"Diamond Dave" wrote in message
...
Why is it that most/all pro and semi-pro bass fishermen use bait casting
reels
when in tournaments, or filming their TV shows. Is there some advantage to
the way a bait casting reel casts or retrieves.
tnx.

I think it's all in what you're most comfortable with Dave. I tend to use a
baitcaster for everything I can that is heavy enough for me to accurately
cast it with, and will turn to a spinning rig when it is something I need to
cast some distance and is too light to worry with using a baitcaster with,
say like a wacky rigged worm, or ultra light finesse-type rig, like a drop
shot (we have so much pressure here, we have to down-size almost to pan fish
sized lures sometimes to get bit).

I will also use a spinning rig with lures/rigs that are longer or bulkier
than normal, if that sounds right. I am referring to a Carolina-rig
specifically. With a smallish weight, and then 18"-24" of leader, followed
by a nearly weightless soft plastic, they can be a chore to work accurately
with a baitcaster for me. So I use them on spinning reels, pretty much
exclusively. They're just easier to cast with spinning gear to me. The lone
exception to this is if I find a spot that calls for a c-rig lure with a
flipped or pitched presentation (brushy shorelines/laydowns).

But if the bait I am presenting is say ¼oz or more (and isn't dangly, like a
C-Rig), I usually go with a baitcaster. I can cast it farther with more
accuracy - due to 20+ years of practice, excellent reels and years of
tinkering with those reels to "tune" them to my style and ability. As a
result, when I go to the lake "fully loaded", that means 4 baitcasters and 2
spinning rigs. (No, I am not a tourney fisherman, as the low rod count
likely, accurately implies.) And 1 of those spinning rigs is usually setup
for crappie right out of the box (small reel, light rod, light line), for
those ultra slow days when the bass are lock jawwed.

The key, IMHO, is confidence. I suggest you use whatever you feel most
confident with. You won't catch many fish fishing with gear you have no
confidence in, in my experience anyway. And the fish don't know what kind of
gear you're using, so it's all up to you.