Spinning vs baitcasting

[Hooligan86]

New guy here been doing some research wanting to get a new rod. I've been seeing a lot about baitcasting rods. I've never used one but it seems they are preferred buy a lot of fisherman. What do you guys use and why?

 

[pinstriper]

I use baitcasting reels for trolling and jigging, spinning reels for casting.

 

[Aervax]

Pinstriper nailed the whole shebang in a single sentence. My experience agrees with what he said, 100%. I am guessing you are fishing for trout, since this is where you posted. If you are just starting out and will be fishing mostly from a boat for trout then I would get at least 1 baitcasting rod and reel, and 1 spinning rod and reel. If you will be fishing mostly from the bank I would go with 2 spinning rods and reels and get a second rod stamp. I fish one with bait and let it sit, while I cast spinners, or jigs, or a fly and bubble with the other. The spinning rods are also more amenable to teaching a youngster to cast and fish on their own. If you will be taking kids out I would start with spinning setups.

 

[pinstriper]

+1 on the 2-rod strategy, use the second rod to keep you occupied and not mess with the first. More fish will be caught on the still setup (Carolina rigged most likely) but enough will bump into your spinner to encourage you to keep doing it.

 

[Hooligan86]

Thanks guys I guess I'll be buying a couple of rods!

 

[Hooligan86]

Pinstriper nailed the whole shebang in a single sentence. My experience agrees with what he said, 100%. I am guessing you are fishing for trout, since this is where you posted. If you are just starting out and will be fishing mostly from a boat for trout then I would get at least 1 baitcasting rod and reel, and 1 spinning rod and reel. If you will be fishing mostly from the bank I would go with 2 spinning rods and reels and get a second rod stamp. I fish one with bait and let it sit, while I cast spinners, or jigs, or a fly and bubble with the other. The spinning rods are also more amenable to teaching a youngster to cast and fish on their own. If you will be taking kids out I would start with spinning setups.

Yes mostly trout, I'd like to get into some kokanee too but I've only fished for them once and never caught any.

for my kids I was thinking I would get them an ugly stick that's what I used mostly growing up and they always seemed to work pretty well.

 

[Aervax]

Here is a little bit more about my reasons for why I have those preferences. Spinning reel handles are always interchangeable. You can switch from right hand to left hand cranking in about 30 seconds depending on the preference of who you take along fishing with you. I can start an entire debate on why right handed anglers need to always crank with their left hand and hold the rod with their right, but who am I to stir the pot to debunk fishing dogma without provocation. Haha. So...with baitcasting reels the side the crank is on is set and cannot be switched. You buy either right hand or left hand cranking and that is the end of it. The big advantage to baitcasters is that the are "level wind". They simply wrap the line around a central spindle without much possibility of adding any twist to it. The fact that the line comes directly off the spool and through the line guides on the rod allows for the drag system to operate more smoothly and with less fluctuation in tension than occurs on a spinning reel. This comes into play especially when fighting larger fish on heavy line, salmon, bass, sturgeon, tuna and so on. Not generally an obstacle with most trout until they hit 6 pounds or so. You will see both used in steelhead fishing. When I went peacock bass fishing on the Amazon those fish are so powerful that they routinely snap bass and musky rods. I did not see a single spinning reel used by any angler in a week's fishing there. Baitcasters also hold heavier duty large diameter line with no risk of line memory pushing it off the spool where it can tangle into a rats nest without the angler doing anything at all. The flip side is that the angler does have to feather the level wind spool of line with their thumb in order to keep it from spinning too fast while casting in order to keep it from wrapping backward onto itself and creating a backlash tangle. This is something one learns how to do well through trial and error, but the benefits are worth it when fishing for larger stronger fish. And the smaller the lure, like a size 0 spinner or micro jig that might be used for trout or crappie , the more difficult it is to throw them using a baitcasting reel without creating backlash. One simply has to throw harder to get those tiny lures out there much distance at all, and controlling the baitcast spool in a way that allows the lure to travel very far without creating backlash is a pretty advanced technique. There will be a lot of pain and suffering while untangling backlashes rather than spending time fishing. In the case of lighter weight lures using spinning reel loaded with a small diameter soft flexible line in 3-6 pound test will get you there more consistently with less heart ache. The spool is stationary and does not spin like a baitcaster does when you cast. It is the weight of the lure and velocity of your cast that pulls the line off. The softer line does not twist as easily when coming through the reel and onto the spool, and it has less memory/stiffness so it is less prone to jump off the spool when the bails is open. When this happens it can twist onto itself into a bad rats nest. I am sure others can add to this with their perspective. What I described is why these reels work for me and why, but that is specific to my fishing style. Ask around and you will get different perspectives. Ultimately, try them both and figure out what works best for your target species, lure choices and presentation techniques.

 

[Hookset]

Aervax That is a great explanation.