[SeaSalt]

I wanted to get a sense of which side people fall on conventional or spinning. Most of the serious fishermen seems to have a conventional setup, just wanted to know if that was true or not.

What are some advantages and disadvantage of conventional or spinning?

 

[SeaSalt]

Husky check your PM.

 

[HuskyMD]

I don't think I'd say the serious fisherman use a conventional reel. I think it's just a matter of preference. Most fisherman around here use spinning reels. When I go to a pier I am often the only one on the pier using conventional reels. I think for many (even those who know how to use conventionals well), it's just easier to use a spinning reel and not have to worry about it blowing up in your face in the wind. Spinning reels have there tradeoffs too. Line twist is a problem with spinning reels.
Choose your poison.

 

[Sandcrab]

IMHO - Conventional gear is usually used when you need to cast heavier weights (over 6 ounces) for larger fish in the surf. Usually you do not see a lot of spinning gear on the Outer Banks, AI, or other areas that require lots of weight to cast out beyond the breakers. There are some exceptions to this of course. There are a handfull of spinners designed for such a purpose but IMHO I have not run into too many spinners who fish the tough places - OBX or AI.

I have not bought any spinning reels since 1986 as I can do everything with my conventionals. In addition, I chose a conventional reel for fishing lures in the 1/2-2 oz range as I felt more comfortable with these reels and the levelwind and magnetic control make is easy to use.

Yes it does take time and concentration to master, but the rewards are great - longer distances with heavier weights and better drags.

Next time I run into you, I can let you check out some of my conventional setups.

 

[Lars]

Like Husky said, it's mostly a matter of preference. I just never felt comfortable with spinning gear, so I use conventional reels for everything.

Pros?

I guess conventionals are smaller and lighter than their spinning counterpart and people say they have better drags. Since I don't fish with spinning gear, I really wouldn't know about the last one. It may be an old myth that has no validity in this day and age. I think it's also easier to cast heavy weights with conventional gear.

Cons?

Conventionals don't like to be dunked, but as long as you're not swimming out to the bar in a wetsuit to fish like some guys up north, you should be fine with a conventional.

Conventional reels are less forgiving and if you make a sloppy cast you can end up with a backlash. Sometimes you can pick it out quickly, sometimes it's hopeless. That's why I always carry a spare reel in my backpack just in case. The more experience you have with conventionals the less likely you are to have a backlash. Wind speed, lure weight, and reel setup are factors that you learn to take into account. There's a learning curve. Conventionals with magnetic cast control are more user friendly than reels with no cast control or centrifugal cast control.

Anyway, if you're happy with a spinning outfit I see no reason to switch, and vice versa.

 

[BigJeff823]

Well,the Diawa Elliminators is a good spinning rod for 8 and bait.I like them both,but I would use the conventionals mostly for soaking bait and spinners for lures.Eventhough I might use a conventional rod for lures too.When its windy,rough,and somwhat crowded give me a spinning rod.If your going with a conventional I suggest you use a smooth braded line like power pro,or spiderwire;those type of lines don't seem to backlash as mutch as other lines.

 

[SushiBoy]

I've been using a spinner while going for any type of fish or on a pier because that's all I ever had. I just picked up two (Penn Senator and a Tidewater 30CL) conventionals and am dying to give them a try.

However, I've used spinners for quite a while and have had hot and cold results. I've had my share of problems with my spinners and am almost ready to give them up. I expect my new reels to give me some grief, but I hope nothing like my spinners

 

[George Gravier]

The reasons I use conventional are these, line capacity, drag, distance, loud clicker etc. I really dont believe there is a disadvantage using conventionals. Once you get good with them you will never turn back. My 2 tight lines...........geo

 

[AL_N_VB]

Go both ways?What does that make me?One set up: casting,one set up: spinning.Get a blow up,use your spinnining.Want to cast into the wind,and sloppy conditions?,use a spinner.Fighting a big nasty fish?,deffinitely casting.Jigging or trolling?,Casting reels,most proficiently.So is it wrong to go both ways?

 

[new2salt]

Prefer the conventionals for heavy weights, drag, clickers, and line capacity, But I prefer the spinners for plugs and smaller spoons.

 

[Digger]

Basically the trend I see is once you learn convential the use for a spinner becomes for lighter weights. I mainly use a spinner for light weights (1.5 or less) or head winds. Alot of it is a evolution thing. One reason when throwing 8 an bait people use a conventional vs a spinner is when the drag of a spinner slips while loading the rod it will burn your finger(I have the scars to prove it) where with a conventional you have much greater area to spread the pressure that is used to hold the bait still vs a skinny little piece of line. So I see both as a tool .

 

[Drumdum]

I prefer both,cause they both catch fish..
Spinner: For "quick" toss,be it underhanded,sidearm,or overhanded,seems to be the ticket for me,as opposed to conventional. When using a gotcha off the pier,you have to make that thing walk back and forth on the retrieve.. Yes conventional will do this,but,spinner is more comfortable to do this when you cast multiple times.. Also a spinner is better (at least for me) when you see a cobe or drummie on top and get all "nerved up" (it can make your knees knock! If you have a problem with windknots,IMHO you overloaded the spool or loaded it wrong.. The spinners of today have plenty of line capasity depending on your usage,and the drags are much better than they used to be,IMHO..
Conventionals: Great for a longcast with 8nbait or even up to 12 and bait(have seen folks that can throw spinner as well though). Great for vertical jigging.. IMHO,more comfortable to fight a fish with,especially a big one..
For bait fishing cobes,tarpon,drummies,or any big fish where the rod is to be spiked,in a holder on boat or pier,IMHO there is no compairison between spinning and conventional there..

 

[AL_N_VB]

Coke or Pepsi.Bud Lite or Miller Lite.What ever makes you feel the happiest and catch helps you catch fish

 

[Andre]

I just bought a penn 525 MAG and love it I took it to matepeake saturday and the distance surpass my best spinner [diawa emblem]

 

[Green Cart]

For a given line capacity, conventional reel is lighter and smaller than spinning reel.

For ease of casting, spinning is more forgiving than conventional because you can do quick cast with spinning while you must be more careful in performing smooth cast with conventinal.

For trolling, conventional is better because line won't twist as with spinning.

For drag adjustments, conventional is better because you just set drag once. With spinning, you have to set drag tight before doing a power cast or you might cut your finger, and you have to remember to reset the drag a little loosely. I don't like to use the Cannon even after wrapping the line around the captsan three times because I usually cannot put the cannon directly beneath the reel.

In terms of backlash, spinning is better unless you use conventional reels with magnets and/or brakes such as Penn 525 Mag, but you have to fine tune the conventional reel. It takes practice to master the conventional reel.

If reeling the line just above the rail, it is more comfortable to use the conventional reel because you keep banging the rail with the spinning handle.

For liveling, the conventional reel is better becasue you can put the reel in free spool and turning on the clicker.

Sometimes during the spinning cast, the line will snap because the bail close. I took care of the problem by remoning the bail from the larger reels.

The convention reel causes less casting pain than the spinning reel while making power casts unless you use glove finger, bike tube or money counting thimble for holding the spinning line.

In term of adjusting the drop length, you can set it precise using the conventional reel. It is a pain to adjust the drop length with a spinning reel.

If distance casting is not involved, the conventional reel is probably better.

If heavy weights are needed for casting, conventional reel is better. Spinning reel is more suitable for lighter weights.

If casting at night, spinning reel is easier to use.

Spinning reel is better if you plan to cast plugs a lot because you don't have to worry about backlash.

In case of fishing stress such as fish jumping all over the place, spinning is better as this is no time to get a backlash with the conventional reel.

Actually, it depends on the fishing situation, but it is impossible to come up with one reel type for all purposes. Why not use different reel types? That is the fun of fishing.

I grew up on conventional reels before the spinning reels came out. Now I use mostly spinning reels, but I am beginning to go back to conventional reels for some situations as listed above.