- Even with my limited time using my baitcaster (I grew up fishing spinning reels) I find myself more accurate with a baitcaster. This increased accuracy is not so much laterally, or left/right of my intended target, but more related to distance. I find it easier to thumb the spool of a baitcaster than to feather a spinning reel spool. To me on a small stream that accuracy would seem much more important than any increased distance a spinning reel would allow me to cast.
- People throw heavier lures than they think, most of the time. I find my baitcaster is really at its lower limits at 1/4 ounce, but 3/8 oz and above it is just fine with 1/2 oz being (in my mind) its sweet spot. When you combine the weight of your terminal tackle (hook, jighead, weight, etc) with the weight of the soft plastic you are throwing, it generally creeps up into this usable range pretty easily. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, skirted jigs, etc. also tend to weigh much more than their stated weight. About the only things I would have a hard time throwing with it would be smaller sized hardbaits, but I don't really throw those anyways.
The hands down biggest negative for me is the risk of a bad birds nest. It was enough to keep me from taking my baitcaster with me when I went stream fishing last year (all 3 times
), but I think I'll alleviate that by bringing a backup with me. Anyways, its all personal preference.
