Spin, Cast, or Fly | There's So Many Kinds Of Fishing Reels | Which One Do You Use?

If your answer is the spincast reel (the ones with the cone tops and the button to release the line), that's ok. Most people use them for the kiddos but they can be fun to use for bream and bluegill.

In the larger world of fishing, reels break down into three general types. There are spinning reels, casting reels and fly reels. Each of these reel types has hundreds to thousands of different designs. Some are big while others are small. Special features make some models expensive and built for high-performance while others are cheap and basic. But the way they function remains very much the same within their own category.

The Starting Point To Choosing Your First Fishing Reel Is Knowing The Difference

 

When you take a closer look at the three types of reels, you'll realize that they apply two different mechanics. Let me explain that by breaking it down below:

 

1. Fly reels & casting reels are both inline reels. They have spools that spin which allows the line to come off directly up through the eyes of the fishing rod. When you reel, the spool spins the opposite direction to take the line back on.

2. Spinning reels have a fixed spool that doesn't spin when the line comes off or is reeled back on. Instead, the line is held in place by a wire bail. When the bail is flipped up, the line slips off the top of the spool. The wire bail is attached to a rotor that spins around the spool. When you flip the bail back down and start reeling, the rotor wraps the line back onto the spool.

Note: Although fly reels and casting reels are both inline reels, they are different in both design and use.

Why Does It Matter? Casting & Line Control

 

Fly casting is a true art form and when anglers achieve mastery, they can get a lot of line out on the water. But it might not come as much of a surprise to hear that casting reels are the top casting machines. This is let your line fly off the spool while it spins at a high-speed type of action.

 
Another reason many anglers prefer casting reels is the way they handle under pressure. If you hook up with a big fish, it's nice to have your line pull straight off the spool. On a spinning reel, the line comes off the spool then passes under the bail before turning up 90 degrees to pass through the rod eyelets.

It Comes Down To The Reel's Drag System

 
Every fishing reel has a drag system which works very much like the brakes on a car. The difference is that the drag discs engage any time the reel is in gear and something pulls on the line. The drag discs actually apply resistance to the spool when it spins in an outgoing direction.

One of the problems that anglers encounter using a reel with poor drag design happens upon startup. A larger size fish will begin pulling on the line and the drag sticks. Once the drag releases line it works fine and applies the desired resistance. But if it sticks at startup, the line could very well break and the rest wouldn't matter.

 
Casting reels can have poor drag design, but it's more common on cheap spinning reels. Consider that the line on a spinning reel has to wrap under the bail. It's the second point of friction that makes the initial drag release a bit more difficult. There certainly are spinning reels available with incredible drag systems, but they usually cost a lot more too.

So If Casting Reels Are So Good, Why Are Spinning Reels So Popular?

 

For lighter line fishing, spinning reels work just fine. With advances in technology in reels and in braided line, spinning reels can handle some powerful species.

 
There are some really good examples of the kind of fish a spinning reel can pull up right here on Steemit! Just cruise over and see the blog by @spinner, a Russian angler who demonstrates what spinning reels can truly do. Here's his latest entry below:

When The Ban On Fishing...

It Usually Comes Down To Casting

 
Casting reels offer better line control against large powerful species and they can cast a mile, once you learn how to use them. User friendliness, I guess you could call it, is not a feature most anglers attribute to casting reels. Casting a casting reel comes with a learning curve and it is extremely frustrating along the way.

Inline spools are a blessing but the angler must control the release of the line as they cast. If it comes off too fast or your line suddenly stops, the spool will backlash. Your line will blow into knots that we like to call a bird's nest. It looks just like one.

With a spinning reel, the angler pinches the line against the rod and then flips the bail up. At the right moment of rod propulsion, the angler lets go of the line and can watch it fly.

The casting angler must keep their thumb ever so lightly touching the spool throughout the entire cast. They also must stop the spool at the exact moment the line hits the water.

Note: Some casting reels use casting brakes to make it easier on the angler to use. They do help but still have a difficulty or they slow your cast down too much.

The Fly Fishing Reel

 
Inline like casting reels, but fly reels have a different application and don't work the same way. Fly reels, for one thing, sit under the handle of the fly rod. Casting reels sit on top of the rod handle. Fly reels also don't have much need of a bail system. Since the line is stripped off the reel by the angler (or fish), spools don't need to spin freely.

Fly reels will still have a drag system to put pressure on fish, but the rod does most of the work to apply pressure. Fly fishermen will let the rod bend wear out a fish, but they can let line slip through their fingers.

 
They can also strip line back in while playing a fish as well. It's possible to land a trout or other fly targeted species without ever using your fly reel. Except to pull enough line out to cast at the beginning. Another great example of fishing content on Steemit comes from @papacrusher. Check out his explanation of different fly patterns that fly anglers prefer in his recent article:

Fly Fishing - Choosing A Fly

Ocean Anglers Love The Casting Reel

 
There are a few that stick with their spinning models, and if they can afford $1,000 for a Shimano Stella then I don't blame them. Most saltwater anglers favor the casting reel. They come with 2-speed gearing these days and lever drags which make it easy to set precise line resistance.

Then there are the fishing rods but that's a whole different story for another post. If you weren't already aware, fishing equipment gets a bit complicated. You can always pick my brain if you have any questions.

If You're Looking For Offshore Saltwater Fishing Gear, Visit My Website For Reviews & Info:

FishtFight.com

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