In-Line versus Small Spinining Reels for Panfish

I’m pretty sure this topic has been discussed before but couldn’t find anything in the archives. I recently purchased both a TUCR precision noodle and bullwhip. After I received them and checked them over I’m not sure I need both but what the hell, they’re are mine now and I’m going to fish them both. Previously I asked the question about what size of spinning reel to use and the 500 series was by far the choice of the experts so I bought a few sedonas. I have recently read some posts about in-line reels. I know spinning reels can fish shallow and deep but can in-lines? I know what the benefits are of in-lines but if I fish 25-35′ I’m concerned about how they may perform. Should I be? If I bought an in-line and put it on my precision noodle will I be using it only in shallow water?

Thanks for your comments.

i just took my eagle claw inline off my old rod and put it on my bullwhip and love it! i love the inline reels and i have fished them deeper than 40 and see no difference. the thing i love most is the free spool so i can get down deeper faster.

Brennon Nielson wrote:

the thing i love most is the free spool so i can get down deeper faster.

“Deeper faster” than what? Are you saying an inline is capable of dropping line freer than a spinning real? I don’t understand.

I use the original black Betty where you need to pull the line out.

Really not much work.

I have a tendency to put my eyes on something else while doing a free still drop on an inline reel with free spool; and get backaches when not paying attention and a chuck of ice in an eyelet causes backlash.

I have a lot if 500 sized spinning reels that now sit idle all winter.

I hate line twist, so I avoid spinning gear in the winter now adays

Huntindave wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brennon Nielson wrote:</div>
the thing i love most is the free spool so i can get down deeper faster.

“Deeper faster” than what? Are you saying an inline is capable of dropping line freer than a spinning real? I don’t understand.

Yes the free spool on inlines can get line out faster than a spinning reel especially if your spinning reel line has and amount of coiling in the line.

I’ll agree that inline reels make your lure ‘fish able’ faster.

Since a spinning reel actually coils and rolls the line like you would when organizing a garden hose. It must also unwind (spin) on the drop.

Lures themselves can spin on the drop but spinning reel guarantees it’ll have more coil to UN coil than an inline. Just science there.

I have a BB6061. I really like it for panfish and crappies. The “free spool” option is really nice on the small lures as I feel it releases line a little faster than on the spinning reels. The one shortcoming is that is sits so tight to the rod. I think they have adjusted it so they drop a little further from the rod on the new models though.

Agree with others. For Panfishing jigs, all I use are inlines. No jig spin and in deeper water the free spool is great. My favorite by far is the Black Betty 6061, but I also use the regular Black Betty quite a bit when fishing shallower than 10 feet.

I tried to get on board with in-lines but they were just too different and I saw no difference in catch rates than my beloved spinning reels.

I have 3-4 panfish rods I carry with me. Only one of them has a Pfleuger Medalist fly reel on it that I bought off e-bay several years ago for a 3wt fly rod I had at the time. The inline rod is my St. Croix Legend series rod with a spring bobber on the end. I use it when the crappies at my local lake are biting so lightly that even with good electronics it’s difficult to detect, haha. I also use tiny tiny home made jigs that I’ve done with trout fly hooks…it’s a very specific presentation. The rest are just noodle rods with a spinning reel on them- I use Mitchell Avocet reels, cheap and reliable. To avoid line twist, I use 1-2lb line and set my drag lighter, and I am just really careful about how I strip line off. I think it was an episode of IDO that I first learned a few tips on avoiding line twist while ice fishing. I should also mention as well that if I am fishing spoons/jigging raps I ALWAYS use a swivel and a section of flouro line down to the lure- which seems to do the trick.