Spinning Vs. Baitcaster 2024
Basslover730 reply :
I fish using a cheap Ugly Stik spinning rig, I'm wondering the differences between spinning and bait casters, cause I'm thinking about either getting my bait caster fixed or getting a new one, I'm just looking for some input. Thanks
GT183 reply :
My son in law uses the same set up as you and he just catches fish!!! I use my baitcaster when I'm using 12# test or higher. I use a spinning rod 90% of the time and use the baitcaster when I use jigs or deep cranking. It's whatever you're comfortable with. Tight lines.
Basslover730 reply :
Alright, thanks. I love my spinning pole it works for everything! It's easy and simple! But I wanna try bait caster to see the diff. what type of line do you prefer? I like 20lb braid or 10 lb mono
endless reply :
I use both. I use jigs, C-rigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits cranks, frogs, spooks on baitcasters and I use light finesse like shaky, T-rig, wacky or weightless, and poppers on spinning. I do like using chatterbaits on spinning gear as well and when I fish from land like small ponds I usually only use my spinning gear.
This might help too http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&&mode=article&objectID=32921&cat=Fishing&subcatID=50&cmid=OLBUYINGGUIDE_32921_TITLE_50
redboat reply :
I use both, 10 lb PLine flouro on the spinners, 12 lb PLine flouro on the baitcasters except one which I spool with 20 lb mono. I use US Reel 240's and Abu Garcia rods for the spinners, and Bass pro dual drag baitcasters, also on Abu rods.
Some observations:
1. I wouldn't consider throwing less than a 1/2 oz (overall weight) on a baitcaster. Can you say, birdnest?
2. Similarly, in wind I never use a baitcaster except casting with the wind.
3. I upgraded the reel bearings for my 4 baitcasters to ABEC 7's. 2 bearings per reel, $15 a pop, that's $120.
4. That bearing upgrade was not necessary for the spinning reels, as there is nothing turning that fast on a spinner.
Its a lot of fun to fling heavy crankbaits 1/2 mile or so on a baitcaster but for finesse fishing, pitching, or skipping they are pretty much worthless. I also use a baitcaster for Carolina rigs and medium to heavy jigs. Overall probably 2/3 of my bass are caught on the spinners.
B@ssCrzy reply :
I use my spinning gear for throwing lighter baits and also like it better for my carolina rigs. However, I also like my baitcasters b/c I can get them in a faster gear ratio than any spinning reel. I prefer 7.1 ratio. Lipless cranks, spinners, jigs, top water or anything I need to bring line in quick on I like to use my baitcaster. The thing that is nice about spinning reels are that you can buy a reel that will perform great at a lower price point. Whereas with a baitcaster you will really get what you pay for. Big difference between $150 baitcast reels and $50 baitcast reels which IMHO are not even worth using. If you are going to use a $50 baitcaster I would just stick with the spinning reel. I use 50lb braid on my baitcasters so the braid does not dig in and then use a mono leader. I use 15lb braid on my spinning reels with mono leader. Best thing you could do to improve your spinning set up is to throw some braid on it. Makes a world of difference.
Basslover730 reply :
I'll probably just stick with spinning seems simpler!
ww2farmer reply :
On 1/3/2013 at 8:28 AM, redboat said:I use both, 10 lb PLine flouro on the spinners, 12 lb PLine flouro on the baitcasters except one which I spool with 20 lb mono. I use US Reel 240's and Abu Garcia rods for the spinners, and Bass pro dual drag baitcasters, also on Abu rods.
Some observations:
1. I wouldn't consider throwing less than a 1/2 oz (overall weight) on a baitcaster. Can you say, birdnest?
2. Similarly, in wind I never use a baitcaster except casting with the wind.
3. I upgraded the reel bearings for my 4 baitcasters to ABEC 7's. 2 bearings per reel, $15 a pop, that's $120.
4. That bearing upgrade was not necessary for the spinning reels, as there is nothing turning that fast on a spinner.
Its a lot of fun to fling heavy crankbaits 1/2 mile or so on a baitcaster but for finesse fishing, pitching, or skipping they are pretty much worthless. I also use a baitcaster for Carolina rigs and medium to heavy jigs. Overall probably 2/3 of my bass are caught on the spinners.
Your ignorance on the capability of casting gear is just as bad as your ignorance of St Croix's rod warranty policy. YOU may have trouble with weights less than 1/2 oz, or pitching and skipping with one, but to make a blanket statement like "they are pretty much worthless" for those techniques is just downright wrong and misleading.
lmoore reply :
It seems like we had a similiar thread last year about this time that turned into a multi-page slugfest of baitcaster vs. spinning. If I remember correctly, I even tried to use "science." In the end, myself as well as several others ended up looking rather foolish, and we came up with this:
1) there are advantages to both
2) it's largely a matter of personal preference.
I think any fisherman limits himself to some extent if he only fishes one or the other, but by no means does using both techniques make you a better fisherman than the guy who only uses one. If you think you might like to try baitcasting, find a willing (and patient) buddy to help you out using one of his. At the end of the day, pay him for all the line you ruined in birdsnests, and decide if you like it enough to give it a try.
Felix77 reply :
Just like anything else with fishing you need to find what works for you. Go ahead and buy a baitcaster and start simple. Throw 3/8 - 1/2 oz spinnerbaits around until you master how to set the tension, drag and can cast it without a backlash. After that move on to jigging etc.
If you don't like it then just mail it to me. I have other baitcasters from others who hated the move. Just make sure it's an Abu Garcia. Just Sayin' LOL 
LgMouthGambler reply :
They both have their place in Bass fishing. I like spinning with finesse fishing, which I recently have started experimenting with. Its not to say that you cant finesse fish with a baitcaster, but it is easier with a spinning rig. Casting into the wind is also a lot easier with a spinner. Flipping, pitching, skipping, etc can all be done using a baitcaster, but the users skill will make it easier to do. As for light baits, it can be done with the right baitcaster that is designed for that. My preference is a baitcaster, due to I feel I have more control. With the right baitcaster you will enjoy fishing one, but prepare to spend $125-$175.
Basslover730 reply :
Yeah, like i said i dont have the money for that, so ill just stick to my trusty spinning gear! never had a problem with any spinning poles always loved them! Thanks!
georgeyew reply :
Stick with what you have and go fishing as much as possible. You are able to catch almost any fish out there with what you currently have. I caught the fish in my avatar with a $20 Rhino spinning rod and reel.
QUAKEnSHAKE reply :
On 1/4/2013 at 10:21 AM, georgeyew said:Stick with what you have and go fishing as much as possible. You are able to catch almost any fish out there with what you currently have. I caught the fish in my avatar with a $20 Rhino spinning rod and reel.
I have one of those. I toss it out set it down and right next to it have a Lenend Elite tossed out. The catfish,carp, sheephead dont know which one they are going to bite on.
skeletor6 reply :
On 1/3/2013 at 8:28 AM, redboat said:I use both, 10 lb PLine flouro on the spinners, 12 lb PLine flouro on the baitcasters except one which I spool with 20 lb mono. I use US Reel 240's and Abu Garcia rods for the spinners, and Bass pro dual drag baitcasters, also on Abu rods.
Some observations:
1. I wouldn't consider throwing less than a 1/2 oz (overall weight) on a baitcaster. Can you say, birdnest?
2. Similarly, in wind I never use a baitcaster except casting with the wind.
3. I upgraded the reel bearings for my 4 baitcasters to ABEC 7's. 2 bearings per reel, $15 a pop, that's $120.
4. That bearing upgrade was not necessary for the spinning reels, as there is nothing turning that fast on a spinner.
Its a lot of fun to fling heavy crankbaits 1/2 mile or so on a baitcaster but for finesse fishing, pitching, or skipping they are pretty much worthless. I also use a baitcaster for Carolina rigs and medium to heavy jigs. Overall probably 2/3 of my bass are caught on the spinners.
1:) I can say birdsnest? I can also say Gamakatsu! Seriously its not that difficult to throw 1/4 ounce baits. Birdsnest are due to technique flaws, you most likely are trying to cast wayyyyyy too hard and wonder why your spool is spinning faster than your line everytime. Casting equipment does have a longer learning curve, but also pays off very well. I use spinning equipment for stuff under 1/4oz just because I feel that spinning equipment is more efficient at it and I like how the rod and reel holds for the techniques that call for such light baits. Such as dropshots, flickshakes, etc.
2.) Wind can be problematic if you are not controlling the speed of your spool in regards to the speed of the line being thrown out. As the bait (line) starts to slow down because of the wind, the spool will keep on spinning, you must slow this down. Most likely you are trying to cast too hard. Casting is not just taking your bait and launching it as far as possible. Casting distance is wayyyyy overrated, location and how it is presented is key.
3.) Who says baitcasters need bearing upgrades? That is optional...and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone that is having trouble casting with baitcasters to not add upgrades that speed up how fast your spool spins! If your technique is off, having a faster spinning spool will cause an increase in backlashes. That is why having many breaks engaged is highly recommended to those learning with baitcasters. To slow down the spool, not speed it up.
4.) The bearing upgrade was also not necessary for the casting reel too! That was your call, I have not upgraded any of my reels and they work great. My H20 mettles even cast just fine. Pretty sure their bearings are well below abec 7's.
I use casting equipment for really anything above 1/4oz. Below that I use spinning gear. To me they both have their place. One is not necessarily better than the other, I just feel spinning equipment is great for lightweight applications and casting equipment is great for everything above what I consider lightweight. You can use a baitcaster for light stuff and use spinning equipment for heavy stuff. They both can and will do it, its just my personal preference. Nonetheless, they each have their place in my fishing arsenal.
ww2farmer reply :
On 1/4/2013 at 11:54 AM, skeletor6 said:1:) I can say birdsnest? I can also say Gamakatsu! Seriously its not that difficult to throw 1/4 ounce baits. Birdsnest are due to technique flaws, you most likely are trying to cast wayyyyyy too hard and wonder why your spool is spinning faster than your line everytime. Casting equipment does have a longer learning curve, but also pays off very well. I use spinning equipment for stuff under 1/4oz just because I feel that spinning equipment is more efficient at it and I like how the rod and reel holds for the techniques that call for such light baits. Such as dropshots, flickshakes, etc.
2.) Wind can be problematic if you are not controlling the speed of your spool in regards to the speed of the line being thrown out. As the bait (line) starts to slow down because of the wind, the spool will keep on spinning, you must slow this down. Most likely you are trying to cast too hard. Casting is not just taking your bait and launching it as far as possible. Casting distance is wayyyyy overrated, location and how it is presented is key.
3.) Who says baitcasters need bearing upgrades? That is optional...and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone that is having trouble casting with baitcasters to not add upgrades that speed up how fast your spool spins! If your technique is off, having a faster spinning spool will cause an increase in backlashes. That is why having many breaks engaged is highly recommended to those learning with baitcasters. To slow down the spool, not speed it up.
4.) The bearing upgrade was also not necessary for the casting reel too! That was your call, I have not upgraded any of my reels and they work great. My H20 mettles even cast just fine. Pretty sure their bearings are well below abec 7's.
I use casting equipment for really anything above 1/4oz. Below that I use spinning gear. To me they both have their place. One is not necessarily better than the other, I just feel spinning equipment is great for lightweight applications and casting equipment is great for everything above what I consider lightweight. You can use a baitcaster for light stuff and use spinning equipment for heavy stuff. They both can and will do it, its just my personal preference. Nonetheless, they each have their place in my fishing arsenal.
You say it so much nicer than I do, I just get arrogant and let my d-bag flag fly. LMAO.
skeletor6 reply :
On 1/4/2013 at 12:02 PM, ww2farmer said:You say it so much nicer than I do, I just get arrogant and let my d-bag flag fly. LMAO.
I am sure our reactions were similar. 
redboat reply :
On 1/4/2013 at 11:54 AM, skeletor6 said:3.) Who says baitcasters need bearing upgrades? That is optional...and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone that is having trouble casting with baitcasters to not add upgrades that speed up how fast your spool spins! If your technique is off, having a faster spinning spool will cause an increase in backlashes. That is why having many breaks engaged is highly recommended to those learning with baitcasters. To slow down the spool, not speed it up.
4.) The bearing upgrade was also not necessary for the casting reel too! That was your call, I have not upgraded any of my reels and they work great. My H20 mettles even cast just fine. Pretty sure their bearings are well below abec 7's.
Didn't mean to give the impression that i was a beginner with baitcasters, or there was a problem with the reels to begin with. I upgraded the bearings out of curiosity; the jury's still out on that but so far they seem somewhat smoother than the stock ones which I suspect are abec 3's. 7's have tighter tolerances, may introduce less wobble at high speeds and so give a bit more distance.
I am definitely getting more distance on casts but that may be due to using the 321 lube, polishing the brass brake track, or some of the other mods mentioned in the article, and without birdnests.
As for weights: I agree, you - and I - can throw light weights using a baitcaster, but I can cast them more effectively using a spinning rig, especialy the US Reels. As you wrote, personal preference.
jerzeeD reply :
I have just stuck to spinning rigs for everything. But then again, I live in the NE....Where 6-7 lb. bass are elephants Baitcasters seem to be a better "power" set-up. If I fished in TX or FL where I was pulling 12+ lb. LMs out of the slop I would probably taken the time to learn one. But pulling a 5 lb. LM out of slop is no problem on my MH/F St. Croix spinning rod with a full aluminum bodied reel.
thehooligan reply :
On 1/5/2013 at 11:29 PM, jerzeeD said:I have just stuck to spinning rigs for everything. But then again, I live in the NE....Where 6-7 lb. bass are elephants Baitcasters seem to be a better "power" set-up. If I fished in TX or FL where I was pulling 12+ lb. LMs out of the slop I would probably taken the time to learn one. But pulling a 5 lb. LM out of slop is no problem on my MH/F St. Croix spinning rod with a full aluminum bodied reel.
I agree with this, i have no reason for a baitcaster. Ive pulled 6lb bass and a 10lb muskie in with a stradic 1000 and medium action rod, lol.
skeletor6 reply :
On 1/5/2013 at 11:29 PM, jerzeeD said:I have just stuck to spinning rigs for everything. But then again, I live in the NE....Where 6-7 lb. bass are elephants Baitcasters seem to be a better "power" set-up. If I fished in TX or FL where I was pulling 12+ lb. LMs out of the slop I would probably taken the time to learn one. But pulling a 5 lb. LM out of slop is no problem on my MH/F St. Croix spinning rod with a full aluminum bodied reel.
Hate to revive an old thread just thought maybe I could help this guy because I am in a similar situation. I fish in michigan and do not get on the great lakes. In the lakes I fish a 5lb bass would be my personal best. I have been using casting equipment for the last 12 years and would not consider casting equipment to be used for power set ups.
I have found casting equipment to be much more useful in many situations that you can see in my post a few points back. I feel there is a misunderstanding here. It is more about the weight of your bait, and the thickness of your cover than it is the size of the fish. I believe this last year a B.A.S.S. tournament fisherman caught a 9lb fish dropshotting with a spinning rig with light line/equipment in mild cover. If you want me to get his name I can find it, but I believe it to be beside the point
You CAN use spinning gear to haul out 12lb fish and you CAN use casting gear to haul in 1/2 lb fish. It boils down to personal preference. Spinning gear and the way it casts and manages line is really set up to avoid any type of disasters under most any condition. Here you do not have a spool that is spinning, more line that is coming off of a spool. Casting equipment there is the involvement of a spool that spins to allow line off of it.
Heavier baits have an easier time starting up the spool and keeping force on the line to keep the line from moving slower than the spinning spool. Most backlashes are caused from the spool spinning faster than the line that is being drawn out. In such a situation, most people will find that casting equipment is best suitable for baits that are in the 1/4 ounce range or higher.
There are casting equipment that is made for casting lighter baits. Such equipment entails a smaller spool, a lighter spool, and very smooth operation because the bait is going to apply less inertia on the spool to get the spool started up on the cast. Usually this equipment is EXPENSIVE. Special spools themselves can cost hundreds of dollars. A few reels come to mind in the less than $200 range for handling lighter line/lighter baits. Those are the Daiwa Sol, Daiwa Alpha, Shimano 50 series and the newer Daiwa Lexa 100 seems to be promising. The ones that are very good at completing such a task are the Daiwa Pixy type reels and are really enthusiast equipment at their price range. That being said, a spinning reel does not have to deal with such issues that a casting reel does for the lighter bait scenario since there is not a spinning spool involve during the casting process. Therefore, going the spinning route for the lighter equipment is less expensive, has a smaller learning curve, and is cheaper to get an outfit with. Which is why I personally use spinning gear for such a task.
Now if I am tossing something heavier, which i consider to be 3/16oz and above you will see casting equipment in my hand. This is not to catch 12lb fish, this is to just catch fish of any size. There is a larger learning curve when it comes to casting gear. With the newer equipment and the right rod, one can get away with not really knowing what they are doing with casting equipment and avoiding professional overruns (birdsnests) for the most part since the braking systems take the place of ones thumb in controlling the speed of the spool and line. If you have yet to try casting equipment on your NJ lakes I suggest you get yourself a reel around $100 get a rod around $100 and give it a shot.
With casting equipment I enjoy how it keeps the line closer to the rod which I believe plays a small role in sensitivity. I also like how quick I can get from one cast to another since to get ready for the cast its just a push of the thumb bar, thumb on the spool and off you go. Also, for cranking purposes I find it much less tiring. This is personal preference, but you may find yourself enjoying both types of equipment for certain situations just as I have. Do not limit yourself to feeling that casting equipment is for large fish and spinning equipment is for small fish because each can handle both. Again, I have yet to catch a 5lb bass and very much enjoy using casting equipment and in no way am I overpowering my fish, the smallmouth up here are known to put up a pretty good fight. The rockbass I catch just kind of lay on there side and say okay I'm caught. Kind of boring, but still fun. Just my 2 cents.
roadwarrior reply :
Great post!
I'll just add that for some guys (like me), "moving" lures are more comfortable to fish on baitcasting reels.
jerzeeD reply :
You do make some valid points. As for me taking the time to learn it...not going to happen. To give you an idea why not..it is time related. I work 50+ hours most weeks with a 2 1/2 hour daily commute...Throw in a 7 month old at home and you can see where I am going. The little free time I have right now to go fishing, I do not want to be picking out birdsnests instead of fishing. Honestly, with the way I have been lately, I can see myself throwing said combo into the lake in aggravation if it tangles a few times in a row. Perhaps later in life I will have time to try it out.
JunkYard814 reply :
If you set your casting equipment up correctly, it takes very little time or effort to figure out how to use it. If you utilize breaking systems its even easier. On a cheap bait caster I bought a couple years ago, I learned to fish it pretty effectively on the second and third time out. Do I still get birds nests every once in a while? Of course I do, everyone does. But a majority of the tangles I've had were able to be picked out within a minute or two. Only one time did I ever have to cut line off of a reel, and that's because I landed a jig into a tree on a set up with 50 lb braid, and I basically tried pulling the tree down to get my jig. It buried the line so far into my spool that I couldn't even find where it started. I learned quicky never to do that again.
*Hootie reply :
On 1/3/2013 at 8:28 AM, redboat said:Some observations:1. I wouldn't consider throwing less than a 1/2 oz (overall weight) on a baitcaster. Can you say, birdnest?
I rarely throw anything heavier than 5/16 on my baitcasters.
"Can you say practice" ?
Hootie
georgeyew reply :
I don't want to stir up a debate, but just wanted to share my experience. I started fishing 2 summers ago using a spinning reel/rod that a friend gave to me. I was doing fine with it, and I was determined to keep it simple and not use a baitcaster. Fast forward to last fall...after reading the forum and all the gear that the people were using, I started getting the impression that in order to fish well, moving up to the baitcaster must be necessary since "everyone else" is using them (and this is after I've caught a 6lb bass and 17lb carp on my spinning rod). So I caved and bought a baitcaster. I was frustrated for a few outing trying to learn the cast, but eventually I got it down. It is fun to use the new baitcaster and I like the sleek look of it. But to me, there is nothing that I can do on a baitcaster that I couldn't with my spinning rod. Now that I have a baitcaster, I don't think that I will stop using it. But I do kinda wish that I would have kept it simple like I intended in the beginning.
Flywatersmallie reply :
On 1/12/2013 at 1:58 AM, hootiebenji said:I rarely throw anything heavier than 5/16 on my baitcasters."Can you say practice" ?
Hootie
I like Hootie!
I hardly ever throw anything heavier than that on bait casters either. They are just a tool like spinning or fly gear. Sure you can throw a 3" grub on a casting rod, a bit like pounding nails with a screwdriver. It'll work in a pinch but better tools for the job. Similarly deep diving cranks or bigger spinnerbaits are no fun on spinning gear
HeavyDluxe reply :
I grew up fishing spinning tackle, and that's what I continue to fish... I've experimented with baitcasters and been able to fish, but I just didn't "enjoy" it.
I agree with most of the other posters on here... Assuming you're willing to practice and be patient, you can be successful with any setup. *ANY* setup comes with limitations. The trick is learning those quirks and figuring out how to use them to your advantage. Alternatively, you can buy 50 different (or more!) 'niche' setups that are each very, very good at a particular thing.
All that said, the most important fish-catching skills (IMNSHO) are a willingness to slow down, an ability to think and analyze, and an interest in practicing something before making a judgment on it.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 1/5/2013 at 11:29 PM, jerzeeD said:I have just stuck to spinning rigs for everything. But then again, I live in the NE....Where 6-7 lb. bass are elephants Baitcasters seem to be a better "power" set-up. If I fished in TX or FL where I was pulling 12+ lb. LMs out of the slop I would probably taken the time to learn one. But pulling a 5 lb. LM out of slop is no problem on my MH/F St. Croix spinning rod with a full aluminum bodied reel.
I'm in Florida and I don't catch 10# bass everyday, that's a good bass wherever you're at. I use 15# braid on spinning gear almost exclusively, those rare 8 and 10 pounders may be a bit more challenging to land out of the slop than a 1 pounder, but it can be done without much ado. I do see the point for a b/c, I watch these pros on tv yank and crank a 3 # fish in less than 5 or 10 seconds, that is not what I care to do. It's great for getting that fish in fast and getting on to the next cast in a tournament, as a recreational fisherman for me it's all about the fight even if it only lasts a little while.
If I may here's little tip on landing some of those bigger fish if your are shore bound. Instead of trying to lift that fish out of the water or "springing it up", hold your rod perpendicular to the water, tighten your drag or hold the spool if it's spinning and just walk backwards pulling the fish up. This is a common saltwater beach tactic that I entwined into my freshwater fishing.
Topwaterspook reply :
I prefer to use a baitcaster whenever possible. It's just my personal preference. I like the convience of being able to conviently keep a finger in contact with the line. Grown over places I fish from shore, don't always allow enough room for a proper backcast.A spinning rod is much easier to use in such situations. Just another thought when considering which to use.
fstr385 reply :
I used a spinner when I was a kid, but just recently really got into fishing and read and seen everywhere baitcasters wwhere the main setup, so when i got the money for one I got a higher rated but cheap $80 abu reel. I have all left handers as im used to cranking with my left on spinners. It took a little while to learn but now i use them for almost everything. I have vids on facebook of catching bass on the drop with weightless senkos on a baitcaster. Its just changing the setup. I use em all the time with a 10" worm t rigged with an 1/8oz tungsten w no problem. The two main reasons I prefer these are getting the fish in fast to not give it a chance to shake off the hook, and not to spook as many fish away from where im fishing. The second and most important to me is presentation and aim. I can throw at a target to hard and slow my line down with my thumb to hit it dead on. With a spool, i can also throw my bait pretty far down a bank line and stop it over the water and drop it in with a small blip in the water instead of a large splash.
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