Spinning reels just aren’t fun anymore

[evo2s197]

Some threads just make you wonder.

 

If I wanted to limit the amount of fish I catch on any given body of water I would most definitely stick with baitcasters exclusively.

 

It's funny because from my experience most of the guys the down talk spinning outfits have that faux macho man mentality.

 

My boat has close to a 50/50 ratio of both spinning and bait casting, because somedays it's gonna take a finesse presentation to bring them in.

 

Painting your self in a corner because you want to insist on using casting equipment is ridiculous unless your a Masochist then it all makes sense.

[FishTank]

In the tournament I fished yesterday there were so many boats that I got to see what everyone had when we were checking in and pretty much everybody had a spinning outfit.  The guy that won it with a 17lb bag caught pretty much all his fish on spinning gear.  But on a day like yesterday, finding the fish and having the right bait were the keys to winning not the equipment.  

 

For me, I go in spurts with spinning gear.  Overtime, I have noticed that I like using certain baits better with spinning gear than I do on casting gear but I can use pretty much use whatever on either one.   They have become just different tools for the job.

 

From a fishing fun stand point, there is nothing like fighting a big fish on light spinning gear.   It becomes a battle with the gear and the line and there is a certain amount of thrill in feeling like > "Will I be able to get this fish in?".   It tests my skills as a fisherman and the reward of getting a fish in like that is greater than just overpowering the fish and hauling into the boat.   My PB, 10lb 2oz, was caught on a ML spinning rod and 6lb test line.

[JustJames]

Long night ago, there were 2 guys on a boat, one “macho” man with his 3/8jig on baitcaster and another one “sissy” with shakey head senko on spinning out fit. The macho man kept casting his jig to shore and drag it down while the sissy just kept shaking at about the end of weed line. 
 

 

 

The result macho man got his a-s-s kicked with 8 to 0, actually 8 to 1 if you wanna count his only 1 carp.

[redmeansdistortion]

 

1 minute ago, FishTank said:

From a fishing fun stand point, there is nothing like fighting a big fish on light spinning gear.   It becomes a battle with the gear and the line and there is a certain amount of thrill in feeling like > "Will I be able to get this fish in?".

That's exactly how it is with light baitcasting tackle.  I landed a 14" brown trout on 2lb test last weekend.  It's quite a challenge keeping a fish like that from losing you in a logjam.  

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, garroyo130 said:

Id probably also throw trolling and live bait into the category of "things that catch fish but people don't do because they prefer using the equipment over catching fish".

In my post in this thread I mentioned "raising the stakes" by using a baitcaster. To your point, most bass fishermen choose the handicap of using artificial baits to increase the hazard of not catching fish. Some may call it sportsmanship, but in fact it's a consciously chosen handicap that increases difficulty and works against the percentages. Ultimately there's greater satisfaction in doing so. The type of fishing reel you use is not directly analogous to that example, but there's always danger present because of the nature of the beast. No one is immune from a day ending blowup. This isn't the primary driver for my preference of baitcasters, but I've come to the conclusion that it's at least an element of it. That element forces me into a more focused mindset. I like that place now. When I'm old and fishing from a chair I might go the other way completely. I'm not a complete dunce though. If I get out to a particular shallow clearwater lake today I'll have a spinning setup with a 6 pound fluoro leader in the mix. It could be the ticket. The sun is high and it's blazing hot out there.

[the reel ess]

When I started bass fishing, baitcasters were de rigueur for bass fishing. This was the 80s. Spinning gear was looked upon as unsophisticated. Everyone I knew had one MH combo and one M combo. That covered the basics. We only power fished. Finesse meant a T-rig to most of us. It was assumed if you only had spinning combos you didn't know how to use a baitcaster. What did we know?

 

I usually take two spinning combos with me. But they've never felt natural in my hands compared to BC combos. I'm not very good with reaction baits on spinning. So I try to limit them to a few finesse techniques like weightless Trick Worms and flukes. 

[tracker01]

On 7/18/2020 at 11:17 AM, jbmaine said:

100% spinning for me. I admire people who use bait casters, but I just like the idea of no matter the weight or the wind, I just open the bail and cast.

That makes two of us.

[Hook2Jaw]

You're all sissy babies.  I personally use the gear at the end of my right arm.  I like to hang the plastic of the day off my clenched fish for attraction and punch the bass into submission.

 

I figure out the plastic of the day by hooking the gut once and looking to see what the bass cough up.  You fellows, or should I say ladies, don't know what a real fight is until you do it underwater with an animal between 1-27" inches long that doesn't have any arms.

[Bankbeater]

I always have at least one spinning rig with me.  This time of year I might have 2 or 3.

[soflabasser]

On 7/18/2020 at 8:04 PM, BrianMDTX said:

Gotta say...never saw anyone heaving tackle in the surf on casting rigs lol. You can catch and reel in some big fish on spinning rigs...if it’s sized right. 

I have casted big baits on a 4/0 Penn Senator while fishing from land in the ocean and have casted big baits on spinning reels. Both can be done if you know how to use your fishing gear. I still prefer catching a fish on a spinning reel and I have lost count of the big fish I have caught on spinning reels much bigger than any largemouth bass or any black bass species.

[Mat_ski]

I try to use the best tool for the job and I let the fish tell me which tool I should use.

[NOC 1]

On 7/19/2020 at 8:54 AM, evo2s197 said:

Some threads just make you wonder.

 

If I wanted to limit the amount of fish I catch on any given body of water I would most definitely stick with baitcasters exclusively.

 

It's funny because from my experience most of the guys the down talk spinning outfits have that faux macho man mentality.

 

My boat has close to a 50/50 ratio of both spinning and bait casting, because somedays it's gonna take a finesse presentation to bring them in.

 

Painting your self in a corner because you want to insist on using casting equipment is ridiculous unless your a Masochist then it all makes sense.

I guess you missed the point on part of this. The point that some of us are making is that you can do those finesse things as well on casting gear as you can on spinning gear these days if someone prefers to use it. So given that, please explain how not using a spinning rig is going to limit the fish caught, paint yourself in a corner etc.

 

 

[waymont]

3 minutes ago, NOC 1 said:

please explain how not using a spinning rig is going to limit the fish caught, paint yourself in a corner etc.

I think you need to re-read this post. He said he has 50/50 spinning gear.

[evo2s197]

1 hour ago, waymont said:

I think you need to re-read this post. He said he has 50/50 spinning gear

Exactly you can explain it to people but you cant understand it for them.

 

There is no BETTER OVERALL just better suited, both setups have there place to think a casting setup will totally replace any spinning setup in all aspects of performance is just delusional.

 

The Elite pros use both types, why is that....

 

There are a lot of reasons why, but the main reason is because they use the right tool for the job, you can make anything work that does not mean it's the best choice. 

 

[Fin S]

After fishing spinning gear exclusively most of my life, I learned to use a baitcaster, and I love it. I'm not a power fisherman by any means. I just like the accuracy, having the drag by my thumb, and just the overall ergonomics of the setup. Maybe it's just the "other side of the pillow" thing and will pass with time.

 

I still take spinning rods with me every trip, but I mostly just use them when I have to for a given presentation (tubes, dropshot, 2.8" keitechs). However, I've been thinking about getting an Expride to renew my interest...

[J Francho]

2 hours ago, NOC 1 said:

I guess you missed the point on part of this. The point that some of us are making is that you can do those finesse things as well on casting gear as you can on spinning gear these days if someone prefers to use it. So given that, please explain how not using a spinning rig is going to limit the fish caught, paint yourself in a corner etc.

I have one example, deep drop shot.  While you're waiting for the bait to hit the bottom in 40'+ water, thumbing your spool, I'm setting the hook into a big smallie.  It's more efficient to use spinning gear in this instance.  Other than this situation, I can't think of when casting/spinning matters, and totally agree.

[J Francho]

The bait falls faster on a fixed spool than a rotating spool.  There's plenty of casting reels that you can engage without reeling.

[redmeansdistortion]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

The bait falls faster on a fixed spool than a rotating spool.  There's plenty of casting reels that you can engage without reeling.

We use reels with a flipping switch for jigging walleye in the Detroit and St Clair rivers.  It's so much easier to hit the thumb bar and get your bait to the depth it needs to be instead of disengaging and reengaging the spool.  Some of the charters are up in arms about the increasing lack of reels with that feature.  I think there is just a handful on the market now that can be bought new.

[ChrisD46]

*Many spinning reel users give up due to line handling issues with co-poly , mono and FC main lines ... Once you convert to braid main line + leader you will appreciate the applications a spinning reel excels at vs. a bait cast reel set up - and not just for finesse applications either ... I have a dedicated 7' MH / F action spinning rod with 4000 series spinning reel loaded with #20 lb. braid I use tied straight to a WP 110 with a double palomar knot I can throw quite a long distance .

[MN Fisher]

22 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

Many spinning reel users give up due to line handling issues with co-poly , mono

KVD. I use only mono or YZH on my spinning reels - with KVD I've had no issues, even with the 10#YZH I have on a 3000 size reel.

[brophog]

5 hours ago, evo2s197 said:

Exactly you can explain it to people but you cant understand it for them.

 

There is no BETTER OVERALL just better suited, both setups have there place to think a casting setup will totally replace any spinning setup in all aspects of performance is just delusional.

 

The Elite pros use both types, why is that....

 

There are a lot of reasons why, but the main reason is because they use the right tool for the job, you can make anything work that does not mean it's the best choice. 

 

 

I don’t know about you, but if I want fish most efficiently then I’m going to the grocery store.

[Mobasser]

I started breaking it down like this year's ago. 8lb or less, I use spinning tackle. 10lb or larger, casting tackle. I use mono line only, and have no problems with line management on either.

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

KVD. I use only mono or YZH on my spinning reels - with KVD I've had no issues, even with the 10#YZH I have on a 3000 size reel.

Yep. Only one of my ten or so spinning reels has braid. I don’t find it as useful for anything other than grass as many here do. Always use KVD. 

[JustJames]

They both tools just like nail and screw, they might work in same situation. I’m not saying which one is better just use whatever comfortable to you.

I have baitcasters that can cast a whole length of weight but again I only use spinning on some techniques like Ned, Neko rig and light shakey head. Yes I catch plenty of fish from these techniques on both baitcaster and spinning, but I want to be able to shake/twist in same spot for long period of time, I found that baitcaster  make it uncomfortable and get tired quicker (when I use baitcaster it is more like short hop or drag).

This morning I went to one of the spot that hold fish but in tight location (3 tunnels and @OCdockskippercan confirm that) I drag the craw in that area for about 30 mins for nothing (baitcaster) switched to Neko Rig, second cast and a little bit of twisted and land this one.

 

Again I don’t want to proof anything like I’m in the trend or I can cast light lure with baitcaster or it looks cool. Yesterday I used one of my baitcaster with 1.2 gram jig head with baby shad and caught a few of 10-12” crappies. I only use baitcaster a few time this year. Why? Yes it is fun and cool to be able to cast light lure, and that’s that. Those baitcaster or what you call BFS is so over power not even one pull drag unlike UL spinning, you got a whole lot of fun catching and fighting fish. Another reason I sold my Alphas Air.

 

P.S I’m not a guy who buy/collect gears to talk, I buy whatever I like and fish the hell out of it.

[NOC 1]

10 hours ago, evo2s197 said:

Exactly you can explain it to people but you cant understand it for them.

 

Pretty much what I was thinking..