In order to gain a better insight into what type of fishing you intend to do, it is important to understand the spincast vs spinning reel dilemma. While both reels can be a great choice for you, there are some features that make them unidentical. That said, both become ideal for specific fishing needs and conditions.
As you enter the fishing industry, you would be fascinated by the massive variety of various types of reels. Each reel is designed for different skill levels and types of fishing. Speaking of the spinning vs spincast reel, you can choose either one to learn fishing on.
When it comes to spinning reel and spincast reel, there are numerous dissimilarities between the two. For example, durability, casting, bait size, required experience, and more. You can use best spincast reels for fishing with heavier lures than spinning reels. Whereas, spinning reels ensure better casting accuracy and durability than spincast.
Let’s dig in a little deeper to learn about detailed spincast vs spinning reel differences.
The Top Differences – Spincast vs Spinning Reel
To have a better understanding of the spincast vs spinning reels differences, check out the following comparison chart. These features are further explained below.
Features | Spincast Reels | Spinning Reels |
Design | Distinguishable metal nose | Components are out and open |
Experience required | None | At least intermediate |
Casting distance | Less distance and accuracy | More distance and accuracy |
Retrieve rate | Slow | Medium to fast |
Type of Fish | Medium-sized species | Any size species |
1. Design
The design of these reels is the foremost thing that helps users to recognize which reel is which. If you know the difference between designs, you can distinguish between a spincast and a spinning reel in no time. Spincast reels are known for having a metal nose cone that engulfs all the components. This makes the reel look like a mouse.
There are two types of spincast reels that determine their placement. First off, the push-button spincast reels are mounted on top of the casting rod. As referred to by name, these reels are operated using a button. The other type of reel sits under the rod, known as underspin or trigger-equipped reels.
Contrarily, spinning reels are large with bulky bodies, and most of their components are out. These reels are attached beneath the spinning rods similar to the trigger-equipped spincasting reels. One area of interest in spinning reels is their bail, see figure above. In simple words, it serves as a gate for your fishing line fed on the spool.
As you engage the bail, the line cannot unwind from the spool. Whereas, when disengaged, the line from the spool is released. The bail directs the line back onto the spool during line retrieval when the rotor rotates.
2. How To Use
Spincast reels are probably the first reel that a novice angler would ever use mostly because of their easy maintenance and usability. Operating a spincast reel is as easy as pressing a button to cast. However, you must hold the button until it reaches your desired distance. Watch this video for better guidance: Fishing 101 – How to Cast a Spincast Reel.
With spinning reels, you have to use your index finger for casting. Pull the line with your index finger and hold it against the rod grip with that very finger during the cast. The best thing about spinning reels is that you can change between different types of lures without impacting the cast. Here is a video to help you understand using a spinning reel much more easily: How to: Use a Spinning Reel.
3. Spool
Spool is another obvious difference in the spincast vs spinning reel debate that everyone could easily determine. On a spincasting reel, the spool is housed inside the frame which comes pre-loaded with the fishing line.
However, on the spinning reel, you can clearly see the spool and easily touch it as well. Because of the fixed spool, managing the cast becomes convenient. Moreover, there are no line tangling issues with these reels.
4. Casting Distance
When it comes to spincast vs spinning reel, casting distance is a big discussion. Unfortunately, spincast reels don’t offer quite a great casting distance as compared to the spinning reels. These reels have a small hole in the body through which the line protrudes out. But, the line will draw out at the same speed as the spool. This results in less casting power, accuracy, and distance.
Speaking of the spinning reels, they are the winners here. Their larger and open-face spool with a fixed design ensures easy management and no line tangling issues. That said, the line goes on and off pretty conveniently, resulting in exceptional casting distance with much better accuracy.
5. Retrieve Rate
It simply refers to the amount of line a reel can spool in with a single complete turn of the handle. As a general rule, the more line spooled in, the better the performance. Since spincasting reels have a smaller spool hence lesser space for the line, the retrieval rate will be slow.
As for the spinning reel, a bigger spool size helps a lot to feed in a huge amount of line. With that being said, the reel can bring in a great amount of fishing line per complete crank of the handle. This ultimately results in a faster retrieval rate in comparison to the spincast reels.
6. Ease Of Use
Spincast reels are by far the easiest reels to operate. Whether you want to learn fishing or teach your kids, this reel is for everyone, literally. That is how much user-friendliness a spincasting reel has to offer.
While a spinning reel also isn’t too complicated to use, its casting method could confuse some people. Spincast requires pushing a button only but, with a spinning reel, you have to apply the right amount of pressure on the line using your index finger. This is where users are required to have a little expertise.
7. Type of Fish
In the spincast reel vs spinning reel debate, the type of fish that each reel can catch play a vital role. These allow the users to make the right choice based on what type of fishing they intend to do.
Using spincast reels is best suited when you want to catch medium-sized species. Some heavier and premium models of these reels are designed to catch hefty fish as well. Moreover, with these models, you can perform inshore saltwater fishing too.
Make sure to adjust your spincast reel appropriately since it can be excellent for smallmouth as well as largemouth bass fishing. Some other fish that you can catch include white bass, medium-sized catfish, snooks, stripers, carp, and trout.
But, if you plan on casting small spinnerbaits or jigs, spinning reels would be the best. With these gears, you can easily reel in species of any size. Some include small-sized sunfish, trout, crappie, and more. However, the large-sized spinning reels can even manage to catch massive redfish and snapper.
Pros And Cons
When we talk about spincasting reel vs spinning reel differences, both have the following advantages and disadvantages.
Spincasting Reels Pros
- User-friendly
- Easy to cast
- Lightweight and compact
- Inexpensive
- No backlash or line twist issues
- Great for new anglers and children
Spincasting Reels Cons
- Subpar casting distance
- Unsuitable for larger species
- Limited line capacity
- Less durable
Spinning Reels Pros
- Great line capacity
- Fast retrieval rate
- Can be used for any size of fish
- Easy to manage tangles
- Good quality components
- No backlash issues
Spinning Reels Cons
- Prone to line twisting
- Can be a bit pricey
- A bit tricky casting
- Can be difficult for some beginners
Related Guides
Some Tips And Tricks To Master Spincast And Spinning Reels
If you wish to master the skills of using spincast and spinning reels, following are some tried and tested tips from experienced anglers. Carefully understand each tip and implement it while using your reel.
- Regardless of the reel you choose, make sure to always pick the right rod for your reel. such as best spincast rods for spincasting reels
- Never use big and heavy baits with a spinning reel.
- For spincast reels, bigger baits and lures result in increased casting distances. The best lure to use with your spincast reel is a paddle tail swimbait measuring around 5 inches.
- To enhance the casting distance with spincast reels, pay attention to the direction of the wind. It would be best if the direction is behind you or even from the sides. If the wind is blowing onto your face from the front, it will adversely impact the casting distance.
- Make sure to keep your reels maintained. Always clean your spinning reel with freshwater and lube it generously after using it in saltwater. Moreover, spincast reels are prone to building up dirt inside their body. Use a damp and soft cloth to clean the parts.
- No matter which reel you pick, practice casting with it as much as you can.
FAQs
Following are some of the top questions asked about spincast vs spinning reel comparison.
What are spinning reels good for?
Spinning reels can be a great choice for numerous types of fish in different environments. From small trout to huge redfish, these reels can catch them all. However, you must make sure that the reel is adjusted properly. Moreover, because of good quality materials, it can be used for freshwater as well as saltwater fishing.
What are the right rods for spincast and spinning reels?
Fishing is not only about getting the right reel but a compatible rod as well. For that, you must ensure that you picked the best rod for your reel. Spincast and spinning reels can be paired with spinning rod. Using a mismatched reel and rod combo will result in a poor fishing experience.
Can I use big baits with spinning reels?
No, spinning reels are designed to work well with small or medium-sized lures and baits. Therefore, using a heavier one can reduce its performance and efficiency.
Conclusion
The spincast vs spinning reel debate gets even more understandable when you use the reels yourself. For inshore saltwater fishing to catch medium-sized fish, choose spincast reels. It will also be a brilliant choice for kids and novices.
Whereas, to fight with small to hefty-sized species and enjoy better control, precise casting, and accuracy, choose spinning reels.
It all comes down to the user’s personal preference, comfort, and type of fishing when choosing between spin casting and spinning reels. Both the reels have a lot of dissimilarities which make it easier for the users to pick one that fulfills their requirements.