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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Baitcasting or Spinning Reels?
March 7, 2010
Which is a better choice – a baitcasting reel or a spinning reel? This question is often asked by anglers new to the sport. While both have their time and place, more spinning reels are sold than baitcasters. The reason for this lopsided sales ratio is simple. Spinners are easier to cast and do not backlash. To help you decide which reel is best suited for your fishing situation, consider the following points.
Spinning reels are relatively easy to handle and allow the angler to make long effortless casts with light weight lures. On the other hand, baitcasters are more accurate for casting heavy baits. Since baitcasting reels have a reputation for backlashing (tangling), first timers tend to shy away and purchase a spinning reel instead. The serious angler uses both, and matches the reel type to the fishing conditions, much the same way a golfer switches from a wedge to an iron to a wood. Spinning reels are a good choice for catching bass, crappie and perch with live bait or artificial baits. Those seeking big cats, stripers or largemouth bass in thick cover, prefer to use baitcasters.
Regardless of your reel choice, consider the following before making your purchase.- Retrieve Ratio -the number of times the line wraps around the spool with each complete revolution of the handle. Example: A reel with a 7-1 ratio retrieves seven wraps of line per turn and is quicker than a reel with a ratio of 4-1. High ratio reels are preferred by those who constantly cast and retrieve lures. Reels with lower ratios are more powerful and are used when fishing for large fish.
- Ball Bearings - As a rule, the higher the ball bearing count and quality of material, the smoother the reel will function.
- Weight - Reels made of light weight materials require minimum casting effort and allow the angler to fish for longer periods of time without becoming tired.
- Spool Capacity - Spinning reels with 150 to 200 yards of ten-pound test line, and baitcasters that hold 120 yards of fourteen-pound test line, are ideal for many freshwater fishing situations.
▪ Drag - Check the drag for smoothness. Most reels use a multiple disc system. As with ball bearings, more is better.
- Reel Handle - Most spinning reels come with a soft padded single T-handle, while many baitcasters are equipped with a double-padded handle. Test the reel handle for comfort and turn-ability. If it doesn’t feel right to your touch, try a different model.
- Combos - After you have chosen a reel, check the rod and reel combinations. The same reel might be mounted on a rod complete with line at a discount price.
- Balanced Tackle – For optimum performance, match the rod and line size to the baitcaster or spinning reel.
- Price - The price varies with quality and the number of features. There are plenty of reels in the $25-$100 price range that will meet the needs of Lake Norman anglers.
A Free Seminar on “How to Catch Trophy Flathead and Arkansas Blue Catfish while Fishing for White Perch” will be held at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 24, 2010. Lake Norman Fishing Guide Mac Byrum and I will conduct the two hour session. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
Tips From Capt. Gus:
Sooner or later the monofilament line on your spinning reel will twist. Just remove the terminal tackle and tow the twisted section of line behind a slow moving boat for a quarter of a mile or so. When the line is retrieved it will be twist free.
Hot Spot of the Week:
Stripers are biting throughout the lake. Some of the best action is in Mountain and Reed Creeks. Bass are everywhere, but with no particular pattern. Warming waters have largemouth moving into the shallows. Crappie fishermen are catching limits on minnows and small jigs. White perch are following the same baitfish that stripers are chasing.
The water surface temperature is in the forties and fifties. The lake level is at 95.6 or 4.4' below full pond and is clearer than it has been in recent weeks.
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is licensed by the US Coast Guard, a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, and is an outdoor columnist and a full time professional fishing guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' With Gus! at www.FishingWithGus.com or call 704.617.6812.
For additional information e-mail Gus at Gus@LakeNorman.com
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