Happy Labor Day to all!
Why do spinning reels dominate trout fishing while casting reels dominate bass fishing? The fish are oblivious to what type of reel is employed. In almost 50 years of trout fishing the Sierra and Rockies, I have never seen a casting reel yet that is all I see when watching bass tournaments. Being a trout and not a bass angler, maybe my observations are blinded. Basically, I spin in freshwater and cast in saltwater. For whatever reason, fly fishing never really appealed to me, fresh or salt. The majority would concur that a casting reel will outcast an “equivalent” spinning reel but why is that only important to bass fishing and not trout? We all know fish, bass or trout, are always 5ft farther than we can cast!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark,
I came out of out west trout country and from my perspective, a spinning reel is just so much easier to use when flipping very light baits out a good distance with essentially 0 chance of backlash.

In a word, easy, simple and can be picked up in 3 minutes for a successful day on the water with never having handled a rod before.

Yes, perhaps today's casting reels can throw very light baits, but even for bass fishermen, it still seems that they carry a spinning rod and reel setup for casting very light baits and lures.

Around here you will see more spin than cast for almost any kind of fishing. But the bottom line is as Roger says, spinning casts lighter lures better than baitcasters. I know there are those who will say they cast feathers with a baitcasting outfit, but for most of us, it just doesn't make sense to try to cast the lighter lures with baitcasters.

it is as stated before , spin goes for the lighter bait, where casting works real well on the heavey- er bait, as I see it ,

William Sidney
AK

In a word: CONTROL
Bass (large mouth more so then others) are ambush predators

As such the like to hang around, behind, or with in structure: docks, stumps, bulk heads, clumps of grass. rocks, Lilly pads etc.
While at the same time being skittish.
Which requires pin point casting with the ability to slow the bait down to almost zero speed before it hits the water to eliminate excessive noise and splashing

I've seen many many times if you missed the target a ft, or two, they simply would not attack, and if it splashed to hard they would run from it.

I can routinely pitch a jig into a tea cup at 40 ft+ distances 8 out of 10 times, and not even get close with a spinning rod.
You cannot beat the accuracy of the bait caster with a spinning rod,

Mark

You've clearly been captured by the dark sides of spinning, bait casting, and, worst of all, spin cast. Join the ranks of the enlightened anglers with a fly rod, the truly superior and gentle way to fish, and put all the spin vs bait cast behind you. (Just kidding.)

Roger, Michael, Bill and Steve,
Thank you for such prompt replies. The first three responses seem to parallel each other, my observations/opinions as well, most importantly the bird-nest factor. Steve’s observation of “control” is well-received although trout, especially brown and even more-so native golden, are notorious for being skittish and evasive as well. Steve obviously possesses a much more refined casting-cast ability than me. Even with 2-4oz bait or 3-6oz candy bars, I still get the dreaded bird-nest a few times each saltwater trip. I might just like to build a casting rod for Sierra trout but haven’t a clue as to which is the best ultalight casting reel (if such an animal even exists).
Great comments and hopefully more will follow.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Double post.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2019 09:46PM by Spencer Phipps.

I don't agree that casting reels outcast spinning reels in all instances, the only time I use casting reels in your instance is while trolling, I use old Shimano Bantam 101 lefty reels, or line counter reels. I've never bble to get the new finesse reels the touch a spinning reel in your instance. Feathering the spool on a spinning reel with your finger comes close to an educated thumb on a casting reel.

Donald,
Very well-put, understood and acknowledged. I am certain Phil Erickson, Herb H. and others would agree. Understand that it is difficult to teach an-old-dog-new-tricks. Does anyone make a fly rod or reel to combat 100lb + tuna (my turn to kid)? Actually and probably yes, but I’ll stick with my current conventional stuff.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Mark, no 100lb Tuna, but have caught 110lb Tarpon on a fly rod. Biggest Tuna about 40lbs.

Spencer,
Nice analogy between finger-feathering a spin reel verses educated thumbing a casting reel. Keep it all the ingredience coming; I am still stirring the pot!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

I know revolving-spool reels hold most if not all distance casting records, but the tackle and techniques used in distance casting competitions are not suitable for actual fishing. Do either spinning or casting reels have a clear advantage in casting accuracy contests? I'm guessing most savvy anglers would rather fight fish with a revolving-spool reel than a spinning reel, especially when fighting #50 or larger fish.

although not an excellent fly caster by any means.
I love the ability you just lay a fly on the surface of the water with barely a ripple. However they're not permitted bass tournaments

Tom Kirkman taught me how to cast a fly rod and the advantages of being able to snatch 60 ft of line and lure out of a spot,
and immediately lay it down in another location when chasing small pods of schooling bass. (that some times surface for only a moment)
With out loosing time having to reel in and recast can lead to amazing results.

But I just can't seem to get tournament officials to see it my way

IMO the type of rod we use is generally determined by what we grew up with, where we lived and what kind of fish we went for..

When I lived up North the general order was spinning, fly rods and bait casters respectively, after I moved South it seems the order is bait casters, spinning and fly rods.

All my experience and learning has been with fresh water fishing and spinning rods, I have dabbled with bait casters and fly rods but I seem to migrate back to the spinning equipment.

I am impressed with the fly rods folks, it takes desire and skill to master the fly rod.

Again I am just relating my personal experience and theory.

I use both spinning and casting rods. As stated earlier lighter baits do better with spinning rods. I also use my spinning rods for any technique that has me reeling in slack line regularly as i dont have to worry with how it is laying on the spool.

To sum it up bass are usually found around structure and depending on that structure determines the equipment used. This all derived from professional tournament anglers and their time spent on the water. You can use any type of reel to catch a bass but to have the best odds of getting that fish in the boat the equipment makes the difference. A baitcaster can be spooled with a larger diameter line than a spinning reel. The larger diameter line has less of a chance of breaking when stretched across rock, wood, or whatever else might be down there. In grass or other vegetation 65lb braid is preferable to nylon due to the sawing action required to retrieve big fish from thick mats, cutting its way to open water. In open water a line can have a smaller diameter such as 6lb test. But a 6lb test line doesn’t work as well on a bait caster as it does on a spinning reel. Keep in mind when tournament fishing for bass you want to have the lightest but strongest equipment you can afford becuase you’ll be casting lures all day.

The old adage “The bigger the bait, the bigger the fish” has some truth to it when targeting large mouth bass. I often use 5” paddle tails but I also need to use larger 4/0 or 5/0 hooks. A stronger line and a fast action MH or H rod helps with hook penitration on the hook set. A spinning rod would struggle with this presentation.

The lightest line I use on a casting reel is 10lb mono when casting poppers to schooling bass in open water using a 6’9” MM NFC rod and a 13fishing concept A reel. I can also cast weighless Senko’s and soft jerkbaits all day with this setup. Most of the time I’m using 14lb to 17lb nylon line when using chatterbaits, jigs, paddletails, or weighted worms. For crankbaits or jerkbaits 10 to 12lb test and 50 to 65lb braid for flipping/pitching jigs or walking frogs around mat’s.

Usually for spinning reels bass fishermen are using 1000 to 3000 size reels to keep it light. I’ve noticed that any nylon line above 10lb test or braid above 20lb doesn’t perform very well on these smaller reels. I have two 3000 size spinning reels I use bass fishing, both have 15lb braid backing and usually a 6 or 8lb mono or flouro leader. These are used for weightless worms or other light lure presentations but for me 90% of the time it’s a wacky rigged Senko. I also use these reels inshore fishing for trout or redfish only changing to a heavier leader.

The Lamiglas 15 wt. Blue water rods and the 18 wt. GUSA rods of old would maybe drag in a tuna. More experience with the Lamiglas, a real meat stick, composite construction, 8 ft long, 4 piece.

Great replies = thanks. Although numerous subjects were mentioned, it seems spin reels can handle very light baits/lures better than casting reels. I can attest to that; when the bait is much smaller than normal while calico fishing, I can hardly cast past the gunwale with a casting reel, even if I don’t bird-nest it!!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

While I agree with most but not all of what has been posted thus far, as I see it, the major difference between spinning and casting reels (from a dedicated bass fisherman's perspective) is in bringing a fish to the boat. In open water the difference is much less pronounced, but in and around cover, the difference is glaring. A casting reel is a winch mounted on a fishing rod. When you are fighting a fish that you hooked in the middle of a weed bed, or one you're trying to get out from deep back in a jumbled mess of wood, or any other kind of heavy cover, you don't want to have to drop the rod tip just so you can take up line. And with spinning reels lack of cranking power, you're pretty much relegated to doing so. They just don't have the cranking power that casting reels do. When it comes to fishing cover, casting reels can act simultaneously with the rod. With spinning reels ..... not so much.

The difference in cranking power is also a major factor in retrieving baits or lures, whatever you want to call them. Spend a day throwing a big water resistant bait with a spinning outfit, and then one throwing the same bait on a casting outfit. Guaranteed the spinning outfit is going to cause more fatigue.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2019 02:29PM by David Baylor.