Guys,

I was reading Maineguide's thread....

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=25664

...and my question is pretty basic. What are the advantages of a Conventional reel over a Spinning reel and why do people go through all the trouble to learn how to use them for casting?

there lighter in weight some say they have more cranking power and a better drag . the main reason they are used are for casting distance with heavy lines.with to days braid you can have 50lb braid with a 12lb diameter super braids are very limp and some say make the spinning reel match the conv in casting distance and fighting power. i think that with todays spinning reels with there long cast spools and limp small diameter super braids spinning reel are just as good

The greatest advantage of conventional, in my mind, is the ability to throw much heavier weights or lures (as in a beach application). The tension that is put on the line to throw 6 or 7 oz weights (say yer fishing bait of a beach) is just too great for spinning...it will rip your fingers up. Some people try these "trigger releases" but they don't work that well. In many applications, such as bait fishing sand eels you need heavier weights to hold bottom than what spinning reels allow.

Also, conventional reels can cast greater distances and have more retreive power than spinning reels.

i like conventional because I look cool using it :bgi:

in all honesty i dont know why i switched over..... they are harder to cast thats for sure.

Jezzuz you sound like Spence Nebe;

My reasons for throwing convench revolve around the ability to freespool in a hurry; i.e. eeling and jigging fast moving water...

Other than that; it is a slightly different rod position and casting style, so in the fall switching between my 1201M and VS250 and the lighter (weight wise) 1089 w/ 525 mag gives my broken down shoulder a break......

Also, I've been using convench as long as I;ve been using spin since I grew upon boats, and go between pretty easy; I learned to throw convench with a penn squidder... everything else is cake....

Also, I've been using convench as long as I;ve been using spin since I grew upon boats, and go between pretty easy; I learned to throw convench with a penn squidder... everything else is cake....

I've thrown a squidder from time to time, and if you can manage that, yer a Convench god! :rotf3:

I think conventional are harder to learn how to cast but easier on your body, no whipping involved.

I switched over because of fishing for largemouth bass...I have greater accuracy when fishing a conv because of the high tech thumb braking system. Dropping a spinnerbait into an "ambush hole" is much easier using a conv that a spinning reel IMO. I have just gotten use to fishing with a conv plus it is much easier to throw 5-6oz jigs with conv!

Not even Sweet; but I think thats the way to learn; when you can toss a squidder you can toss anything; I still use it as an eel stick in my skiff, with a squidder you cant reel all that fast.. perfect for eels....
I've upgraded to a 525, 6500Mag elite and 7000 in the suds....

i like conventional because I look cool using it :bgi:

in all honesty i dont know why i switched over..... they are harder to cast thats for sure.

You look so cool with that new rod to sling it on! :rotf2: That thing has more gold than fort knox!

Seriously, My opinion is that all the way around conventional gear is just better, stronger, more acurate.I have rods for different applications, so with conventional I can toss anything. I like the fact that everything is "infront of you" instaed of underneath like a spin rod, You seem to get more power out of the rod when you fish over the top.

The power thing is really dramatic, Steve and I can be on at the same time with 15lb fish, using the same lb test line and simalr rods I seem to get them in twice as fast, steve thinks its that the fish feels more pressure over the top than underneath, who knows, I just like it better

Its also the best way to go for fishing heavy jigs in the canal, or breachways, I would not want to work a jig in a humping current with spin gear, just wasnt made for it......

I dont have anything against spin fisherman! so please dont get the wrong idea! I just like conventional!

Plus " It looks cool fishing it" Thanks for that one Eben :rotf3:

I think that convench is the way to go while fishing the Canal,I like it for applications like drifting eels & chunk bait youre line rolls off the spool and the presentaion is more natural.They are also ideal for plugging and jigging,you can get a mega cast out to those hard to reach fish or you can get a extened drift on a jig.
You are able to cast heavy lures further and with more accuracy than with spinning.You can take out the brakes & change the factory bearings to ceramic and cast even futher.Conventionals can hold alot more line weather it be Mono or braid,I belive that have they a higher torquing strength than spinning.A convench looks like a smaller version of a winch,they are very durable and rugged,I dont mind dunking my convench in the water,in fact before my first cast I'll pure water on it so my line gets wet and it wont affect my first few casts.When I get home I can rinse off my convench and let it air dry.If I dunk my spin I know that when I get home it will need to be tended too,not a complete strip down but more work than I want to spend on it,unless you have a Van Staal things would be different in that respect.
I like to use spinning reels on the beach because most of the time that I go it's @ night and I use eels,stick baits,lighter plugs & sluggos.Spinning reels are alot more "user" friendly like casting,retrieving & untangling knots.vs a birds nest on a convench in the middle of the night.Everything has it's Pros & Cons,IMHO I think it's all preference,as to what kind of fishing you want to do what kind of bait you use & where you fish.

5/0

Thanks for the responses.

I do a lot of eel slinging. But it is from a boat which I put pretty close to shore. Also my eels are usually unweighted since I spend most of my "casting" time in less than 20 feet of water. So I am not throwing a ton of weight long distances.

The only reason I could see to switch was the ability to use conventional gear in a light weight trolling application and still use the same reel to cast...sort of a troll/cast day of chasing bones or falsies.... Or am I not making any sense what so ever?

Although I like to look cool, I usally fail trying. So I'll save my $$$ and stick with my spinning gear....and avoid the headache of learning Conventional.

i like conventionals because you can use heavier line i use 30lb mono no problem.you have more cranking power there geared lower than most spinners.you get no line twist with convench.more line capacity.and if eel man uses em they gata be good. :rotf3:

I like spinning, no birdnest worries, no rod twist when fighting fish, and no need to freespool when using circle hooks while eeling, altho I never had a problem without circles. And I don't like to look cool.. :gf:

I like spinning, no birdnest worries, no rod twist when fighting fish, and no need to freespool when using circle hooks while eeling, altho I never had a problem without circles. And I don't like to look cool.. :gf:
what the heck is rod twist??? Thats a new one I have never run into before :bounce:

I have zero problems with convench, no nests, no trouble with wind, nata! to me its as natural as the people fishing spinning, its easy :btu:

what the heck is rod twist??? Thats a new one I have never run into before :bounce:

I have zero problems with convench, no nests, no trouble with wind, nata! to me its as natural as the people fishing spinning, its easy :btu:
That's because you're special, Bill. Don't start! :rotf3:
Take your conv. and tie the line to something down low and torque the rod up, the reel will try to twist on you. That's the reasoning behind "SPIRAL" wrapping conv. rods.
How'd u do tonight?

Acually, I'm thinking of selling my conv. reels since I don't use them.
I have 2 barely used reels, Abu 6500 Pro Rocket with Smoothie drag and upgraded bearings, and a 7000 HSN with Smoothies.
Have original boxes too, reels are less than 1 year old.
See Classified...

i like conventional because I look cool using it :bgi:


Cause where women are concerned there ain't nothin cooler than a man in Rubber Pants and Moon Boots, holding a convench setup and covered in fish stink......thats Elvis/Beatles kind of cool :hihi:

I use spinning because its what I'm comfortable with....been using it all my life.

I would like to try drifting bait w/ a convench setup though that makes a lot of sense the way the line comes off.....been trying it w/ the spinning gear and after awhile I've been getting some serious line twist.

Depending on which reels you use they convert very well over to offshore reels. (avets... 2 SX 1 MX... still looking for another SX) :hihi:

Nothing like free spooling an eel in the canal or any current and feeling the eel freak out and then your line starts peeling off your revolvong spool in one smooth motion. Turn the handle lift the rod set the hook. My favorite way to fish by far.

When using a spinning reel on the beach or drifting the line kind of bumps off the spool it is not a fluid motion. When you have a hit with spinning you need to step forward throw the bail and let the fish run. With conv. you just hit the clutch and free spool.

Had this conversation last night at the canal with 5/0.

That's because you're special, Bill. Don't start! :rotf3:
Take your conv. and tie the line to something down low and torque the rod up, the reel will try to twist on you. That's the reasoning behind "SPIRAL" wrapping conv. rods.
How'd u do tonight?

If your rod is "twisting" when you hook up (i.e., the reel trying to turn /under/ the rod) it is because the rod was tied-up improperly. Every rod has a "spine" (or "spline") that is the natural bend in the rod. If the reel is set on top of the spine that is proper for conventional. For a spinning rod, the reel is set /under/ the spine. A proper conventional rod will not twist.

In other words, you can't take a spinning rod and simply remove the eyes and put conventional eyes on the same side of the rod. To do a conversion, you have to remove all the eyes AND the reel seat and move everything to the other side of the rod (180 degrees) assuming the spinning rod was tied properly to begin with.

Check the spine (spline) and make sure that the natural bend of the rod is appropriate for the way you would normally fight a fish. The natural arc of the rod should point downward with a conventional reel on top, and a spinning reel on the bottom.

I started out spinning only but have switched to conv for bait fishing and jigging. The conventional (525mag on a custom Lami) setup lets me throw 4-6 oz plus bait easily and far longer than spinning. Same for heavy jigs in the canal.

I still spin for plugs and eels as the retrieve is so much easier. The 525mag is not levelwind and therefore every retrieve requires guiding the line on the reel manually. No big deal for bait fishing, but for plugging it is not worth it to me as I don't need the distance.

In short, distance and weight capacity are the reasons for me. From a boat, I don't see any benefit to switching to conventional for casting situtations.

Try using a casting reel w/ a levelwind, I don't think you'll lose much distance with it vs. a non.

If your rod is "twisting" when you hook up (i.e., the reel trying to turn /under/ the rod) it is because the rod was tied-up improperly. Every rod has a "spine" (or "spline") that is the natural bend in the rod. If the reel is set on top of the spine that is proper for conventional. For a spinning rod, the reel is set /under/ the spine. A proper conventional rod will not twist.

Not quite true although spine does matter.

The biggest reason it wants to twist is because the spool is wider than the rod. When the line goes over to the side of the spool it torques the rod to that side.

On small reels like a 6500 it's not as noticeable. But get a hard pulling fish like a big red drum on a long 12' heaver with a wide spool reel like an abu 7500 and you can really feel the rod wanting to twist from one side to the other as you retreive the line. Especially if it is a non-level wind and your rod hand grip is weakened by using your thumb to lay on the line.

Plug, I can understand what you're saying, but I've never experienced the problem you're describing. Although most of the downward line pressure is at the tip eye and the pressure on the reel is horizontal (more or less) and there is little downward force on the reel.

I've regularly used 7000s, squidders, etc. on 10 footers and never experienced this. I also use 113Hs (which is a relatively wide spool without a levelwind) on my 6 foot boat rods and have not noticed it. I've used 49s and haven't noticed it (but that is a very narrow spool).

I'll just have to trust you on this one :)