fishing with spinning reels

[Kirtley Howe]

I hear a lot of people say that they cannot be as accurate with a spinning reel as they can with a casting reel. I not sure why that is. I find I can be very accurate with a spinning reel. I can "feather" the line with my finger as it comes off the reel and drop a lure right where I want it, and with very little noise as it enters the water. I can't believe I am the only one to figure this out but I have never seen it mentioned in articles or being discussed on this forum. Have I just missed it, or is really a "secret"?

[garroyo130]

You've definitely missed it. I've even seen it in some really old books and I think the Charlie Brewer slider fishing book talks about feathering the line. 

[gim]

3 minutes ago, Kirt Howe said:

I hear a lot of people say that they cannot be as accurate with a spinning reel as they can with a casting reel. I not sure why that is.

I have more control over the line when I use a BC, and quite often the lure is heavier.  I can hit a spot the size of a dinner plate with a BC about 8 out of 10 times.  With a spinning setup, that percentage drops to about half that.

[A-Jay]

12 minutes ago, Kirt Howe said:

I hear a lot of people say that they cannot be as accurate with a spinning reel as they can with a casting reel. I not sure why that is. I find I can be very accurate with a spinning reel. I can "feather" the line with my finger as it comes off the reel and drop a lure right where I want it, and with very little noise as it enters the water. I can't believe I am the only one to figure this out but I have never seen it mentioned in articles or being discussed on this forum. Have I just missed it, or is really a "secret"?

You missed it.

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

Some guys prefer spinning tackle exclusively and a lot more

prefer it for certain applications.  My take is this: 

Finesse fishing = spinning tackle

Power fishing = baitcasting

 

?

[Mobasser]

If you look back at my past post, I made a post called " line feathering", not long ago. This goes back a long time.

Probably 50 yrs or more.

[mrpao]

Most guys are probably not as accurate with a spinning reel because they don't throw them as much. Baitcasters dominate the bass fishing world. Some guys hate spinning reels. Not sure why, but everyone likes something different. I know alot of people have issues with line management on a spinning reel. To me, if you find a good line that matches well with your setup, then its not really an issue at all.

I use both spinning and baitcasting have no issues with accuracy with either. I enjoy using both as equally. Though, lately i have been using way more spinning gear. Light line is so much more fun.

[T-Billy]

1 minute ago, mrpao said:

Light line is so much more fun.

Especially when it's on a baitcaster. ? BFS is a hoot. 

[MN Fisher]

I know I've mentioned several times that I'm just as accurate with spinning gear as I am with casting gear. Probably because I've been using spinners longer than BCs. It's just a matter of experience and muscle memory. Feathering is a skill just like thumbing the spool of a BC, takes time to learn and some decide to just go casting gear and never learn the skill.

[padlin]

It’s like many things, people favor what they know best. Being new to BC, I can cast and place with spinning gear much better than BC.  At this point I don’t know of anything I can do better with BC other than get get bird nests. If I didn’t have arthritis that gets to me with heavy lures on spinning gear, I wouldn’t be trying to learn a BC. 
 

You’re not the only one that feathers a spinning reel, I use my left hand fingers to do such, don’t think about it any more then using a thumb on a BC’er.

[PressuredFishing]

2 hours ago, Kirt Howe said:

Have I just missed it, or is really a "secret"

The classic spin vs bfs. I have become very very proficient in spinning, expecially pitching from years of creek fishing norcalI before i owned quite a few bfs reels. I  really like bfs for heavier lures above 2g that fall+fly super fast. As for 1.5g and lower I love spinning because it alllows freer fall than bfs which allows better accuracy if used correctly, yet slow enough to allow time to feather the sp spool and flip the bail right before the lure hits the water. 

 

However, I have bad luck taking apart spinning reels, and have much better success rate taking apart bfs reels, so in mucky slimy pondy stagnet water with slop everywhere I use cheaper bfs as ease to take apart

[bulldog1935]

Kind of a pointless thread.

I began spinning tackle in 1968, fly in 1974, baitcaster in 1977. 

I was throwing weightless spiral casts on baitcaster in the '80s. 

I can remember my last backlash, 2018, caused by a single wrap on the rod tip. 

Only wind knots I can remember were my friends borrowing my spinning tackle and disregarding my manual bail instructions.  They learned their lessons. 

I prefer spinning tackle on complex rigs like tandems and clicking-cigar-cork droppers. 

Spinning tackle won't fish this lure well, fouling the line on the hooks 3/4 casts - no matter how well you feather the line, the line is never quite tight enough -  while baitcaster keeps the line tight enough to never foul the hooks on the line. 

[the reel ess]

I'm far more accurate with BC gear than spinning. I use each for what they excel at. 

[jbmaine]

The common theme sounds like people are more accurate with what they use the most/ are more comfortable with.

 As for my self I grew up with spinning rods/reels. Other than fly rods that's all I use. I'm as accurate with a spinning rod as I need to be. But that's just me.

[bulldog1935]

The common theme is closer to extrapolating what others have posted on other threads in the past, and a veiled threat from BFS. 

Five or 6 years ago, a thread was OP'd on FFR forum, thesis that spinning tackle makes baitcast pointless, because it can do everything. 

The fact remains, there are situations where tight-line casts, range control and instant retrieve with baitcaster can't be duplicated with spinning tackle and good manual bail technique. 

 

Though I'll add nothing is more accurate than fly casting, because you're always controlling the exact length of the line.  Fly fishing shines in moving water, where the effort to use it is small for the payback.  But in many places, fly fishing is just an obstinate choice. 

[Darth-Baiter]

i am very accurate with a spinning set up.  

 

spring time i can side arm a drop shot next to protruding stick with military precision.  hahah...  i stand up in my kayak and cast to holes in weed beds.  i love spinning.  

[J Francho]

It doesn't matter what it is, do it long enough and you become proficient.

[PressuredFishing]

16 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

while baitcaster keeps the line tight enough to never foul the hooks on the line. 

Absolutely, one of the reasons I really like bfs is for those heavier fast sinking minnows in streams where tight line is important to prevent fouling, be it getting fouled in the air, or under the turbulent water with slack.

[FishTank]

I don't think it matters much to me anymore which one I use.  

 

I believe conditions, lure size, and line weight have more to do with it. For example, casting light braid on spinning gear with a 1/8oz lure into a 15+mph wind is not a good recipe for accuracy. 

[Fishing_Rod]

Season's Greeting!

Use what you are comfortable with. Accuracy is associated with user proficiency not a virtue of particular equipment. Just like being able to cast using either hand, you can develop and refine that skill.

 

Using different types of angling equipment is fun. It is much like different tools for different applications. Through the years I've developed reasonable accuracy using spinning reels, bait cast reels, spin cast reels, and the fish whip (fly fishing). So if you aspire to some level of accurate casting then some effort with practice is in order.

 

As for feathering a cast depending on the reel type it may be a single or two handed approach. Examples:

Feathering when using a bait cast reel can be accomplished using deliberate thumb resistance against the line or revolving spool.

 

Feathering on a spinning reel can be accomplished using an extended index finger held close to the rim of the spool to moderate the line flowing off the spool. Alternately you can also use your non-support hand to gently cup about the spool too. This is the two hand approach I referenced.

 

Use what works for you. I usually use the two handed method as my non-support hand is already there positioned to manually close the bail and add tension to the line prior to beginning the line retrieve.

 

I must admit I get a good deal more of casting practice when compared to catching practice. I aspire to improve that ratio and bring them closer to parity. Best fishes for the Holidays. Be well, Cheers!

[killobet]

I used spinning for all my set up..

But every time I cast a baitcasting set up, its really accurate a little bit for me.

[ska4fun]

On 12/18/2022 at 6:26 PM, Kirt Howe said:

I hear a lot of people say that they cannot be as accurate with a spinning reel as they can with a casting reel. I not sure why that is. I find I can be very accurate with a spinning reel. I can "feather" the line with my finger as it comes off the reel and drop a lure right where I want it, and with very little noise as it enters the water. I can't believe I am the only one to figure this out but I have never seen it mentioned in articles or being discussed on this forum. Have I just missed it, or is really a "secret"?

You can adapt yourself to spinning reel casting, but a spiral trajectory can't mach a straight one.

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, ska4fun said:

You can adapt yourself to spinning reel casting, but a spiral trajectory can't mach a straight one.

By the opposite token - line basically 'falls' off a spinning reel, where-as the line coming off a casting reel has to 'fight' the inertia of the spool and all the line behind it.

 

Different strokes...

[ska4fun]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

By the opposite token - line basically 'falls' off a spinning reel, where-as the line coming off a casting reel has to 'fight' the inertia of the spool and all the line behind it.

 

Different strokes...

Indeed, but still a spiral trajectory, less precise.

 

Baitcasting reels with lightweight shallow spools reduced, or even eliminated the resting spool inertia.

[J Francho]

10 hours ago, ska4fun said:

spiral trajectory

Are you claiming the bait spirals?  Sounds fishy to me.