Spin or baitcast?

[allenford]

It has been confused me for quite a long time that which one I should choose. I did a little research that said baitcast is more suitable for bass. Since we dont have any bass here, so is it ok to use a baitcast?

I have few spin rod and reels but never tried one of baitcast.

They are pretty expensive.

what is the major difference between them except appearance?

[bsnyder]

Bait cast will let you throw farther but it takes a real knack to cast without getting a birdsnestI find them real awkward and unbalanced feeling with all the wieght above the handle instead of nicely balanced under it.For large heavy fighting fish they probably are better but I still prefer a good spining real (i like Quantum and flueger)Good luk

[allenford]

thanks bsnyder, how about braided line since they are pretty hard to get a birdnest.

I like quantum and shimano

[gatorr]

Once you learn how to use a baitcaster their isnt a smoother retreiving reel out there. If you have your reel setup right for the lure you are using birdsnests are rare. I have 4 set up with different weight lines for pike or walleye. I find flurocarbon line the best in the baitcaster.

[Sir. Kenneth]

I have never used a bait caster myself but from what i hear if you are hooking into large heavy fighting fish and need to use a line with more than 15 lb test you should use a bait caster, anything under that stick with a spinning rod. Hope that helps,
Cheers

[bsnyder]

Originally Posted by allenford

thanks bsnyder, how about braided line since they are pretty hard to get a birdnest.

I like quantum and shimano

I use nothing but fireline anymore exept I use phlorocarbun for leeders( wow what bad spelling )

[Waxy]

My $0.02.

I bought my first baitcaster this year. So far, I HATE it. It doesn't feel right. I don't think it's a sensitive a setup, reeling is awkward, casting is something I have to think about, and I've had to deal with a few too many birdsnests already.

I can see the light though, my casting is getting better, and can definitely see the advantages of casting with the baitcaster in certain situations. However, it's far from automatic for me now, and I either have to dial the reel way down and decrease my casting distance, or deal with the inevitable birdsnests of letting it freespool by accident. I can see that once I get the hang of it, the baitcaster will be the way to go for fishing where you're casting all day - pike fishing, casting cranks, swimbaits, that kinda thing. I could see using it for trolling in some instances as well.

For everything else though, and that means for probably 80+% of my fishing, I'll be sticking with the spinning setup. IMHO it's far superior when jigging, rigging, etc..., even casting jigs or other small baits. I like the balance and feel better, and I think they just function better in those cases.

As for superline being better for birdsnests, the opposite is actually true, it just makes a bad situation even worse. Trust me...

Waxy

P.S. I'm a Shimano guy lol.

[The Fish King]

Baitcasters are nice if you are fishing for some big pike or tossing topwater lures. The retrieve is much faster than a standard spinning reel and the drag system is much smoother. That being said, if you are using light lures the baitcasting reel seems out of place. I only use the baitcaster for pike and salmon fishing, everything else is with the spinning reel or the fly rod.

P.S Shimano and Pflueger for me lol

[Bogman10]

Originally Posted by The Fish King

Baitcasters are nice if you are fishing for some big pike or tossing topwater lures. The retrieve is much faster than a standard spinning reel and the drag system is much smoother. That being said, if you are using light lures the baitcasting reel seems out of place. I only use the baitcaster for pike and salmon fishing, everything else is with the spinning reel or the fly rod.

P.S Shimano and Pflueger for me lol

Ditto, I have a few. Mainly for bigger pike waters and heavier lures . If you want to get one, see if you canfind one with a built in brake, you will still have to set the tension just right, and edjucate your thumb. But it is easier. Also if I am drifting for walleye with a baitwalker, a baitcasting reel, ( I have one bass guys use for flipping tech ) it works great for that application.
Spin rods for everything else... except of course when I am fly fishing,

[bobalong]

I now use Baitcasters for everything except slip bobbing, jigging, and drop shotting with a BWAB (bobber-with-a-brain). I like the zero line memory and the drag system. They do take a bit of getting used to, but for me anyway I now like the feel of the B/C more. When casting lighter lures or any lures I have found it works much better if you cast the lure up and away. The lure pulls off all the line until the momentum is gone and then falls in the water eliminating any backlash, just takes a bit off getting used to. I only use superline on all my reels. Castaic with a Crucial drop shot rod works great for rigging.

[Cal]

Ive owned a few bait casting rigs and like them quite a bit, in my opinion they are a nice ACCSSORY. If you already have a nice versitile spinning rig then they make a nice addition although I would sooner spend the money on a flyrod if I did not have one. My favorite are still the old abu garcia embassador serries. There is not a backlash system invented that I can not defeat and creat a tangle. The Ambassadors have no anti backlash system and therefore I rely on my thumb instead of some magical magnet, thus I get way fewer tangles.

And braided line will tangle just as easy as mono, and because it costs more you will feel obliged to untangle it rather than cutting the whole mess off and pulling your spinning rod out.

[tbiddy]

I purchased a bait caster reel this spring and I am getting ready to use it for the 1st time on the weekend. We are headed out to Travers on Saturday if the weather is good. I also picked up a spool of fluoro and a spool of braided. I am getting conflicting reports, so what is better to spool onto the bait caster and what should I use on my spin caster?

[BigBuck$]

Which reel do you need??? BOTH

I have a couple of Shimano Curodo baitcasters that I use 90% of the time. I do alot of Bass fishing in Manitoba and they are tough to beat when it comes to pitching crankbaits into a weed bed or rock pile, you can really control where the lure is going to land by using your thumb as a brake.

I also use mine for trolling bottom bouncers / Lindy rigs. Just hit the freespool and drag your thumb on the spool and you can feel the instant the lure hits bottom.

That being said, if you want to cast light lures (spinners, or light jigs) stick with the spinner.

One piece of advice I can give is if you go with the baitcaster buy a GOOD one. Minute adjustments on the spool brake is the difference between loving these things and having it sit in the closet.

Honestly, if you want to seriously fish with a baitcaster you should have a few of them in your arsenal. Each different lure weight, line type etc will make a big differnce on how it casts so rather than adjusting on the fly once you are set up just leave the thing alone and change rod, reel and lure all together. This sounds stupid and expensive but it is better than re-spooling your line every time you make a mistake on your brake setting.

While I'm at it I might as well mention your rod as well. Make sure your rod has good quality line guides that let the line flow freely while you cast. Too much friction or too limp of a rod and you will have a mess every time.

Hope this helps, make sure if you buy one to practice with it before you even hit the water and bring along the trusty old spinning reel just in case.

[Mudslide]

You can putt with a driver or drive with a putter, but each tool has it's own unique characteristics and specific purpose for which it is designed.

If you bottom bounce for Walleye or troll for big fish: get a level wind reel. You will never go back to a spinning reel for those applications again. If you want to stream fish with tiny Panther Martin spinners: get a nice open face spinning reel with light line. I have several reels of both types and they are all great for the specific kind of fishing they are designed for, and mediocre to poor for the kinds of fishing they are not designed for.

Bait casting reels are designed specifically for casting and trolling heavier lures and lines. On casting, the weight of the lure must rotate the spool and pull the line off the reel. The rate that the spool spins must be restricted to prevent over running and birds nests. This is accomplished by the use of a braking system. The spool brake knob on the side of the reel where the handle is, needs to be adjusted for each lure to the point that if you release the lure at the tip of the rod and let it fall freely to the floor the spool should not keep turning more than about half a turn. This is the first adjustment that NEEDS to be performed to prevent backlash. Most if not all of the newer reels also have either a centrifugal brake system: a magnetic one: or both, and most of those have an external adjustment. Start with the adjustments on the heavy side and lighten them up gradually as you gain confidence casting. Letting your thumb gently feathering pressure on the spool also goes a long way in preventing backlashes and birds nests.

As far as braids go, I love em and it is easier to pick out the tangles because the braids do not kink up and require you to cut the line off like mono does. Just take your time and you can almost always pick the tangles out. I have more trouble with wind wraping the line around the tip of the rod than I do with birds nests.

BigBuck makes a good point you get what you pay for no matter what type of reel you choose. Get the best one you can afford and you won't be disappointed.
Hope that helps some.

[jeprli]

Hehehe you guys sound like you watch too much TV... don't believe everything you hear. Spinning reels are much more versatile than b/c reels.

I see that most of you think b/c is much better reel when fighting big fish.....i don't think so and i never will...a front drag reel has much smoother drag and it is crucial to saving large fish upon hookup. You can use braid line without any "shock" absorbing leader involved.

Faster line pick-up????are you kidding me I'd love to see b/c outrun a spinning reel, absolutely no way!

I think Canadian market doesn't have any decent spinning reels, all you guys get here is Chinese junk(which I am using as well), an odd overpriced stella(hopefully from Japan) and that is about it.

If more of you used spinning reels with steel frame you'd have different opinion about them. These cheapo carbon reel bodies twist and crack and are horribly molded thus giving such a negative idea about spinning reels. Chinese reels are susceptible to bad bail systems.

Cast further with b/c than a spinning rod????? sorry to disappoint you again guys but no way that will ever be possible...ever heard of "carp rods" or surf rods accompanied with a bait runner reels??? this setup will make casts of up to 300ft without a fuss, what baitcaster can do that??? i'll tell you, NONE.

Just cause you own something does not mean it's the best thing out there, then again if you never tried something better how are you supposed to know the difference.

Don't mean to start fires here, but I can't stand reading something that absolutely does not make sense.

Here's some stuff for you guys to try before you say anything against spinning gear.

Ryobi Zauber
Tica Taurus
Shimano twin power
Daiwa Saltiga(this reel is an animal)
Daiwa Certate
Daiwa InfinityQ
Spro BlueArc/RedArc
Cormoran Magnesia
Shimano AeroTechnium..... I could go on forever, keep in mind some of these can be bought for $150 others will need a little more oomph up to $800 if not more, BUT you get what you pay for...

[chuck0039]

Originally Posted by The Fish King

Baitcasters are nice if you are fishing for some big pike or tossing topwater lures. The retrieve is much faster than a standard spinning reel and the drag system is much smoother. That being said, if you are using light lures the baitcasting reel seems out of place. I only use the baitcaster for pike and salmon fishing, everything else is with the spinning reel or the fly rod.

P.S Shimano and Pflueger for me lol

You should have a mechanical brake ( mine is a dial on the side) on your bait caster that you can set for the weight of the lure. once your lure is on press the button and the lure should drop slowly, If it does not move then your brake is to tight, but if it drops to fast tighent up you brake other wise you will get a birdsnest if you cast.

I find my bait caster the best for casting any size lures and for trolling. I had to read the instructions to figure everything out and then practice with it. Now I only use my spinning reel for jigging. I would suggest getting both and practice with your bait caster. I run powerpro on both, I find it runs smoother than fireline.

my 2 cents.

[Mudslide]

No need to get testy here jeprli. No one has claimed that spinning reels are the spawn of SATAN!

Read allenford's original post. All he was asking was what was the difference between the two types of reels? and: Do bait casters have any use beyond bass fishing? I think there have been several very helpful responses, but yours was not among them. I doubt you would use only one tool to do every job or try to eat soup with a fork, but whatever...

I love my spin gear and I love my baitcasters and my fly reels too. They all have their place to shine. I have used both types of reels for bottom bouncing and a baitcast reel is hands down better in that situation. I only brought it up in relation to the original question because it applies to Alberta fishing.

Cheers
Greg

[tbiddy]

So if you had a baitcaster reel and spinning reel and a spool of flurocarbon line and a spool of braided line. What line would you put on what reel? I plan to use the baitcaster for mainly trolling and larger pike.

[Waxy]

I hadn't planned on using my baitcaster for bottom bouncing, but after reading this, I'm definitely going to give it a try.

I don't think it's a matter of one or the other being superior, I think it's a case of selecting the right tool for the job. I definitely didn't "need" a baitcaster, but I've read enough about them and their advantages that I wanted to try one. I have no doubt that for several techniques, they're the superior setup. All those bass fisherman, muskie guys, and converted walleye guys can't be totally wrong.

Two of my mottos - "You can never have too many tools." and "Always use the right tool for the job."

Waxy

[Mudslide]

Originally Posted by tbiddy

So if you had a baitcaster reel and spinning reel and a spool of flurobarbon line and a spool of braided line. What line would you put on what reel? I plan to use the baitcaster for mainly trolling and larger pike.

I pretty much use braided line for most of my reels both spinning and baitcast. When needed, I tie a fluorocarbon leader (6 ft usually) onto the fireline or braid using a double uni knot. http://www.thejump.net/fishing-knots...tm#UniKnotJoin This knot is used for joining uneven lines and reels right through the guides and onto the spool.

If you are tying braid directly to a lure you should use a Polymer knot. http://www.thejump.net/fishing-knots...ts.htm#Palomar

The wife and I like to troll little flatfish on spinning gear for trout up at Upper K and we switched from using mono because the action on the lures would disappear after letting the lure back a short distance due to the stretch in the line. Switching to 10 lb fireline with a fluorocarbon leader allows us to let the tiny lures way, way, back, and you still feel every twitch. A longer, soft tip rod held in the hand (not in a rod holder) helps to allow the fish to get hooked instead of just getting hits. No stretch can sometimes work against you if you don't allow for it.

If I was fishing clear water streams I would want to use light fluorocarbon line but for most uses I am happy to just stick with the braids and a leader.

Your millage may vary

[tbiddy]

I think I am going to go with the braided line with a fluorocarbon leader on the baitcaster reel. Going to use this one to do some trolling and bottom bouncing. I need to re-spool the spinning reel anyways so I am going to use the fluorocarbon line on that. Hopefully hit up Travers on Saturday if the weather permits.

[jeprli]

Maybe I came on too strong

Just wanted to point out that there is a spinning reel for every application out there.

Someone mentioned that b/c are better for longer casts, so I had to disagree, is that wrong???

Hey I use both devices, and am happy with either one, one advantage that clearly leans toward a b/c is the finesse in presentation of soft baits, you just can't do the same with a spinning reel. Other advantage it has is if you're mostly fishing from a boat i'd definitely go with a baitcaster much easier to work with than all the bulk of a spinning reel.

I'd recommend a Quantum Accurist2, spooled with 20-30lb powerpro works like a charm and it even has a switch for pitching. It was on sale at WSS for $85 usually it's around $130. So far i'm satisfied with it, tossed plugs as heavy as 3oz, it sure screams in pain on every cast but it's still silky smooth.

[Mudslide]

No Problem J
We are all entitled to our opinions. BTW I think you are right about casting distance being superior with a spinning reel. With a spinning reel all the lure has to do is pull the line off the spool where with a baitcaster the lure must turn the spool which already has some tension to prevent over runs. That's the main reason they are not so good for casting light lures. I learn a lot on this forum and I am happy to share what I know with others as I'm sure you are as well.
Cheers
Greg

[Rumtan]

Most bait casting rods have a trigger finger grip on them, for some people that helps when reeling in a big fish. I use both bait cast and spinning and enjoy them both. Once you get the knack for a bait casting reel it gets to be a lot of fun. There are some really expensive bait cast reels out now, I havent tried those yet but my shimano works well.

[BigIrv]

I am a perfect example of someone who bought a baitcast reel and had no frickin' idea how to use it. After a couple of birdsnests that cost me two extra spools of line I did my research on the internet and learned how to cast it properly (not really that difficult, but it does take a bit to get used to).
I bought a Canadain Tire special the Rhino baitcast (made by Zebco), rod and reel were ~$69 2 years ago. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PURCHASES I MADE FOR FISHING TO DATE!!!! Yeah it's a cheapy but man does it ever reel in good, and you can feel hit better becuase the reeling action is vibrating through as much. I love mine and am hoping to upgrade to a better name brand one in the next little while. I use mine for all my pike and walleye fishing and it has caught many fish to date. They do suck for any light lures like small spoons and spinner (another learn by trial mistake). I have an ultra-lite for those applications, and then I have my standard spinng reel for anything else, although it hardly gets used any more.
I use either my baitcast or my ultra-light.
Any questions on my learning experience with it please ask.

[jeprli]

Hey I bought mine couple months ago. There is a small pond in my neighborhood and that's where I practice my casts. Started of short and slow, now I'm much better and can reach good distance. What I found out is that swinging it like a baseball bat(from the side) is much more effective as the line is always under tension and lure travels at a constant speed, no birds nests this way. If for whatever reason i swing over my shoulder/head I start getting nasty tangles(best thing to do here is to just keep pulling line out of the reel this solves the nests most of the time) remember the line is not knotted anywhere it's just wrapped around itself when it makes a birds nest therefore pulling it out solves the problem. Anyways, when you throw overhead I tend to loose some of the tension on the line(stiff rod) and my rod is not loaded as it should be therefore my lure snaps like a whip and it accelerates a lot faster then what the drag is setup for, that's when the "spool" starts spinning in the opposite direction and creates a nest.

[allenford]

sounds interesting, will buy one baitcast for a try this year.

thank u all so much for the info....

[Cal]

Baitcasting gear seems to get less tangles if you "swing" it instead of "snap" it like a spinning rod. When throwing around lighter lures you do have to give it some snap, and you will also have to be bang on with your settings and your thumb or you will get tangled. In my opinion baitcasting gear realy shines with heavy hooks and a long, stiff rod where you can just swing it like a baseball bat and get good distance without complicating things. When I head out I usualy take a baitcast rod rigged up with for trolling and casting crankbaits, and two spinning rods, one for live bait rigs and one for jigs.