RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Once you’ve gotten good enough (low casting backlash probability), when do you use your spinning rods?
I know that even the Pros use their Spinning rods for some apps but I don’t know why.

With medium to heavier baits, I’ve gotten good enough with my baitcasters but last year I picked up another good Spinning rod/reel for my lighter baits and skipping, that I still baclash much too often ☹️

And I haven’t even spooled it up yet, but I just picked up a Curado DC reel to see if I can improve my baitcaster results with a lighter bait like a smaller crank, jerk or jig 🤞

Why do you use your spinning rods?

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Mornin' Red, a good question, but you have to realize that I'm not a normal humanoid. Usually, my target fish is trout on the fly rod. However, I love to fish walleye and for them, I will usually vertical jig fish. I will use a bait cast because of the braking system and I can give them a heavy hook set. Walleyes do have a very hard mouth. For all other freshwater fish and particularly saltwater fish, I use my spinning rod, because of the accuracy needed to throw up next to the pilling or where ever. I also prefer to use circle hooks except for jig and flies. Particularly for salties.

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

I have picked up a few bait casters for topwater and large baits, but honestly can’t think of a cast I can’t make with one of my spinning rods.
If you are getting backlashes with your spinning rod, your line is twisting, so you may want to add a swivel and add a leader to prevent this.
I have a couple fly rods, too, but consider myself a novice with those.

Grizzly 17 Loc: South central Pa

Hi Red. A. I use spinning rod for skipping n anything to lite for baitcaster. I know they now have baitcasters that handle lite baits but I'm not paying that much money. I enjoy baitcasters 👍

RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Thanks for the inputs, Guys!

I can certainly cast my spinning rods more accurately than my baitcasters. And probably cast it further because I can chuck it with more confidence without the fear of backlashes. I should be able to cast the baitcaster further, right?

But after the last 5 years of fishing, I have twice as many baitcasters than spinning so I try to fit most apps onto my baitcasters. My buddies are all very good with their baitcasters and use them for almost all apps, light & heavy🤪

This year with the DC reel and more practice, I hope to get better with the baitcasters for the small cranks, jerks, jigs & swimbaits and skipping - or I’ll have to add another spinning rod/reel or two to my arsenal. Last year, I started converting some of my President XT reels over to smaller, lighter reels like the Stradic ☹️

All advice is welcome?

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Hey Red. I use my medium spinning rod for all finesse fishing, unweighted worms, flukes or creature baits. My medium heavy I use for lighter swimbaits, and small crankbaits. I can cast them farther and more accurately than I can on a baitcaster. They're also easier to skip up under docks and trees.

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

This is an excellent topic and I hope a lot of guys and gals share their input.

I have 6 spinning and 6 Baitcasting outfits for bass fishing.
All my musky stuff is baitcasters and both my ultralites are spinning.
Baitcasters for musky due to the shear brute force required to cast and work the lures is much more efficient with a powerful baitcaster.

For typical bass fishing, I’m primarily using baitcasters for lures like spinnerbaits , crank baits , bladed jigs , moving baits that have some resistance on the retrieve. Anything that is more a horizontal presentation. Sometimes really long casts, where the objective is to cover a lot of water. And most presentations in and around cover, close quarters work , where accuracy comes into play.
Believe it or not, I’m more accurate with a baitcaster. Much more, and I’m pretty accurate.


Spinning , I use for more finesse work. Ned rigs , drop shot , hair jigs, shakey head etc. Usually in open water.
Vertical jigging , or short casts working deep structure.
Also anything light. Say less than 1/8 oz.

There is a lot of overlap in spinning and Baitcasting for me because my casting gear selection includes models geared toward finesse work.
For example , I’ll fish a Ned rig with my Loomis GLX 852 JWR with a Shimano Aldebaran . Perfect fit.

I think I prefer spinning for jerkbaits and usually go that route. I just feel better “ connected” with spinning when working these.

RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Hi Fred
Do you use baitcasters for any apps?

What do you use for spinning reel. I’ve had President XT for years but they are so much heavier than low profile baitcasters.

I’m assuming that I could get longer & more accurate casting results if I was just better at it. My buddy casts his baitcaster further than I can my spinning rod - but then again, he’s half my age and 220 lbs vs my 160 lbs 🤪

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Hey Red. I use baitcasters for Topwater, Jigging, Flipping, Crankbaits, Chatterbaits, Spinnerbaits, and heavier Swimbaits. I forgot to mention before, like Ben, I prefer to throw Jerkbaits on a medium heavy Spinning rod, with 12lb test line. Obviously my Ultralights are also Spinning rods. I'm still using my old Diawa Regals with the Autocast triggers on them. It's much quicker for repetitive casting. I did just order a Diawa BG 2500 for a new "Tightlining " setup I'm putting together. My Ultralight reels, and the Medium Heavy reel are Graphite bodys, and my Light and Medium reels are Aluminum bodys.
You're correct that the low profile Baitcasters are lighter, but I think it's more noticeable because they sit on top of the rod, rather than under it, like a Spinning reel. My Topwater rod has an older Ambassador Royal Express, round reel, which is heavier than the low profile style. I believe anyone can get used to any type, for any technique, if you spend enough time doing it. I have spent more of my life using Spinning reels, so I'm more accurate with them when throwing in very tight spaces. I'm sure I could improve my accuracy with Baitcasters if I used them more. That's one of my goals after retirement, as I plan on spending much more time on the water.

gonefishin

Bait casting reels are great once you adjust the release and seeing how quick your lure drops the lure should
release at a slow fall rate. Once you get use to the reel you will like it and enjoy the reel when you master it
I own over 21 rod and reel combinations 8 of them are bait casting reels and I enjoy all of them. So good luck
fishing and look forward to your next fishing trip. Go have fun.

RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Hi Fred
I know that I could get better with my baitcasters with more practice and I hope to do more next summer also.

This year rather than struggling for baits less than 1/2 Oz, I just went to my spinning rods. Right now with less than 1/2 Oz baits, too many baitcasts rewind back with small line loops & bumps that need to be pulled out ☹️ And I wouldn’t think about using a baitcaster for skipping.

I’m hoping the new DC reel will help with that slso 🤞

But right now, we’re hoping that it would get cold & stay cold so we can start the ice fishing season. Do you ice fish? I often catch as many big bass in the 3 months of ice fishing that I do in the other 9 months on the water ☹️

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

I'm the same way with light baits Red, spinning is easier. I only usually have 1 day per week to fish, unless I take time off work, so I concentrate on catching something, not usually practicing. This summer I'll have more time.
I thought about one of the digital reels for lighter line and baits, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
I ice fished some in my younger years, back in the '70s and early '80s. No enclosures or anything, just sitting on a stool or bucket. I quit drinking in 1984, haven't ice fished pretty much since then. Coincidence? I think not.
Now they have all kinds of gear to make it comfortable, but I just hate the cold.

RedA Loc: Stow, MA

Hi Fred
I’ll let you know in the spring how the DC reel works for the lighter baits. I’m not big on finesse fishing and plastics and I’m fine in my two good spinning rod setups for that. But I’d really like to be able to throw medium & light moving baits on my baitcasters without having to pull out little loops and bumps in the rewound line.

I have all the winter gear to stay warm enough in cold temps but generally if it’s below 30, I just don’t go out 😅

Stay warm.

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Good luck with the DC. Let us know how you like it. Good luck on the hard water as well, we'll be waiting on the pictures.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Good morning flyguy. Non of us can argue with your opening statement Have a great day. I will just sit here and watch the snow fall.