Conventional Gear

Conventional gear is typically used for bottom fishing on reefs, wrecks and other structures. It is usually not used for casting, but rather for dropping baits and lures directly down to fish from above or trolling for big game.

Conventional gear can be identified by its typical short stature, wide reels and small guides. In many cases, conventional setups are spooled with monofilament line rather than braid. It should be noted that when reeling a conventional reel, you will need to use your thumb in order to guide the line back onto the reel in a straight and even manner to avoid a backlash.

Spinning Gear

Spinning gear is different from conventional gear in that it is primarily used for casting rather than dropping baits and lures or trolling. A spinning setup does not require the user to guide the line back onto the reel, has larger guides than a conventional reel and is usually, though not always, spooled with braided line.

Spinning setups have many great applications from panfish to schools of giant tarpon and certainly have a place in any angler’s arsenal of fishing gear.

In Conclusion

Each of these setups has applications that they are distinctively suited for. Whether you’re a hardened tournament angler or simply just want to wet a line, using the right tools for the job is important. Stop by or visit your local MarineMax store online to view our full line-up of fishing boats so that you can put your fishing setups to the test. We’ll see you out there.