@silver:
The salmon I was referring to was a Chinook (see Rodney's response to my post)
I was only teasing about having an aversion to baitcasters, hence the -->
I have no inherent preference for spinning reels or baitcasters, but for the type of fishing I expect to most often be engaged in (spoon/spinner cast/retrieve, beach fishing, light lures, windy conditions,...) a spinning reel will work best for me. If I was expecting to most often be drift fishing, I'd likely go with a baitcaster.
Hope whatever reel you choose ends up working well for you.