What is the Allure of Baitcasters?

[waterninja]

Like a lot of older guys I grew up fishing with a closed reel. Then when I started fishing BC rivers for Salmon and Steelhead I was told a good baitcaster is the way to go. I went to a couple of Ambassedor baitcasters, but even with experiance I found the cast distance lacking and still got the odd rats nest. Also had some problems with baitcaster reels while fishing in very cold temps. Once I found out you could switch the open face reel handle for a right hand retrieve I started using them and would never go back. Good casting distance, never a snarl, good drag system and easy to switch spools.
Lately some die hard fishermen I have talked with have told me about the great baitcasters there using, or planning to buy.
Is there any aspect in a baitcasters performance or fishing application where it would be preferable to a spinning reel?

[EZM]

I use them both.

A baitcaster will cast further IF it's set up properly and used correctly on a typical fishing rod.

The centrifugal clutch in the free position will let you whip out a relatively light lure with relatively heavy line - that's where there is a true advantage. Of course, you gotta have your technique down and know how to use your thumb otherwise you are in for a nasty surprise.

The other benefit I see is accuracy. Casting toward a small pocket in a tight spot allows you to "thumb" the spool so your presentation lands at the right distance each time and allows it to land more gently if desired. This is very hard to accomplish with a spinning reel.

Having said all those wonderful things about bait casters - guess which rod I grab when casting ........ the one with a spinning reel ...... go figure.

[THERICARDO]

Although I use both still I find my baitcasters work better when using big lures and have an easier time reeling in larger fish. AMbassadeur C3 has always been great for me for trolling or shore fishing with rigs and sliders... Have a Revo Toro that I love casting, just an all around great reel. Havent had a birds nest in few years but took some time to get use it honestly. Still love using Open face reel, always take a cpl of both and then depends how and what I am fishing for...


cant go wrong with either, good luck

[Kurt505]

Another thing is more power and line capacity in a smaller package, allowing for a lighter setup. I have a few baitcasters and I use them for bigger fish and heavier lures. They're a bit more technical to use than a spin cast reel, but once you get the hang of it, it's like anything else.

[recce43]

baitcasters are good for flippin for bass in the weeds

[Winch101]

Firstly most people don't buy a good one ....

Easier on the line , no twist when fighting a big fish and the drag
Screams . Better for trolling , I don't like them better jigging for
Walleyes . As said throwing big baits . You can put a lot more
Stress on BC spool than a spinning spool .
Most people have a lot of trouble using a BC er for casting lighter
Terminal .
I did quite a bit of Bass fishing in the US so I learned from guys
That really knew their stuff . More people would use them ,if someone
Schooled them in the use .

Now saying that ,last sat. ,not paying attention , I got the supreme
Backlash ......Dodger. From here still laughing I think .

Shimano Caenan ,,,,,Fishin Hole ...,99 bucks ....you can make that
Work ......good spool stop settings .

The other thing that gets people is ....BC er you cast with your left
And reel with right hand ....
Spinning right, power hand casting and left reeling ...

Setting the hook is done with right on both .
The new BC er designed to sit in the palm of your hand .....
Done right , it's great .

[Jack&7]

Personally, I LOVE baitcasters on short rods for pike through the ice....there is no better set up than that.

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by Jack&7

Personally, I LOVE baitcasters on short rods for pike through the ice....there is no better set up than that.

Well I can see that some some of you like the baitcasters, and maybe they are better suited to some kinds of fishing.
Jack, I have had both my ambassador and caenan fail me while ice fishing. For some reason the handles would turn but spool wouldn't revolve.

[RavYak]

I use both.

The main advantages of a baitcaster are increased distance with heavier lures, better accuracy and ability to thumb the reel to set hook and to pull in big fish. The latter is the biggest reason I prefer baitcasters for pike/walleye/lake trout, sturgeon as it lets me keep my drag somewhat loose but still get a good hook set and pull big fish in. For my lighter gear like my trout rod I would never use a baitcaster as they are useless with light lures(1/4 oz and lighter are better with spinning gear).

[PerchBuster]

I love using a baitcaster for jigging for Walleye etc along drop offs because it is way easier to maintain bottom contact than using a spinning outfit. With the thumb bar right there on top you can quickly release a foot or two of line out at a time and you can really maintain contact with the bottom as the jig works down the break. No reaching around the front of the reel to release the line. With the spool set correctly you can slowly let out line with the baitcaster but with a spinning reel the jig free falls too quickly on slack line. I like using them for trolling cranks, spinners etc as well. If I'm fan casting an area or using slip bobbers then I will more often go to a spinning rig.

[Mountain Guy]

The allure is the excitement of not knowing which cast will cause the worst gnarl you've ever seen that renders the reel useless for the next 4 hours or so..

[EZM]

Originally Posted by RavYak

For my lighter gear like my trout rod I would never use a baitcaster as they are useless with light lures(1/4 oz and lighter are better with spinning gear).

Most bass guys are casting very light lures a very long way.

A baitcaster's strength is in casting lighter lures with heavier lines and certainly, and without a doubt, outperforms a spinning reel in this area. (same rod characteristics and line weight). This is 1/2 oz up really - which is almost everything in your tackle box.

It's all about your set up.

Maybe try setting your centrifugal clutch - under the round part, and set (more of) the brakes to off position.

There is no way you should have trouble casting a light lure with a baitcaster unless it's cheap or not set up properly.

Keep in mind less brakes means more backlash and birds nests - so be careful.

Really small lures ..... like the 1/4 oz you suggested........ it doesn't matter much ...... when they get too light - they get tough to cast with anything except a fly rod. lol.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by EZM

Most bass guys are casting very light lures a very long way.

A baitcaster's strength is in casting lighter lures with heavier lines and certainly, and without a doubt, outperforms a spinning reel in this area. (same rod characteristics and line weight)

It's all about your set up.

Maybe try setting your centrifugal clutch - under the round part, and set (more of) the brakes to off position.

There is no way you should have trouble casting a light lure with a baitcaster unless it's cheap or not set up properly.

Keep in mind less brakes means more backlash and birds nests - so be careful.

This isn't true for lures under 1/4 oz(most bass lures are more then 1/4), for example lures used for panfish, trout, perch etc. Pretty much every baitcaster will backlash if you try to get distance throwing a truly light lure. The problem is that light lures decelerate too quickly off the get go and baitcasters brakes can't keep up without being set too tight which hurts distance.

For tossing say a 3/8 oz lure with 20 lb braid, I completely agree though.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by RavYak

The problem is that light lures decelerate too quickly off the get go and baitcasters brakes can't keep up without being set too tight which hurts distance

The brake system on the Abu Revo Premier Gen 3 is awesome, I'm not sure what kind of reel you're running, but I agree with EZM, you have to spend a bit of money before you get into the more user friendly mode models.

[huntsfurfish]

Grew up using bait casters.

Have lots of them.

If you set up with a rod suitable for light lures and spool the reel with light line, and set up the reel properly, you can cast some small stuff very well with a BC. Problems arise when you try to cast small lures(light) with a setup for larger lures. If you are going to go light route, better off for most to go with light spinning gear or ultra light gear.

A BC does its best with heavier stuff though. And trolling.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

The brake system on the Abu Revo Premier Gen 3 is awesome, I'm not sure what kind of reel you're running, but I agree with EZM, you have to spend a bit of money before you get into the more user friendly mode models.

I also run a Abu Garcia Revo Premier (but gen 2) and it's actually very forgiving and casts like a dream with all the brakes off.

I can't say the same for my Shimano Curado - she is temperamental. Last time I used her, while casting I had sneezed and I had a birds nest that was epic.

[dmcbride]

Casting into the wind with a bait caster is a recipe for disaster. With proper size line for wieght of tackle and a good thumb it will out perform a spinning reel.

[Brandonkop]

Baitcasting reels are great! Just takes a little practice and skill and you'll be casting lures half a mile and no birds nest. Casting is a skill with whatever reel you use. Don't give up to fast. Feels so much better reeling in a baitcaster caught fish.

[Richard B.]

I grew up with them and like fishing them but I also like spinning gear and fly gear, pretty much anything that legally catches fish

[EZM]

Originally Posted by RavYak

This isn't true for lures under 1/4 oz(most bass lures are more then 1/4), for example lures used for panfish, trout, perch etc. Pretty much every baitcaster will backlash if you try to get distance throwing a truly light lure. The problem is that light lures decelerate too quickly off the get go and baitcasters brakes can't keep up without being set too tight which hurts distance.

For tossing say a 3/8 oz lure with 20 lb braid, I completely agree though.

I can't say I've tossed very much stuff that light - but all my ultra light stuff is spinning gear. I guess I burn a jig every once in a while for fun - but usually have my low profiles for casting small cranks 1"-3" stuff mostly and some spinner baits.

Next time we bump into each other - I will give you my set up to test drive for a few hours. I really believe a proper set up and good baitcaster makes a big difference. Especially on Baitcasters. A decent one starts at $200 or so. The cheap ones are soooooo bad - it's unblvbl.

My first one was such a piece - paid $120 for a Rapala - and it was a nightmare. Got an Abu for Fathers day - a mid level model ($200 or so) and it was a HUGE difference.

I have a number of round baitcasters as well (both Shimano and Abu) and they are great for trolling or casting bigger stuff. I'm gravitating toward the smaller sizes of round baitcasters lately ...... just another reason to go buy a bunch of new stuff again ....

[KegRiver]

My first few reels were bait casters. It was all that was available back then.

When spin cast reels came out I switched and never went back, for inland waters. Truth is I never really got the hang of using bait casters.

These days I don't own a bait caster. but I do use them when we go to the coast.
For tidal waters we like them for their greater capacity and greater retrieving power. We do use some spin casters in the Ocean for the smaller species.
I still can't cast with a bait caster, but even the big spin cast reals can't come close to the power of a bait caster.

On the coast we seldom cast. Most of our fishing is at depths greater then 200 feet and to get down that deep one has to use a lot of weight. We use up to a pound depending on how deep we want to go and how big the fish we are targeting are likely to be.
I don't think it is possible to cast that kind of weight, plus it is unnecessary.

I'll leave it to others to elaborate on the pros and cons of each. I really don't know much about them other then what we use them for these days.

[Talking moose]

My favorite reel as a kid. Diawa push button.

[Mackinaw]

Just got back from a week in BC bass fishing all I used was my bait casters .they are the best for sliding under trees or flipping in to weeds or pads and are the only thing for yanking hogs out of heavy cover. I shut my brakes right off that's why God gave you thumbs. Will post some pics when I can.

Mack

[Jack&7]

Originally Posted by waterninja

Well I can see that some some of you like the baitcasters, and maybe they are better suited to some kinds of fishing.
Jack, I have had both my ambassador and caenan fail me while ice fishing. For some reason the handles would turn but spool wouldn't revolve.

Was that with braid? I had that happen once when I first switched to braided line. Didn't know about using mono backing at the time and since the braid was wet...then froze, the arbour was actually spinning beneath the braid but of course was not reeling any line in...

Could that have been your prob?

once I placed proper backing on the arbour, everything worked fine.

[bobalong]

When starting your drum/spool setting as mentioned already has to be set right, I suggest slightly tighter than required, it will cut down on your casting distance a bit, but you will spend your time casting and not untangling line.

A good technique when starting out is to cast your lure up and away, not straight into the water. The whole trouble with backlash is momentum on the spool. If you cast your lure up and away the lure pulls the line off the spool until there is no more momentum and then falls into the water, with very little to no momentum left the spool will stop turning eliminating backlash. A slight touch of your thumb on the spool when lure begins to fall will ensure no backlash, but is usually not required.

If you cast your lure down to the water from a high rod position or even sideways there is often a lot of momentum on the spool when the lure hits the water, causing the backlash. If you watch guys fishing bass the last movement on the rod even if held horizontal is a quick up sweep. When starting out though I would suggest a low rod tip position casting in upward motion.

[Wild&Free]

Like most of the others i own and use both types of reels.

I like the additional capacity, stronger drag and retrieving characteristics, and accuracy of the BC reel. being able to tighten the drag while reeling or loosen without the reach around makes fighting big fish or big current easier. I do cast further with my BC then with a spin cast, and when using bait the BC casting technique sees less bait flying off my hook vs. a spin cast.

My spin casts I primarily use when fishing skinny water or small fish like goldeye. I also prefer it when fishing with a bobber, my stop doesn't get caught in the eyes as much. I also prefer it when fishing open water in sub zero temps, eyes won't freeze off like with a BC rod where the tip eye is maybe 3-5mm in diameter.

The other advantage is weight. If targeting larger species, the BC rod and reel required will usually be lighter then the equivalent spin cast setup(and hold more line). This is good if you're casting a lot. That being said, I don't cast a lot with my 11' MH(it's closer to heavy then medium) 20-40# line rod with the Ambassador 7000 on, it's a pig.

[Glenstr]

I bought my first baitcaster a few decades ago when I was steelhead fishing on the Fraser river. I was using a spinning reel but one of the two guys I was fishing with was using a garcia ambassadeur and the other was a real purist and using a single action casting reel. The guy with the single action was having the most fun when a fish was on but couldn't get the distance I could - but the guy with the baitcaster was out casting me (we were using drop float setups) and I liked how he could control the distance with this thumb and also keep his drag on the light side and regulate it with his thumb when the fish ran or he was setting the hook.

I eventually bought a garcia ambassadeur 6600c, I believe it was the first model with the thumb bar for releasing the spool, and I loved it.

Now I'm considering buying a smaller one for AB lakes - I live on Lac La Biche lake and have been fishing a bit more now that the lakes fish populations are rebounding. All my light gear is spinning gear but I miss the feel of a level wind and having my thumb as an extra control. One of my boys recently has started to show more of an interest in fishing so I picked up a Browning BC reel on sale at Bass Pro last time I was down Calgary way. I tried a few casts with it and sure felt nice, I love the one handed casting - now I'm trying to find a good deal on one. The local hardware store has a Bass Pro branded setup for $70 that looks passable, but I think I'll spend the extra $$ and go with a higher end one like an Abu Garcia, maybe a little bigger model and use it on my 9' Fenwick steelhead rod.

I've used my 6600 a couple of times here, but it seems a little big for these lakes and the new ones are so compact and feel nice for one hand casting. BTW I cast with right hand whether I'm using a baitcaster or spinning reel. I used to be so right handed I had to get a spinning reel with right hand drive or use it upside down, but not reeling with my left hand doesn't bother me..

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

My favorite reel as a kid. Diawa push button.

Thanks for posting TM.
A few on here are referring to/talking about spin cast reels.

This is a spin caster.

I think they are probably referring to spinning reels(the ones with the open face).

edit: then again maybe not

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Winch101

Firstly most people don't buy a good one ....
Not necessary
guys
That really knew their stuff . More people would use them ,if someone
Schooled them in the use .

True
Shimano Caenan ,,,,,Fishin Hole ...,99 bucks ....you can make that
Work ......good spool stop settings .

true.

Originally Posted by Kurt505

, but I agree with EZM, you have to spend a bit of money before you get into the more user friendly mode models.

Originally Posted by Brandonkop

Baitcasting reels are great! Just takes a little practice and skill and you'll be casting lures half a mile and no birds nest. Casting is a skill with whatever reel you use. Don't give up to fast. Feels so much better reeling in a baitcaster caught fish.

Very true Brandon and good advice.

Originally Posted by EZM

I really believe a proper set up and good baitcaster makes a big difference. Especially on Baitcasters. A decent one starts at $200 or so. The cheap ones are soooooo bad - it's unblvbl.


I have used $50.00 "cheap" baitcasters and they cast just fine, only downside is usually smaller capacity spool. And I cast to end of line all the time. Bought them for river fishing(lots of sand in reels).

My first one was such a piece - paid $120 for a Rapala - and it was a nightmare. Got an Abu for Fathers day - a mid level model ($200 or so) and it was a HUGE difference.

See Brandons post Experience based on your first?

Originally Posted by bobalong

When starting your drum/spool setting as mentioned already has to be set right, I suggest slightly tighter than required, it will cut down on your casting distance a bit, but you will spend your time casting and not untangling line.

A good technique when starting out is to cast your lure up and away, not straight into the water. The whole trouble with backlash is momentum on the spool. If you cast your lure up and away the lure pulls the line off the spool until there is no more momentum and then falls into the water, with very little to no momentum left the spool will stop turning eliminating backlash. A slight touch of your thumb on the spool when lure begins to fall will ensure no backlash, but is usually not required.

If you cast your lure down to the water from a high rod position or even sideways there is often a lot of momentum on the spool when the lure hits the water, causing the backlash. If you watch guys fishing bass the last movement on the rod even if held horizontal is a quick up sweep. When starting out though I would suggest a low rod tip position casting in upward motion.

Very good advice Also, adjusting the fall rate of the bait you are using each time you use a different weight bait will help a lot. This is part of setting up your rig.

Originally Posted by Glenstr

The local hardware store has a Bass Pro branded setup for $70 that looks passable, but I think I'll spend the extra $$ and go with a higher end one like an Abu Garcia,
Your choice on what to spend, cant go wrong with Abu Garcia.
I've used my 6600 a couple of times here, but it seems a little big for these lakes and the new ones are so compact and feel nice for one hand casting. BTW I cast with right hand whether I'm using a baitcaster or spinning reel. I used to be so right handed I had to get a spinning reel with right hand drive or use it upside down, but not reeling with my left hand doesn't bother me..

Bottom line is low end reels cast fine if you take the time to learn. But I would stay with name brand reels(abu, shimano etc). You dont need a $200 or even $100 dollar reel if it is not in your budget. Saying they are junk or useless based on one use is kinda funny.

PS if you dont want your "cheap" reels you could give them to me. JK I have way to many reels as it is.

edit: I have not bought a low end BC for awhile. But doubt that they have changed enough to be that bad.

[Riverbc]

Baitcasters, and Single action reels, allow better control of your float, when float fishing salmon and steelhead. You can free spool them downstream, controlling speed with your thumb, and feel every little bump.
By backing off the free spooling drag of the reel, and just using your thumb for casting and drifting, you will outcast any open face spinning reel, by miles.