When to use a bait casting set up versus spinning for a technique

[pauldconyers]

While I am sure a lot of this answer will be personal preference but I am curious when using say a shakey head or trick worm (no matter how you rig it up) what is your mindset regarding throwing in on a spinning or bait cast set up? Are there certain techniques you just are more comfortable with one set up or the other? Is it purely a weight amount that dictates your choice?

[MN Fisher]

For me it's primarily weight - shakys for me are on spinning

 

One technique for me is spinning only...skipping. I can't skip worth a darn with a BC - which is why I have a MH/F spinning rig for skipping jigs, spinners, etc.

[WRB]

I use bait-casting for everything if I can cast and work the lure. Spinning is used for light line 5-7 lb)  finesse fishing.

Tom

[Spankey]

I guess you can use a spinning setup for everything. 

 

I find I can’t. Frogging, punching, deep running cranks, heavier cranks. 

[Deephaven]

Baitcasting for everything that isn't too light to throw on the baitcaster.  I hate having to use a spinning rod.

[Deleted account]

Size and weight of a lure, castability of the lure, required casting distance, and wind. There are some baits where either works fine, and others where one is better suited. I don't have a preference, I'll fish whichever works better on a given situation. 

[Bankc]

Baitcasting for control, and spinning for distance.  That's my view.  

 

And since distance is really only a concern with really light lures, that means I typically just use my spinning setups for crappie jigs, small balsa cranks, and finesse style presentations.  Everything else, I really like having the ability to stop the bait, mid-flight, with my thumb.  Also, I like not having to worry about line twist as much as possible.  So unless I'm specifically fishing for crappie that day, I typically will only take one spinning rig with me.  

[FishTank]

Wind, clear water and light finesse ~1/4oz or less > spinning gear.  Everything else is on casting gear, which is 90% of the time.

[Skunkmaster-k]

I use a spinning set up when I use 8# and under. Mostly because my bait casting reels don’t have as good of a drag as my spinning reels .

[GRiver]

Wind, 3/8 or less spinning, or flipping or pitching... I just can’t get the hang of it, I spend more time fixing over-runs. Everything else bait caster. 

[Hammer 4]

Spinning is for very light baits, and light line, otherwise it's baitcasting.

[jbsoonerfan]

For me, I find I am more patient and will let a bait "soak" longer if I throw it on spinning gear. I usually do this with a ned rig or shakey head. They could be 3/16 or 1/4 oz, so not necessarily "finesse", but I do feel like I fish them slower.

[Dens228]

I use spinning for dropshot and wacky rigs.......both of which I barely ever use. 

I try to only bring 6-7 rods in my kayak and the spinning rod rarely makes the cut. 

[BrianMDTX]

Spinning: wacky rigs, weightless Texas rigs with lightweight plastics (Zoom Tricks, creature baits), Neko rigs with lightweight baits, small jerkbaits (Rapala Floating Minnow, etc.). 
 

Baitcasting: pretty much everything else. 

[galyonj]

Same as everybody else, I reckon.

 

The spinning rig I have is a 6'9" ML/F with a 2500 series reel, so I put it together for the purpose of throwing light stuff with thin-wire hooks. 18 months ago, all the spinning combos I had were for the girlfriend, and I thought finesse fishing was stupid and boring.

 

It occurred to me that getting skunked when I know there are fish under me is orders of magnitude more boring and frustrating than fishing a ned rig or a trick worm or whatever.

 

I generally have stuff like ned rigs, light shakyheads, weightless and lightly-weighted wacky rigs, or unweighted plastics tied onto my spinning rod. I'm as comfortable and accurate throwing panfish lures with it as I am throwing lighter bass lures. It's just an incredibly flexible setup for my needs, and it's just about the first rod I pull out of the rack when I'm getting ready to go.

 

My baitcasting rigs get everything else. There's plenty to go around.

[Choporoz]

I miss SirSnookalot

[Weht Boots]

On 4/20/2021 at 12:07 PM, BaitFinesse said:

Use either whenever you prefer.  People catch sharks on spinning reels and trout on baitcast.  I like the overhand grip of the rod with my domonante hand when using spinning rods so I use them for bottom contact until line management requires a baitcast reel.  Anytime I do a lot of reeling I prefer the tiny winch nature of a baitcast reeled with my dominant hand.  

you explaining how you reel with your dominant hand using a bait-caster  and visa versa with the spinning makes so much sense to me now. I'm left hand and have been taught by right handers or right handed things. I use a spinning rod for everything set up for a left hander, when i use spin-cast it is set up with the reel handle on right side. Now i know why to me the handles are on the wrong side for a left-handed reel when i was looking at bait-casting rods.

[Mike L]

On 4/20/2021 at 12:51 PM, Choporoz said:

I miss SirSnookalot

Me too!

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[ATA]

I use spinning set up only for weightless tubes and light drop shot and smaller weightless stickbaits in clear water. using very long(30') 6lb test fluorocarbon.

anything else I will use baitcasters .

[GreenPig]

Mostly throw BC except for fishing deep water with lighter baits(Ned, Micro Jig, Shaky Head) that I want fall vertical without feeding line off my BC reel.

[rtwvumtneer6]

On 4/19/2021 at 2:28 PM, Bankc said:

Baitcasting for control, and spinning for distance.  

I would suggest that rod length has a greater impact on accuracy (shorter) and distance (longer). 

 

I also cannot cast a spinning rod nearly as far as a BC, but some of it is physics.  A 1/2 oz trap is going to travel further than a 3/32oz ned rig.  

 

[jbrew73]

I don’t even have a spinning rod in my boat.  It’s a matter of comfort and familiarity for me. Use whatever feels good to you. 

[Tennessee Boy]

On 4/19/2021 at 10:02 AM, pauldconyers said:

…I am curious when using say a shakey head or trick worm (no matter how you rig it up) what is your mindset regarding throwing in on a spinning or bait cast set up? Are there certain techniques you just are more comfortable with one set up or the other? Is it purely a weight amount that dictates your choice?

Everyone can tell you what they are more comfortable with.  The question is what are you more comfortable with.  Tie a shakey head on both and see which one works best for you.  There are lots of people that use only spinning and lots of people that use only bait casting.  I use both and my preferences are kind of quirky and have changed over time.  The important thing is I know the advantages and disadvantages that both bring to the way I fish.