Why Use a Spinning Reel??

[rubba bubba]

The question I would ask is "Why not use a spinning reel?" to discussions like these.

Myself, I only use bc's, even for under 1/4oz lures (wind or no wind) and less than 10lbs line.  However that's my preference.  I've used spinning gear for decades and still own a lot of them but never would I suggest someone should switch.  I can give the reasons why I use what I use, but that's it.

[RandySBreth]

Because here on Table Rock people who refuse to pick up spinning gear get waxed to a high sheen by those who do.

So using a spinning reel instantly makes you a better fisherman? :-?

No, you missed the point. Very often a super long cast w/ a very light lure is the ticket where I fish.

You just can't do it with baitcasting tackle, and people who fish tournaments know it. You may want to fish with the baitcaster and 10-pound test, but the fish tell you if that's gonna work or not. Beaver Lake is even clearer. You can see bottom in 30-feet of water.

There's another wrinkle, too. Drop-shotting. The Table Rock Bassmaster event back in '06 is a great example. Edwin Evers would reel in a fish and the second he put the spinning rod on the deck with bass in hand to unhook it- he would open the bail on another spinning rig that had a drop-shot rig on it hanging over the gunnels, sending it to the depths as he unhooked the fish at hand. If you freespool a baitcaster maybe you can do that, but it's sure not as easy. He didn't win, but came close running from spot to spot and getting in little flurries of activity like that.

I should just let folks miss out and fish the same way they have for eons. More for me.

[sweet daddy]

The majority of my fishing time is spent on bass, so I use a bait caster for everything. When I fish I power fish, with lures anywhere from a 1/4 oz to 1oz so a bait caster works better for me. I keep a few spinning, and spin cast reels around for my son and his friends to go jerk bluegill and crappie off the side of the boat. I have nothing against a spinning reel, until I learned how to use a bait caster I used a pflueger president, and an abu cardinal. I feel more comfortable with a bait caster. I might not be able to throw a 1/16 oz jig, but I can haul a big bass straight to the boat all day.  

[DixieAngler]

I'd say I use my spinning reel 90% of the time. I find it more versatile and I'm more comfortable using it. I prefer to finesse fish and use the lightest possible tackle when I can, so usually my spinning reel gets the job done for me.

If I'm dealing with real heavy cover and need that extra power, I'll grab my baitcaster.  

[SirSnookalot]

If I'm dealing with real heavy cover and need that extra power, I'll grab my baitcaster.

Always have the option of using a 4 or 5000 spinning reel, I often toss 5000 or 8000 reels, 20 oz for hours at a time.

[ChiCityBasser]

I fish spinning reels primarily as well but have my 3 baitcaster setups also. I prefer spinning reels as a sort of grab and toss method of fishing but my baitcasters have there place when I'm fishing heavy cover. I don't see anything wrong at all with using what works for you in a given situation and if you are catching fish on either a spinning reel or Baitcaster I figure you are doing good, cause catching and putting them in the bout is much better than just casting all day on either...

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I learned on a spinning reel, caught my pb on a spinning reel (Mitchel Advocet and a lightening rod to be exact), and really have a place for spinning gear in my heart.  Don't get me wrong, my baitcaster out number my spinning reels, but my spinning reel is truly my workhorse.  I primarily like to fish finesse type baits like wacky rigged senkos and shakey heads and I just don't feel as comfortable with a baitcaster for these techniques.

[iceintheveins]

Spinning reels plain and simply cast baits that are 3/8 ounce or under further than baitcasters. You don't get the backlashes either, though tangles can form the occasional bird's nest. I use them for 75% of my bass fishing. If you don't need the quite the distance on a 3/8 ounce lure a casting reel works just fine for that weight though.

But for heavy lures, 1/2 ounce and up, casting reels are a much better tool. They also wrench bass out of cover better than a spinning reel. The bare minimum weight for me to throw with a casting reel is 5/16.