Reel Selection Geography

[Bud Kennedy]

I spent a part of my life living up north.  In that part of the world people use spinning reels as the main choice.  Here in this part of the South, we have spinning reels for certain presentations but the over whelming choice by most southern anglers is a casting reel.  Just wondering why that is ?  There just aren't too many presentation styles that cannot be completed with today's modern casting reels.  Is it because most of their bait selections are very light weight?

[Mike Cork]

I think you're hitting part of it.

Bait choice and line choice is a huge part of it. Presentations...

Here where I live, I literally pitch everything; even crank baits. Very seldom do I cast. Frogs is about it. The spinning reel can be pitched with but it's difficult.

Another factor is line size. Most spinning reels do not do well with 17-25 pound lines, unless it's braid.

[Mike Bush]

I know lots of us "north" guys use spinning for jerkbaits and tubes...I cant stand that.

Spinning for me is only dropshots, and some shakey heads. I have a 10-1 ratio of baitcasting to spinning.

[Donald Garner]

I use baitcasters for everything I fish with.  The only exception is crappie fishing then its a spinning reel.

[Bigwrench]

Here where I live, I literally pitch everything; even crank baits.

I may try this next year just to improve my pitching for Guntersville   

I recently switched back to a spinning rod setup because I was trying to learn how to fish them Senkos wacky like Jim does and it seemed to work for me and in some ways it seems to give me better accuracy and I won't even attempt to skip with a baitcaster now either . I grew up using spinning gear , and  used it mostly until my boat was robbed around 08 and they left all my cranking setups but took the spinning rods ! I now have about 3 of my own spinning setups and the one Float & Fly rod is also a spinning reel.

[Donald Garner]

Rick you just need to get out in the yard and practice    When I first started using tube baits I used a spinning reel because Guido Hibdon used one.  I had nothing but bird nest and said a lot of words I should've of.    I've since learned to side cast and skip those babies.  I pitch just about everything depending on the structure and lake I'm on.  I've tried pitching crankbaits a few times but decided that wasn't for me.  Those Senko type baits & Shaky heads are all fished on 7ft baitcasting setups 12lb to braided lines flipped and pitched into some nasty places.
I don't even own a spinning reel for bass fishing.  I have one I perch jerk with and that's it 

[analfisherman]

In reality, I think most Northern Anglers are multi species anglers.
Walleye, crappie, trout, perch all can be fished with lighter line.
Bass can too.
So when they begin to fish they want something that can be fished across the board.
Hence, spinning gear.
Light lines just seem to cast farther with spinning gear.
And they do it with no effort or thumb education.
Most Northern Anglers don't punch much and so other than Frogging they usually have 12lb. test or less.
Very, very few Bass only anglers here.

On the opposite view, it always amazes me how much the Southern Anglers I know 'struggle' with spinning gear.
I'm sure it's just because I grew up on spinning gear but man, there is simply nothing to it.
Open bail, grab line with index finger and cast.
You can wipe it as hard or soft you want.
Most close bail with hand so it's right there to control line with same hand.

[Pferox]

I actually fished with Zebco 33s when I lived up North, had a spinning reel just to have, and a couple of big bait casters for cat fishing because of the heavier line I used.

When I moved South, I usually only used 20lb mono, and spinning gear for that heavy of a line was heavy and cumbersome to toss all day compared to baitcasters, until braid came into the equation, then it was a different ball game.

Now I'm using more heavier spinning gear but I'm not constantly casting all the time with them since I am "still fishing".  I do have a small arsenal of baitcasters for throwing lures, and put them into service for soaking bait just to stay in practice, but in all honesty, I don't think I even need them now.

Whenever I get back into boat ownership, those baitcasters will be used a lot more because I tend to toss more moving baits from the boat.

[loomisguy]

I know a few guys around here who don't own a spinning rod.
I own 2..1 for dropshot/ned rig and 1 for shakeyheads.

[Oldfart9999]

I own/use more baitcasters than spinning, I carry 4 or 5 spinning with me though, there are several techniques for which spinning is the way to go. Every pro out there has and uses spinning, for most, half the fish they catch are with spinning.
Rodney

[flowerjohn]

I own/use more baitcasters than spinning, I carry 4 or 5 spinning with me though, there are several techniques for which spinning is the way to go. Every pro out there has and uses spinning, for most, half the fish they catch are with spinning.
Rodney

I need both when i fish because i could be going after any of five or six species at a time either pitching, casting, trolling or even still fishing. Both setups just offer me the most options in terms of presentation.