When to use spinning reels

What kind of baits are better to use with spinning reels?

where are you fishing? when I'm up smallmouth fishing, I can get away with a spinning rod 80% of the time. for fishing topwaters, jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube jigs, drop shots, jigs, etc.

when I'm fishing largemouth in the south? drop shot, shakey head, poppers, and certaing jerkbaits and flat sided cranbaits like shad raps.

if there isn't much cover, I'm more prone to use my spinning setups.

I'm in Texas and mainly target largemouth. I use spinning for top water and square bill, but trying decide if u can use a swim bait on spinning.

I guess I'm not sure why you'd want to, I use spinning rods for light light, and light lure applications.

So, finesse approaches, or light line in clear water.

I wouldn't throw a square bill or most swimbaits on spinning tackle.

Any bait that is too light to throw on a baitcast, I'll throw on a spinning setup. Small cranks, small top waters, small swimbaits, jerkbaits, and finesse baits(drop shot, shakeyhead, tubes)

I would throw a banjo minnow, but definetly not the helicopter lure on spinning gear.

I have 2 bait casters and 4 spinning rods. Trying to figure out how I want to rig each. Currently I use a t - rig and spinner bait on my bait casters.

well what length, power, action rods do you have?

Most of them are 7 foot medium or medium heavy rods. I may switch the t-rig over to a spinning to free up a bait caster.

what are you 6 most common techniques?

T-rig, top water, spinning, square bill,jigs and trying out swim baits... I really need more bait casters

I used a spinning set up for everything for a long time. Texas rig, spinnerbait, crankbait, didnt matter. I caught some very big fish on it and I could put it wherever I wanted. May not have been the best tool for the job but it definitely worked. If you are more comfortable with a spinning setup than a baitcaster then go for it. Its about having fun.

When crappie fishing.

drop shot, weightless senko

If you are more adept at controlling the spinning tackle, then rig them up and use them...

Here are some potential combos, given what you have. There are a couple in here where the spinning tackle is preferred:

Spinning (Medium Rod) - Weightless fluke, donkey rig, or Topwater
Spinning (Medium Rod) - ShakeyHead or DropShot (or combination of the two)
Spinning (MH) - Wacky Jig or Weightless TxRig
Spinning (MH) - SpinnerBait or Smaller Cranks (heavier line)

BaitCast - TxRig
BaitCast - Moving Bait

I have taken several people out who used only their bait caster while I use my finessed rigged "fairy wand". I can't remember a time when they pulled in more. I think it has a lot to do with having the bait caster rigged with higher strength line which makes the bait not react the same.

David and others have a pretty comprehensive list of fishing applications. I'd add fishing spy baits if it hasn't been already been mentioned.

Conditions-wise, spinning tackle excels in heavy winds, quartering and crossing winds, too, where bait casting can be awful. Spinning reels handle light lines better and nothing is too small while bait casters typically handle heavy lines better. If you need 6 or 8 test for a technique, you need a spinning reel most of the time.

And, it excels at skipping flukes and other baits under docks almost naturally, like skipping a stone. Really good bait casters can do this but it is much trickier to learn and perfect.

Bait casters excel at pulling fish out of heavy cover really fast, casting big crankbaits, big jigs and lures, most power fishing applications.

Note that with a spinning reel, you don't reel against a pulling fish, and never against the drag. You control and fight the fish with the rod and once you gain the edge in the back and forth tug-of-war, you reel down on your line, then fight the rod tip back again, reel down to take up the line. So, this makes pulling a big LMB out of thick cover problematic. Spinning tackle wears the fish down as part of its strategy; with a bait caster, at least some of the time the angler over-powers the fish, else he'll get wrapped up and break off.

I like bait casters but greatly prefer spinning tackle because I greatly prefer finesse fishing over power fishing.

Brad

Only thing I use one for.

Thank you all for the input.My plans are to get a couple more baitcaster in my arsenal, but until then i will use yalls advice and hope for the best =).