Can you Surf Fish with a Conventional Reel (Baitcaster) ?

To surf fish with a conventional reel is not very popular around the world. Yes, conventional reels have a lot of fans and admirers in the United States and other English-speaking countries, but many surf anglers in Europe, Asia and Africa barely know anything about them and only use spinning reels.

Now with the rise of many online plateforms that allow fishermen from all over the world to connect, conventional reels gained more exposure and surf anglers from different countries started to learn more about them and ask about their advantages in the surf and wonder if they can outperform spinning reels.

That’s why I decided to write this article.

Today we’re going to talk about the pros and cons of conventional (or baitcasting) reels from a surf fishing perspective, so you can decide whether to continue using spinning reels or switch to conventional ones.

So without further ado, let’s dive in.

How are spinning and coventional reels different?

There are so many differences between spinning reels and conventional reels. I’m not going to discuss them all. What I will evoke in this section is only the differences that impact surf fishing.

The main difference worth noting here is the way the line comes off the spool when casting.

First of all, the spool of a spinning reel stands vertically during casts. This causes the line to peel off the side of the spool before entering the rod guides.

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Conversely, conventional spools stand horizontally during casts, which allows the line to come off the top of the spool straight directly into the rod’s guides.

The casting technique is also different betwen the two.

With spening reels, you have to fold back the reel’s bail in order to let the line go as your lure/bait move through the air. This means that the spool of a spinning reel doesn’t spin and it’s for the lure/bait to pull off the line.

With conventional reels however, you have to disable the breaking system of the reel before you cast. This allows the spool to rotate freely, letting the line go and pursue the bait as it flies through the air.

Also, the way a spinning reel collects the line is quite different than a baitcaster.

With spinning reels, retrieving does not rotate the spool but only makes it move up and down which helps the line to lay evenly along the spool and don’t bunch up.

With a conventional reel, you have to use your thumb when retrieving in order to distribute the line evenly along the spool. Otherwise, the line will build up in only one area and that can cause problems.

Some modern baitcasters include a line guide (also called level wind reels) that keeps moving right and left when retrieving, which helps distribute the line evenly along the spool. With such a reel, you don’t have to use your thumb when collecting the line.

What are the advantages of conventional reels?

The biggest advantage of conventional reels is their greater casting distance.

As we said, when casting with a baitcaster, the spool stands horizontaly and the line peels off the top directly into the rod’s guides. This minimizes the frictions on the line and allows it to go farther in the air.

Conversely, the line comes off the side when casting a spinning reel, and that forces it to take a coiled shape before entering the rod’s guides. Obviously, the line is more prone to hit the guides here, which reduces its speed and hurts the casting distance.

This explains why the guides of spinning rods are usually much larger than those of conventional rods. The larger the guides, the less frictions they exert on the line coils, and hence the less they punish the casting distance.

A conventional reel does not generate line coils when you cast and therefore do not need large guides.

The second advantage of conventional reels is how much line capacity you get for a given reel size.

In other words, a conventional reel that can hold, let’s say 400 yards of 20 lb monofilament, is generally much smaller and lighter than a spinning reel with the same line capacity.

This is a huge advantage when surf fishing because the smaller the reel, the more you control the rod and the better you feel the tackle in your hands.

Control and sensitivity are very important when fishing off the beach. They are what allows you to cast more accurately, detect bites more easily, perform better hooksets, and fight fish more effectively.

A large and heavy reel can create imbalance with your rod and hence hurt your control and sensitivity. And of course, no need to mention that casting all day long with a heavy reel can mess with your back, arms, and shoulders.

That’s what I don’t like about spinning reels.

In order to fit a good amount of line (which is fairly justified when surf fishing), you have to pick a sizable reel.

Not only that, but the weight of a spinning reel leans forward and kind of pulls the rod away from your body.

This adds up to the imbalance and forces you to put extra effort in order to close the equilibrium gap.

On the flip side, the weight of conventional reels stands between you and the rod, and that feels more balanced and much easier to maneuver.

Another advantage of conventional reels over spinnig reels is that they are usually more powerful and offer a higher drag for the same size.

This provides you with more power and leverage and helps you manage large fish and heavy situations more easily.

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What are the downsides?

First of all, conventional reels are more expensive. As a rule of thumb, you should expect a baitcaster to cost you 20% to 30% more money than a spinning reel of the same rating.

So no need to elaborate here. Spinning reels are usually the pocket friendly option.

Conventional reels are also more difficult to use.

With spinning reels, both casting and retrieving are quite simple and straightforward. I really don’t see many areas where you can fail there.

With conventional reels however, there are a few things to consider in pretty much everything you do.

When you cast the line for example, you have to disable the breaking system in order to let the line go under pressure. However, letting the spool free can cause it to spin much faster than the line can go, and that risks to produce a bird nest (backlasing).

Believe me, this is no fun at all and it can literally ruin your fishing day.

So what’s the fix? Well, you have to use your thumb during the cast and apply some pressure on the spool when it spins.

The goal is to reduce the rotation speed and be sure the lure/bait is moving faster than the spool. But here again, the pressure you apply on the spool shouldn’t impair your casting distance.

In other words, your thumb should exert an optimum amount of pressure that is not too low to allow backlashing, but also not too high that it prevents the line from going far enough.

Collecting the line with a baitcaster is also more complicated. As we said, you have to watch how the collected line builds up on the spool in order to distribute evenly (with your thumb again) and prevents it from benching up.

So as you can see, there is a learning curve with baitcasters and you will probably need a long time of practice before you become more used to them.

The problem here is that even when you are still learning, doing mistakes can cause a lot of trouble and headaches. Bird nests and backlashing are terrible outcomes when surf fishing and many anglers believe avoidong them is more important than learning how to use a baitcaster 🙂

With spinning reels, the margin of error is much wider. I mean, yes, you still need to practice and learn how to use a spinning reel effectively, but doing mistakes in the process is generally fine and shouldn’t punish you severly.

Another disadvantage of conventional reels is that they are more prone to corrosion and damage, especially when used for saltwater fishing.

Water, sand particles, dust, fish guts, and salt residus can all get inside baitcasting reels more easily, initiating the build up of rust and shortening the reel’s lifespan.

Don’t get me wrong here. Spinning reels are not totally immune to that and they also require frequent maintenance, but the way they are built and designed kind of withstand damage and corrosion better and hence last longer.

So can you surf fish with a conventional reel?

Let’s now answer the question we are here for today. Can we surf fish with a conventional reel?

Well, I don’t see any reason not to.

I mean, a conventional reel is still a reel that can cast the line and collect it, and these are the two principal missions of a surf reel.

So yes, you can deffinetly rely on it the same way you rely on spinning reels.

In fact, a baitcaster, if used correctly, can be more productive in the surf because its lighter, more powerful, generates more line capacity, and helps to cast farther.

So if you make it past the learning curve, conventional reels can be very rewarding off the beach.

Now with that beind said, the real question you should ask is: Should I surf fish with a conventional reel? 

Here, the answer may be different because it depends on your fishing background and experience.

For example, boat and pier fishermen who are used to baitcasting reels and know exactly how to use them in different situations, surf fishing with the same type of reel shouldn’t cause any issue.

In fact, this is usually the best way to go, because going with a spinning reel when you master conventionals can be a step backwards and counterproductive.

If you know how to use it, stick with it.

Now, if you are a complete novice and want to start your journey with surf fishing and wonder what type of reel to use. The answer is clear for me.

Go for spinning reels instead.

A beginner with a conventional reel is likely to be a dysfunctional relationship that will end very prematurely. This is because, as we said, baitcasters are very punishing even when you are still learning, and that’s not what a beginner looks for.

What a beginner wants is to get his baits in the water and receive a few bites here and there as soon as possible. Not spending hours sorting out bird nests and adjusting his thumb pressure because his casts either fail or drop too close, right under his feet.

That’s why spinning reels is the way to go in this case. Spinning reels let you get by with your flaws and thus allow you do what you actually came for: surf fishing.

This applies also to you, experienced fishermen who master spinning reels. Do not switch to baitcasters. Yes, there are some advantages that wait you in the other end of the bridge, but they are generally not worth it, knowing the steep learning curve you have to take and all the headaches in the process.

Remember, spinning reels are also an excellent choice for surf fishing, and if you fail to catch a satisfactory amount of fish with them, chances are the problem is something other than the type of reel you use.

So again, if you know how to use it, stick with it 😉

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