Inline vs Spinning

[jethro]

Honestly, the main reason I like using inlines are because they store better in my rod bag. Lower profile.

[hnd]

my opinion from another similar thread :

for a few years i used nothing but inlines.  i started with okuma fly reels, went to eagle claws and 6061's, blackbetty's, the Clam ones.  all of them.   I also fished the last half of the 16-17 season with a freefall ghost because it was supposed to solve my inline woes.  It did but at that price tag it wasn't worth it.

The problem i have is their drags are not good.  they aren't terrible (well some were or nonexistant) but most are not anywhere near as good as a spinning reel.   The other is that even with the freefall i felt i was peeling line off way more manually when fishing 2-4mm jigs (what i fish 95% of the time) than i do spinning reels.

regarding the idea that it results in more fish due to reducing line spin....my fishing partner never bit on the fad and we never saw a time where there was a finicky enough bite that the inline made the difference.   

I keep 1 inline on a noodle rod that i'll use for the fun of it in shallow (<10') situations.  Otherwise, i'm 100% spinning rods now.   

[NateD]

my opinion from another similar thread :

for a few years i used nothing but inlines.  i started with okuma fly reels, went to eagle claws and 6061's, blackbetty's, the Clam ones.  all of them.   I also fished the last half of the 16-17 season with a freefall ghost because it was supposed to solve my inline woes.  It did but at that price tag it wasn't worth it.

The problem i have is their drags are not good.  they aren't terrible (well some were or nonexistant) but most are not anywhere near as good as a spinning reel.   The other is that even with the freefall i felt i was peeling line off way more manually when fishing 2-4mm jigs (what i fish 95% of the time) than i do spinning reels.

regarding the idea that it results in more fish due to reducing line spin....my fishing partner never bit on the fad and we never saw a time where there was a finicky enough bite that the inline made the difference.   

I keep 1 inline on a noodle rod that i'll use for the fun of it in shallow (<10') situations.  Otherwise, i'm 100% spinning rods now.

Agreed, I only use mine for perch and gills because of the drag, and even then the small jigs don't like to "freefall."

[Ice_Fly_Guy]

I really tried to get on board with in lines...I tried the CGI and Frabill 371.  I liked many aspects, but I ended up having line tangling issues every time out.  I still have the 371 and will still use it for shallow situations.

I'll definitely be sticking with spinning as my main reel type, especially since they can be used year round.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

I love my 13 fishing black Betty 6061. I’ll never go back to spinning.

[TKfishing]

I still use a mix of inline and spinning reels. I have the original 1:1 Black Betty which is a favorite for gills in 10-12 FOW or less, a 6061 Black Betty that i love for smaller spoons for perch and crappie in deeper water, and most of my walleye/pike rods are set up with Shimano Sierra 500 spinning reels (best value in ice reels hands down!).

I don't think there's one reel for everything, and there's no such thing as having too many ice rods!

[perchnut]

I use both.  What I dont like about the inlines, and I have a Ghost, is how the line gets behind the spool, and you have to take the spool off, remove the line, put the spool back on, and screw the little knob back on....oh and its white, so dont drop it in the snow.....

[fishermantim]

I use inline reels of different types (acquired at different times) and use braid only.
I have spinning reels as well, but use mono on those.

If you are in a pinch, you could always use a fly reel too, but most of those don't really have much drag to them, except when you palm them.

There is a little "learning curve" with using in line reels, but it's hardly worth mentioning. You'll find out quickly and adjust just as quickly.

[Bucket Rump]

I use both.  What I dont like about the inlines, and I have a Ghost, is how the line gets behind the spool, and you have to take the spool off, remove the line, put the spool back on, and screw the little knob back on....oh and its white, so dont drop it in the snow.....

That issue with line getting behind the spool due to coil memory is what lead me to change over to the superlines - the low memory of these lines eliminated the problem for me.  I run 6# Nanofil and Fireline Micro Ice in 2# and 4# with a short 18" to 24" fluorocarbon leader.

[j6kwok]

Probably overkill but has any one tried using a baitcaster instead of an inline reel?

[hnd]

oh yeah, the oold guy i used to ice fish with would use nothing else. 

[lowaccord66]

Probably overkill but has any one tried using a baitcaster instead of an inline reel?

All the time.  Calcutta 50 with a mackinaw 32".  That rig doesnt help me jig any more Lakers than my spinning setups....and when the bite is on usually drops too slowly for me to get back down as quickly as I like.  Sometimes those bites are so temporary I like to take as much advantage as possible.

[missoulafish]

Baitcasters work great!

[slipperybob]

Probably overkill but has any one tried using a baitcaster instead of an inline reel?

<<<<<Don't just try...use it religiously.   

[hnd]

i think b&m makes a small crappie baitcater.  probably perfect for this

[slipperybob]

Those crappie baitcaster are sort of junky.  They are really designed for spider rigs. 

[jimhaney08]

For what it's worth I have used the 13 Fishing Black Betty inline (with fender) and I just couldn't get used to it.  Didn't have a drag, took forever to get down, and if you weren't careful you ended up with slack loops in the reel. 

Then I got a 13 Fishing Descent.  I liked it much better.  Initially I had some issues with line jumping out of the spool and getting tangled as some have mentioned.  The best piece of advice I got was to use a braided line and DON'T FILL UP THE SPOOL.  Leave the spool looking like it's a little under-filled.  You're fishing straight down and (in my case) in less than 40' of water.  You don't need 150 yards of line.

Last year I got a 13 Fishing Freefall, and I love it.  I agree that if you're not in a shack and using a 3mm jig, the line may not dispense as freely as you would like.  Personally, I haven't had that issue often because I normally use a heavier jig.  I find that as the jig falls it builds speed and will fall plenty fast.  I really like the trigger because I feel like it engages quicker and cleaner than the Descent model.

I also have a Freefall Ghost on the way to try this year.  It's definitely cheaper, so we'll see how it performs compared to the Freefall.  I'm hoping it rocks, because I can deal with that price point a little better than the Freefall (but I don't buy anything that isn't on sale).

[Foxzyk]

I have bought a few of the mid priced inline reels the last 3 years and never liked them. The drags weren't smooth at all, they dropped down crappy never a smooth free fall. They never felt well built. I think if you want a good one you have to drop the coin on the best 13 fishing one that every body loves. I now just use spinning reels.

[Unclegillhunter]

Probably overkill but has any one tried using a baitcaster instead of an inline reel?

don’t know how old this one is but I have had it for 30 years,

Keep it safe! JDL

[ClearCreek]

don’t know how old this one is but I have had it for 30 years,

Keep it safe! JDL

That looks like the setup my parents used for all their fishing in the late 1950's (I still have it hanging in my so called "trophy room").

ClearCreek

[Unclegillhunter]

That looks like the setup my parents used for all their fishing in the late 1950's (I still have it hanging in my so called "trophy room").

ClearCreek

I know that the multi colored braid on the reel is tuff to find nowadays!
Keep it safe! JDL

[kasilofchrisn]

I know that the multi colored braid on the reel is tuff to find nowadays!
Keep it safe! JDL

It's called metered braid.
It's still available.
The color changes every meter.
I bought some from Finn's braid a couple years ago at a sportsman's show and still have a bunch of it.

[marknpanfish]

 I finally got three days on the ice. I use my  13 descent real smallmouth bass up to 16 1/2 in I felt the drag was smooth. I own a Black Betty and I feel The descent works just as well I think it's a very good bang for the buck. Also for you guys that have had trouble with lion getting behind this bull The descent as a quick release pool. I feather the school dropping so I very rarely get line behind the school.

[Ihawkangler]

I think it depends on whether you fish inside  or outside and what you fish for.  I tried a couple inline reels last year and was pretty frustrated with them when fishing outside.  Even in light winds the line would get reeled up in the reel unless you paid close attention.  I did not find that they dropped as quickly and had to more adjusting than with spinning reels.  I do like them for spoons because they don't get as much twist in them.  I sold both of mine last year but recently picked up an Eagle Claw Miro and will give them one more try.   I will say my experience fishing in a hit with spoons or heavier tungsten jigs was better but I never really got comfortable  with them.   

[wyogator]

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

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