Im pretty much a 100% baitcaster guy, I use spinnign gear for shakey heads and thats about it. Anyway, I tied a lipless on a spinning setup I had with me the other day, and it felt great. I dont know what was "right" about it, it may be all wrong, but it just felt and fished good. I also tried some smaller shallow running squarebills, same thing, it just felt good. Anyone else use a spinning setup for these baits?

I have and still do on occasion usually when I'm hiking to a back woods spot or wading I take 1 pole a spinning set up cuz with my luck I'd walk 2 miles threw some back country woods to a deep bend in a creek jut to get a back lash on the first cast. It's happend I was furious I had to cut it out and was done for the day. Now I use spinnin gear and still throw cranks, spinners, lipless, jigs, flukes everything I normally would use a BC for

Yes and I would say most of the people I see at the local lake use spinning for everything cranks spinnerbait jigs you name it.. The lake is 26acres and can walk around it. I carry both BC & Spin with me, very seldom will I notice another with/using BC.

I've thrown mann's baby -1 on spinning rods and caught a few, but the only crankbait I throw consistently is a shad rap #5 because you can't cast it on a baitcaster. My spinning rods stay in the rod box for the most part unless I'm finesse fishing.

No, but I'm a big fan of spinning tackle for certain techniques.

This is not one of them.

Since I fish from the shore I use spinning tackle for almost everything when I'm fishing lakes with shore obstacles. Shallow to medium diver crankbaits both squarebill and lipless and everything else in my tackle bag. Just depends on what I'm fishing and which rod I use since I have spinning rods from ML to MH and bordering on H.

I often throw 100 series Bandits, #5 Shad Raps and other light cranks on spinning gear.

I've thrown mann's baby -1 on spinning rods and caught a few, but the only crankbait I throw consistently is a shad rap #5 because you can't cast it on a baitcaster. My spinning rods stay in the rod box for the most part unless I'm finesse fishing.

X2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried throwing the #5 Shad Rap on casting gear and it could be done if there is no wind and you are using a medium powered rod and light line but it just is so much easier to use it on spinning gear that I don't even try the casting gear with it anymore. As far as square bills and lipless cranks are concerned, I feel more comfortable with casting gear for those baits and one reason is I rarely throw a square bill or lipless crank that is under 3/8oz. Every angle is different and I know a guy that uses spinning gear for everything, he never learned to use a casting reel and has no desire to either.

I'll use them when I throw the rebel crawfish crank. I spooled some Nano fil on a reel this past weekend and could cast an RC.05 into the next zip code. So I may use spinners more for this technique just because this is a spinner only line.

Not much that can't be done with spinning gear. Bottom baits, top baits, any bait in any part of the water column, artificial bait, cut bait and live bait. Still fishing, casting, trolling drift fishing. Lures 1/4 oz to 2 oz. Bluegill thru sailfish. Have I left anything out? I don't own a small b/c.

i will throw anything on spinning gear, it doesnt matter to me.

I throw pretty much anything <3/8 oz or <10lb line on spinning tackle. This would include my smallest cranks and tiny traps.

I used to only use spinning gear when I first started fishing for bass, and now I use both. That being said, when it comes to shallow diving cranks or lipless cranks (as long as they're light) I prefer a spinning set-up to a baitcast set-up.

Should I use the 1/4 oz red eye shad, or the super spot same weight with spinning reel?

With the right rod with some flex, and an educated thumb a baitcaster will do fine for a 1/4oz Pepul. Light line too, like 8 or 10 max. There are many internet experts who will say they can throw air with their baitcaster. Dont worry about it and use what feels good or works well for you. Aint no shame in using a spinning outfit for any technique.

I use spinning tackle based more on the weight of the bait, and terrain and environmental conditions, rather than based on a certain technique or a purists view of what the optimum tackle might be.

Really light baits - usually spinning. I have several BC combos that will throw pretty light baits (like a PX Type R/light-power rod) but I reserve those "niche" BC combos for ideal conditions and don't consider them all-round tools in the box.

Really windy - often spinning, sometimes baitcasting if it's something like a lipless crank the cuts the wind. Heavy wind and something like a spinnerbait - spinning.

Really cold (around freezing or below) - I'll use BC gear as long as I can but will switch to spinning (or start with spinning) when my fingers get too numb to feather the BC spool.

Lots of overhanging and surrounding trees and bushes - spinning - all the way down to a little 3 foot rod that I use for really close quarters. I just got a backlash with a BC combo this morning trying to use it in too much shore cover; luckily I saved that expensive flouro line by removing the spool and carefully pulling all those loose coils out the side of the reel!

Anyway - as folks have already said, use spinning whenever you want to - assuming you have the right power rod and line strength for the job at hand.

There are many internet experts who will say they can throw air with their baitcaster

Now this is funny! Sure wish I was one of them....but I'm not that good with one. Light baits (below 3/16 oz. at the moment) get used on spinning gear. Close quarters...spinning gear. Don't care what lure is being used. Lure too heavy, switch to a MH rod. Lure too light, grab the ML.

Spinning gear is great for cranks that are 1/4 of an ounce or under. In clear water without a lot cover or where you need extra distance, spinning gear is great for these applications. I can cast 1/4 ounce cranks on casting gear just fine, but if I need extra distance and depth for clear water and spooky bass, the spinning rod gets the call.

Yes... My dedicated crankbait rod is a spinning setup. I use it for 3/8-3/4 oz. Cranks. I fish frogs in heavy cover with a MH spinning rod and a magnesium bodied reel. From what I have read, it seems most guys here would not even believe a spinning set up would work for frogs, let alone use one. If it works well and you are comfortable using it, why not?

Sometimes in the wind I will use a spinning outfit to through light cranks.

My b/c is broke at the moment, but I use it for top water (spook, buzzbait, and frog), jigs, and spinnerbaits. Everything else I use my trusty favorite spinner rod/reel combo. It's a shakespeare bass kit rod w/ 8lb test mono. It has brought in 2 20lb cats and over 80% of my bass have been caught with it. The reason I prefer b/c for the others is that it has more power on the retrieve. Especially with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. With spinners the reel can really burn them in and with the buzzbaits I can get them to the surface quickly.

Alot of ppl use spinning gear because b/c reels take some time to get used to. You have to think about 3 brakes: your magnetic brake, your fine tuning brake and your thumb. While learning can be a pain, once you start getting the hang of it, it can be very rewarding.