Spinning vs. bait casting

[BrianSnat]

Most serious bass fishermen use bait casting reels, but I've been spin fishing for 40 some years. I do own a casting reel, and I know how to use it, but I just prefer spinning reels. A lot less to think about and I find that it's more comfortable to use when fishing all day.

I know the disadvantages of spinning reels, particularly when it comes to line twist, but I can cast them a long way if necessary and I can usually place my lure to within a foot or two of my target (and often less), so accuracy isn't a problem.

Someone once told me that I can't be a serious bass fisherman if I use a spinning reel, but I wonder what I'm really missing out on by not using a bait casting outfit.

[chubaka]

hah the only thing your missing out is the casting ability and a better way to work your lures, but spinning i love but i prefer baitcasting.  Whatever works best for you then stick to it.

[grimlin]

Someone once told me that I can't be a serious bass fisherman if I use a spinning reel, but I wonder what I'm really missing out on by not using a bait casting outfit.

That some one is full of  .....

Just use what you are comfortable with.

[BrianSnat]

hah the only thing your missing out is the casting ability and a better way to work your lures, but spinning i love but i prefer baitcasting. Whatever works best for you then stick to it.

I know a casting reel can throw farther, but in most cases in bass fishing distance isn't really an issue. As I mentioned, I get pretty good accuracy from my spinning reel. Years of practice.

But how is working the lure different? I always saw working a lure as a function of the rod and technique, rather than a function of the reel.

I'm seriously considering adding a few casting outfits to my rod quiver if I can justify it.

My local tackle shop has a good selection of rods, and 80 percent of the better ones are bait casting rods.  My purchase took me quite some time to find a decent spinning rod of the size and action I was looking for.  I would have had a ton of choices if I was buying a casting rod.

[The Rooster]

I like a casting reel better cause it makes me feel more in contact with the rod blank due to the way I hold the rod/reel combo while either retrieving the bait or working it back to the boat with the rod by doing a pull, reel in slack, pull again, reel in more slack, action. Makes me feel more of what the bait is doing the way I'm holding it.

In that instance I'd say working the lure was easier not because it was a baitcasting reel, but because it is a baitcasting rod and reel which enables me to grip it the way it does. I don't think I could achieve the same connectivity I feel with the bait if it was a spinning rod due to the way I hold them. The way I palm the casting reel, that balances out the whole rod and basically makes it feel weightless and that adds tremendous sensitivity to a rod.  The way I hold a spinning rod, the reel is behind my hand making it heavy in the rear and while that lightens the tip perceivably, it also detracts from what I'm able to feel with the rod so I don't use them for applications where sensitivity is everything such as worm fishing (texas rigged).  Also having the weight of the spinning reel hanging down seems to make a pendulum out of it and I feel that more than I do anything the lure is doing.  

I used to use spinning reels exclusively.  Then got into casting reels, and once you've used a pretty good one, if you're like me you'll notice yourself using spinning reels less and less.  I still use them for some things such as tossing a weightless worm that my casting reel won't throw as well (some super high quality ones will though, but cost a good bit), or anything that's going to twist my line up some anyway such as a lightweight little inline spinner.  Spinning line is twisted up no matter what.  I don't want my casting reel line twisted up.  

[retiredbosn]

Whoever told you that you can't be a serious bass fisherman using spinning gear is full of it. Use what you are comfortable with, 40 years of spinning gear has treated you well. There are applications that I prefer bc over spinning, but that is my preference. I am very opinionated and there was a thread a few months ago on this subject, but I would not tell you that switching would make you a more serious fisherman. What a bunch of bunk.

Having said that I will add that texas rigs, carolina rigs and cb's imo belong on a bc set up. The plastics has more to do with the rod than the reel though.  More back bone to set the hook with the plastics.  Spinning reels typically take up more IPT than BC's which is why they get the nod on cranks.  There are rod builders who will make you a spinning rod for plastics using a bc rod blank and by doing that you can overcome the hooksetting issue. Drags are typically better on BC's so if you have to winch a fish out of cover, they get the nod, combine the drag with the backbone of the rod and I loose less fish on a BC set  up.  But these are my preferences, you can build a spinning outfit to do the same thing.  Which I would be tempted to do and then take Mr. You aren't a serious fisherman out and show him how serious you are with a spinning rod. Good luck and tight lines.

[roadwarrior]

We have several well know members who use

spinning tackle exclusively. RoLo and Chris Fish

are a couple that come to mind. These guys seem

to do a little better than average.

Regarding casting distance, the World Record was

set with spinning tackle. On a personal basis, I like

baitcasters for heavy lures, but if we just compare

distance for average weight baits (3/8-1/2 oz), I think

either type of gear is very comparable. Rod length,

power and action are far more important.

8-)

[ChiCityBasser]

Great info as always RW and for myself I have been fishing the last 2-3yrs with spinning gear mainly but have added 3 BC combos to my arsenal. I use them on occasion and take them out more and more often but prefer my spinning gear. I've learned to cast a weightless worm with my Quantum Energy without a problem on a Cabelas XMLTi rod and get pretty good distance out of it. I'm not as accurate with my baitcast setups but manage to get the job done with them.

I use them both but right now just prefer my spinning setups

[Grey Wolf]

When I first started fishing , tried casting  vs. spinning , ended up strictly spinning. Just my preference.

[JigMe]

I have both reels. I like bait casting reel because I can put some heavy line on there, and if I wanted to use a higher line on spinning then I need to buy a much bigger reel. But I like spinning reels for worm fishing. Just personal preference; use whatever is comfortable and stick with it.

[skillet]

I like my coffee black. You like it with cream and a little sugar. Almost the same thing ...

skillet

[Raul]

Oh my, somehow I missed the spinning vs baitcasting ole thread, it 's been weeks since this so popular thread has been touched ..... again.

Wait, we are still missing the righty vs lefty thread

Someone once told me that I can't be a serious bass fisherman if I use a spinning reel

Nonsense

[catchbig0bass]

I would say I prefer my baitcasting reel when using topwater frogs, buzzbaits or heavy jigs and 5" + senko style baits. I think the bc has less slack when the bait hits the water thus making it quicker to get the buzzbait or frog to the surgace. I also believe that my bc setup I can feel more of what the bait is doing. My spinning setup I love for everything light weight or when I am just relax fishing. Both have their purposes I would say. I originally had 2 bc setups and now just run 1 of each.

[mrlitetackle]

stay with the spinners and be happy,

i know i am

[ALbasser]

Not too awful long ago I only had one baitcasting outfit that I used for spinnerbait/crankbait/buzzbait and everything else was with a spinning rig. I now have only 3 spinning rigs and everything else is baitcasting. I use spinning for ultra-lite tackle, mainly crappie fishing and weightless soft plastics. I still LOVE my spinning tackle. BUT spinning reels have specific applications just like casting does. I think casting reels are more fun than spinning which is probably the biggest reason I have switched to prodominately casting. I will never go fishing without my spinning gear, but I have drastically increased my baitcasted gear.

[RoLo]

The boys before me covered it well.

Spinning and casting both have their place, and which you choose would depend on where you set your personal parameters.

For instance, not many anglers would use casting tackle for bluegills, but even fewer would use spinning gear on bluefin tuna.

As much as I love spinning tackle, I use conventional tackle when targeting bluefish over 12 lbs,

and when targeting trophy pike, which often exceed 20 lbs.

Largemouth bass do not grow as large as pike and aren't nearly as powerful and long-lasting as bluefish.

For ole mossback, I'm quite comfortable with spinning tackle, even in waters that might yield the next world-record bass.

Of course, I don't using 8-lb class spinning tackle, but most of my spinning gear is 14-pound class (10 to 18-lbs).

Once displayed on my den wall was a dark-purple portrait of a storm-at-sea,

and the focal point in the foreground was a 20-ft breaking roller with runaway spindrift!

Beneath the poignant portrait was the following passage:

"Even in the same sea, every man has a different horizon"

Roger

[SirSnookalot]

To say that a serious bass fisherman would not use spinning insults the intellegence of any serious angler.

I use spinning 99% of the time, the smallest fish I target are peacock and LMB.

As long as saltwater species have been previously mentioned, my primary targets are snook and tarpon, my equipment is about the same as a bass fisherman would use.

Shimano has on it's web site recommended spinning reels and rods for fish like sailfish (tls70ma rod/8000 spheros or stradic reel, which is my outfit). Many people on this site seem to feel Shimano is about serious fishing, are they wrong?

Usually our conventional reels stay in the rod holders unless we are trolling.

I'd like to see the person who doesn't think spinning is about serious fishing catch and land just a 40# tarpon, that's close to dink status in the tarpon world, on medium to mh spinning tackle 15# test and tell me it wasn't one of the greatest thrills they ever had.

God bless ya if you don't like spinning but don't tell me I'm not serious about fishing for bass or anything else.

[RoLo]

To say that a serious bass fisherman would not use spinning insults the intellegence of any serious angler.

I use spinning 99% of the time, and the smallest fish I target are peacock and LMB.

I'd like to see the person who doesn't think spinning is about serious fishing.

Catch and land a 40# tarpon, a dink in the tarpon world, on medium to mh spinning tackle with 15# line

then tell me it wasn't one of the greatest thrills you ever had.

God bless ya if you don't like spinning but don't tell me I'm not serious about fishing for bass or anything else.

Amen to that

Roger

[zbigbadaaron]

Light baits equal spinning. Baitcasting is for more power fishing lures. But I guess whatever floats your boat.