Looking To Step Up To A Baitcaster, Advice?

[eric1978]

Reels are tools, and for every job there's one tool that works better than another. You CAN split a rack of firewood with a maul, but a hydraulic splitter is gonna do the job more easily and efficiently. You CAN drive a 16 penny nail with a jeweler's hammer, but a framing hammer will do it much faster and with much less effort.

There's a time and place for both spinning and baitcasting reels. If I wanna skip a fluke under an overhanging tree, there's no way I could do it with a baitcaster, but if I'm planning on making a thousand short, accurate casts with a spinnerbait all day, there's no way I'd WANT to do that with a spinning reel. There are times when a baitcaster is a more efficient tool, and while yes, you CAN do it with a spinning reel, why would you want to? With a little practice and your reel's adjustments set properly, the baitcaster actually becomes LESS of a hassle than a spinning reel. Line twist is a non-issue, fewer steps to make a cast with no bail to fumble with, greater accuracy casting heavier baits (I'd argue anything over 1/4 oz), and more control at the moment the lure hits the water, which is where you get a lot of your strikes with reaction baits.

You can't really say which one is "better" in general...they're just different. But you can say pretty objectively which one is "better" for particular applications. It doesn't entirely boil down to personal preference. People just say that when they're less comfortable using a baitcaster due to lack of experience or having had trouble with one at some point and giving up on it. I'd be willing to bet that most people who have had bad experiences with baitcasters were either using a piece of junk, didn't have the adjustments set properly, or were trying to cast baits either too light or too heavy for the equipment.

[Wayne SW/MO]

but if I'm planning on making a thousand short, accurate casts with a spinnerbait all day, there's no way I'd WANT to do that with a spinning reel.

The key word in Eric's statement is "accurate". Once you release a cast with a spinning reel you lose all immediate control of it. With a baitcaster you never lose control through the complete cast. Then there's the 90 degree turn that the line must make, hopefully without stretching on one side or rolling into a future twist. Many believe distance is a strong point of spinning reels, but most records have been held by baitcasters.

For me the only job for a spinning reel is what a baitcaster can't do, the real light stuff, or when using one rod and having to include light lures in the mix.

Baitcasters aren't still around being perfected and improved because they are inferior. They aren't a lazy mans reel, they take some practice to develop the necessary skills to bring out the advantages.

[ness]

I think you're right there, Eric. I personally only use non-fly tackle about 10-20 percent of the time, and when I do it's with a spinning reel because that's what I know. I'm not proficient with a baitcaster, and have never really cared enough about it to get there.

I never really knew what the pros of baitcasters over spinning reels are anyway.

[Flysmallie]

If I wanna skip a fluke under an overhanging tree, there's no way I could do it with a baitcaster,

OI know somebody said it had nothing to do with personal preference but really it does. If I was going to skip something up under some brush I would want a baitcaster. It's what I grew up fishing and it's what I feel the most comfortable with. I have very little accuracy with a spinning reel.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I'm gonna get one of them Curados because my old Ambassadeur has finally had it.

As others have said, once you get the hang of a baitcaster, there is nothing better for throwing heavier lures more accurately. I've gotten to where I don't like using a spinning rod - seems like I have more problems with line twist than any problems with backlash on the baitcaster or even problems with flycasting.

[OzarkFishman]

All good points. I will admit I simple don't want to train my thumb, just like I have a hard time picking up the fly rod (which I have done the past 2 days). I find it easy to skip bait with my spinning rod and I also find it fairly easy to feather my line and smoothly close the bail upon landing (unless I need it open).

FINAL ARGUMENT: It really doesn't matter ... both have strengths and weaknesses. If you want to learn both, then you can maximize your fishing ability and have the "best" reel for the application.

I mainly river fish with smaller baits. As far as accuracy, I would argue that ...

[emjay]

you can find curados for a good price right now. almost all the online retailerss have them on sale or discounted. I heard news that shimano was redesigning and will re-introduce the curado line-up during I-Cast 11'.

[Wayne SW/MO]

you can find curados for a good price right now. almost all the online retailerss have them on sale or discounted. I heard news that shimano was redesigning and will re-introduce the curado line-up during I-Cast 11'.

I wouldn't doubt it. Shimano has found out that they can add a little here and there, raise the price and sell a ton of them. I have 4 "old" Curado's and one new one and while the new one is a very good reel, I'm not convinced that it can do anything my old one's can't. I bought the new one because of the ratio, not to replace an old one.

The bottom line is that bearings make a spinning reel smoother and only 4 can help a baitcaster and nothing more, yet the manufacturers are putting emphasis on the number of ball bearings. The famous old Abu 5000 that started the trend toward high end free spool reels had no ball bearings. It's like diesel pickups, the ones 5 years old will pull virtually anything you're likely to pull, they keep adding HP and torque.

[eric1978]

OI know somebody said it had nothing to do with personal preference but really it does. If I was going to skip something up under some brush I would want a baitcaster. It's what I grew up fishing and it's what I feel the most comfortable with. I have very little accuracy with a spinning reel.

How do you skip something under some brush with a baitcaster? Once the bait hits the water you better have your thumb on the spool or it's bird's nest city. You must have some mad BC skills or we're talking about two different things.

[Flysmallie]

How do you skip something under some brush with a baitcaster? Once the bait hits the water you better have your thumb on the spool or it's bird's nest city. You must have some mad BC skills or we're talking about two different things.

It's just what I'm used to. I didn't even own a spinning reel till I was in high school. Got my first baitcaster when I was 7 or 8. You spend that much time with something you are bound to get good at it.