I have quite a few spinning reels and I'm debating on getting a baitcasting reel. I usually fish for bass and texas, carolina, drop shot and top water fish for them. I also use spinner baits. I just got an ad for a big outdoors catalog and things are on sale. So I suppose I'm asking for input as to the positives of a baitcaster v a spinning reel. I know the baitcasters usually have a higher gear ratio which means a fast retrieve. So what say you?
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Now I'm no pro but I prefer a baitcaster. I feel I recieve better feel and much eaiser cast. I mostly use spinnerbaits due to my stretches of time between fishing. My Pops uses a reel and prefers it for ease of use. He doesn't want to have to remember to stop the reel from spinning once the lure hits the water. Each his own but I just like the versitility of a baitcaster over a reel.

Hope this helps!

Maybe Rev can provide a little insight! :-)
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Always liked a baitcaster for a Texas rig better, always seemed to give better control of the cast and no line twist. Wouldn't hurt to practice a bit with a baitcaster before you actually go onto the water to see how you are going to get along with any backlash issues. Most people don't have any issues at all, especially with today's modern reels, but some seem to never get the hang of it.
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Carolina rigging and texas rig fishing have to be done with a baitcaster.....
And Rat-L-Trap fishing
And spinnerbait fishing
And crankbait fishing
and......well, I guess you can tell I like baitcasters :-)

Just my 2 cents
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:-)

If you are a bass fisherman, a baitcasting reel is a must.
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Here is my reel/rod setup

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Record Series
7'6 Black River Heavy Fast
Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid 80


I fish for the big boys that eat the bass:-)
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I love baitcasting. Be patient when learning it though!!
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Baitcaster for bass fishing. I can dial it in and throw it in a bucket from 20-30 yards. Great for touch casting with your thumb on the spool. You can work it like you want it and stop it in mid-air if you need to.

Spinning for salt water/surf fishing and cat fishing. They handle heavier weights better and I can throw it farther than a baitcaster. It's hard to stop a spinning reel once you launch it. You have to close the bail prematurely and that causes all kinds of issues.

Heavy weight with baitcasters tend to make birdnests for me. Light wieghts on spinners are hard to throw accurately. :-)
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I solely use bait casting reals. I do both saltwater and freshwater. In saltwater I primarily wade fish for specks, reds, and flounder and in freshwater I fish for large mouth bass. Since I do a lot of wadefishing in saltwater I demand good quality reels. I have 3 Shimano Curados E, 2 Shimano Chronarchs, and 1 Shimano Calcutta 400B. As you can tell I'm a fan of Shimano reels. All of the reels that I own are attached to Castaway rods.
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What he said...
Texas rig = 1 baitcaster
RatLtrap = 2baitcasters
Spinnerbait= 3 baitcasters
Crankbait = 4 baitcasters
Flipping stick= 5 baitcasters

This reduces knot tying time..
You said they were on sale.:-)
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For me....ever since I was 9 and switched to baitcasters I've never looked back. The only time I use spinning reels is if I'm fly lining Shad.
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I use spinning reels when I'm ultralight fishing for crappie. Talk about fun!
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For me, alot of it has to do with what size line I want to use and the weight of the lure. Also how much control you need on the cast.
We have both, complete opposite ends of the spectrum out here when it comes to "cover".
One day we are Flippin' 1-5' with heavy cover, the next we are fishing no cover in 60'

6-10 lb test mono / Fluorocarbon I use on Spinning Tackle

10-20 mono / fluorocarbon I use Casting.

65 lb braid on my Frog Rod, Casting.

Split Shotting, Drop Shotting, Wacky Worming (small 4-6" worms) Shakey Heads and very small crankbaits (1/4 oz or less) get the spinning rod.

Just about everything else gets the Casting Set up.

When casting accuracy is needed it is hard to beat a Casting rod/reel as long as the bait is heavy enough to ues on it. Dont get me wrong, Spinning tackle can be accurate, especially w/ small baits but getting a 1/2 oz jig on 20 lb test into a teacup sized hole in the weeds, under a willow is much easier w/ a casting setup. I spent hours Pitching & Flipping jigs in my mom's back yard when I was a kid to get myself good before getting out on the water.

Get a good casting setup and practice it in the back yard. You wont be sorry. Start with 10-12 lb test, its easier than the heavier stuff.
Also do not go too cheap. Try to not go below $100 on the reel if you can.
A good entry level reel is the Shimano Citca. It basically replaced the older Curado. It runs about $120 and is a very nice reel.

For a casting rod, start with something in the 6.6 - 7' length in the Med - Med/Hvy action.

Let me know if you need any more info.
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Baitcaster reels are very hard to get to use at first, but once you get the hang of it, it is the most controllable reel you can get.

To make it easy on yourself, when you get a baitcaster when putting line on it, fill it 3/4 up then put a piece of electrical tape over the spool, then fill the rest. If you birdnest your reel you won't have to dig through the whole spool.

Good luck,

-Z
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My wife picked it up one the first cast. Maybe it was me telling her she couldn't do it that made her do it. In fact, on her first cast she caught a 4 1/2# largemouth on a texas rigged cotton candy zoom u-tail worm. :-) She thought cotton candy was a pretty color. I thought she was crazy.
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Get ready, the season is almost here
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Growing up I did a lot of tuna fishing offshore in San Diego/Baja, so there wasn't much of a choice; bait caster all the way. I've never even used a spinner.
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You can use both. Baitcasting is better suited for most fishing though. That being said I still find situation where a good Spinning reel is better and easier to use than a baitcaster. For example I find spinning easier when its windy but that could just be me. I also like spinning rigs if I am fishing ultralight or for something like crappie/perch.

And, if you have a good spinning rig you can catch anything you want. I've caught speckled trout, flounder and reds consistently without problems with a spinning reel and I know some saltwater charter captains that only carry spinning reels on their boats.
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that doesn't surprise me. When I take my girlfriend fishing she always manages to out fish me...

-Z
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Thats usually how it goes:-)

Over the years, I have realized that I'm not fishing to catch fish. Something that most people that don't fish will not understand.
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