BajaNomad

Spinning reels?

Santiago - 4-26-2010 at 02:28 PM

Is there a 'revolution' in the spinning reel business? For years Van Stall and Shimano's Stella were the high-end spinning reels and once in a while you'd see them being used on the weekend morning fishing shows - I always assumed Jose Wejebe used them due to his sponsorship by Shimano; but now everybody has come out with a $750-$1000 spinning reel and the morning shows have guys fishing for tuna with them, for christ's sake. I'm assuming they have braid on them? Anybody actually use these things? I guess someone is making rod blanks too?

Cypress - 4-26-2010 at 02:41 PM

$1,000 spinning reels?:lol:

monoloco - 4-26-2010 at 03:41 PM

I went on a fishing trip to Panama last year and the charter company provided spinning rods equipped with large Stella reels loaded with 85# spectra. We did a lot of popper casting for tuna with them and they work great but I can tell you that catching a 200lb+ tuna on a spinning outfit is a workout that I'm in no hurry to repeat. I'm surprised I didn't end up with a herniated disc. It was a blast catching smaller ones that way though.

BajaBruno - 4-26-2010 at 03:43 PM

There will always be a market for gold-plated gizmos for people who are trying to impress. Kind of like $6,000 watches with plastic wrist bands.

My $120 Shimano Baitrunner has served me pretty well on fish big and small, but nobody salivates when they see it.

Hook - 4-26-2010 at 04:11 PM

I suppose there will always be a market for larger, expensive spinning reels for people who are too lazy to learn to cast a conventional reel.

And that's too bad, as the conventional reels of today have never been easier to learn to cast. The advent of backlash control using magnets or whatever is the biggest improvement in these reels, IMO.

I cant stand the way spinning reels twist line. But I carry an older 6500
Baitrunner on the boat for those who will not learn.

Russ - 4-26-2010 at 05:37 PM

I also noticed how the cost of the spinning reels have gone beyond the ridiculous.Thank whatever that there are still some reasonably price ones available. Can't imagine tuna on "coffee grinder" but I use to fish sturgeon below the Bonneville Dam with the Penn 9500 and a 12' rod. FUN! It was much easier to fling 10oz. of lead and a big bait than with a conventional setup. I also caught some sails and dorado with the bait runner. What a blast! I've mostly moved over/back to surf/shore fishing now and mostly use a good bait caster but will always have a spinning outfit near by. Cabela's recently had a sale on 8 to 10 pound spinning reels and I picked up two for $50.

Diver - 4-26-2010 at 05:53 PM

Try the new Diawa Saltist spinners.
They get over 30 lbs of drag - that's why the new styles; folks are using them for big fish.
Spinners have been the thing in Japan and somewhat on the east coast for years.

4baja - 4-26-2010 at 06:32 PM

no thanks coffee grinders are for grinding coffee. once you learn to use and cast a open coventional reel why would you ever go back.

4baja I agree completely!

bajadave1 - 4-27-2010 at 09:02 AM

I started using level winds 30 yrs ago for salmon&steelhead in rivers. Not just no line twist, but also much better accuracy for placing lures. I currently use shimano's & ambassadeur's.
Once a person learns to use them they never go back to spinning reels. Where I live, I catch some huge roosters and jacks. pull a lot of line out against the drag. no twist. Used to tow a lot of line behind boats to remove all that twist. No more! :bounce::cool:
Dave

classicbajabronco - 5-23-2010 at 09:19 PM

amen.....long live the conventional open....however for small lite lures Spinners seem to work well with spinners...not that I use them I like low pro conventionals for that work....

conventionals also have much greater drag systems and can handle larger fish IMO

4baja - 5-24-2010 at 06:19 AM

your killing me:bounce:

backninedan - 5-24-2010 at 06:43 AM

I will match my bait runner against any mid size conventional for casting distance, ease of use and pulling power.. any taker???

classicbajabronco - 5-24-2010 at 07:32 AM

other points for conventionals are...

1. Conventionals hold far more line that a spinner. Thus giving them the ability to land larger, stronger fish.

2.They are also more less likely to get killed by sand and corrosion.
On a spinning reel, The bearings and spindle sit directly below the spool, so everytime you retrieve your wet line the saltwater gets pulled by gravity and the natural cohesion of water directly thru the bearings. on a conventional the bearing are housed in the body cases and the water has to climb up over the spool body and travel to the sides...meaning far less water and salt are going to hit the bearings....sand can also find it's way into bearing easily on a spinner

3. Experienced fisherman will laugh at you...Go to any westcoast steelhead river and you'll know what I am talking about.

4. freespool....can you really freespool your spinner as effectively as conventional?

5. Line twist.....you introduce it to your reel the first time you load your line.

6. cast placement.....conventionals are far more accurate...as all it takes is a little thumb pressure to stop the cast and drop the lure exactly where you want it.

7. size....a conventional is more compact.

8. Cranking handle...not sure about the rest of you...but i for one don't need to change from left hand to right hand...and don't nessarily like the handle coming loose...just one more thing to go wrong.

9. it takes one finger to cast a conventional(ie..ready it for use. with a spinner it takes both hands.

10. Drag...it is much easier to adjust the drag on a conventional...again 1 finger on the star as you reel vs talking your hand off the crank and adjusting the drag on a spinner.


Did I mention everyone will think you are a barista looking for work....walking around with that coffee grinder?:tumble::spingrin::?:

Hook - 5-24-2010 at 07:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by backninedan
I will match my bait runner against any mid size conventional for casting distance, ease of use and pulling power.. any taker???


For as long as the line stays untwisted, you MIGHT have a slight advantage in casting, especially something 1 oz or less.

But eventually, even in the course of a full day of casting, that twist will re-appear and I will be catching fish while you are waiting to untwist your line at the back of a moving boat.

One thing I really noticed when I tried out my Baitrunner 6500 with 20 lb test again; the friction on the index finger that holds the line and takes the brunt of the cast gets pretty uncomfortable after only 10-15 casts. I also get tired of the feeling of the reel "stem" between my fingers on the pole.

classicbajabronco - 5-24-2010 at 08:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Quote:
Originally posted by backninedan
I will match my bait runner against any mid size conventional for casting distance, ease of use and pulling power.. any taker???


For as long as the line stays untwisted, you MIGHT have a slight advantage in casting, especially something 1 oz or less.

But eventually, even in the course of a full day of casting, that twist will re-appear and I will be catching fish while you are waiting to untwist your line at the back of a moving boat.

One thing I really noticed when I tried out my Baitrunner 6500 with 20 lb test again; the friction on the index finger that holds the line and takes the brunt of the cast gets pretty uncomfortable after only 10-15 casts. I also get tired of the feeling of the reel "stem" between my fingers on the pole.



I would imagine that if that 20# line was braid...you'd probably have a cut finger as well.... when all the tension in the line created by the force of the cast is on the finger you mentioned.

bill erhardt - 5-24-2010 at 09:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by backninedan
I will match my bait runner against any mid size conventional for casting distance, ease of use and pulling power.. any taker???

Dan.....I would not bet against you. My first couple of years south of the border I used exclusively spinning tackle. More dorado than I can count, yellowfin, wahoo, sailfish, and marlin, including this one about 150# caught on a Shimano Thunnis, a close relative of your Baitrunner. I never had a problem with line twisting, and six years after switching to conventional tackle I can still cast farther and more accurately with a spinner......

spinner marlin.jpg - 45kB

durrelllrobert - 5-24-2010 at 09:22 AM

and how does the bail hold up with big fiish, especially grouper:?::?:

backninedan - 5-24-2010 at 09:35 AM

I have no problem with line twist. I did try to increase line capicity with braid but found it wasn't needed, plus the fact that braid was eating up the bail roller.

I do own, use and enjoy both spinner and conventional, just thought it would be fun to defend my favorite reel.

Bill, I wouldn't fish against you if I was allowed to use a gill net, I have seen the monsters you bring in...

classicbajabronco - 5-24-2010 at 10:10 AM

It's really a matter of preference...whatever you are more comfortable with....I agree that once you learn how to cast a Conventional....why go back



To each his own....Mine just happens to be a conventional