I hate spinning gear

[Koz]

There - I said it. I grew up on spinning gear and I loved spinning gear. But now I'm done with it. I incorporated it back into my arsenal this summer for some finesse fishing but between decreased casting accuracy, line twist, and not casting very far I'm going to put my spinning gear away again.

 

Instead, I'll spool up some 10-15 pound braid on one of my baitcasters and use that for my ned rigs, drop shots, beetlespins, and other smaller and lighter baits. I honestly don't think I'll be missing anything, and my attitude will be better ?

 

Has anyone else eliminated spinning gear from their daily arsenal?

[newapti5]

Seems a bit too hardcore to me, but hey, whatever makes you happy - we're not pros.

[GreenPig]

I haven't fished spinning gear since I acquired my Aldebarans 5 or 6 months ago. I've proved to myself I can live without them but I'm tired of feeding line so my lures won't pendulum back towards me on long cast in deep water. Pulling a couple off the bench and putting them back into the fray.

[BrianMDTX]

I think I can cast more accurately with a baitcaster, but with 20 lb. braid to 8 lb. leader, I can cast a weightless Senko TR pretty darned far. Or a Ned rig. I think both rigs have their applications. 

[new2BC4bass]

I gave up fishing my spinning gear, but not because I hate it, but because I like baitcast reels that much more.  However, I do want to start making use of them.  I've got 4 that have never been used and 4 others that have only been out a couple times.

 

However, I did pick up a couple finesse spools and have 2 Light powered rods to try them on.  Just don't have the skill yet for such light lures on a baitcast reel.  No problem with #5 Shad Raps, but have a much harder time when I go lower.

[papajoe222]

I also grew up with spinning gear. I switched over to casting back in the early '70s and thought I'd never pick up another spinning combo.  I've added three over the past 5yrs.  I dislike them for the same reasons, but I won't go as far as to say I hate them.  

[Jrob78]

I use casting gear exclusively, I don't hate spinning gear but I don't really enjoy using it. As long as you have casting gear that can handle lighter stuff you won't have any issue. The rod is at least as important as the reel when going light, if the rod doesn't load properly you're going to have a bad time. Plenty of companies are making ML and L casting rods now so it's easier than ever.

[Columbia Craw]

Once I adopted using a quality braid on my spinning reels, spinning has become so much more effective and efficient that I can’t conceive not using it. 

[Kdizzle]

I'm one of those rare weirdos that can cast more accurately with a spinning rod and reel than with  baitcasting setup.  

 

I put it down to being all around awesome and stuff.

 

But seriously Im more comfortable with it.  Ever since I've discovered braid to leader, I've just fell in love with the medium light to medium  powered setup.   I grew up in the ozarks, so fishing that way in our many streams, rivers, and lake systems, has brought me so much happiness.  The sound of a spinning reel peeling with the sound of a five pound bass on the other end is the platonic definition of bliss for me.

[JustJames]

That is a strong word, be careful those spinning nazis will come after you ???.

I don’t hate but I prefer baitcaster for most everything. I will use spinning not for weight limited but for slow shaking the Neko rig. I found it much more comfortable the way I hold spinning rod and light shaking with wrist than moving the whole palm/hand using baitcaster.

To me though it is really old school to tie up spinning with light weight lure and baitcaster for power fishing. Yes is most case you have more control of the bass with baitcaster but spinning will give you a bit more enjoyment when you hear drag screaming. Nowadays a lot of baitcaster add drag clicking into their reel but no way near that excitement of spinning.

 

[QED]

I mostly fish BFS casting gear, but I find UL spinning gear pretty fun as well.  A Tennessee handled UL Fenwick HMG rod with a Shimano Stella FK 1000 or Vanford 1000F is an enjoyable but challenging way to fish for bass.

[padon]

hammer to drive nails, screwdriver to install screws. i just use the best tool for the job, but hey its all about what you like.

[T-Billy]

BFS reels and shallow braid spools for standard baitcasters sidelined my spinning rigs. I only use spinning for crappie now.

[PressuredFishing]

4 hours ago, Koz said:

Has anyone else eliminated spinning gear from their daily arsenal?

No

[bulldog1935]

I use spinning gear in the dark, and pretty much retire it at sunrise. 

You can't thumb the end of a cast you can't see. 

However, if I'm casting light-enough lures, even that's not a problem, so I still use my braid-raced baitcasters a bit in the dark. 

 

Don't let the stigma of BFS on BR slow you down. 

A Daiwa Zillion, Steez, Alphas or Tatula that you raced for braid with a shallow spool and low-inertia bearings, or a ready to go package BFS reel from JDM, will plug right into everyone else's spinning tackle niches while they continue to complain. 

[DaubsNU1]

I was close to putting down my spinning gear, and then I found this site a few years back. 

 

Years ago I tried straight braid on my spinning set ups, but never liked how it performed. Granted, I was running 30lb braid...just didn't seem to work well for me. 

 

Read about braid to leader, didn't like the idea of an extra knot. Finally MADE myself try it last spring. 

 

Game changer!

 

Downsized to 10lb bright yellow PowerPro, to 8 or 10lb fluorocarbon leader. Casts a mile, great sensitivity, I can see the line and detect those light hits. 

 

Yes, I do have to cast it out and hold tension on the line to eliminate twist every once and a while. And I'm no where near as accurate casting vs. my bait-casters. 

 

My boat holds 6 rods comfortably...I generally take three bait-casters, and three spinning rods. Another nice thing for my set ups...I cast with left hand, and reel with right for my bait-casters...and cast with right hand, and reel with left for my spinning setups. If one arm starts getting tired...I just switch it up.  

[PhishLI]

On 8/28/2022 at 6:13 AM, bulldog1935 said:

You can't thumb the end of a cast you can't see. 

Not to argue, but I can and do this all the time, and I'm often bombing for distance. I can hear and feel the descent of the bait as the vibration of the spool and bearings is distinct during slow down. I can't remember the last time I had a backlash on splashdown, but I have a lot of practice fishing at night as I rarely fish during daylight hours. Also, night is when I taught myself how to use a BC, but only because I got my first one in late November of that year. Most of the guys I night fish with don't have much of an issue either, but they have the reps too.

[new2BC4bass]

1 hour ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Another nice thing for my set ups...I cast with left hand, and reel with right for my bait-casters...and cast with right hand, and reel with left for my spinning setups. If one arm starts getting tired...I just switch it up.  

I originally used a RH baitcast reel when I found an Alphas ito 103-Ai at a good price years ago.  I've since learned the value of being able to switch hands so I can give an arm a rest.  Still have more LH than RH, tho.

27 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I can hear and feel the decent of the bait as the vibration of the spool and bearings is distinct during slow down.

Haven't fished at night since my younger years.  Back then it was all spinning.  My first set of ceramic bearings were purchased when a guy sold his because he didn't like the noise they made.  I actually like the sound as it gives me a good idea of spool speed and when to thumb.

[Chris Catignani]

9 hours ago, Koz said:

... but between decreased casting accuracy, line twist, and not casting very far ....

I'm not seeing those issues with spinning equipment. Accuracy: Is an angler skill.

Distance: Could be several factors, line, rod setup, but not the spinning reel. I know you can upgrade the bearings on a casting reel and get distance. Line twist: This is usually the kind of line. I personally have more issues with line on bait casting reels.

[padlin]

I'm with Chris above, I have none of your problems with spinning gear. With braid I get no line twist, I can cast it pretty much wherever I want, and they cast as far as I care to cast them.

 

I'm attempting to learn a baitcaster right now as I'm having physical issues pinching the line with my finger when I use heavier lures on spinning gear. So far I have lousy distance and terrible accuracy with my baitcaster, but I'm not blaming the equipment.

[Mike L]

As I’ve said many times, I don’t use spinning gear for anything and haven’t for years. Just don’t need it.
I kept them around for the kids until I weened them off. 
All of our casting equipment now is tailored for anything they’ll want or need

 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

[FrnkNsteen]

Nope! Love my spinning reels! Never really understood people saying they are less accurate, or don't cast as far. Don't get me wrong, I can flip/pitch a jig into a coffee cup up to 20-30 feet away with my casting reels, but actual casting,... I can feather a spinning reel in just as accurately as any of my casting rigs. Casting tubes/stickbaits into rock crevices for smallies is a breeze with a spinning reel.

 

I admit that I don't have as many spinning setups as I do casting. I like my casting reels and have WAY more than I need, but there are certain things that just work better on a spinning reel,... For me anyway.

 

Light soft plastics, especially tubes and stickbaits just work better on a spinning reel and slowly sink straight down instead of pendulum back towards you. In my opinion, there's no easier way to skip a weightless senko or tube back under a dock or overhanging tree. A simple flick of the wrist sends a senko skipping 2-3 sectuons deep under a dock.

 

To each their own,... But spinning reels will always have their place with me, especially on weightless plastics, small mepps, small light jerkbaits, dropshot, hair jigs, etc, etc.

[garroyo130]

If I had a baitcasting combo capable of casting a trick worm cut down to 4" with a single 3/0 split shot I would probably be using that ... but I don't so I'll make due with spinning. I also tend to fish that rig fairly deep in summer so line capacity might be an issue with a BFS set up, but I doubt it. 

[evo2s197]

It seems like it's a combination of equipment and user error that's causing the OP frustration.

 

I rarely have line twist issues or casting distance difficulties and I know plenty of other anglers without the same problems as the OP.

 

Spinning gear definitely has it's place but rod, reel (depth and diameter of the spool) and line choice are very important factors when it comes to line management and casting range.

[ironbjorn]

Casting gear is like working in the garage. Fun.

 

Spinning gear is like doing laundry. Slow, horrible, and boring, but sometimes necessary.

 

Some people can afford a maid (BFS) and can instead get back to working in the garage.