Inline vs Spinning

[piersm2]

I wanted to open this topic back up, because of how the inlines have advanced in the last couple of years.  I have always been a fan of spinning reels, but I see where an in line would play out pretty well.  The line twist would be the only reason I would go with an in line.  I fish finicky panfish with 2# test and walleyes on 6#.

What are your thoughts?

[Gunflint]

I use a black betty freefall and love it, but I mostly fish lake trout. It is pricey but works quite well.

[walpy]

I'm looking at the pickle 27" light this year for brookies.. wonder if it'll hold up to a LL salmon?

I've never had luck with jigging - because I've never really tried but I have a big urge to this season

[slipperybob]

They are still just tools to accomplish tasks...

I don't own any of the stemmed inline reels, because I have bait casting reel set-ups.

For sure one thing about inline reels is you won't have to feel rod tip vibration if reeling fast.

[Craft Man]

I love the in-lines with light mono.  Not only no twist, but the spool is much larger than spinning reels it also reduces any memory.  I've got quite a few Eagle Claws.  They've been good for the money.  Adjust the decent drag and they even drop the small teardrops pretty quick.  No coiled line or hanging up.  Much prefer them to spinning reals for pan fish.  The Eagle Claws drag isn't great but fine for crappie and S.D. perch.  You can get 4 Eagle Claws for the price of a Black Betty, but if your are going after lake trout like Gunflint you may want to spend the extra $$ to get a better reel/drag system. 

[filetandrelease]

 
  I use both inlines and spinning reels
I use my black Betty’s over a 100’ with no Problems ,

[lowaccord66]

Line twist has never been an issue to a point where I've had to consider taking action to correct it.  Shallow or deep, braid, mono or floro.  So for those reasons I haven't dabbled in a inline.  However, I like catching fish with all sorts of styles of equipment. Is there such a thing as a heavy duty inline?  I haven't really looked but it'd be fun to nail Lakers on one.

[stinkyfingers]

Is there such a thing as a heavy duty inline? 

Alvey reels, though maybe they're a little more than you'll need through the ice.

[filetandrelease]

Jon the lakers I catch so far only run to 30”s you can catch some nice sales end of season , picked my 6061s up for $50.00 , I can’t run the trigger as I am digitally challenged  lol , but inlines aren’t for everyone either

[wills1235]

I'm a big fan of Lew's reels from fishing steelhead in Washington.  I see they make an inline crappie reel.  Anyone have any experience with it on the hard water?

[slipperybob]

I'm a big fan of Lew's reels from fishing steelhead in Washington.  I see they make an inline crappie reel.  Anyone have any experience with it on the hard water?

I wouldn't use any cheap crappie reels.  They're designed for spider rigs. 

[marknpanfish]

 In line free falls are all I use now. I love being to get back down to the fish faster. Some people don't like the drags, but if I check them once in awhile I don't have a problem. As luck would it I have landed 5# bass and pike up to 34" on my low end Eagle Claw with 4# test instead of the preferred Black Betty. But what ever reels you like it's all good, just fish.

[FG Steve]

I use all spinning reels.  I think I get more line twist from lure/jig action than my reel.

[Dave R]

I had an Eagle Claw and then a CGC No. 8. Didn't care for either one. So I primarily use spinning or Schooley reels. 20' is about the deepest that I fish. I spray the line on my spinning reels with Reel Magic the night before and then will stretch about 20' of line before I start fishing.

[Dinosaur1]

I like the in line because it doesn't coil the line and in deep water you can get back down much faster. I have Eagle Claw. Kid doesn't like'm tho.

[marknpanfish]

I feel in line reels are like soft plastics once I got confidence in them that's all I want to use.

[NateD]

How are you guys getting back down to the fish faster with the freefall?  With a spinning reel there is zero resistance the jig is "freefalling, " but with an inline there is added resistance from the spool having to spin so it goes slower.  I have both and still prefer spinning for the fast freefall and far smoother drag.

[Bucket Rump]

How are you guys getting back down to the fish faster with the freefall?  With a spinning reel there is zero resistance the jig is "freefalling, " but with an inline there is added resistance from the spool having to spin so it goes slower.  I have both and still prefer spinning for the fast freefall and far smoother drag.

I like the Freefall in that it gives you great "one hand" control on the drop - you can set the drop speed and taking your finger off the trigger stops the drop immediately with no slack in your line.  Didn't care for the Freefall's at first, but spooling them with Nanofil line really made them shine   I also use spinning, but mainly for my walleye rods.

[NateD]

I like the Freefall in that it gives you great "one hand" control on the drop - you can set the drop speed and taking your finger off the trigger stops the drop immediately with no slack in your line.  Didn't care for the Freefall's at first, but spooling them with Nanofil line really made them shine   I also use spinning, but mainly for my walleye rods.

Do you think it drops faster though?

[Bucket Rump]

Do you think it drops faster though?

I wouldn't claim that the drop is faster than a spinning reel, but they can be set to drop pretty quick.  Having a low memory line like Nanofil or FireLine Micro Ice helps the drop speed for all reel types.

[missoulafish]

@nated 👌

[kasilofchrisn]

I didn't need an inline for line twist issues but thought what the heck I'll try them.
Bought a couple of the Black Betty 6061's and I love them.
Will always have them in my aresenal from here on out.
They are good quality and work great.
The adjustable spool tension and smooth drag are so nice.

[NateD]

I wouldn't claim that the drop is faster than a spinning reel, but they can be set to drop pretty quick.  Having a low memory line like Nanofil or FireLine Micro Ice helps the drop speed for all reel types.

I guess it depends on the lure, but for small jigs it is definitely slower for me even at the lightest setting.

[walleyes]

Tried both, had spincast for years still have a couple but for the most part I've gotten away from both and went with  Baitcast. Smaller profile that spincast and even inline, less expensive for a more than adequate reel. Less moving external parts than a spincast means less issues when it's cold. I won't go back to either, by the end of this winter I'll have all baitcasts. Easy to let to bottom when the drag is set properly can sink an 1/8 jig on free float to tag bottom and stop with no backlash, far superior in all ways as far as I'm concerned.

[FG Steve]

Tried both, had spincast for years still have a couple but for the most part I've gotten away from both and went with  Baitcast. Smaller profile that spincast and even inline, less expensive for a more than adequate reel. Less moving external parts than a spincast means less issues when it's cold. I won't go back to either, by the end of this winter I'll have all baitcasts. Easy to let to bottom when the drag is set properly can sink an 1/8 jig on free float to tag bottom and stop with no backlash, far superior in all ways as far as I'm concerned.

Hey walleyes I wonder if we have a semantic or naming difference.  To me, a a spincast is a closed face reel and a spinning reel is open faced.  Same definition?

[walleyes]

Yes you are correct my bad. Out here we just refer to Spinning reels as spincast and closed face reels as well, close faced reels. But you are correct on the proper names I guess I just take it for granted everyone is wrong like me lol.

[Ramp 23]

Walleyes, what type of baitcasters & rods are u using ?

[VenomInjected]

Some love em. Some hate em...  All my setups are eagle claw micro-inlines

[beast]

Myself, I love the straight line freefalls for panfish by 13 fish and have fished them in 30+ ft. of water, but to be honest with you, for walleye I use a good quality open face spinning reels because I feel  they have a better, smoother drag system for larger fish like walleye.

[lowaccord66]

Jon the lakers I catch so far only run to 30”s you can catch some nice sales end of season , picked my 6061s up for $50.00 , I can’t run the trigger as I am digitally challenged  lol , but inlines aren’t for everyone either

Thanks Fred. I just want to try something different, then again I'm usually fishing 75-100 and dont have all day to watch a jig drop...