Spinning vs baitcasting

[Taco280AI]

Let's assume river fishing, do you have a preference overall? Depend on what you're throwing? Weight/distance...

I have a lot of overlap in my rods, a 9'2" 8-15B, 9'4" 8-12B and S, 9'4" 10-20B and S, 10'6" 8-12S.

I like the control of baitcasters, but ease of use with light gear or short tosses with spinners. That 9'2" is kind of the odd man out, in between everything. The 10'6" got for a float rod. The others, depends on what I'm using. (Not including my fly rods)

Anyone go exclusively casting or spinning?

[birdshooter1189]

I use spinning, baitcasting, and I fly fish. 

I guess it depends on what you mean by "river"  Are you talking columbia/snake rivers?  Or rivers that can be waded across during late summer low flows? 

I like baitcasting, but not for lightweight lures that I tend to throw in rivers.  I use mostly baitcasting when bass fishing lakes.  Mostly spinning when trout fishing lakes.  Mostly fly fishing for small streams.  Mostly spinning/fly fishing mix for medium streams and rivers.

[Widgeondeke]

For river fishing, I am 100% spinning.
My preferred river fishing is flipping/casting 1/8 or 1/4oz Panther Martin's for trout. My favorite rod is a light medium 7'6" rod with a Shimano reel I've had for over 30 years.
90% of my lures have had the treble hook replaced with a barbless siwash(to be legal) 

[Parasite]

Though I've done mostly spincasting, baitcasting has its advantages. Better line payout for float fishing, less line twisting, longer casts, no bail opening at the wrong moment.

[7mmfan]

You can accomplish everything with one, but to be at your most effective with various tactics, you need both. I float fish with my 10'6" G Loomis BC rod. I've tried float fishing with a spinning rod, can't stand it. I love being able to feed line out and thumb the spool as necessary.

I'm in between on drift fishing. I like the ability to easily feed line and adjust my drift with a bait caster, but most of my drift fishing is actually side drifting on the move in my drift boat, so I use fairly light lead. A spinning rod is better suited for it.

Spoons I like baitcasters, but spinners I prefer spinning rods.

So when your wife asks if you NEED another rod, the answer is a resounding YES! If she wants you to be efficient and effective while fishing so you bring home more fish, then YES you need that other rod!

[Stein]

I only have one rod with a spinning reel and it's on a dedicated trout rod that I throw bobbers and lures with.  When it goes, I'll probably throw a baitcaster on it.  Most of the time I fish out of my boat and in addition to preferring a bc, they fit in rodholders and rod storage much better.

The less expensive bc reels seem to hold up much better in saltwater than similar priced spinning reels.

[dilleytech]

Bait casters are pretty much better for everything except casting really light stuff as far as you can. I generally only run a spinning rod when casting things under 1/2oz that I need to cast as far as I can.

All though I do enjoy bobber fishing from my boat anchored for salmon with my lighter spinning twitching rods. Because the way they sit dangling out of pole holders and there fast ability to take up slack line before a hook set. It’s also just a bit more of a fight. Even though baitcasters have better drag systems.

[Crunchy]

Hard to beat a spinning rod/reel for versatility.  Casting light weights, quicker line retrieval, an no backlash.  And Yes everyone gets a backlash or two no matter how good you think you are.  I do a good bit of river fishing, and there are always one or two guys that get a good backlash among the group that are out of action for while.  I fish a big river in Canada where you are casting 3-4 oz weights.  You can imagine the backlash throwing that much lead.  They are also typically slow enough on the retrieval that you end up having to wait for them before you can cast.  Now fishing from a boat I am 100% baitcaster. 

[lokidog]

Spinning all the way to the freezer....

[Bill W]

spinning if it's light lures that are too light for a casting outfit.  Casting outfit for the bigger lures that would overpower most spinning rods.  Line counter bait caster when trolling so I can measure amount of line out which in turn determines the lure diving depth.

[Stein]

This just popped up in my YouTube feed:

[WSU]

Totally depends on application.