GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Why are more ball bearings better on a spinning reel when the spool nor the bearing even spin on a cast. The only time that the ball bearings even move orspin is after the cast is over and when reeling in the line back in.

John D Loc: Duncanville Alabama

Some bbs are also associated with the spool while casting especially on the higher quality reels.

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

Isn't more always better, as in food, fish, beer, or whatever? Glenn are you a rod crafter?

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

For about 20 years

Raw Dawg Ron Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Remember 1967 when automobile mfg. put bearings in the best cars, they worked great! Now pressed in bushings, hardly no bearings and parts wear out by design! Give us bearings not bushings?

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

I built rods for the last 50 years, I have been trying to retire for the last 10 years but that doesn't work. Someone is always talking me into building another one for him. I'm getting pretty shakey. My plan is to build my last one for my youngest grandson when he graduates from HS next year.

Raw Dawg Ron Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

I was a Suncoast Rodcrafter for a while. Amazing rods are more like works of art! Some crafty folks, like the robert`s wrap offshore rods!

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

It was a hobby that paid well, after I became established. But, I was spending my little free time building rods and not fishing. I had to put my priorities back in order, and I did that.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

More places to put the ball bearings on a Spinning Reel.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Adding more bearings to a spinning reel does not make much since to me at all but it does seem to fool a lot of people into paying the bigger $$$ for no gain at all.

Pickle Loc: Duplin co, NC

I have worn out and thrown away a cheap spinner with bushings instead of bearings in less than one day of serious croaker fishing. You don't always get what you pay for but you never get quality that you didn't pay for. That being said the most expensive does not always make it the best.

Jim Kay Loc: Franklin, Virginia

Winching in Croakers on a spinning reel is too much stress on the reel. Try a revolving spool reel .

bru Loc: South Central Wisconsin

I think you just need a better quality spinning reel. Every time I have seen alligator hunters use a fishing rod to catch gators they use a spinning reel.

bru Loc: South Central Wisconsin

Better quality does not necessarily mean more expensive. Some $20 to $50 or so reels are really crap and some are far superior. How do you tell ??? I'd look up reviews first - not the google ones like "Best 10 Spinning Reels" - those are usually pretty worthless, some are paid reviews. Look at reviews either here or Amazon has the best reviews for ANYTHING. Sometimes a reviewer will even give you a suggestion of a BETTER reel/ product from their personal experience with both - that's valuable info. More bearings do not in themselves make a better reel - more bearing are mostly a marketing gimmick so you can't go by that. I've seen $30. reels with 7 to 10 bearings. That is pretty unusual but what you are getting is the same, lesser quality made reel with more bearings. If you are buying a reel and you can feel the gears when turning the handle don't even think of buying that model - or if the handle to inner parts feeling is loose or sloppy - unless it is only a loose handle shaft that can be tightened.

One final example: A few weeks ago I saw several great recommendations on a new model $250. baitcasting reel Here. Apparently it is a super, well designed product and had great specs, nice new features and ads all over the place. It's pretty too. Amazon reviews showed that 40 % of customers were unhappy with it. One of the problems was that the side cover, which is removable, like many, to adjust the casting drag [resistance] comes off by itself while casting. Or when you take it off to adjust there is no retainer, so it gets stepped on [crunch] or falls into the lake - OMG ! There was one other problem but I can't remember --- It might have been casting resistance adjustment that made lots of backlash snarls. This could be operator error cuz it can be a tricky adjustment but maybe it's defective ??
How disappointed and furious would you be after that purchase ???

Do some homework before you buy, it is self defense and worth it, even if you are only spending a little; it's educational and you'll have a nice piece of reliable equipment so you can concentrate on and have fun fishing.

Make sure you know what the return dates are for the new product, mark it on your calendar days earlier, save all the packing and receipt together. Leave it out where you will see it and use it within a few days, even if you only give it a GOOD workout in the yard. If it is not right or not what you want be a tough consumer and send it back - they will learn to do better and you will be happy you did. We don't need any more aggravation in our lives. Good and happy fishing !