Spinning or Level-wind?

[wannafish]

Just curious whether most people who fish jigs/float are using baitcaster or spinning real.  I've just recently added jigs to my arsenal after years of corkies and yarn or hardware (thanks to this site ).  I've been fishing with an 8'6 baitcasting setup.  I want to upgrade to a longer rod to help mend the line and I can't decide what reel type I want to use.  It seems that a spinner would help keep tension on the line as I reel in the slack, but I really prefer fighting fish with a level-wind.  Help me out!

I do really enjoy fishing jigs, even though I've had to work a bit to get a good presentation!

[bugnuts]

I'd start with a level-wind loaded with braid for winter on a 10' (or more) rod...and then next spring add the spinning outfit and braid when the nates make their appearance. 

[rvrfshr]

W.F.,

          I like to spin on the float and spinner and baitcastcast on the drift gear and spoon. (Braid for the float and mono for all else.)

                                                                                                                             Joe

[Ironhead]

I use whichever reel I'm in the mood for, but favor a centrepin for floating small rivers and levelwind for the big rivers and the odd time I go with the spinning reel,although I am still getting used to being called a "beek"(cracker), for using the latter. Seriously though, being a guide I have alot of different gear and tend to mix it up a fair bit, all the reel styles I mentioned work well while float fishing and I would only favour the levelwind for spoon fishing, the rest are interchangeable.
Where some will use a spinning outfit in summer flows , I have a Calcutta 250 gt Titanium, that will cast micro jigs with little weight and this is my summer fave. It is definately easier to float fish jigs with a spinning outfit , if you are apt to leave copius amounts of slack line on the water,and use the braid. In Canada, decades of float fishing have made most fisherman very good at limiting slack line and learning to keep the line high off the water while maintaing a dead drift, in this application a very smooth free spooling centrepin is magic and there are some real advantages to their use, such as supersmooth freespool, no gears for enhanced fish fighting, large line capacity and most importantly , looking good  . Seriously though there is no right reel and your style will determine your gear choice . I am really gonna be using the spinning job this season, just so I can roll in behind the bait fisherman and pull out fish with my jigs, neither of these things are used much up here,YET. Watching some Irish prawn fisherman who were my clients this season was very much like watching Brian and Dardevle fish jigs, with the whole mending to create a drag free drift approach, it works EXTREMELY well for both parties and thats what really counts.

[SciGuy]

I really like the level wind for fighting fish and I think it is easier to extend the drift simply by feeding line with your thumb (rather than free spooling with a spinning reels).  Unfortunately, my Shimano Bantam Mag (circa 1985) just can't make long casts with light rigs so I've had to switch to my spinning reel the last few years.  I'm thinking about upgrading to a Curado, probably one with super free, so I can return to the level wind.  I've always been intrigued by centerpin though

[Fish]

My preference is Level Wind for Winter fishing.

Spinner for Summer fishing.

But this thread can go any way just like Waders it really boils down to personal choice?

[Brian]

I agree with Fish on this topic, it's all about personal preference. Fish with the gear you are most comfortable with. I  prefer a baitcaster in the winter due to the superior drag system and heavier gear I am using, and for summer fishing I break out the spinning rod and lighter gear.

[wannafish]

   Thanks for the quick info and insight!!   Just one more question:  Why braided line with floats?  Can't wait to set up a new rig!

[Brian]

Braided lines for float fishing are very popular. The fact that the line floats makes it easy to mend your line while drifting through a run. The zero stretch of the braid allows solid hooksets even with 100' or more line out. The smaller diameter of braids allows you a larger capacity on smaller reels without sacrificing strength. One of the biggest negatives I have experienced is in sub-freezing temps where the braid will freeze onto itself on your spool, making casting very difficult. I'm sure some others will add their comments as well. Once again your line choice should be personal preference, I know many anglers who prefer mono for all of their fishing.

[Fish]

I think Brian covered that well, so let me just throw out some info on what works best for me, and that is

30 lb test for level winds

20 lb test for spinning reels

The reason for the 30 on level winds is I find the lighter line seems to bury it self in the spool to much.

[Phil]

The way I have wound up fishing is mono on a Calcutta baitcaster for metal and corkies and braid on a Spirex spinner for floats.  Sometimes I wish I had it the other way around.  Knots are a pain with braid but the floating characteristic is a big advantage for floats.  It also casts extremely well, sometimes too well as my decorations on a few trees give evidence.  If you present the bait to willing fish in the right way, it doesn't matter, at least that's what I remember from my bass fishing days when I used to know what I was doing.

[Andrew]

I fish a spinning setup year-round. The seasons kind of seem to run together for me--sometimes the flow is up in the summer, sometimes it's down in the winter, it's all over the place in fall, and I don't get out much in the spring. I know a lot of guys like to have more line capacity for the bigger water they fish in the winter, but, as of yet, I almost always find myself in quite the opposite situation--small water, often with brushy shorelines and overhanging limbs. In fact I'd say about half the casts I make are side-arm flips. I think a level-wind is less efficient under such conditions.

When I feel disadvantaged with a spinning reel I'll switch, but I haven't felt disadvantaged yet. That may change if I really get into spoon fishing as I've been contemplating, but floats and spinners are really doing the job for me right now, so, eh... 

Andrew

[wannafish]

Thanks again for the info everybody!  I've been decorating a few trees lately myself        I'm really going to stick with the float and jig for a while.  It's a really enjoyable way to fish, even with less than perfect equipment!  Can't wait to try it out in some of my favorite snaggy holes this winter

[mdfalcon]

WF,  I am with you on the tree decorating.  Just starting to fish again and trying to learn/perfect the float & jig game
But in the short time I have been fishing with floats and using mono, I learned if you use dry fly floatant on your line you can get a longer & more natural drift.  Just put a couple of drops on your fingers & hold the line between them when you reel in after a cast out. You don't need much. It makes the line float instead of becoming water logged & adding extra drag on your drift.  Good Luck.

Mark

[Brian]

But in the short time I have been fishing with floats and using mono, I learned if you use dry fly floatant on your line you can get a longer & more natural drift.  Just put a couple of drops on your fingers & hold the line between them when you reel in after a cast out. You don't need much. It makes the line float instead of becoming water logged & adding extra drag on your drift.

Nice tip mdfalcon!