The best reel in my opinion if your experienced enough is a baitcaster. escpecially if you are a wade fisherman. you can cast farther with the right reel but its gonna cost over 100 dollars or in the range. preffered shimano all those baitcast reels are worth the money. spinning reels are great two. but once you get that feel for the baitcaster youll cast farther and fall in love with.

 

I think the baitcast reel has a mechanical advantage over a spinning reel and most "serious" fishermen around here use baitcasters. That said, you'd be hard pressed to find a baitcaster in Florida, everyone uses spinning equipment.

 

I own both kinds and use the baitcasters 99% of time. I have a Shimano Curado (the old one) and multiple ABU Garcias of various sizes (5000's, 5500's and 6500's). I use the Curado in the bays and never in the surf. I reserve the ABU's for the surf because they are tougher. I will only use the spinning reel, another Shimano, if the wind is really howling.

 

So I still haven't understood WHY people choose a baitcaster over spinning?

Reliability? Throwing distance/accuracy? Ability to hold higher wt line? Comfort?

From what I've been reading the old Curados seem to be the hot thing, but what advantage does that hold over a spinning reel?

 

Its the "feel" you are directly connected to what is on the other end of the line.

 

Abu Garcia #1 In My Book

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I own both kinds and use the baitcasters 99% of time. I have a Shimano Curado (the old one) and multiple ABU Garcias of various sizes (5000's, 5500's and 6500's). I use the Curado in the bays and never in the surf. I reserve the ABU's for the surf because they are tougher. I will only use the spinning reel, another Shimano, if the wind is really howling.

 

penn spinning reels are the best for the price awsome drag good like capcity and u can cast dam far too thats my 2 cents

 

I'm a spinning reel guy also. Back in my youth days trying to fish small ponds with tree coverage everywhere lost my excitement for the baitcast reel. Now with saltwater, the wind has become another factor.
Philip

 

Bueno said it best...

It's all about sensitivity. A baitcast reel is designed to be more in contact with the line and the rod. A baitcasting rod gets faster hooksets and generally has more power. Sensitivity is the biggest reason for going with a baitcaster. I promise you that if you give a good quality baitcast reel a try the amount of bites you feel will increase exponentially.

Spin cast, or egg beaters, also have their place. they are better for casting popping corks and cajun thunders. They also will cast lighter weights longer distances. I've used the spin cast to cast saltwater assasins with a worm hook and no weight. This allowed me to keep them on top of the water and fish them weedless.

 

Bryster,

I was like you 10 years ago and could never figure out why anyone in their right mind would use a baitcaster over a spinning reel. After all a spinning reel to a an avg guy is super easy to throw and there is much less of a chance for a backlash. One summer while in college I had access to a hot bass pond and fished a couple time daily. I forced myeslf to learn a baitcaster because something didn't feel right with the spinning reel and I never felt much seperated a good quality spinning reel from an affordable lesser quality one. It was tough and I got so frustrated when I would back lash over and over. I learned a lesson that it pays to spend a littel extra money when you buy a baitcaster, atleast $100 and you have to take care of it. It took one summer's worth of practice and I have not picked up a spinning reel since, and that was over 10 years ago. I became a wade fisherman and the hookset just feels more natural yanking the rod up with the reel above the rod vs below it. I also feel I can cast 1.5 times further with my baitcaster, and last but not least the accuracy in a skilled baitcaster's hands is alot better than a spinning reel. It looks funny to me when I see a spinning reel on a boat in TX waters, but in FL its all they use. It comes down to what you prefer, but I would say the majority of serious anglers, bass fisherman and waders use a baitcaster. I recommend looking for an old Curado on ebay and spend atleast $100. I cannot think of anything better than a curado on an all star rod. Give yourself some time and go to a park pond and just chunk away until you find your groove.

 

It will take practice, but once you get use to baitcasting reels, you will never look back...TRUST ME!!!

 

Whats wrong with the new Curados?

 

Line twist!!

One of the main reasons not to use a spinner is line twist.
Yes some things can slow it down or clean it up.

You just can't feel a tail the same IMO.

Either style. They all have a place.
Just don't go too heavy.

 

Another benefit of baitcasters is distance control. Especially when working a shoreline or sight casting. You can use you thumb to stop the flight softly at the right distance. Once you throw a spinner, there's not much you can do to slow it down other that flip the bail.

 

That's what I was going to say is control. Is it true that there is more sensitivity with respect to the line and the bait but the broader picture is control. That would be when you cast (baitcasters are far more precise than spincasters), when the fish hit, management of the line, as well as unhooking and stringering a fish. It's also harder to keep your gear out of the water with a spincaster.

Another big factor is weight. Spinning rigs are generally heavier than baitcasting rigs. I don't know about you, but for me, every ounce saved is a whole 'nother level of pain my back can avoid.

 

Yep. Better range and better control. When you fling a spinner where it lands is pre-determined. With a bait caster you can stop the travel at any time.
I think the drags on baitcasters are a lot better too. Much smoother than a spinner, where your line has to make a 90 degree turn thru a roller.

 

Reels

I use spinning reels and will never ever use a baitcasting reel. They say you can cast more accurate. Thats a load of ****. I would put my spinning reel casting ability up against a bait casting reel. As far as getting loops on a spinning reel if you pay attention and do what you will suppose to you will not get loops. People just do not do the correct things or just do not pay attention. But with bait casting reels you can get loops and nest just casting. I know 90% of the time when people bring bait casting reels on my boat, they are using one of my spinning reels by days end.

 

I guess if you are chuckin bait, it probably doesn't matter.

 

To each his own. I used spinning before I saved my allowance for my first ambassadeur almost 40 years ago, and there is no comparison. At least I also use spinning tackle sometimes. If you've never learned to use a bait-caster you really shouldn't have an informed opinion. I only use spinning for ultra-light or casting into a howling wind. And no matter what you do, you will get wind knots in a spinner. The only way to avoid it would be to close the bail when the line starts blowing off, ruining your cast. Tournament casters use bait casters. Maybe you could teach them a lesson or two!

 

I use both and they both have their place, but, my go to outfit is a Daiwa Regal 2500Z spinning reel with a 7 1/2' Falcon Coastal rod and it will flat sling a lure...downwind, into the wind, whatever. It's smooth as silk with an awesome drag system. I've started using spinning again since braided line came out...if it twists, it doesn't show any symptoms of it and sensitivity is awesome. The regal Z is a freshwater reel and I seal it with a coat or two of car wax and if I'm throwing lures all day, I clean the bail pickup bearing daily and relube with rocket fuel. Many reels have a nylon bushing at the bail and it's not as critical as a bearing. Both kinds of reels have their place and for many of us, it's simply personal preference. When hunting, I always carry a .22 pistol...my favorite for a long time was a ruger mark II, very accurate and a semi auto. I now have gone back to an old wheel gun with a 9 1/2 " barrel and a swing out cylinder with 9 shots that just points to the right spot. It's what I want to use at the time. We're fortunate to have a choice. Just my .02 cents worth.

 

I keep a few inexpensive spining reels around for friends and family to use that don't fish very often. That way I don't have to re rig all my baitcasters when they go home. A inexpensive spinning reel will probably outcast a cheep baitcaster and probably last longer. On the other hand I fish artificals and its a extra step to flip the bale every time a cast is made. Plus it just doesn't feel right with the reel hanging below the rod 4 or 5 inches. The small baitcaster on a light rod is hard to beat over a long day of fshing with jigs. Just my 2 cents.

 

I think the baitcast reel has a mechanical advantage over a spinning reel and most "serious" fishermen around here use baitcasters. That said, you'd be hard pressed to find a baitcaster in Florida, everyone uses spinning equipment.

I have to argue with this...I know a lot of "serious" fisherman who use spinning reels. In fact, I would call a fisherman who site-casts a "serious" fisherman. When your site-casting you might have to cast in any given direction at any given time, including into the wind. When your blind-casting with a baitcaster then typically you always cast down-wind. When your site-casting you never know if that fish will be upwind. Thats why I use spinning gear, I can cast into the wind without backlashing. If you dont site-cast then you might prefer baitcast reels.

 

ambassaduers and shimanos are about the same on casting . but the shimano has more bearings so i correct my self on that. some of the ambassueders has four bearings but the ambassaduers are easier to keep maintanance on becausre there easier to work on. but i clean and work on both of them and penn and plueger too. and your ambassueders are cheaper than some shimanos.
Thanks Mike's Fishing Reel Repair
281 427 1624

 

I'm not a biggot one way or another. I use both on just about every trip I take. It just depends on the conditions and what I'm trying to do.

 

If you have a baitcaster and only cast...

with the wind then you are not using it to it's full potential. I can tell you right now that I can cast my Curados into a 20mph head wind and still catch fish. Were not talking topwaters but 1/16oz jigheads with an Assasin.

Now my point of view is geared toward fishing with artificials. Any expert out there will tell you that you get more sensitivity with a baitcasting outfit as opposed to spinning.

What I am seeing now more often is guys with spinning outfits going with braided line which will give them a hightened sensitivity. Yet, still not to the degree of a baitcasting outfit.