It is a generally accepted fact that when a freshwater angler starts his/her journey, the preferred choice of equipment is mostly as spincasting gear. It is only after gaining a few years of experience that they move toward the baitcasting model. But, it’s not like spincasters are only reserved for beginners, rather many experienced and famous anglers such as Mike Iaconelli and Brandon Palaniuk have made quite a few dollars with spin tackle. However, this begs the question that which of these two is the best and the answer to this can be quite debatable as both of them perform differently in different situations.

Difference Between Baitcasting Rod and Spinning Rod 

The most obvious difference between the two is that a bait caster rod is built for power whereas a spinning rod is built for distance. Moreover, baitcasting rods typically have a lot more guides as compared to spinning rods. This helps get the total power out of the rod by utilising the entire rod’s length without skipping over wide sections. Also, the guides are low profile as the line coming off the reel is straight and not spinning outward like in a spinning reel.

Spinning rods have guides that are more widely spaced out along the blank and have a larger diameter and profile. Fishing rod parts like these guides are crucial for optimal performance. When a line comes off a spinning reel in greater loops, the larger guide ring and higher profile aid in capturing it. This reduces wind loops and helps with casting distance.

Let’s take a look at some more differences between the two types and how to determine which one you should choose for your style of fishing.

Bait Caster Rod

A casting rod bends over with the guides facing up when battling a fish on a casting rod, allowing the fish’s force to press the line down on the eyelets and the rod blank. By doing this, a large fish cannot rip the eyelets off the rod. Fishing rod parts like long casting rods with straight handles are ideal for large- and powerful-fish trolling or surf casting techniques, as well as power fishing techniques for bass. Spincast reels loaded with lighter lines can be paired with shorter casting rods with pistol grip handles and smaller rod guides. Compared to the baitcast combo, this combination is easier to cast, making it perfect for novices. When using live bait or artificial lures, the spincast equipment is most effective for capturing smaller kinds of fish.

For bass anglers who want to make exact pitches or flips to particular targets where huge bass are hiding, casting rod accuracy is extremely crucial. Bass fishermen can also make precise short-roll casts under dock platforms or overhanging tree branches by using bait caster rods.

Read more about Understanding the Key Fishing Rod Parts

Spinning Rod

A spinning rod, in contrast to a casting rod, holds the spinning reel beneath it with the rod guides pointing down. Therefore, when you fight a fish, the power of the line pressing against the eyelet pushes away from the rod blank, which increases the possibility that a large fish will pull an eyelet off the rod. Different lengths and actions of spinning rods are used to capture different kinds of fish. For panfish or trout, you can use shorter ultralight or light-action travel spinning rods with thin lines. Finesse bass fishing techniques work well with 6- to 7-foot rods with medium to medium-heavy action. Surfcasting for saltwater fish is best done with long, heavy-action rods that have elongated grip handles for two-handed casting.

A fisherman may cast lightweight lures farther in calm or windy conditions using a spinning rod’s light backbone power, which allows it to load up properly throughout the casting process. This is not achievable with a casting rod with a heavier power. Fishing pole setups with greater throwing distance can also be achieved with bobber-and-jig setups for crappie or sunfish and float-and-fly approaches for bass, thanks to the medium- to moderate-action of spinning rods.

Conclusion

Whether you choose to use a spinning rod or a bait caster rod, selecting the “right” reel also requires research into the type of fish you are targeting, the sort of water you are fishing in (deep saltwater, light freshwater, heavy cover, etc.), and other factors. Though there are circumstances in which one or the other will be more appropriate, ultimately the choice of which alternative to choose rests with you, the angler.