Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
Dalleinf
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1460
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 1:12 pm
Location: Denmark

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by Dalleinf » Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:53 am

I prefer baitcasters, find them more fun to use, and used them exclusively for many years. I especially enjoy light tackle fishing with baitcasters. However, during the past 1-2 years I have begun to use spinning reels again, but only for inshore fishing. I get a little bit more distance in most situations and I seem to get fewer issues with salt intrusion in my spinning reels (vs baitcasters)...

MK49
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:50 pm

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by MK49 » Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:13 pm

reason162 wrote:
Thu Oct 06, 2022 7:08 pm
MK49 wrote:
Wed Oct 05, 2022 8:13 pm
I really wonder if newer spinning reels are better than my 20yrs old Daiwa spinning reel.
They are - Certate, Exist, TP, Stella - pick your poison. Get yourself some YGK x8 Upgrade in 22lb and don't look back.
Thanks. Never heard of YGK, so I checked it out. The 22lbs line is super thin. I don't think I've ever used a line that thin.

MK49
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:50 pm

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by MK49 » Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:36 pm

I fished again this morning. The shaky head that I used with the spinning tackle a couple of days ago was a 1/16oz head with a 4" Keitech Shad. I thought it might not be too light for a baitcaster, so I took my version of BFS (a ML rod and an old Daiwa PX68 that had an 8lb mono on it). The topwater bite was decent, so I spent more time with topwater. Then, I tried the shaky head with both the spinning (with 40lbs braid) and the BFS . Guess what? The BFS could cast a lot longer. :lol: I have no plan of using anything lighter, so after all, I don't need to use the spinning reel. I understand thinner braid and newer spinning reels would cast better, but I like baitcasters a lot more, and that's why I hadn't used a spinning tackle for over 15yrs. Doing the shaky thing was a bit easier with the spinning tackle, though.

Here's the only problem with the BFS that I found this morning. I fished the place where there are a lot of rocks, both small and big ones. Two days ago, I fished the same area with the spinning tackle for at least 1hr. I didn't lose any bait. Today, I used the spinning for about 15min, and didn't lose a bait. The shaky heads came through the rocks just fine. I used the BFS with the same baits in the same area for 30min, and had to break the line twice. Both rods are ML, but the baitcasting rod is stiffer. Maybe, that's why? Or, maybe, the 40lbs braid is strong, so I could force it to come loose? Or, just a coincidence? I mean losing shaky heads happens, but I was really surprised that I didn't lose any with the spinning tackle.
Last edited by MK49 on Fri Oct 07, 2022 8:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

flipper502
Angler
Angler
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:57 am

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by flipper502 » Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:21 pm

I find it much more comfortable to shake a rod/bait with a spinning setup. Something about being able to grip the handle loosely while having the mass of the reel lower.

Heavier line goes a long way in keeping a bait from settling into rock crevices and minimizes snags. If I'm snagging shaky heads often I will upsize my leader diameter and the improvement is quite dramatic. Especially if the leader has some memory. I can go from snagging every few casts to once every 30 min.

SteveSchmelzle
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 854
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:29 am

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by SteveSchmelzle » Fri Oct 07, 2022 2:00 pm

interesting.

so you are looking for heavier leader material, and prefer having some memory (coil), as it will snag less.

makes sense. :)
1-2%

MK49
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:50 pm

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by MK49 » Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:46 pm

flipper502 wrote:
Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:21 pm
I find it much more comfortable to shake a rod/bait with a spinning setup. Something about being able to grip the handle loosely while having the mass of the reel lower.

Heavier line goes a long way in keeping a bait from settling into rock crevices and minimizes snags. If I'm snagging shaky heads often I will upsize my leader diameter and the improvement is quite dramatic. Especially if the leader has some memory. I can go from snagging every few casts to once every 30 min.
I did like the spinning for the shaking, and I think it's because of what you said.

BTW, I was using the 40lbs braid with a 8lbs mono leader, which was about 12' long. I did use the same 8lbs mono with the baitcaster. It could be the memory thing, though. The leader had no memory, but the line on the baitcaster had some curly thing going. I'm not really a bottom fisherman, and that's something I had never thought about, so thank you. :D As I mentioned, the fishing is super tough this year, so I'll probably fish the bottom with soft baits more. It's been working, at least for 2 days. My typical morning since June has been like this, catch some fish with topwater, anywhere from 0 (when it's windy) to 12 (when it's cloudy), but usually more like a few. Then, I may catch one or two in the next two hours. With the shaky head, I caught more in the last 2 trips. So, I'm more serious about soft plastics. After all, other than swimbaits, only soft plastics I used this year was Fat Ika without a weight, which somehow stopped getting bites.

BTW, I also tried a jig head wacky with the baitcaster this morning. I had the jig head for very long time, but never really used it. I just thought it might work, because the shaky head worked. I caught two fish in 10min. Again, that's pretty good for this year. Only topwater could catch more than one in 10min this year. So, that's another technique I'll use again.

It's kind of funny, but makes sense at the same time. I've learned more, just because the fishing has been very tough. I've never liked soft baits. I still don't like them much. It's just not fun to me. But, catching extra fish is fun, when I could catch only a few fish with topwater, waste the next two hrs, throwing jerkbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits...., and go home. :lol:

reason162
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 752
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2015 6:39 pm

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by reason162 » Fri Oct 07, 2022 10:36 pm

MK49 wrote:
Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:13 pm
Thanks. Never heard of YGK, so I checked it out. The 22lbs line is super thin. I don't think I've ever used a line that thin.
It's what spinning reels are made for, you can go even thinner but I like PE 1 for most freshwater bass fishing applications.

SteveSchmelzle
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 854
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:29 am

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by SteveSchmelzle » Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:43 am

MK49 wrote:
Fri Oct 07, 2022 5:46 pm
flipper502 wrote:
Fri Oct 07, 2022 1:21 pm
I find it much more comfortable to shake a rod/bait with a spinning setup. Something about being able to grip the handle loosely while having the mass of the reel lower.

Heavier line goes a long way in keeping a bait from settling into rock crevices and minimizes snags. If I'm snagging shaky heads often I will upsize my leader diameter and the improvement is quite dramatic. Especially if the leader has some memory. I can go from snagging every few casts to once every 30 min.
I did like the spinning for the shaking, and I think it's because of what you said.

BTW, I was using the 40lbs braid with a 8lbs mono leader, which was about 12' long. I did use the same 8lbs mono with the baitcaster. It could be the memory thing, though. The leader had no memory, but the line on the baitcaster had some curly thing going. I'm not really a bottom fisherman, and that's something I had never thought about, so thank you. :D As I mentioned, the fishing is super tough this year, so I'll probably fish the bottom with soft baits more. It's been working, at least for 2 days. My typical morning since June has been like this, catch some fish with topwater, anywhere from 0 (when it's windy) to 12 (when it's cloudy), but usually more like a few. Then, I may catch one or two in the next two hours. With the shaky head, I caught more in the last 2 trips. So, I'm more serious about soft plastics. After all, other than swimbaits, only soft plastics I used this year was Fat Ika without a weight, which somehow stopped getting bites.

BTW, I also tried a jig head wacky with the baitcaster this morning. I had the jig head for very long time, but never really used it. I just thought it might work, because the shaky head worked. I caught two fish in 10min. Again, that's pretty good for this year. Only topwater could catch more than one in 10min this year. So, that's another technique I'll use again.

It's kind of funny, but makes sense at the same time. I've learned more, just because the fishing has been very tough. I've never liked soft baits. I still don't like them much. It's just not fun to me. But, catching extra fish is fun, when I could catch only a few fish with topwater, waste the next two hrs, throwing jerkbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits...., and go home. :lol:
why are you using 40lbs braid with 8lbs mono leader?

what is the point/need of the 40lbs braid?

wouldn't 20lbs braid be much easier to use, and much more effective (without the memory that 40lbs braid and heavier generate)?
1-2%

MK49
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:50 pm

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by MK49 » Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:15 am

SteveSchmelzle wrote:
Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:43 am
why are you using 40lbs braid with 8lbs mono leader?

what is the point/need of the 40lbs braid?

wouldn't 20lbs braid be much easier to use, and much more effective (without the memory that 40lbs braid and heavier generate)?
Because the 40lbs braid was the thinnest one I had. As I mentioned, this was the first time I used the braid for a spinning reel. All the braids I had at home were bought for baitcasters. I also had a 50lbs and a 55lbs braid. It made more sense to use the 40lbs for the spinning.

SteveSchmelzle
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 854
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:29 am

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by SteveSchmelzle » Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:46 am

ok, but lets be very clear here, you are not getting any performance out of your reel because of the oversize of the braid.

a spool of braid costs what, 25 bucks?

don't really make any decisions around spinning reels until you use line that is fit for the reel. We use 80 and 100lbs braid for muskie. If I put that on my bass baitcasters they'll cast like crap....and it won't be because the reels are crap.

40lbs braid with 8lbs mono lead is ... well ... silly.
1-2%

dragon1
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 10513
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:23 am
Location: Murfreesboro TN

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by dragon1 » Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:19 am

SteveSchmelzle wrote:
Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:46 am
ok, but lets be very clear here, you are not getting any performance out of your reel because of the oversize of the braid.

a spool of braid costs what, 25 bucks?

don't really make any decisions around spinning reels until you use line that is fit for the reel. We use 80 and 100lbs braid for muskie. If I put that on my bass baitcasters they'll cast like crap....and it won't be because the reels are crap.

40lbs braid with 8lbs mono lead is ... well ... silly.
Honestly, 8-15 lb braid is about right for 8lb leader...and there are several different types to consider as well, from price point to feel,, woven/extruded, strand count, material, and castability, etc.
"It is like a finger pointing away to the Moon...don't concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all of that heavenly glory."

SteveSchmelzle
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 854
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:29 am

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by SteveSchmelzle » Sat Oct 08, 2022 1:29 pm

sure, absolutely it is.

but at least the 20lbs braid would cast properly....
1-2%

MK49
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2022 6:50 pm

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by MK49 » Sat Oct 08, 2022 5:35 pm

SteveSchmelzle wrote:
Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:46 am
ok, but lets be very clear here, you are not getting any performance out of your reel because of the oversize of the braid.

a spool of braid costs what, 25 bucks?

don't really make any decisions around spinning reels until you use line that is fit for the reel. We use 80 and 100lbs braid for muskie. If I put that on my bass baitcasters they'll cast like crap....and it won't be because the reels are crap.

40lbs braid with 8lbs mono lead is ... well ... silly.
Well, I made the decision about the spinning tackle 15 years ago. But, like I said, the fishing had been very tough this year, and I wanted to do something. Then, one evening, I thought maybe, I might like the spinning, if I put a braid on it, because I've read most people used the braids for the spinning. So, I just spooled it without wasting time and money. After I spooled it with the braid, I wasn't still sure if I wanted to use the spinning. That's why I started this thread.

Like you said, the thinner braid would improve the casting distance for sure. But, I wasn't sure if I would keep using the spinning after 15yrs of not using it. I'm still not sure. The 40lbs braid I used was fairly thin, .010". But, it did cast like crap, and I was still able to catch fish, which actually surprised me. :)

User avatar
RGMatt
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 697
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 6:30 pm
Location: SE PA; Delaware River

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by RGMatt » Wed Oct 12, 2022 5:59 am

i started with a zebco 33 and then moved to a baitcaster with a few trys at spinning(mono days) hated it and for years fished nothing but baitcasters for everything. BFS before it was a thing...those days it was always a hunt to find ML casting rods and LH retrieve reels.

When i started fishing for smallmouth almost exclusively, I quickly realized i was selling myself short and that spinning tackle is the right tool for the job sometimes. (Braid was a game changer too, which i use exclusively)think small baits jigging on bottom and constant buggy whipping snags out of rocks. can i throw these baits on my L and ML custom casting rods with pixys and old curado 101's? sure but IMHO spinning is the right tool in those situations

another thing is cold weather fishing. i do alot of it. in fact i really dont fish much in the summer (almost never in July and early August lol) when its cold theres no substitute for spinning tackle. hands stay relatively dry, no wet thumb. This past sunday was a cold morning with air temps in mid 30s at launch with a damp fog lingering. We got on a jerkbait bite right away . My thumb was numb for an hr using my casting rods.... but its a technique i almost exclusively throw on casting gear....so time and place for both

User avatar
RGMatt
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 697
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 6:30 pm
Location: SE PA; Delaware River

Re: Do You Use Spinning Reels?

Post by RGMatt » Wed Oct 12, 2022 6:02 am

MK49,
try dropping down to 20/6 or 15/4 braid.

Post Reply