Is It Still Worth Learning To Use Baitcasters In 2025???
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
We got the question in the community again:
“Is it still worth learning to use a baitcaster in 2025?”
And it got us thinking—should you still put in the time to learn how to use one? Or are spinning reels just too good these days to bother?
So I sat down with Luke and Texas Coach Scott Ray to hash it out.
We covered:
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The real pros and cons of baitcasters in today’s saltwater world
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Whether the learning curve is still worth it for new anglers
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How spinning reels + braided line have changed the game
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And how regional styles (like Texas wading vs. Florida flats) influence reel choices
Here’s the bottom line:
Spinning reels are more user-friendly, more affordable, and better suited for the majority of saltwater anglers—especially if you’re just getting started. But for advanced anglers? There are still real advantages to a well-tuned baitcaster in the right scenario.
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Now we want to hear from YOU:
Is learning to use a baitcaster still worth it in 2025? Or are spinning reels the new king?
Let us know in the comments!
Tight lines,
Joe Simonds
Salt Strong Cofounder
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STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
I am so glad I learned how to use my bait casting reels. They are great for placement of my lures, such as getting close to oysters, grass lines and the shore. Rarely do I over cast and end up in the mangroves or something else. But sometimes here on the Texas coast the wind can pick up in the afternoon and I have to resort to my spinning gear. The great thing about baitcasting is in the mornings when I am topwater fishing–it is so much easier to cast accurately and work a topwater with a baitcaster, in my opinion.
How are spinning reels and wind knots a thing. I am not a great angler but I think I’ve had less than ten wind knots in 40 years. Do you put your finger down to feather the end of the cast?
So, as someone who’s not as advanced, I use both baitcast and spinning. I ended up picking up the baitcast to learn on and had mixed feelings picking out backlash, but found it really useful. I don’t count on being able to send the baitcast the same way I can my spinning setup because I’m more comfortable with the spinning setup, but I love the fact that when I dial in the baitcast for a safe enough setup for brake and tension, I get immediate tension when I’m in the water. So, if I’m throwing wild I want the spinner, but when I know there are fish around and I want to be ready for an immediate hit, I switch to the baitcast so that I have that immediate responsiveness. Also I don’t find the baitcast as useful for long cast as I do for being able to shorter, controlled cast when I’m throwing towards mangroves and I don’t want to actually hit the trees but want to be right at the roots.
Great video discussion! Being from the Texas Gulf coast, Scott was so right about the mud and oyster dark water most of the time. I wade fish a lot with my Dad and spinning reels work well with the variety of wind and water conditions we fish in. We use a lot of artificial lures with pretty good success. We like 90/10 Smart spots. Looking forward to the next discussion. 🙂
It’s hard to fish with a guy with a baitcaster and you have a spinning reel cuz they get so darn close to the rocks and you throw into the rocks because you’re so used to casting much further
You know if you grow up with a baitcaster you use it a lot and watches Scott ready to run his make after like a fine oil machine he’s been doing it most of his life but a spinning rod if you’re usually using a spinner rod it uses you very well too but whatever you’re used to work doing is not what you bring to the water is how you enjoy a moment that you are on the water to whatever will you decide to use is okay
Good stuff, Philip!! We appreciate you, buddy.
I love using the Lews Inshore series of bait caster reel on 7’6” Medium fast rod for all popping cork fishing. I also transferred my KVD 7’10” deep cranking rods to my slip corks & matched with 20lb braid. The parabolic bend in these rods really helps keep trout buttoned up & the line retrieval is excellent.
I’ve been throwing a Jimmy Morris real and it works out really well they baitcasters really smooth so give it a try
Are you sure you guys three damn Brothers could you sure look a lot alike
Great information on the two different reels. Will take your advice and try to master both!