Why not sealed spinning reels here?h

[merle]

I have often thought the same thing at the OP. As a young kid I went from a Zebco to an "open face" Ambassado fishing fresh water. After not fishing for several years, when I did get back into it, I went right back to a baitcaster that really wasn't working for me fishing in bays. My aggravasion with backlashes pushed my to a spinning reel, which I really like and great casting distance. However, I now use a finely tuned Core 50 with 30lb braid. Very light for all day fishing and I can cast into the wind and everything else with no backlashes. And, I can work topwaters much better with a baitcaster. If you get the right baitcaster adjusted just right, you will be extremely happy.

[Zeitgeist]

Jean is a legend!

Originally Posted by Jean Scurtu

Sure i am not "real men" because i am fishing with spinning reels, but i can tell you i am average fisherman and i was catching many nice fish with spinning reels in fresh and salt water and i don't want to fish with baitcast reels how long i can catch the same fish like the fishermen's with baicast reel.
I don't like to cast with right hand and after to move the rod in left hand!!!

I am happy because you are real men. Congratulation!!!

[alldaylong]

Different regions call for different forms of tackle, lures, strategies and so on. For most of the Gulf coast regions, unless your pier fishing, you can pretty much use a variety of lures, live bait etc.... using baitcasters or spinning without having to skip paying your utilities just to purchase a ultra high end reel. I've spent as little as $40 bucks on a decent spinning reel and as much as $175, the difference between the two obviously was the weight and both have served me well. I had never heard of the spinners that the gentleman referred to in the opening thread, so I checked Basspro and was shocked at the price and the weight of them but, for another region of the world they may be ideal. Well, as the saying goes "to each his own". jmo

[James@SeaKingBlue]

Being able to pin point your casts with a spinner is very tough. It is much easier to stop a lure in mid air by putting your thumb down on the spool on a baitcaster, than having to grab the line on a spinning reel. I have tried pin point casting in the land cut with a spinner and its a pain, also letting out line on a baitcaster is much easier by pressing your thumb down than having to open the bail on an egg beater. You can do it much faster on a baitcaster as well. For blind casting into wind or casting small lures with no wind, spinning reels are best but for every day fishing I think baitcasters have the upper hand. One last thing, spinners have too low of a gear ratio for my taste as well. Van Stahls are awesome reels and the corrosion protection is second to none but I just don't see them really ever gaining a lot of popularity for Texas bay fishing.

[Zeitgeist]

West of the Mississippi, baitcaster, East of the Mississippi, spinning reel!

[cva34]

Originally Posted by Zeitgeist

West of the Mississippi, baitcaster, East of the Mississippi, spinning reel!

Right on I think its more a Ford Chevy thing..There Both great..cva34

[Spook]

Again, thanks for all of the comments and observations. The 2coolers give info that it would take years to get otherwise.

Being a naturally thrifty swamp yankee (see definition: http://www.nesales.com/swampyankee.htm), I wasn't too excited about paying VanStaal or ZeeBaas prices, either.

For a while, I was real happy with a bunch of Penn 5500SS reels as a light spinning reel for surf or boat use. Then along came braid: to make that lay right on these reels: line roller and bail upgrade parts $100. I ended up buying ten 5500ss reels on ebay plus a bunch of parts over the years to keep the eight 5500 reels I had on the boat and at home in commission. In the long run, the seald reels have been cheaper.

From watching Texans fish the surf, I figure that you guys wade nearly to your armpits and do a lot of casting with one hand held high. That sort of sets the stage for the short rod handles and light weights you're used to. Because I don't know any better, I think that a seven foot, seven oz rod with an 11 oz reel isn't particularly heavy and, because I'm been a little fanatical about surf fishing over the years, I'm used to the 20 oz reel and 11 oz 10'6" rods. (I should have also explained that I often smoke cigers while casting.)

I've always owned one or more boats and fished offshore, biut I love surf and wade fishing: uncomplicated, usually alone, no systems or logistics to manage, and nature. In Texas, I've fished only Mustand Island and the length of PINS. I'd like to have a chance to spend a a lot more time there.h

[flatsmaster14]

I can't see the wind affecting your casting ability in the surf with a casting reel, y'all have some heavy baits. If the wind picks up I'll tie on a 1/4 oz jig head and my curados do fine. In the surf I think a 100$ penn will do as good as any reel, in any wind condition. If your having a hard time learn to use your thumb

[Spook]

Hitting a spot with a conventional reel or a spinning reel, to me at least, is like any other sports thing: perfect practice, mastering basic techniques, and experience make all the difference, regardless of lure size or wind.

I figured I'd add a picture or two to show beach and water differences up there:

[ComeFrom?]

Originally Posted by Spook

Thanks for all your responses.

I have learned lots and lots from the folks here on 2coolfishing. (You, too, Gilbert. I've got some friends fishing with conventional gear in New England who say the same thing. (Some of them are still fishing with Penn Squidders, and some of them also believe that what passes for surf fishing in Texas is actually "Bassmasters with salt.")

I Love My Squidders! Having ceramic bearings put on one now! You wouldn't believe what that reel will do on a 12ft. Ugly Stik! Yahoo! I almost hit Fidel Castro on the head one night! LOL! CF?