Spinning vs. Baitcasters

Seems like there is quite the debate going on in another thread. I am curious what you use when cats and/or sturgeon are your quarry.

Please vote and feel free to explain your vote with a reply.

I use baitcasters. I do have an Okuma Epixor baitfeeder, but I normally reserve it for when I take guests with me. Even in other types of fishing, I use a baitcaster over spinning gear as much as possible.

I use both myself. As of right now it’s about 50-50 for me. Last year was my first full season with a bait caster. I did get the nest once in a while so I was switching back and forth a lot until I got the hang of the baitcaster. Now I prefer the bait caster and will probably use it most this summer and use the spinning rod for friends or the Misses will use it.

Spinning gear is for little scaly fish and white rods.

Seeing as I only have 2… …
1 Spin and 1 baitcaster ….and 2 WHITE rods..
I guess I vote 50 -50

i dont know about you guys, but i cant seem to cast far with a bait caster. so i use it when i am bottom fishing with baits for carp or catfish. i like spinning when it comes to artificials. but i dont know if its just me who is having trouble casting with the bait casting reel.

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I dont know about you guys, but i cant seem to cast far with a bait caster.

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Without a doubt, I can cast farther with a baitcaster (as long as I don’t have to worry about flinging off a bullhead or sucker ).

I use my baitcaster most often (on my white rod), but I do have a spinning setup I use if I need to get a bait out further. I do have a lot more confidence in the baitcaster, and since most of the fish I catch seem to be fairly close to shore, I’d say I use the baitcaster about 80% of the time.

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Spinning gear is for bait and white rods.

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Brian, I fixed your statement

Thanks Ralph, I was going to say bait, but being we can’t use just any old thing for bait, I went with fish with scales.

Just to mix to mix it up a bit.

I don’t like having a weak link in my system. My reasoning is because of the areas I fish normally. Trees, stumps and snags are the norm. Lightening up the drag is not an option for my way of fishing.

Now fishing for sturgeon on LOTW’s or the lake portion of the St Croix is another story. No obstructions. Lighter line, tackle and reels are fine.

I have switched over to 6500’s this year for channels and sturgeon this year. These are normally fished in snag free water.

All I’m saying is take a look at your equipment. What is the piece that’s most likely to fail when you catch the record cat (70+) or sturgeon (90+)? Is it your twenty pound mono that’s served you well? A light wire hook that could snap or pull out because of it’s thickness? Or a spinning reel that the drag must be adjusted a little loose so the arbor doesn’t bend.

I don’t know for you, but that’s the question I ask myself about my equipment each year. Hence….no spinning reels.

Fishing locations vary along with the thought of a chance to catch “the big one”. They are out there just waiting for someone with the right gear to catch them.

I went 50/50, but for the most part:
Channels/Sturgeon = spincaster
Flatheads = baitcaster

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I went 50/50, but for the most part:
Channels/Sturgeon = spincaster
Flatheads = baitcaster

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Spincaster???

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I went 50/50, but for the most part:
Channels/Sturgeon = spincaster
Flatheads = baitcaster

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Spincaster???

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Funny Pug. I thought only little kids used those!

I expected Pug to be more of a Dora fan.

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I don’t like having a weak link in my system. My reasoning is because of the areas I fish normally. Trees, stumps and snags are the norm. Lightening up the drag is not an option for my way of fishing.

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I prefer to be the weak link in my system, not the equipment.

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All I’m saying is take a look at your equipment. What is the piece that’s most likely to fail when you catch the record cat (70+) or sturgeon (90+)? Is it your twenty pound mono that’s served you well? A light wire hook that could snap or pull out because of it’s thickness? Or a spinning reel that the drag must be adjusted a little loose so the arbor doesn’t bend.

I don’t know for you, but that’s the question I ask myself about my equipment each year. Hence….no spinning reels.

Fishing locations vary along with the thought of a chance to catch “the big one”. They are out there just waiting for someone with the right gear to catch them.

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You would have to be a complete moron to break a reel fighting a fish, no offense BK.

I use spinning reels exclusively and one of the main reasons is that I have better control than with a baitcaster during the fight. I know a baitcasting guy who claims each year to have lost a few that he “just couldn’t stop”. That will NEVER happen with a spinning reel – you can palm the spool and basically put it on lockdown, and do it without having to tighten the drag (which would put you at greater risk of a mishap beside the boat).

As long as you get a decent spinning reel, the drags are very smooth and can be very finely tuned – Okumas rock for that.

I had a “Rhino” reel where I broke the harness pulling out of a snag (stupid, rookie thing to do) but have never come close to having a reel break during a fight, and I’ve had some pretty decent fights.

Swivels, knots, and line irregularities (knicks and abrasions) are far more important to worry about than a reel breaking.

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I know a baitcasting guy who claims each year to have lost a few that he “just couldn’t stop”. That will NEVER happen with a spinning reel – you can palm the spool and basically put it on lockdown, and do it without having to tighten the drag (which would put you at greater risk of a mishap beside the boat).

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If I hook a fish that I can’t stop with a baitcaster (and I know my line and rod can handle it), you’d better believe that I’ll be applying a lot of pressure to the spool with my thumbs!

The last two statements by Matt and Wiggs are close to the mark.
You would have to work pretty hard or have a streak of bad luck to loose a fish due to equipment failure. Now…..Saying that….. I have never had a fish, (and I have had multiple 40+++++++….) that I’ve ever lost complete control of… (IE spooling or could not turn……)
The day I have that happen, I might rethink my options. Till then, I’ll stick with what has served me well. 6500s… and 50lb PP….Bait casters…. Stiff rods…

Caught two years ago. Shimano spinning reel, St. Croix rod,
8# test mono. Only took 40 minutes. Youse guys and your winches! LOL You been listening to BrianK too much !

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Caught two years ago. Shimano spinning reel, St. Croix rod,
8# test mono. Only took 40 minutes. Youse guys and your winches! LOL You been listening to BrianK too much !

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Now catch her when she’s ready to give you a battle, then get back to us.

I prefer red…

The best of BOTH worlds. You see, it is a SPIN + CASTER, a spinning reel and bait caster all in one. You ladies are such snobs.

You can always tell when I am trying to sneak a post in at work.

Dang it Matt! I thought I would have another day before you jumped in here!

No offense taken Matt. The guy that loses fish because he’s using a bait caster…should get a spinner!

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You would have to work pretty hard or have a streak of bad luck to loose a fish due to equipment failure.

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I’ve never been one to work hard.

Everyone has their favorites and reasons why. Beef is your friend in the woods. As Wayne just pointed out, in areas without snags anything can pull in a fish.

BTW Wayne, where is that video of your fish? I know I saw it on line someplace.

Baitcaster all the way!

However, you watch some of these saltwater guys and the equipment they are using and you better beleive a spinning reel can do the job.

It certainly comes down to familiarity and comfort.

For me, what I see in particular with flathead fighting is that you have to have flexibility more than with other fish regarding your drag. We’re catching these things out from a few feet in front of (or in amidst) some nasty timber, where serious control is necessary – the kind the drag setting on your reel is not meant to provide. Then we’re trying to manhandle beasts at boatside – where you need the give that a smooth and relatively loose (loose is relative when you’re using winches and 80-100lb test) drag will give you. To span that range, for me it is easiest to use a good quality spinning reel with a large spool (nice smooth drag, castability) and to palm the spool when I need to lay the hammer down.

My buddy who “couldn’t control em!” was thumbing his spool – maybe you guys are better at that than me, but I can’t get the same stopping power with my thumb on the rotating line on a spool that I can by palming the (much larger and more exposed) spool on a spinning reel.

Just to backtrack here, I have my preferences, others have theirs, but it’s a rookie mistake to think that the reel/rod/brand is what makes the fisherman. There are some good sound suggestions that everyone should keep in mind (don’t use a spincast reel, gear up if you don’t want to cry later, etc…) but once you have the basics, it’s all comfort and confidence.

Reminds me of bowhunters who are in the “equipment” stage where they can talk endlessly about broadhead shapes, arrow weights, and sights – but they couldn’t find a deer if it fell on them.

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Just to backtrack here, I have my preferences, others have theirs, but it’s a rookie mistake to think that the reel/rod/brand is what makes the fisherman. There are some good sound suggestions that everyone should keep in mind (don’t use a spincast reel, gear up if you don’t want to cry later, etc…) but once you have the basics, it’s all comfort and confidence.

Reminds me of bowhunters who are in the “equipment” stage where they can talk endlessly about broadhead shapes, arrow weights, and sights – but they couldn’t find a deer if it fell on them.

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Couldn’t agree more. If you are in tune with you gear and fishing the right spots, you can catch all kinds of big fish….even with a $19 rod and a Daiwa reel from 1980.

What!?

Next your going to tell me that there’s another sinker to use besides a no roll.

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Next your going to tell me that there’s another sinker to use besides a no roll.

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Its called a ‘Bank’.

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Its called a ‘Bank

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You guys are all rebels.