Hi folks,
I'm new to the salty and try to fish it whenever possible now. Unfortunately, since I'm a rabid fly fisherman, I'm also broke.
Taking price, all around versatility, etc, what are some pros and cons to using either a bait cast or spinning combo on the Texas coast? The species interested in are the ones in the surf and bays here and there. (flounder, spotted seatrout, redfish, spanish mackerel, ladyfish, etc) What would you recommend to a newcomer. I've never fished with a bait casting reel other than dropping 16oz sinkers to the bottom of Georges bank for cod and pollack. Thanks!

I would recommend you use mostly spinning gear if you want to keep it easy. Bait casting takes a lot more of a learning curve and bad backlashes can lose you some fish and time. If you want to use a bait caster i would recommend buying one and tying one of those plastic practice weights on it and getting used to it in the yard.

As for pros of bait casters. You can cast further. And the big ones have the clicker thing that is great for fishing many rods and not having eyes on them all the time. Bait casters are especially good for the surf. Cons for bait casters are back lashes, steep learning curve, adjustment of magnetic drag each time you change baits. And on a personal note i like the reel weight under the rod on spinning reels much more.

Pros on spinning reels are easy learning curve, quicker bait switching, no backlash, and you can cast in any sort of crazy wacky motions or directions without crazy ammounts of practice. Cons would be less distance on casts (especially small baits or lures), only the high dollar ones have a clicker.

I personally perfer spinning reels, especially for lure work since i am no master bait caster. The other thing is when i am in my kayak i dont always have room for a full casting motion which makes my spinners cast further than my bait casters. I like the reel weight on the bottom and like my right arm on the rod much more than my left. I have thought about getting a left handed bait caster though, seems like it would work better for me personally. Really it comes down to what you like the feel of. I do like drag adjustment better on bait casters though. It seems to be easier to adjust on the fly. I usually carry 3 rods, 2 baitcasters for live bait and 1 spinning for lures. From my experiences the low end bait casters backlash way more than the higher end ones. The high end ones have settings so you dont have to thumb the spool. Thumbing the spool takes a lot of practice. If you are looking in the 30-75$ range i think a spinning reel is the way to go. In the higher price ranges i think the bait casters pass the spinning reels in proformance

I am fishing with artificial with spinning reel and i don't see another fisherman's catching more fish because are fishing with bait cast reel ,but i see many having problem with "bird nest"...

The best spinning reel under $100 for salt water is DAIWA WHISKER SS TOURNAMENT.
Most of the time i am fishing with SS TOURNAMENT 1300 and i am fishing for about 10 years with this type of reel without problems.
You can buy in e-bay some use SS TOURNAMENT with half price from the store price,but in very good condition.

I love the shimano spinning reels. I have the sienna 2500 right now. Great little reel for $30. Its a small reel on a light fast rod and man it makes fighting trout and flounder fun, and reds an absolute blast. It is a little low on line capacity though. But since i use it mostly for specks and flounder, getting spooled is not much of a possibility.

I'm a Penn Guy, but got a Daiwa Sweepfire 3500 pretty cheap, it is a nice reel, holds a lot of 12lb line, 20/30lb braid definitely worth it for slot fish.

I have a couple baitcasters, some low profile things for tossing lures, and a couple level winds for heavier baits, I find myself using spinning gear more often, because to me, they are more versatile.

It is all a personal choice. For me, if I am fishing top water or hard swim baits and want a lot of control then I use a baitcast setup. If I am fishing live bait or soft plastics on the bottom then I almost always use a spinning reel rig.

Sorry not the reel give you the control of the lure ,the fisherman control the lure the same ,if know , with bait casting reel or spinning reel IMO.

I want to chime in here:

I grew up with a baitcaster in my hand. Through college, my reel of choice was a Garcia 5000.

I fell away from fishing for 30 or so years, and in the past couple of years have picked it back up again.

Over the last couple of years, I've fished with all these guys that had these high dollar baitcast reels, and watched everyone....no matter how talented they were.....getting bad backlashes.

One buddy, who will argue to his grave the superiority of baitcasters, carries a minimum of two setups on his boat because he knows he's going to birdnest at least one reel. In fact, just a few weeks ago while we were fishing on his boat he turned to me and said "dude, you have to get one of these" (baitcaster) and literally birdnested so badly on the next cast that the reel was done for the day.

Aside from a wind knot or two I got early on from too much braid on a spool, I've had much success with my spinning reels. I cast just as far, just as accurate, and catch as many fish as the next guy.

I will share that I've got moderately expensive taste, and my bottom end setup is a Stradic FJ4000 on an equally nice rod. I've recently been fondling Stella's....and know that one will soon be mine.

Chevy. Ford. Baitcast. Spinning. Tomatoe, tomato.

Find what you like....because fishing is about relaxing and not worrying, right?

Jig head w plastic on a spinning rod w/20 lb braid.
Everything else works better with casting rod.

With plugs and some other baits, I like a baitcaster. Baitcasters do offer more control, especially over larger weights. Baitcast rods have more line guides. With baitcast reels, you have to control the spool when you cast and reel. There are more points of contact with the line and more control over the spool of line. All this equals more control. All this control comes at a price ie more backlashes and other problems associated with baitcasters.

With most plastics and finesse presentations, I like spinning tackle. For most saltwater fishing that I do, I like spinning tackle. One of the better qualities of spinning tackle is that it gives you less control. With some plastics and presentations the freedom that less control gives you is exactly what you want. That's why a lot of bass guys (especially the really elite ones) have a spinning/finesse rig. Less guides = less points of contact. A stationary spool = less control over the line. All of that usually equals more action for soft plastics. Especially the ones with subtle action to begin with.

To the OP: I would start with spinning gear in the bays. Surf fishing is a whole other animal and it is a bit heavy handed, especially coming from fly fishing.

Maybe I am thinking wrong, but isn't a spincast reel different than a regular spinning reel? I've always thought spincasts were the closed faced numbers like the Zebcos.

you're right. I just don't know of too many inshore anglers that would advocate a spincast reel.

I am 57 started fishing when I was like 8 are 9.
Started out using spincast like a zebco 33..then on to a mitchell 300 open faced spinning reel , then on to a garcia 5000 bait caster.
I have had birds nest are back lash in all of them at one time are another..
Buy a reel. and fish it. Eventually you will learn how not to get a backlash/birdnest.

"Somnipod'

Take "jagg" advice and start with spinning reel and rod if you like to enjoy fishing not to build "bird nest".....

I cannot fish artificials with my bait casters. My left hand just cannot do the rod work. My next reel might be a left handed baitcaster though. Most likely a bigger spinning setup though. One great thing about spinning reels is you can cast just about any wieght on the same reel. Bait casters you need different reels to go from 1/4 oz to 4 oz. for surf fishing i find big bait casters to be supierior to spinning gear.