Hello All Fisherman,

I have an age old question and a poll i would like for everyone to participate in if you would. Not only just vote but also try and explain the differences in both and the types of applications best suited for each type of Reel.

I am fairly new to bass fishing and My question is geared more toward catching Bass. Which would you prefer and why?


thanks guys

Bait Casters Vs. Spinning Reels single choice
	Bait Casters
	Spinning Reels
Votes accepted starting: 08/12/09 12:51 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I like my spinning reels mostly because I hate backlash and reel problems.

Once you wrap your hands around a QUALITY baitcaster and learn to use it you will never look back in my personal opinion.

I saw an episode of Hunt for Big Fish where they tested out some new baitcast reels in Mexico on a big bass lake and they were throwing all kinds of lures and weights and really slinging them out there and they were saying they will never backlash.

I've been trying to figure out what those were called because I forgot but that would be my choice when I go purchase

Go to Bass Pro and look at some Quality Shimano & Diawa Baitcasters. They are PRICEY but if you can afford them they are worth the investment. I personally use Shimano and Abu Baitcasters. None of mine are over $100 reels but they work fine for me. I've been throwing baitcasters since I was a kid. Good luck to ya and hope you find one that suits ya. Pflueger makes several pretty smooth casting baitcasters but IMHO they can not take the abuse of BIG fish. They have several on the lower price range ($65-$89 for a rod & reel) but dont expect them to last a long time. I hooked up a 38" Red on my pflueger that had worked fine for Bass fishing and that was the last fish it would live to hook lol. Broke the paw on the levelwind and stripped the rell out. I landed the fish but the reel went in the trash when I got home.


Rob

I should think you might want both kinds for different types
fishing. However the answer above is close to right, once you
get on to a baitcast reel it is hard to use a spinning reel
again unless it is a very light lure, I can cast farther on
a bait cast plus it is more accurate, you can slow it down
and stop it where you want, just takes some getting used to
My first baitcast reel wasn't to much but that was almost 60
years back, Yes they did make them back then. just a little
harder to use than the new ones.

Bugle the guy from hunt for big fish is with Shimano so i guess it would be a curado at the cheapest and even possibly a shimano core. But ya once you learn how to use a baitcaster well its an easy choice i like using baitcasters for almost everything if i can.

I use both for bass but for me it depends the water I am fishing and the potentail size of the fish I might catch.
If I am fishing a small creek or river I like to use my ultralight (4lb) or medium (6lb) line. If I am fishing a smaller pond/lake same thing. I also feel I am much more I hit my spots better with a spinning reel.
Now for a bait caster which I started using more this spring because I lost WAY to many big fish at Amistad and Choke I needed something that I could stronger line (14lb) on. I use it on bigger lakes and where there are more things in the water that fish can get wrapped around in. I must note I am also a bank fisherman so few options than the boats folks.

I use both...prefer baitcasters namely the low profile baitcasters but have the round style also I use. I use the spinner reels and rods for finesse type fishing such as drop shotting or wacky rig worms or even lighter lures on windy days...but use my baitcasters for everything else like worms, crank baits, jigs, topwater, and spinner baits.

Another thing to mention is what Im fishing around. I typically dont fish a spinner set up that is aimed for finesse fishing with lighter line around cover or anything I may have to yank a fish out of....I plan on getting a heavier spinner set up with 12 pound line and medium action for this application but if I have something Im fishing that I would have to pull a fish out of Ill typically try and throw it on a baitcaster.

I use baitcasters all the time except when I crappie fish with jigs then I will use an ultra lite spinning reel. All my baitcasters are Shimano brand (Citicas and Curados) I know there are some really good reels out there but I prefer Shimano reels.

The right tool for the right job. It's not one or the other.

I also prefer bait casters. I use amb 5500 for fresh water. For salt water ( surf fishing ) I use a penn 209, and a penn 330.
Neither are actually made for casting, but if adjusted with a little care, they do just fine.

HOWEVER:
There are a couple of spinning reels that I have found are sturdy and more user friendly than other spinning reels.
One is a quantum, the other is a shimano.
They have the " quick trigger " gizmo.
The quantum and the big shimano I have are good, and versatile.
I load em with 20 lb braid, and they will hold plenty.

Shimano also makes a cheaper, smaller version, it has a black plastic housing, and costs around $10. It even has a clicker, or at least it sounds loud when line is being stripped out.
I also load it with 20 lb braid, and it is in a graphite light spinning rod. It don't win no beauty contests, but it gets the job done.
A couple of months ago I landed a 16 lb yellow cat with this rig.

What he said. Happy fishing!

What he said, they each have their place....

There are guys that like to use natural baits and ones that use lures for bass.
With minnows and such, I like a spinner.
For finessing lures around structure, piers, vegetation or any other obstacle, the control you get out of a baitcast reel is unequaled in my opinion. I can land a jig on a dime from 30 feet away because a baitcaster allows you to control where the lure lands.
Once you become familiar with your baitcasting rig, casting a jig, worm, spoon, spinnerbait, etc...it will be just one fluid motion. It is a thing of beauty to loop your rod tip, make a quick flick and control exactly where your lure lands.

By the same token, if you're in open water fishing submerged structure, a spinner is a good option because you don't have to worry so much about placement and you can fling the hell out of it.
Once you release a lure on a spinning reel, there isn't any controlling the speed or distance unless you cup your hand over the spool and stop it dead in mid-flight.
It's actually a personal preferrence. I think once you get the hang of a baitcaster, you'll never look back. I have 2 20+ yr old Shimanos I use, as well as a Shimano spinning reel and a 20+ yr old Mitchell spinning reel for the ultralight, and they all work just like they did the day I bought them.
You haven't lived until you snag a 6+ lb bass on an ultralight rig.
I caught a 3 foot needlenose gar at Lake Fort Phantom earlier today on my baitcaster and that was one hell of a fight...but I won.