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[shakespug]

I have always used a spinner set-up and have successfully short-drifted last year with little difficulty.
I just got into the baitcaster and I find it more useful in drifting; however, the birdnesting issue must be mastered.

Baitcaster or spinner this season.

What do you think?

[fly fisher]

i think a pin

[BCfisherman97]

Pin

[lovethewater]

it seems like the evolution of the fisherman is spinner for your first setup, then baitcaster...the when you are a fully evolved gear chucker you switch to the pin.  Thats how the pricing goes too from cheapest to most exoensive generally.  Would love to have a pin, but man is a nice setup expensive.  That being said...they can all catch (or not) catch fish..

[FlyFishin Magician]

In answer to his question, I'd recommend baitcaster over a spinning reel.  As for natural progression, I started off wth the fly.  I've casted a pin and it's a nice way to fish (I love the SA reel).  I guess it's all good once one has become proficient with the method - whether its spinning, baitcasting, pin, or fly...

[DanTfisherman]

I would go with the baitcaster.

I have tried the spinning reels and find them difficult to use and struggle.

I find the baitcaster is very versitile.

I can drift spoons with a weight, I can cast and retrieve crocs, it is quicker for me to cast and free drift with the baitcaster, I can thumb the spool and drift a lot easier.

It is a bit of a learning curve to learn how to use the baitcaster, but once you have it down, it is a much better tool to pack with you to the river due to the amount of applications you can use it for,

Dano

[Justin]

The baitcaster in my personal opinion is superior to the spinning reel especially for float or drift fishing.  In regards to the nesting of those reels it took me like 5 or so outings to figure out how much pressure to put on the spool (when casting), as well as playing around with the tension and drag knobs on the reels.  Keep practicing!

I have now moved onto pin fishing.

Justin

[burnaby]

Neither, drift fishing often flosses fish and as you say "flossing isn't fishing!!"

If you must floss go to a baitcaster which will master flossing way better than a spinner. Bird nesting will go away with practice, not even a problem during night fishing.

[DanTfisherman]

Which outfit is the best to use for ethical fishermen who wish to avoid flossing?

As I am new to angling, I would be happy to learn of the equipment used by skilled, ethical anglers who never floss fish.

Dano

[skaha]

--problem I see with spin is price... often people get cheap gear thus when they go more expensive.. better quality baitcaster or pin the assume spin is not as good.

--try a better quality spin reel and some may change their opinion.

--Of course if you have the money I'd have at least one of every type then the only problem is figuring out which is best to use on a given day. Often it's the outfit you left at home.

[marmot]

--try a better quality spin reel and some may change their opinion.

I agree 100%.

That goes for the rods too, of course.  People are quick to dismiss "coffee grinders" but for things like beach fishing with a good setup, they cannot be beat (besides by fly gear, OF COURSE!) 

[BigFisher]

Pin is great when your slaying fish all day long, like during salmon season. Nothing beats the fight on a pin, except on the fly. 

Baitcaster is my go to when Im pounding the water all day in search of a lone fish, like steelhead. It has a high gear ratio then a pin which allows me to reel in like 3 times as fast, thus allowing for more casts in a day which means covering water faster!

Also I prefer baitcaster if im bombing out long casts all day.

I think the only reason I have a spincaster is for smaller fish and when I bring a friend, becuase its idiot proof. Well thats what I thought.

[Gooey]

Answer is you should used both.  Spinning rods are best of spin casting...ie spoons, spinners, jigs, etc that are casted and retrieved.  A baitcast rod is definititely the best for drift fishing. Now when you say drift fishing, I assume you mean float fishing bait, yarn, etc (drift fishing in the US is different than float fishing).

Frankly, you can floss a fish with any type of rod: pin, bait cast, spinning reel and dare I say even fly/spey    Bottom line is that if you sweep your drift through a run opposed to drifting in one lane parallel to shore, then you can floss fish regardless if the rig you are using.  No one piece of equipment is more "ethical" than another...just the fisher using the tool.

As such I think it is rediculous to say center pinning is the elovution of a fisherman...thats a laff!  I have seen guys with $1000 sages/islander rods, $8 drennan floats (for stealth)   and they are fishing 8 feet of line below their float in a 5 foot run and sweeping a 5 foot leader with a 2/0 hook through schools of fish.  The evolution of a fisher in my opinion is a fisher who can walk onto a river in any condition and use an appropriate technique to get a fish to bite.

I have bait cast rods, center pins, spinning rods, fly rods and I often carry 2-3 rods in a rod bag when I am on the river so I can use which ever rod is best sutied to the river conditions, target species, and terminal tackle I am using.  

Some clown fishing under KWB with a center pin, a deep float and a long leader is far from what I consider an evolved fisherman  
 

[Eagleye]

I have always used a spinner set-up and have successfully short-drifted last year with little difficulty.
I just got into the baitcaster and I find it more useful in drifting; however, the birdnesting issue must be mastered.

Baitcaster or spinner this season.

What do you think?

I think you should continue to try and master the baitcaster.  And bring the spinning reel as a back up if you get too frustrated or get a real nasty birdsnest.  And like gooey said they both their place in the arsenal.  Myself I carry a baitcaster, spinning rod and single hand fly rod (unless I am sure I won't be using the fly rod.) so that I can fish any type of water condition effectively.

[burnaby]

Never had a quality spin so can't comment on that.

Given equal high quality/price where does a spin excel over a baitcaster. The obvious is newbies with bird nest which isn't an issue with trained thumb.

...
--try a better quality spin reel and some may change their opinion.
...