Spinning Reels vs Baitcasters

[JediAmoeba]

Curious what everyone thinks - As technology and reels get better do you think we will see less and less spinning reels? 

 

I can't stand spinning reels. I easily use baitcasters for everything down to about 1/20 oz. My biggest upgrade this year is 2 alphas that I paired up with light and ul rods so I can dropshot and fish hair jigs without ever having to bring a spinning reel along - I was only able to get a 7'4" rod for hair jigs but wish I had one a few inches longer. I would like to spiral wrap a rod for dropshotting with one of the alphas but a custom rod for that seems silly.

 

Once someone is comfortable with using a baitcaster, I fail to see the benefit of a spinning rod anymore. Skipping - BC has more control. I am someone that sets my drag really light so my thumb can be the drag so I much prefer the drag control of a baitcaster. With a casting rod I can easily stop a cast mid-throw - a spinning rod is harder to stop. A lot of my baitcasters have drag clickers. I don't have the God forsaken wind knots and birdsnests popping up on my baitcasters. 

 

I understand for beginner a spinning is probably easier but as technology improves, who knows. I see kids and beginners having all sorts of trouble with spinning rods. What do all yinz think? You in on the fairy wands?

[MN Fisher]

14 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

You in on the fairy wands?

Have been for 56 years now. While this coming year's arsenal has 10 baitcasters, I also have 3 spinning rigs for bass and another 4 spinning rigs for panfish...so almost as many spinning as casting.

 

I practice-practice-practice...still can't get the hang of skipping with casting gear, but skip fine with spinning...reason I have an MH/F spinning rig in my arsenal.

 

I personally think spinning will never go out of style - in fact there's bass fishermen out there who won't touch casting gear, doing all their catching on spinning gear.

[Team9nine]

Won’t happen (IMO) - I’m in on the ‘fairy wands,’ and if anything, moving more and more that way. I think you could easily argue that you now also see more spinning rods on pros boats (and in use) than ever before. The push toward BFS type casting gear is more niche than anything (again, IMO).

[Jar11591]

I definitely prefer baitcasters, but I do have a couple spinning set ups in the arsenal. They have their purpose, but I have dozens of casting reels compared to only 5-6 spinning reels. 

[WRB]

Spinning reels for me fill in the finesse presentations for bass fishing casting lures 1/8 oz or less. 

My 1st spinning rod/ reel for bass fishing was a Zebco Cardinal 3 used for trout fishing. I had a Michell 308 before the Cardinal and preferred the rear drag. 

When Split shot presentation become popular by Dick Trask the 1/8 or lighter dart head jigs and #4 split shot with Flutter Craft* 3” Screamers and 4” curl tails my trout outfit with Cardinal reel worked good using 5# Maxima line.

A few years later I bought a Shimano 1000 Stradic and Phenix Split Shot rod for my son. Both were perfect and sold the Cardinal for a Daiwa SS 1300 upgrading the rod to another Phenix Split Shot rod. 

Can’t tell you how many bass we caught on those finesse spinning outfits, thousands to 13.2 lbs.

BFS wasn’t a factor in the 80’ and 90’s but my 2500C and medium fast bait caster followed by Daiwa HTSA 105 reels including TD Original Red Fuego today would be considered BFS.

I still prefer spinning outfits for lures under 1/8 oz.

Tom

[PressuredFishing]

This topic has been discussed 10 times, the general analysis is BC handle heavy lures better and can softly land lures expecially around cover. SP casts light lures easily. No, i dont think spinning will not get replaced anytime soon expecially for UL 1.5g lures and lower, and I have owned a few bfs reels, and right now own a krestel and a few cdm reels, they are fine around cover and cqb fishing, but don't compete in our open water socal resavoirs, expecially when wind picks up. 

 

Plus if I flip the coin, with line technology making great strides, there would be more manageable thinner, farther casting line on SP

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mobasser]

I believe spin gear will always have a place. We have had a lot of technological advancements in casting gear, but weve had a lot in spinning gear too. For lighter lines its still the best IMO.

[garroyo130]

31 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

I easily use baitcasters for everything down to about 1/20 oz.

 

Until you can add "for under $80" after that sentence, spinning reels will have a place

[detroit1]

Spinning gear will never go out of style. Fresh or Saltwater.

[Hammer 4]

I fished spinning gear for many years, still have 2 of them that I use for lighter lures. Even with the BFS reels out there, I'll stick to my spinning gear.

[Big Hands]

5 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

What do all yinz think? You in on the fairy wands?

 

I think maybe you just need more practice with yer fairy wand ?

 

My first double digit, the 10-10 bass in my avatar pic was caught on a 5'10" spinning rod with a Shimano TX Aero ULS-A reel with 6 lb mono. I caught more bass on that rig than any I have ever owned.

[ironbjorn]

I've already ditched spinning gear all together. I had been preparing to do so for a few seasons before finally getting it done.

[Susky River Rat]

I and most people around here use primarily spinning gear. I do have some casting gear and use it. I do not see that changing anytime soon.

[Aaron_H]

[garroyo130]

What exactly makes them fairy wands anyways? I've heard the term and I guess it made sense when we didn't have BFS. But how is a spinning rod a fairy wand but BFS isnt? 

[waymont]

This weekend I caught a 3.5lb hybrid striper in 8lb braid/6lb FC leader on a light power spinning rod, and the drag ripping was pretty fun. I prefer BC gear for most stuff, but do love spinning gear too.

[Mobasser]

Fairy wand is old and outdated. That was from a time ( maybe 1960s- 70s) when we had macho guys that only used heavy lines and casting gear for bass. Spin fishing was also called sissy fishing. It's all nonsense. Too many guys proved that spinning gear works well- back then, and even better now.

[Johnpenguin]

1 hour ago, JediAmoeba said:

Curious what everyone thinks - As technology and reels get better do you think we will see less and less spinning reels? 

 

I can't stand spinning reels. I easily use baitcasters for everything down to about 1/20 oz. My biggest upgrade this year is 2 alphas that I paired up with light and ul rods so I can dropshot and fish hair jigs without ever having to bring a spinning reel along - I was only able to get a 7'4" rod for hair jigs but wish I had one a few inches longer. I would like to spiral wrap a rod for dropshotting with one of the alphas but a custom rod for that seems silly.

 

Once someone is comfortable with using a baitcaster, I fail to see the benefit of a spinning rod anymore. Skipping - BC has more control. I am someone that sets my drag really light so my thumb can be the drag so I much prefer the drag control of a baitcaster. With a casting rod I can easily stop a cast mid-throw - a spinning rod is harder to stop. A lot of my baitcasters have drag clickers. I don't have the God forsaken wind knots and birdsnests popping up on my baitcasters. 

 

I understand for beginner a spinning is probably easier but as technology improves, who knows. I see kids and beginners having all sorts of trouble with spinning rods. What do all yinz think? You in on the fairy wands?

With bait finesse getting so advanced I believe bass fishing w spinning tackle will be very rare in the future

[FishTank]

Different tools for different things. Globally (fresh and salt), there are just as many spinning reel offerings as there are baitcasters. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I accidentally hooked/caught a 10.2 Channel on 8lb/spinning gear.....took about 8mins, absolutely epic fight

 

I accidentally hooked/caught a 9lb+ Channel on a big swimbait/rod/reel/line....took about 30 secs

 

To discount the romantic and noble qualities with spinning tackle gives it a great disservice. 

 

Beyond applications, it provides both the fish a greater change at throwing/breaking off, and angler with a greater sensation of fight.   

 

Lastly the newer high end spinning reels are incredible, oddly worth the money.  Way more refined than the nicest baitcaster imho.   I have a new Certate that is a marvel in fuction and form.    How could you live without one or two nice spinning combos, life is too short!  

 

 

[Tatulatard]

The really skinny braids will floss between the spool and frame of a BC reel and ice formation is still an issue in super cold weather.  I don't think egg beaters are going anywhere.

[Mike L]

Don’t use ‘em

Don’t want ‘em

Don’t need ‘em

 

I have 2 that I keep for the younger grandkids only and for in shore saltwater fishing. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[Bird]

The water I fish is gin clear and there's days I'm swimming a 3" easy shiner on a 1/16 head to get a bite.

Or skipping a fluke way up under a dock.

Spinning will always have it's place on my boat.

[Johnbt]

The guy that taught me to bass fish 40 years ago took a guy fishing Sunday. His friend caught 5 or 6 dinks. They fished from 11 to 4 and the forecast called for periods of high winds, but the water temp did rise from 53 to 57. Because of the wind he took a MH spinning rod spooled with 10# Invisibraid for his primary and he stuck with it all day. He fished a Booyah spinnerbait with a skirt trailer, but no plastic. He boated 25+ bass with most in the 2 to 3-pound range, but 3 were over 22" although the heaviest was only 6 pounds.

 

I like spinning gear. I started fishing with baitcasting reels in the mid-50s, but have learned to use spinning when it's needed and that now includes my 11' surf rod, 10' surf rod and so forth. Fwiw I have 4 Conquest casting rods but only one Conquest spinning.

 

His three big fish from Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to add: a chartreuse Booyah spinnerbait    and fishing out of the back of the boat

[gim]

Both spinning and bait casters are tools that help me catch, or attempt to catch fish.  So I use both.  BC for power/heavier lures, and spinning for finesse/lighter lures.  Tossing a frog into the slop with a spinning setup doesn't make much sense, and tossing a ned rig on a BC isn't real practical either.

 

If you are limiting yourself to only one of them, you are limiting yourself on the water with tools to catch fish.  If you want to be a one-trick pony, that's fine, have at it.  I prefer to have multiple options available for the given set of circumstances.