# Baitcasting vs Spinning for carp?



## RiverRat

Ive read many threads about this on the CAG and other carp forums..whats your thoughts on the subject?

I for one LOVE baitcasters, BUT only for heavy duty work. I have a big collection of them from the Abu 6500 size to the Quantum 430CX size. I dont ever use them for throwing lures(i dont musky fish) and for the species i fish for i can do a much better job with a spinning reel. Same goes for carp fishing, i feel a baitcaster is to awkward for this type of fishing. My buddy Dave loves his baitcasters and lots of times brings one of his Abu Carpmaster reels on a 8'6" rod.....he does well on it, but its not my cup of tea. Now if we were fishing cut bait for channel cats..yea i'd be all over it with my baitcasters..but not carp.

As for a comparison, my baitrunners hold more line, are easier to cast, more accurate and have a far greater line retrieve than my baitcasters.plus have a variable tension control on the BTR function.

Baitcasters, made for power, need more weight to cast far with heavier lines, only hold around 250 yrds of line(talking 6500 series), have to turn the drag down to make the clicker lighter- otherwise its too tough for light bite fish.
Plus baitcasters dont sit well on my pod and the little eyelets dont push the line down far enough into the slot on the alarms...geez!

I think its all up to the user, but for me, i can do much more and do it easier with a spinning rod and reel for carp fishing......now if ya want to chase some cats, i can break out the baitcasters...but again i can just change rigs/bait and be catching on my spining combos just as easy too..lol.

My baitcasters have'nt had much action at all in the last 2 seasons....guess i have to wait til the cat bug bites me again before i use them...?

Scott


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## BottomBouncer

Gotta say spinning. I took my International 975 up to alum and hooked into one. First off, I like to beable to control the tension of the clicker. I think most baitcasters have too tight of a freespool/clicker....
On my spinning gear I set the BTR or drag just low enough so that it won't backlash of a hard hit/run.

Plus you can use lighter rigs/tackle and like you said....be more accurate.


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## PAYARA

Spinning is my choice,of course.However i have caught 
hundreds of carp on Baitcasters.


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## The Kernel

Whats a baitcaster?


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## PAYARA

Mark--its what they call a 'Multiplier' in the UK
aka,what pay-lakers use...


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## RiverRat

"Whats a baitcaster?".........lol....sorry Mark i forgot....welcome to America man!

Lol,
Scott


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## crappielooker

spinning.. no baitrunner for me.. its what i'm used to i guess..  i like my whole setup to be light.. that way i can actually fight the fish, instead of struggling with heavy weight reels..


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## PAYARA

i agree Ak,.....larger free spool reels are too heavy for my liking.


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## RiverRat

Greg, if ya would get out enough to build up some arm muscle..those big pit reels dont feel much heavier than regular BTR's...lmao.
Guess its all in what your hunting for....light set-ups for small fish, heavy set-ups for big fish..lol..joke'in guys.

Scott


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## The Kernel

Juss kiddin bout dem baitcasters...Used one once when I was a kid and threw it in the dustbin on the way home...


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## RiverRat

LOL....yea they dont sound to popular over in the UK...unless your Wels or Pike fishing?

Have you used centerpin reels much Mark?

Scott


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## PAYARA

You could bring in the majority of English Wells with an
Ultra-lite


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## The Kernel

I have used centrepins..they are nice to use in an antiquated nostalgic purist sort of way....but a closed face 'spinning' reel outperforms them for functionality.....by a margin of tenfold..


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## RiverRat

Thanks Mark,
Have you done a lot of float fishing in your time too?
Ive always wanted to get into that for summer time to beat the hot summer heat. I know many places were they feed off the surface during that time of the year...probably because the numerous amount of insects that fall into the water.

Ive got a very good assortment of floats....but dont really know to many rigs for them?

Scott


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## The Kernel

Scott

I am your man...AND....my father arrives on Tuesday with huge wagglers, stops, atomic nobblers, plummets,split shot and LOADS of cool float fishing gear which I will happily show you..{He is even bringing some 'candles' Oh Yeah}...next time we have a tournament...((March)


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## RiverRat

AWESOME....cant wait!!

Do you guys have a venue in mind yet for the first touney??

Scott


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## RiverRat

Oh and Greg...if we had Wels catfish over here....i wouldnt be talking CARP right now...i'd be back on the catfish kick thats for sure!!!

Scott


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## The Kernel

Did I say March??? I may have meant May...but March could be ok...this is Ohio after all...

We are probably going for a river venue early season...


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## PAYARA

Right now is as good a time as any to float fish  IMO.
although alot less takers.if you remember the report i gave 
on what i witnessed in a local canal last Nov. carp feeding 
off the surface in mid 40's water temps.unusual for wild fish.
unless of course they are fed year round at marinas,ect.


Mark,your Dad still fishing matches?we have got to do
bit of fishing while hes here?


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## RiverRat

"We are probably going for a river venue early season"....

VERY good choice on that...let me know when more details get worked out.


Scott


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## The Kernel

PAYARA said:


> Right now is as good a time as any to float fish  IMO.
> although alot less takers.if you remember the report i gave
> on what i witnessed in a local canal last Nov. carp feeding
> off the surface in mid 40's water temps.unusual for wild fish.
> unless of course they are fed year round at marinas,ect.
> 
> 
> Mark,your Dad still fishing matches?we have got to do
> bit of fishing while hes here?



Yep...the old boy still fishes matches at least once a week. He's in a club with a whole bunch of retired gents who meet every Tuesday..They get 50 people out on a Tuesday!! We are hoping to get out and catch a few, weather permitting, where might be good at this time of year? I was thinking about the Cuyahoga river....


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## PAYARA

Mark,the Cuyahoga is 'Ok' i guess for a few small carp.
i have never had anything bigger than 10lbs up there.
however i know there is bigger fish up around the Gorge
Metro Park but the accsess is horrible.

I would say that Firestone is always good for a few fish,even
now.or if you looking for something abit different,you might 
try the spillway or river below the dam at Firestone?can fish
pretty good with all species,..big chubs,suckers,big bullheads,
carp(some might be 20-30lbs).i had a grasser in there 25lb+.
theres no telling what might swim up in there from Long.

Awsome place to fish with lighter gear this time of year.
iam thinking of messing around over there one day.


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## The Kernel

Where is the access below the dam at Firestone?? That sounds good to me..


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## PAYARA

Mark-you can accsess it either at the parking lot on
Warner rd(which on the right hand side just after crossing
Harrington,heading west)or turn right onto Harrington and 
turn left into the lot just past the dam.just walk across the
field to the left,and head toward the dam through the little
wooded area there.you can fish the other side of the river
by either crossing the bridge or parking at the Warner lot.
walk down across the Tusc Race bridge and down the path
to acsess the river from Warner.you could even fish in the
race if you wanted as there has been a 29lb common and 
a 28lb mirror and a rake of 20's over the years.however
i highly doubt those fish are still living in there,now that 
fish cant accsess East Res from the Race anymore


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## The Kernel

Greg

Do you mean in the Metro park parking lot??


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## PAYARA

Yes,both are Metro Park lots


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