Spincast reels 2024

Mobasser reply :

Like many of us, my first fishing reel was a Zebco 33. All chrome metal body, black plastic button and handle knobs, made in Tulsa Oklahoma. They sold thousands of these reels in the mid 1960s. I caught a lot of fish with that reel, bass, cats, and panfish from farm ponds and small lakes.Around age 13, I was given my first casting reel, a red ABU 5000, a hand me down from my older brother.I quickly realized that a casting reel was very different. I spent most of that 1rst year picking out backslashes. Eventually, I learned to use a baitcasting reel, and have used them now, along with spinning reels for many years. I havnt used a spincast reel since I was a kid. I recently got a chance to look over a new reel from Zebco. Fast retrieve, 9 stainless ball bearings, large handle knobs, and all metal gearing. This reel felt super smooth, and quality made. Not super cheap at 99 bucks.The first thing that struck me was how this may be a good alternative for someone who struggles with baitcasting reels. Despite all the improvements made in baitcast gear, there are still some folks who simply can't get used to them, and have a hard time fishing with one.I have no doubt these newer spincast reels will catch plenty of fish, and, they are light years better than my old Zebco 33. Anyone using a spincast reel for bass fishing? They've been frowned on by serious fisherman for years, but don't have to be. Spincast reels have improved!

The Bassman reply :

Well thought out post. One thing I like about this site is the broad spectrum of its users; not just tackle junkies but everything from complete beginners on up. To dis a spincast user is a real quick way to chase someone away. It's about enjoying fishing, not impressing people.

livin2fish reply :

I use a spincast reel in the cold winter time to keep my hands dry. Sometimes comfort trumps technique.

fvogel67 reply :

My fishing partners brother is a Doctor who owns his own family practice.He joins us a few times a year.

He only fishes with Zebco 33s,He could easily afford any setup he wanted but loves his Zebcos.

billmac reply :

For those willing to use a spincast reel, what do you think is a good, quality spincast reel? I too grew up using a Zebco 202 and 33. Frankly, I don't really like spinning reels. I use them for light lures but if there was a baticaster that handled light lures or a good quality spincaster, I'd opt for either over a spinning reel.

Way north bass guy reply :

My 9 year old is a whizz with his spincast reel, mounted on one of my older but decent 6’6” medium casting rods.

I haven’t used one in years but I do know guys that will use them for skipping baits under docks if they can’t seem to master skipping with a baitcaster, but don’t want to use a spinning outfit.

If it puts the bait into the right place for you, and has the power to bring a fish back to the boat, use whatever you feel comfortable with and forget about what anyone else says about it.

Bankbeater reply :

I've seen several guys fishing plastic worms with them. The last time I held one was when I took my daughter fishing about 7 or 8 years ago. From what I can remember they are a breeze to break down and clean.

roadwarrior reply :

Spincast reels are made for kids and people who don't fish but on a rare occasion.

Boogey Man reply :

On 2/16/2019 at 11:29 PM, roadwarrior said:

Spincast reels are made for kids and people who don't fish but on a rare occasion.

That's a super helpful comment.

Had a buddy that used 33s and caught fish just like us using baitcasters. If it's a 33, a cane pole or a Steez, go fishing and have fun.

onenutinthewater reply :

I thought I would relive old memories a few, well maybe 6-7 years ago and bought the latest zebco reel. Omega or something. I guess I am just spoiled by todays technology and after giving it a try I had to part ways with it.

One of these days soon I am going to dig out an ugly stick also & relive the 80's......

BaitFinesse reply :

On 2/16/2019 at 8:50 PM, billmac said:

For those willing to use a spincast reel, what do you think is a good, quality spincast reel? I too grew up using a Zebco 202 and 33. Frankly, I don't really like spinning reels. I use them for light lures but if there was a baticaster that handled light lures or a good quality spincaster, I'd opt for either over a spinning reel.

There are lots a baitcast reels that handle light weight lures even down to UL baits like 1/32 oz jig heads and 1 inch plastics. A light weight spool is key

Jrob78 reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 2:17 AM, BaitFinesse said:

There are lots a baitcast reels that handle light weight lures even down to UL baits like 1/32 oz jig heads and 1 inch plastics. A light weight spool is key

A light weight spool and very light powered rod.

greentrout reply :

still use it from time to time ... all metal gears ... big brass worm gear ... anti reverse ... not instant ... great drag ... fast for its time ipt ... about 22-24 inches ... by today's standards it's heavy ... made in the USA.... a tank ... most folks spool on too much line on spincast reels creating problems ...

good fishing ...

https://www.fishingtalks.us/blog-post/the-zebco-one/

redmeansdistortion reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 12:23 AM, onenutinthewater said:

One of these days soon I am going to dig out an ugly stick also & relive the 80's......

I use Ugly Stiks for musky. They aren't sensitive, but neither is the hit of a musky

VolFan reply :

My son uses an Omega. He'll probably start using some spinning reels this year as well. I disagree with Roadwarrior's comment above. That Omega is as smooth as most of my baitcasters, and much more user friendly on mistakes. I have used it when my son wasn't on tight quarters river floats, and it handles business just fine. Would I use it to fish shiners for 10 lb+ bass? No. But there's no reason to look down your nose at it as a sub $100 reel.

Allen Der reply :

The retrieve speed is super slow on even the expensive omegas. You have to get the zebco bullet to compete with a typical baitcaster, but they are really heavy and awkward to use. Spincasts are fine for bobbers or vertical jigging but not much else

VolFan reply :

Between this and the Kayaks vs Boats thread, I'm still trying to figure out when BR morphed into a fly fishing group...:-)

KDW96 reply :

My reels better than yours. You cant catch fish with them push button reels. WHAT EVER

redmeansdistortion reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 2:25 AM, Jrob78 said:

A light weight spool and very light powered rod.

And a light wallet after you buy them

brophog reply :

The biggest problem with even good spincasters, like an Omega or Bullet is the price. I’m not saying those two are overpriced, they’re both well built. But spincasting technology is such that to build them that well you have to over build them and that drives up the cost.

The problem is for that money you can get a spinning or baitcasting reel that is 10 times the reel. That doesn’t mean for a person’s given needs spincast wont work, but they come with serious compromises compared to rival technologies.

Jrob78 reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 11:22 AM, redmeansdistortion said:

And a light wallet after you buy them

It isn't really like that as much as it used to be. You can get a good BFS spool and rod for under $150. Of course you can also spend $1000 or more for a high end combo.

livin2fish reply :

I sometimes use the Omega purchased for my grandson 13 years ago when I want to force myself to slow the retrieve way down. Ipt is 15 vs 24 to 29 with most of my other combos.

Catt reply :

Classic XI. In 1981, 21-year-old Stanley Mitchell of Georgia became the youngest angler to ever win a Classic. He used a Zebco 404 for flipping-n-pitching

My grandson Aiden with his Zebco 33 Authentic Platinum!

All aluminum frame, including reel seat

4.1:1 gear ratio

5 stainless bearing

Continuous Anti-Reverse

Micro fine drag control

$34.99

Mobasser reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 8:52 PM, Catt said:

Classic XI. In 1981, 21-year-old Stanley Mitchell of Georgia became the youngest angler to ever win a Classic. He used a Zebco 404 for flipping-n-pitching

My grandson Aiden with his Zebco 33 Authentic Platinum!

All aluminum frame, including reel seat

4.1:1 gear ratio

5 stainless bearing

Continuous Anti-Reverse

Micro fine drag control

$34.99

Catt, that's why I started this thread. I don't use them anymore, but for lots of fisherman, they still work.

Catt reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 9:06 PM, Mobasser said:

Catt, that's why I started this thread. I don't use them anymore, but for lots of fisherman, they still work.

Absolutely! ????

redmeansdistortion reply :

On 2/17/2019 at 2:20 PM, brophog said:

The biggest problem with even good spincasters, like an Omega or Bullet is the price. I’m not saying those two are overpriced, they’re both well built. But spincasting technology is such that to build them that well you have to over build them and that drives up the cost.

The problem is for that money you can get a spinning or baitcasting reel that is 10 times the reel. That doesn’t mean for a person’s given needs spincast wont work, but they come with serious compromises compared to rival technologies.

The biggest compromises are weight, line capacity, and the inability to use braided line. A spincasting reel that holds a large amount of line can easily weigh over 1lb, and even then it's only going to hold about 100yd of 15lb mono. The redeeming quality of spincast reels is they are simple for anybody to pick up and use. Spinning reels are easy to use as well, but they still do take a small amount of time to get the hang of. I haven't owned one in over 30 years, but I still think they would be fine for bait fishing under a float or off the bottom.

Mobasser reply :

Here's something to consider: I used to watch Virgil Wards Championship Fishing every week. Mr. Ward endorsed Johnson reels at the time. I watched several shows where he was fishing on Table Rock, Bull Shouls, and other Missouri lakes, catching both size and numbers with a Johnson spincast reel. Of course, we were not nearly as high tech in the early to mid 80s as we are now. I started this thread to simply say that a spincasting reel may work for you,. I'll never judge anyone for their choice in tackle. If a spincast reel works for you, than by all means use it. And, have some fun and catch some bass! That's what it's all about!

FishTank reply :

I look at this way, spincast reels aren't really designed for bass fishing (or BASH fishing for that matter). They will catch fish and I am not ashamed to say that my 8 year old daughter smoked me one day with her Barbie spincast reel and rod when I was using a set up that cost about $750. Point is, if you have line, lure, hook, patience and just plain old luck, you're going to catch fish. To me, it's all about the enjoyment.

As far as them coming along in technology, I think the only one I have seen that has come a long way is the Zebco Bullet. There have been many version of it over the years. I liked the 38 and the 22. The current version cost about $100 and has 9 bearings. It is a far cry from the one I bought in the 80's for $5.

greentrout reply :

lmb are caught everyday on a spincast with a t-rigged plastic worm ... daiwa, abu garcia, pfluger, and zebco make decent reels for bass fishing ... i use mine 5-10 percent of the time ... on small neighborhood ponds ... lot of fun ...

good fishing ...

roadwarrior reply :

"To me, it's all about the enjoyment."

You can catch fish on anything, a rod and reel are NOT even required.

For me it's all about the "fun factor". A spincaster is for youngsters

and people that are not serious fisherman, just an occasional diversion.

VolFan reply :

"A spincaster is for youngsters

and people that are not serious fisherman."

I find that to be a disappointing level of elitism for a mod to express on this site. Buying a decent spincast and maintaining and using it doesn't make you not a serious fisherman.

Tennessee Boy reply :

Almost 50 years ago, my grandfather took me to Kentucky lake for the first time. I caught a 7lb catfish with a Zebco 202. Spincast reels worked then and I’m sure they work even better now.

J Francho reply :

I still have a couple of 33s from the mid 80s that work fine to this day. I also have a Daiwa Goldcast that is probably better made than most modern spinning reels. It's a little heavy, but my queen has never complained using it on a Saint Croix LTB.

brophog reply :

On 2/18/2019 at 11:05 PM, Tennessee Boy said:

Almost 50 years ago, my grandfather took me to Kentucky lake for the first time. I caught a 7lb catfish with a Zebco 202. Spincast reels worked then and I’m sure they work even better now.

They’re still basically the same. The Omega is a nice spincast reel, but it’s honestly just getting back to where 33’s were all those years ago. The Bullet is a bit different in that they’ve elongated it to increase the gear ratio, and that allows that reel to do things traditionally difficult to do on a spincast.

roadwarrior reply :

On 2/18/2019 at 3:21 AM, VolFan said:

"A spincaster is for youngsters

and people that are not serious fisherman."

I find that to be a disappointing level of elitism for a mod to express on this site. Buying a decent spincast and maintaining and using it doesn't make you not a serious fisherman.

"Elitism"?

I don't care what anyone fishes with and have stated over the years that "anything" works if

we are just talking about "catching". For me it's more about playing with my toys and the subtle

differences in gear. In terms of innovation, spincast has been all but abandoned by the industry

and the "high end" like an Omega just does not compare to a low end spinning reel or baitcaster.

My gang bought two Omega when they were introduced and both were great little reels for catching

baitfish on a sabiki rig, but I want something more when the target is trophy smallmouth.

WRB reply :

Woo Daves won the 2000 Bassmaster Classic using a Zebco 808 spin cast reel.

Tom

J Francho reply :

Hmmm...the Goldcast has a line roller, oscillating spool, aluminum frame, cut brass gears, titanium guide, and a multi stage drag. Certainly far from "abandoned technology." Never mind the double digit steelhead that have been caught on it. My guess is most that would look down on the reel have never actually fished with it. It is not a toy.

On 2/19/2019 at 1:55 AM, roadwarrior said:

In terms of innovation, spincast has been all but abandoned by the industry

and the "high end" like an Omega just does not compare to a low end spinning reel or baitcaster.

Zebco, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Shakespeare, and Pflueger all make spincasters. Underspin designs, quick change spools, improved drag systems, solid aluminum frames, updated EVA knobs, are some of the upgrades added to the better models. I'd say that's the opposite of abandoned.

Mobasser reply :

On 2/19/2019 at 2:49 AM, J Francho said:

Hmmm...the Goldcast has a line roller, oscillating spool, aluminum frame, cut brass gears, titanium guide, and a multi stage drag. Certainly far from "abandoned technology." Never mind the double digit steelhead that have been caught on it. My guess is most that would look down on the reel have never actually fished with it. It is not a toy.

Zebco, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Shakespeare, and Pflueger all make spincasters. Underspin designs, quick change spools, improved drag systems, solid aluminum frames, updated EVA knobs, are some of the upgrades added to the better models. I'd say that's the opposite of abandoned.

J Francho, 100% correct. They havnt been abandoned at all. The fact they've been improved so much tells me their is still a big demand. Like you say, guys writing them off probably havnt fished some of the newer models. They would not be my first choice, but I'd never slam on anyone for choosing one. Good points here!

WRB reply :

When my son was 5 years old I made up a 5' spinning rod with Zebco Omega 144XL Triggerspin spin casting reel. Triggerspins are like spinning reels that operate under the rod and this allowed a child to cast 2 handed and operate the reel effectively.

This small reel was a bullet proof little reel and my son became a good fisherman and could cast his outfit without any issues or help from dad.

My son used this outfit for about 3 years and during that time he managed to catch a 26 lb Channel catfish, 7 lb bass, 10 lb carp on a split shot reapers. He graduated to a spinning reel combo at age 8 retiring his Triggerspin outfit.

Tom

Glaucus reply :

They're all still trash. They look and perform great for a very brief period of time. I got the Zebco Bullet when it first came out. Within 2 months it had fallen apart. My wife and son have burned through 5 or 6 of the New Platinum 33s. They simply do not hold up. I've never had a casting or a spinning reel flat out break, and I've certainly never had one stop performing right after just a few weeks of use. Last year we got my wife on spinning gear and this year we're working on casting gear. My son is stepping up too. I'm sure some people have success stories with these modern spincast reels, but not us. I can post a photo of a box of these junked out in our garage. I can't recall ever even breaking a rod while fishing, just the tip of one via a screen door coming home after a day of fishing. I'm good on my gear. Stay away!

flatcreek reply :

On 2/19/2019 at 2:08 AM, WRB said:

Woo Daves won the 2000 Bassmaster Classic using a Zebco 808 spin cast reel.

Tom

I read an article that said that he likes to use a spin cast around docks.

papajoe222 reply :

They are the only type of reel my wife will use (she fishes at least once a week). I've purchased different brands and models over the years and the only ones that's held up more than a couple of seasons are the Goldcast and President.

Bolar reply :

I just about fish exclusively spincast. I like the Omega line and have both sizes. My biggest problem has been the line wearing into the spinner head. Mono and/or braid. They last about one season and the heads have to be replaced.

You can cast braid with a spincast, but it works better with a heavier line. Experiment with what works best for you.

fin reply :

I used to fish with a Zebco 404 on a 5'6" Speed Stick with the pistol grip (c. 1977), and I remember being able to cast extremely accurate. Maybe I'm just remembering it that way, but it seems like that setup was more accurate than a spinning reel, and definitely more accurate than a baitcaster. The distance was no where near as good, but when fishing creeks from banks with overhanging limbs and brush, trying to cast right behind stumps and rocks, I could hit the target almost every time. Maybe it was the simplicity of the reel and the short length of the rod.

I caught a lot of bass with that setup and I also caught an ugly stick with a Shimano Caenan on it, and that ended my spincast days.

I'll occasionally fish for carp, and I'm not above using an old spincast for that, but the line curl problem was a real headache.

brophog reply :

On 2/19/2019 at 3:03 AM, Mobasser said:

J Francho, 100% correct. They havnt been abandoned at all. The fact they've been improved so much tells me their is still a big demand. Like you say, guys writing them off probably havnt fished some of the newer models. They would not be my first choice, but I'd never slam on anyone for choosing one. Good points here!

And at the end of the day, with all of these features, they’re still just trying to approximate a spinning reel. If I told someone I’d sell them a 1 bearing, 18 IPT reel for the cost of a Pflueger President, I’d imagine they’d take the President. It’s just a far superior reel to a Goldcast at a similar price point.

That’s probably the biggest testament to the resolve of spincast reels. The better models sell at a price point in which far better spinning, and in some cases baitcaster, reels reside and yet they still sell. So there is certainly a market for them and I don’t think anyone would claim they don’t catch fish. They may have caught more in the past 60 years than spinning/baitcasters combined.

But the question we are now debating isn’t whether spincasters sell or if they can catch fish....it’s if they’re for serious bass fisherman. So, I want to know this...how many of us have 10 spincast combos rigged up on the decks of our boats?

J Francho reply :

So we're back to passing judgement on someone else's dedication to a hobby.

Lame. Time to get out and put our creel where our mouths are.

Mobasser reply :

On 2/19/2019 at 10:07 PM, J Francho said:

So we're back to passing judgement on someone else's dedication to a hobby.

Lame. Time to get out and put our creel where our mouths are.

Yep! Lame! How about this concept. Take your dog- gonned reel out there and catch some fish! Works for me, whatever you use!

zell_pop1 reply :

I am considering the Goldcast, they are 40-50 on Amazon, so not that much $. I thought it would be good for a guest in the boat or for skipping docks. Also I believe their IPT is more like 25 than 18, so not all that slow.

J Francho reply :

On 2/20/2019 at 9:37 AM, zell_pop1 said:

Also I believe their IPT is more like 25 than 18, so not all that slow.

The GC100 is 21.3 IPT.

http://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/reels/goldcast/index.html

OnthePotomac reply :

Another comment on the great bass pro Woo Daves, renowned for his worm fishing skill, often said he always kept a spincaster on the deck.

J Francho reply :

I remember a whole article in Bassmaster on Woo, and using that Zebco 808, back in the 90s. They were giant, awkward looking reels. I had a all green 404 on a matching green wrapped, bamboo rod. Later I upgraded to an Ugly Stik and Penn spinning reel, though I kept the Zebco for live bait fishing.

greentrout reply :

On 2/20/2019 at 9:37 AM, zell_pop1 said:

Also I believe their IPT is more like 25 than 18, so not all that slow.

believe the silver is the fastest ... above ....

Log Catcher reply :

When BPS came out with the Extreme spincast reel I bought two of them for my wife to use. I was originally planning to get the Goldcast. When I told the guy working the reel counter what they were for he recommended the BPS reel. Said they were a little smaller and sat lower on the rod and would be better for smaller hands. They have four bearings and 27 IPT line pickup. She loves them. They have not seen extremely heavy use but the have held up good and seem to be okay for reels in the $25 price range.

Elkins45 reply :

I bought a Zebco Omega exclusively to use with unweighted floating worms. I used to use a Daiwa Minicast but I wanted something bigger to handle larger fish. I don’t love the slow retrieve.

scaleface reply :

For years I used a Johnson Century 100B in lieu of a spinning reel . These reels allowed you to reverse the spool and they had a switch that would reverse the way the handle turned . I used them upside down on spinning rods . I gave the last two I had away to an older gentleman because thats how he used them and his were worn out .

WB4IUY reply :

On 2/19/2019 at 3:37 AM, Glaucus said:

They're all still trash. They look and perform great for a very brief period of time. I got the Zebco Bullet when it first came out. Within 2 months it had fallen apart.

<snip>

I can post a photo of a box of these junked out in our garage.

Howdy Glaucus,

I'd love to take that junked Bullet off your hands, if you'll part with it. I have 4 of them, been burning them 3-4 days/week for last 2 years. Can't say enough good stuff about mine. Would love to have one for parts if you want to sell it. wb4iuy@gmail.com

Thanks,

Dave

MickD reply :

I hope I'm not being redundant to other comments, but my comments are: Spicast have the advantage, IMHO, of being able to cast heavier lines well than are open face reels. But my comment does not include any experience with FC or braid on them. Their disadvantage is that you cannot feather the cast to shorten a cast without totally stopping the cast.

Can you drive a stick shift car? If yes, you can use one of the new casting reels, like the Daiwa Fuego, which needs very little thumb control with most lures.

roadwarrior reply :

These reels are for children and people that don't fish.

Glaucus reply :

On 9/28/2019 at 8:54 PM, WB4IUY said:

Howdy Glaucus,

I'd love to take that junked Bullet off your hands, if you'll part with it. I have 4 of them, been burning them 3-4 days/week for last 2 years. Can't say enough good stuff about mine. Would love to have one for parts if you want to sell it. wb4iuy@gmail.com

Thanks,

Dave

Let me dig it out and I'll ship it to you for nothing. You might even be able to completely fix it for close to nothing.

WB4IUY reply :

On 9/29/2019 at 7:33 AM, Glaucus said:

Let me dig it out and I'll ship it to you for nothing. You might even be able to completely fix it for close to nothing.

WOW! Thanks!!

Dave

Glaucus reply :

On 9/29/2019 at 9:34 AM, WB4IUY said:

WOW! Thanks!!

Dave

I'll email/message you tomorrow after I've got it out. It's not a problem. It is wasting away unused and out of commission.

WB4IUY reply :

On 9/29/2019 at 9:36 AM, Glaucus said:

I'll email/message you tomorrow after I've got it out. It's not a problem. It is wasting away unused and out of commission.

'Morning! I sent you a direct message on the board with my mailing address. Thanks again!

Dave

Bigassbass reply :

I have worn out at least 5 gold cast reels, used them fishing for schoolies, lots of fun you gotta be fast so the closed reel works really well casting from a boat. They are good reels just not for everyone, I don't have one now. Easy for kids and people who really don't appreciate fine craftsmanship in fishing reels.

rtwvumtneer6 reply :

On 9/28/2019 at 9:01 PM, MickD said:

Can you drive a stick shift car?

If I could find one! Anymore, it seems like the manual transmission is an extra expense upgrade...

But, with the DC technology finding it's way into very affordable reels, baitcasters are becoming almost "automatic" and I think that might become the norm (just a thought). You still have to drive it, but the learning curve is significantly less.

2239

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