# Surf Fishing tackle - Conventional VS. Spinning



## DVO

Recently I saw several posts' pictures from Surf Fish and others. They all use conventional tackle for surf fishing. I'm down here in Titusville, Merritt Island, Cape Canaveral area, and I rarely see anybody surf fishing with conventional. We always use spinning tackle. What are the Pros and Cons between them?. Is this just local preference thing?. Just curious.


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## Railroader

There is lots of room to debate this subject, but when it gets right down to it, with quality equipment, one's as good as the other. 

When you see someone using conventional reels, it is safe to assume they spend a lot of time fishing, and with that guy, it is not just a casual pass-time.

The use of conventional equipment shows a commitment to the craft of fishing, that most folks don't have. It takes time and effort to learn to cast conventionals well, but I can teach someone who has never fished in their life to throw a spinner in ten minutes.

Some dedicated and committed fishermen have decided to stick with spinners, after trying conventionals, but they are the exception and not the rule. Most folks that "go to the dark side" of conventionals don't go back.

Our resident curmudgeon Surf Fish is a good illustration of this fact, and some time back he wrote a good article about the transition, I'll see if I can find it...


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## Railroader

Here ya go...

http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32643

http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32644

Good reads...


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## jettypark28

*Railroad*

I did try the dark side and to me it was no better then a spinner. Hell i even try fly fishing ,but unless i am on a deepsea fishing boat, i am using a spinner I was bought up on spinning gear, and know alot of other didicated and commited spin fishers. That never went to the darkside, or even taught about it. (Why fix what isnt broke) both have their Pros and Cons....I am not looking to break the world casting record, and can cast far enough with a spinner to reach my target. I have also read where people, went to the dark side and found a new way of life but to each his own. Like anything else this is a matter of choice.........But i would have to add that there alot of didicated spin fisherman that have taken their time to learn this art we call fishing...And if it came down to numbers, spin reel will almost outnumber conve reels...anywhere you go...so that along say something for itself, to me conv is like playing golf....alot of people think they can play, so they do it just to say it, because the really good ones at casting these reels (Smoothly) are few....oh hell...i started somethng now


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## Surf Fish

I don't think it's a local preference, it's a personal preference. I switched to conventionals because I had lost distance with spinning gear. 

Conventionals forced me to learn to cast "with proper techinque" instead of "with raw power" (which I don't have anymore). 

For me the pros are:

1. More distance, with less effort. I feel I can cast as far as I "need" to cast again.
2. No more sliced up index finger.
3. Lot less crack offs when casting.
4. Personal satisfaction that I am slowly becoming proficient at doing something most people never bother to try. 

For me the cons are:

1. If I do crack off a shock leader, I can't tie on another one and keep fishing; I need to respool the reel, so a spare reel is a necessity.

2. It still, at times, feels awkward fighting a fish on conventional tackle after using spinning gear for 50 years.

3. I used 3,456,312 yards of line during the initial learning process of casting conventionals.

In all the years I've fished in the surf, I always thought harder was better when it came to casting, and stiffer was better when it came to rods. I don't think either any more.

Probably the most important thing I learned is that while "Grip It And Rip It" might be the best approach for some people with a golf club, it was certainly not the right approach for me with a fishing rod; to cast farther I needed a much softer rod, a lot less raw power, and a lot more techique.

When I fish on the beach, I rarely if ever see anyone using conventional reels, with the exception of the guys from P&S that I fish with. The learning curve for spinning gear is a lot less steep than with conventionals, and most people never try conventionals. 

Now that conventionals have forced me to learn that more (raw power) isn't the right approach, I'm sure I could be more successful with my old spinning reels (and some spinning rods that aren't as stiff as a telephone pole) than I used to be with spinning gear. I've learned that technique is the key to casting, no matter what type of gear you use. 

I doubt I'll go back to spinning gear for surf fishing, because the opportunity to tweak things, improve my technique, and the personal satisfaction of being able to throw a conventional reel make fishing more fun. Even a good blowup now and then is fun, because the index finger on my right hand isn't bleeding profusely after it happens. 

Yes, there are guys that can throw spinning gear farther than I can throw conventionals. After a fishing season of conventionals, I can throw mine farther than I ever could throw any spinning gear. How far? Far enuff. That's the other thing I've learned. You need to figure out how far "far enuff" is, get there, and then do some fishing. Farther doesn't always equal better.

All of the above applies to me only. Your mileage may vary.....


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## jettypark28

*Great reply*

surf:beer: :beer: but you use all that line while learning and you are right...folks should try what ever appeals to them....Like i said i did try the darkside and even have two conve laying around....they are old (they were my dads) and at time i like to throw them around some.....funny thing i found out is most people (being righthanded) like reeling and casting that way>conve reels feel more natural to them I am righthanded but learn to reel lefthanded, as most spinning reel are set up that way....I know this is off subject but why do people take spinning reels and fish upside down with them when most spinning reel, the handled can be changed out....I have grab people reels on piers and shown them that...they didnt know the reel could do that some people are funny...the first time my GF did it....i almost fainted now she does it the right way, but still complains so i changed it out for her....:fishing:


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## live2kingfish

i like to fish conventionals because i was raised throwing them, and like surffish i can get more distance with them, i also think you can use the line on conventionals longer because memory dosent seem to affect the distance as much as it does with spinning from what ive learned, ill never use spinning gear surf fishing anymore, but thats my preference


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## eaglesfanguy

*[email protected] upside down spinning*

Jettypark you said it best... im a passive person .. but when i see an upside down spinning reel.. its friggin infuriates me... I have no clue why.. but it does.. some of my friends have tried that with my gear.. i snatched the rod out of there hands like lightening.. and show the correct way.. i also hate when the handle is switched... learn it the right way !.. it just looks weird.. i choose conventional gear myself and allow my girl and friends to use the sissy spinning tackle..Ill use spinning on my 8lb test trout rods thats about it.. from what ive learned.. is light line spinning tackle.. 12lbs and up all multiplier reels.. i love me some ambassadors...
I grew up fishing spinning from my father .. and he to this day still believes in spinning.. i think he has one penn 320 gti for offshore fishing but everything else he owns is spinning.. im the opposit.. i love the conventionals.. but thats just my 2 cents..


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## bigphil

It's all personal preference. I made the switch last year myself. Mainly after losing some nice fish, wanting more distance and the painful trigger finger thing. 

Trying to improve my success rate I started reading about these conventionals, shock leaders and longer cast distances. Decided it was time to step up from the walmart specials. For throwing 4oz and up, a conventional is the way to go IMO.

For the light stuff I dont think you can beat a spinner (1oz or less).

Go with what you like, but it's worth trying a conventional setup.

We were fishing last week and there was a guy that walked up with two 6' spinners. I watched him cast and joked with Surf fish, that if he starts catching fish I'm going to start fishing closer in. He probably didn't cast half the distance of us. Guess what.....he caught fish (and so did we).


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## Bigfisherman

I'm a spinning outfit guy, I just laugh at the people who turn them upside down to reel. Out of curiousity I tried it once when nobody was around, talk about awkward. 

It's my understanding that some conventional outfits can hold much more line on the spool than spinning. That may be a benefit. A large shark can take out a lot of line, then take out more when it finds out he's hooked. 

Just my .02


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## trowpa

I am struggling with this as well - i'm a spinning guy - starting to get serious with my casting...working on my technique, going to fields to practice etc...

I need to make a decision soon about upgrading my rods - not sure if I should continue with spinning or potentially start over with conventional....

Considering a custom rod in the future but wouldnt want to get a conv until I really knew what i was doing on "the dark side" But i wouldn't want to spend the $$$ on a custom spinner and regret it after I switch...

I think its best to try the conventional with cheap gear and find out who you are - if deep down you are born to be conv. or spinn...then just go with it, cast the best you can with whatever method you end up with


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