Bass Fishing Hacks
Simple Hacks and Tips to Help You Catch More Bass
Do bass fishing pros use spinning reels?
The answer to that question is yes. There are certain circumstances where the spinning reel will outperform a baitcasting reel in a bass tournament. So when there is big money on the line a bass pro will pick up a spinning reel under specific fishing scenarios.
When the bass are locked in on small baits a spinning reel is the right tool for the job of catching those big bass. A spinning rod can cast a light lure much more effectively than a baitcasting reel can. It is really that simple.
A baitcasting reel can cast a heavy lure or bait better than a spinning reel. It is just the physics of the way the two reels are made that makes this the case. The line on a baitcasting reel comes straight off of the spool. The line on a spinning reel come off the spool in spirals. The line coming straight off of the spool is more efficient that the line coming off of the spool in spirals for heavy lures.
I am a Bass Fishing Charter Captain on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been catching bass in the canals, ponds and lakes all over Florida for more than 40 years. There are pros and cons of spinning reels and baitcasting reels. I will cover those in the article below.
It used to be that you would get laughed off of the bass boat if you dared to bring a spinning reel out on a bass fishing trip. Since the advent of braided line those spinning reels are a much more effective tool for bass fishermen.
Heavy mono filament lines do not cast well on a spinning reel. You can cast heavy mono filament on a baitcasting reel much more effectively. Now that braided line has hit the scene a 40 pound braided line might have the same circumference as a 10 pound mono filament line. This evens out the playing field for using a spinning reel for bass fishing.
A spinning reel can now be used to get the biggest bass out of the thickest cover because of the strength and size of the braided fishing lines available today. A baitcasting rod and reel combo will do a better job in the thick stuff but a spinning reel can pull it off too.
Watch the video below and learn more about how bass pros catch so many fish.
Why do bass pros use spinning reels some of the time?
The biggest advantage that spinning reels have over baitcasting reels is the ability to cast small bait and lures. This is the main reason that the pro bass fishermen have a spinning reel or two on their bass boats these days.
A baitcasting reel needs weight to work well. When you try and cast a light lure or bait with a baitcasting reel you are setting yourself up for a backlash. Nobody wants to spend their day picking at a nice big bird nest of fishing line on their reel. They want to spend the day catching big bass.
Watch closely the next time that you are watching a bass fishing tournament on television. Even the biggest professional bass fishermen will use a spinning reel when they need to toss a small crankbait, a beetle spin or a light jerkbait. They just can’t get the distance that they need with a baitcasting reel when they are using light or small lures like that.
Professional bass fishermen have spent thousands of hour perfecting their craft. They can cast a lure with pinpoint accuracy in the wind without getting a backlash on their baitcasting reels. Us mere mortals will have a much harder time doing that.
Fishing in the wind is much easier with a spinning reel than a baitcasting reel. The key to keeping your line from getting a backlash is constant pressure with your thumb as you cast your line with a baitcaster. This means that your line is coming off of the spool in a steady and predictable manner and the spool is not spinning too fast.
Your line will come off of the spool in a steady and predictable manner if there is not wind, most of the time. BUT when you have to cast across the wind or into the wind, that’s when your problems will arise with a baitcasting reel. You will need to vary the pressure that you put on the line as it relates the the wind friction on your line. If you get it wrong, then you have another backlash to deal with.
Once your spool gets to spinning faster than the line can come off of it effectively, then you will end up with a backlash. The newer reels have amazing magnets to help stop this from happening but it is simple physics. If your spool is spinning faster than the line can come off of it, then you will have a backlash. Even the professional bass fishermen get backlashes in the wind so don’t feel bad.
This is never the case with a spinning reel. You can cast across the wind field or directly into it without ever getting a backlash. This is a major plus for a spinning reel when you are bass fishing.
One of the major cons of a spinning reel versus a baitcasting reel is when you are fishing with spinner baits and crankbaits. You cannot beat the efficiency of a baitcasting reel when you are fishing with lures that give you constant and continuous friction with the water.
When you are fishing with a spinning reel or a crankbait you will cast and reel; cast and reel. You are not casting and pausing with a twitch, twitch or any other techniques that you would use with other lures. You just cast and reel. A spinning reel cannot compete with the efficiency of a baitcasting reel when it comes to crankbait and spinnerbait bass fishing. You will never see a professional bass fisherman using a spinning reel when they are fishing with a crankbait or a spinnerbait. NEVER.
Conclusion:
If you are new to bass fishing the right reel for you is not as cut and dried as it used to be. It used to be that you had to get a baitcasting reel to effectively fish for bass. This is not the case anymore. Those braided lines have made it so that you can do all of your bass fishing with a spinning reel if you want to.
If you are going to be a hardcore bass fisherman and put in a lot of hours on the water, then I would suggest learning how to become proficient with a baitcasting rod and reel. If you are going to be a weekend warrior type of bass fisherman, then you can get away with only using a spinning reel.
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