. I only have 4 rods, 3 spinning, 1 bait caster. One of the spinning rods is a trunk setup I keep on me, and the rest are for kayak fishing.

 

Just some info, and my experience. Regardless, I enjoy both styles, I prefer spinning, but I also can't ignore the bait casters muscle for pulling fish out of the thick stuff when I'm playing in there.