Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of baitcasting vs spinning in more detail: Pros and cons of baitcasting reels This raises another question: why are these two types of reels used for many of the same purposes, and is there a difference between them in how they perform in each scenario? However, in general, they are not used for very heavy applications, such as big game fishing, which is a domain reserved for baitcasters. Spinner reels are also used for a wide range of applications, many of which overlap with baitcasters, including spin fishing, surf casting, and offshore fishing. The most popular use of baitcasters in North America is for freshwater fishing for bass. What are baitcasting and spinning reels used for?īaitcasters are used for a wide variety of applications, ranging from casting lures, to surf casting and big game fishing. When casting with a spinning reel, the bail arm is folded back, which allows the line to simply slip off the reel, so the spool doesn’t have to rotate during the casting process. The bail arm is rotated by turning the handle on the side of the reel. Instead, it has a bail arm that rotates around the spool, thereby spools line on to the spool. What is a spinning reel?Ī spinning reel is a type of fishing reel that is attached to the bottom of a fishing rod, and that comes with a spool that doesn’t rotate. In essence, the spool ‘unwinds’ the line, by rotating extremely rapidly and smoothly during the cast, which is enabled by its ball bearing system. In order to cast a lure with a baitcaster, the spool is allowed to rotate at high speed, releasing line during the cast. The spool is rotated by turning the handle on the side of the reel, which spools line on to the reel. What is a baitcaster?Ī baitcaster is a type of fishing reel that comes with a rotating spool attached to the top of the fishing rod. Now let’s take a closer look at each of them, to get a better understanding of how they work. What is the difference between a spinning reel and a baitcaster?īaitcasters and spinning reels have a very different design and build, and must be used with different rod types. In this article we’ll cover these 3 questions in turn, and will give you a recommendation on which reel type is best for your purpose. This raises the following questions: what is the difference between baitcasting and spinning reels, what are the pros and cons of each reel type, and what should you use each of them for? Baitcasting Vs Spinning Reel – Which One Is Best?īaitcasters and spinning reels are the two most popular types of fishing reels nowadays, and between them make up the vast majority of reels used by anglers.