Competitive anglers carry a number of different rod and reel setups so that they can be prepared for any fishing situation they'll encounter. Depending on the conditions and techniques they favor, pros carry spinning tackle, baitcasting (or just casting) tackle, and flipping gear in a range of different weights and actions.
Spinning gear is the most common kind of tackle in general freshwater fishing. The spinning reel hangs below the rod, and pulls in line with a rotating "bail" that wraps the line around a fixed spool. This design makes casting easier to learn than with baitcasting reels, and is well suited for small to medium lures and lines. You'll commonly see spinning rods used for small jigs, spinners, and "finesse" softbaits like tube jigs, grubs, and light worm rigs. Because spinning tackle doesn't suffer from the backlash problems of casting gear, it's the best choice for skip casts or casting into the wind. On the other hand, spinning reels do put twist on a line and aren't as strong as casting reels for heavier lures and fish. In addition, they make it a little harder to cast accurately, and tend to have more "give" and less sensitivity than casting gear.
In comparison, a casting reel sits on top of the rod and winds line directly onto the spool without turning it through a bail. In casting, the reel spool itself spins as line is pulled out: this allows a skilled angler to "thumb" the reel and brake the lure's flight very precisely. This "level-wind" design makes the casting reel stronger and best suited for medium to heavy lures and line (light lures just can't pull the line hard enough to cast very far). However, if the lure stops unexpectedly, the spool keeps spinning out line that has nowhere to go on ugly backlash and bird's nest? tangle is the usual result. Some newer reels have automatic braking mechanisms to prevent backlash, but they still require a lot of practice to master.
Flipping gear is essentially a casting setup with a longer, stiffer rod. It's used for stealthy, close-in softbait and jigging techniques around brush, docks, and other obstacles. Flipping and pitching techniques consist of deftly placing or swinging a lure into position very quietly and accurately the angler doesn't need to cast far with a flipping "tick." But it definitely has the backbone you'll need to yank big fish out of the tangle once they are hooked.
All of these reel types commonly feature a drag mechanism. Drag lets you determine how much force it takes for a fish to pull line from your reel during your retrieve. This means you can fight a big fish and let it run and tire itself out without the risk of breaking your line. Drag works best when set to give line at about one-third of the line's wet breaking strength, pulled straight off the reel.
Most quality rods are made of graphite or graphite composites, and are designed to have a particular "action" and "weight." Rod action indicates how much of the rod flexes under stress, with slow actions being relatively soft and flexible and fast actions being stiff and more sensitive. Rod weight indicates the size of lures and line best suited for that rod, and again, lighter rods tend to be more whippy and flexible, while heavier rods are stiffer. Too light a rod can hide strikes, while too heavy or stiff a rod can cause the angler to rip the hook away too hard or too soon. Each angler will have to experiment and see what works best in a given technique or situation.
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