FUNDAMENTAL discussion of reel-types

There are Saltwater and Freshwater versions of all reels....disregard that.

So, bottom line:  There are three types of reel:

Spinning
Casting (drum/with and without level-winding)
Trolling (drum/with and without level-winding)

My first fishing was done when there WERE NO spinning reels.   I learned to cast (plugs were always heavier than today's) with a level-wind reel and use my thumb to control backlash.

When spinning reels came out, they were clearly superior.
I bought one, and have never looked back.

Today in the advertistments and the store-displays I see drum-style reels that are being specifically promoted as CASTING reels.

I clearly remember all of the limitations of drum-style reels.
Why would one EVER want to go back?

Why would one EVER want a drum-style reel for casting?

Given equal lure-weights, can "the newest products"......actually equal spinning reel performance?

Signed:  Born-in-'39

They improved the casting reels since you last tried them with centrifugal brakes
and/or magnetic braking, lighter spools, better ergonomics, better drags.

why use one? no line twist. line control on the drop by thumbing the reel.
the record for casting distance comes on casting reels, not spinning reels.

I have heard that the rule of thumb is to use a spinning reel if the lure weight is
1/4 oz or less and the line weight is 12lb mono or under.

your mileage may vary.

J

May I add, WAY better drag components, for fighting fish.  And I believe jmairey is correct, the distance records for casting come on conventional, not spinning-type, reels.

Having said that, the conventionals take more finess and skill to cast.  Skill that I sadly lack even with the new-fangled casting reels......but I'm working on it!

Allen

More comfortable to hold,lighter,stronger,tougher,smoother last forever,I'm fishing 30 year old Shaminos and they are still smooth as ever. The only spinning reels that last that long are the Cardinal C3 and the Dam Quick reels and they are clunkers. I once slipped down a muddy river bank and ended up stepping on my reel hard enough to bury it in the mud washed it off bent the handle back fished fine the rest of the day,try that with a spinning reel. Spinning reels are like the Corvair the power train has to make 2 90 degree turns. What those guys said too. I use em but that don't mean I like it.

They generally also have much more line capacity as well.  My toriums hold almost 500 yds.  No spinner holds that much in a compact size.  No clicker on a spinner either. 

Casting reels are all I use for steelhead too.  You can stop the cast instantly with your thumb and keep it out of the bushes, or thumb the spool for just a touch more drag without adjusting the drag. 

They take practice to master, but its a skill worth learning.

Thanks to Sean's inspirtion on the Russian river for me last year, I finally purchased an ambassadeur.  with this reel, it looks like I know what I am doing......almost feels like cheating it casts so easily with minimal backlash problems.

One of my goals is to be like the old-time striper guys and cast like that with my Penn 500.  LOL

Allen

I have an Alvey rig for kayak fishing. Take a look at the video tutorials:

http://www.alveyusa.com/

They're basically a winch with a drag, but the sidecast models do cast really well, especially with braid.

I got a surf rig as a gift and I like it very much. I liked the idea that the reels are immune to sand and ocean water, so I built an 8.5' rod to match one of the mid-sized reels for the yak. I'm still experimenting. The shorter butt works well on the yak, but I have yet to fight anything big enough to test it. Also, the mid sized reel has an obnoxious click when it's in anti-reverse mode...not sure if that'll fly long term. 

You guys are just AWESOME.....I totally appreciate your replies.

So, I should try them out.

You named: Alvey, Ambassadeur, Shimano.....

What about Daiwan....I seem them advertized, Daiwan and Shimano are very big in advertising placements.

In order to get max casting distance, would you recommend with/without level-wind feature?

Thanks
Judd

I started with spinning reels (as an upgrade from my zebco spincast when I was 6) and enjoyed them for pier & surf fishing. Eventually I got the idea in my teens that conventional reels looked cooler, so I set out to master them, my first being a brass spooled Penn trolling reel that taught me how to pick out backlashes
I got 2 Daiwa sealine reels & learned to cast with them, I still have them both. While I do have a couple of spinning rigs for freshwater & perch fishing, I am convinced that the conventional reel works better for me & my use.  Now that I target fish larger than my hand I'm very happy with my abassadeur, and even my little penn squidder, which are my 2 main kayak rigs.
I do not see any problems with the level wind feature, and it does not hinder my casting. I think improvements in reel design have put that issue to bed.
All this in mind, I see that a lot of the Hawaii guys use spinning reels out there. Use what you like, as long as the line gets a bait to the fish, its all good. Kayakito slayed 'em at bean one day with his bait handline, so sometimes you don't even need a reel!

i may be new to this board but i've been fishing for almost 30 years. i started out with spinners then went to casting then back to spinning and finally stuck on casting permanently. they're just all around better for the way i fish. i can toss anything from weightless plastics to 12oz surf weights with bait. i honestly prefer diawa reels to anything else on the market currently, i grew up using penns and still own quite a few but with recent advancements the penns just haven't been able to keep up with daiwa and shimano. for surf reels i prefer the daiwa sealine series. you just can't go wrong with them especially with the sha 30 or 50. they have the drag pressure greater then a penn 6/0 at half the size so they're much easier to cast. for bay fishing i like the team daiwa advantage series. they're an incredibly well built reel and slap in a set of smoothie drag washers makes them comparable with any low profile reel on the market including some that cost twice as much.

allen if you really wanna make those old guys green with your jigmaster you should mag that reel. make sure you have the aluminum spool in it then put a couple 3/8 inch rare earth magnets in the clicker sideplate. i have personally measured 120 yard casts with my jigmaster on a 10' surf rod

JW, if you want to learn,
get a cheap low profile bait-caster
http://www.ffo-tackle.com/detail.cfm?PassProdId=2133
and a short (5'6" to 6'6") rod with
not too much graphite in it (fiberglass is easier to cast),
and a 1/2 oz rubber practice casting plug.
get some cheap 6 to 10lb mono. you will have to replace it a lot at
first.

go in the front or back yard and nail squirrels and cats for 1/2 hour
a day before dark.

you'll be casting under your leg and behind your back and skipping the
lure off the squirrel into the cat like a bass pro in no time.

J

allen if you really wanna make those old guys green with your jigmaster you should mag that reel. make sure you have the aluminum spool in it then put a couple 3/8 inch rare earth magnets in the clicker sideplate. i have personally measured 120 yard casts with my jigmaster on a 10' surf rod

thanks....I bet theres a diagram somewhere on the web for that....

i think I have a couple 500's with the aluminum spool, maybe a good Winter project

Allen

If you want to learn I would buy a decent casting reel with a magnetic cast control set it on high and back off as you become used to it.
Distance is overrated,I find very few times where I cast very far out of a yak, just paddle a little closer. I would concentrate on accuracy.  When your casting improves you can rip the magnets out of your reel to make it lighter or just leave the control set to zero unless a wind comes up. I never use any of my cast controls except for the spool adj. Buy an Abu you can't go wrong they are well priced and you will always have a use for it when you upgrade to your Dream Reel.

thanks....I bet theer's a idagram somewhere on the web for that....

i think I have a couple 500's with the aliminum spool, maybe a good Winter project

I'm sure that Alan the Reel Sensei has info on this. 

here's a couple pictures of how i did mine. i originally did this reel when it had the chromed brass spool so all the half moon washers you see in it was needed to help control the spool but now with the aluminum spool i only required 1 3/8" magnet and 2 1/4" to control it. 2 3/8" magnets created too much force that's why i used the 1/4" instead.

rough up the area you plan on installing the washers in the side plate. cut some #8 washers in half so that they don't interfere with your clicker. then put a dab of silicon down where you plan on placing the washer then add a dab of silicon over the washer so the saltwater can't get to it and rust it out. that's pretty much all you do