Can You Use a Spinning Reel on a Casting Rod?

One of the fun things about writing this blog is that I get to search the internet looking for different questions about fishing that beginners are asking so I can write an article that answers the question and helps them. Today, we’ll discuss two of the ultimate beginner questions: what is the difference between a spinning reel and casting reel, and can you use a spinning reel on a casting rod? While we’re at it, we’ll discuss if a fishing rod can break if it’s bent the wrong way, because if you’re going to mismatch equipment, this is a real concern.

Yes, you can put a spinning reel on a casting rod in a pinch and you might even find the combination serviceable for light fishing, but there are several drawbacks. (1). You’ll have reduced casting distance. (2) There is the potential for damaging the rod. (3) Your rod will have reduced power and action for the blank. (4). Everyone who doesn’t have a life will be laughing at you, or at the very least rolling their eyes.

Let’s talk a little bit about these in detail so you can make an informed decision before you head off to the lake with one of these mismatched combos.

Spinning vs. Casting Reel – What’s the Difference?

It’s beyond the scope of this article to discuss all the differences between spinning reels and casting reels but you do need to at least know what they look like and how they generally work to understand why you shouldn’t swap the two.

A spinning reel is designed for use with a spinning rod. These reels are meant to be mounted on and fished from the underside of a rod, so it is facing towards the ground while you’re reeling.

Line is kept on the spinning reel by way of its bail. In the photo below, look at how the line leaves the reel and bends in a 90-degree angle before continuing on towards the rod tip. The point where it bends is called the line roller, and the golden semi-circle extending away from that is called the bail.

To release line, you would “flip” the bail by moving it up towards the top of the spinning reel. This releases line from the spool (the part the main bulk of line is wrapped around), as it is no longer kept under tension by the bail and line roller. Note, the spool does not spin while line is being released. It only spins while line is being reeled back on.

A casting reel is designed for use with a casting rod. These reels are meant to be mounted on and fished from the top of a rod, so it is facing towards the sky while you’re reeling.

Line is held onto the spool by a lock which is disengaged by pressing the spool release button at the back of the reel. This allows the spool to spin freely as line is stripped from it. To reengage the spool lock, one turns the reel handle.

The different design of these two reels necessitates use on different types of rods. Line from a spinning reel releases much further away from the rod than it would from a casting reel, which sits much closer. Thus, the line guides on the rod are aligned differently.

Let’s examine that a bit further as I discuss the first reason you don’t want to use a spinning reel on a casting rod:

1. While You Can Use A Spinning On A Casting Rod, It Won’t Cast As Far

If you’re seriously considering trying a spinning reel on a casting rod, I doubt you’ll care about the three other concerns I’ll raise in this article, but you should care about this one. Everyone benefits from longer casts.

If you look at a spinning rod you’ll notice that the first two line guides closest to the handle tend to be much further out than the line guides further up the blank. This is to accommodate the fact that line leaves the spinning reel farther away from the rod than it would on a casting reel.

By putting a spinning reel on the wrong type of rod, you’re risking reduced casting distance because the line can no longer flow as naturally or evenly. Instead, it has to immediately bend towards line guides that sit much closer towards the blank on a casting rod.

This immediate deflection is going to cause friction which is going to reduce casting distance. Does this really matter if you’re just going for panfish off a dock, or even just fishing for fun? Probably not.

On the other hand, if you’re fishing spinnerbaits or other lures where you want to cover a lot of water, the cumulative effect of multiple casts at a reduced distance could arguably translate to many less fish caught over the course of a day.

Just picture this: If you lose 3-5 yards on your cast because you’re using improper equipment, that’s 9-15 feet of water that potentially holds fish that won’t see your lure on that cast. If you make 40 casts an hour (which is a pretty conservative figure) and fish for three hours, you’re looking at 1,080 – 1,800 feet of untouched water. A lot of fish could hide there!

2. Using the Wrong Reel Has Potential for Rod Damage

I will admit that I’ve never put a spinning reel on a casting rod in the first place, much less broken a rod by doing so, but there seems to be a heavy debate out there on if putting a spinning reel on a casting rod (or putting a casting reel on a spinning rod) endangers the rod and makes it more likely to break when bent.

How Fishing Rods are Built

The reason for this concern is because fishing rod blanks (the main “rod” part) all have a spine that is formed during their construction.

Fishing rod blanks are hollow and are built by rolling a sheet of graphite or fiberglass over a metal mandrel. Doing so creates a section of overlap called the “spine.” Because of this overlap, this section is thicker than the rest and is considered the “backbone.”

The side directly opposite the spine is thinner and will bend easier, so the objective when building a rod is to align the line guides or “eyes” are opposite to the spine of the rod blank. This way, when a fish strikes, the rod will bend towards the softer side and not against the spine.

Will A Fishing Rod Break If Bent the Wrong Way?

Some people argue that by putting a spinning reel on a casting rod, or a casting reel on a spinning rod, you end up forcing the rod to bend in the opposite direction than it was intended, against its spine, and this can risk catastrophic failure.

The jury is definitely out on that one. There are a lot of people repeating it, but then several others who don’t seem to think it’s a problem. I’ve seen a few results on popular forums where experienced rod builders have taken both sides of the issue. This is clear as mud.

I tried to figure it out myself by taking one of our less expensive rods and just bending it every which way, and I didn’t notice any difference in how far the rod would bend, or feel as though it was about to break.

I’m not sure I’d try it on one of my nicer St. Croix fishing rods, but on the other hand I’m fairly certain (much more than a hunch really) that if you’re fishing with a high-end fishing rod, you probably are going to have the correct type of reel for it.

On the other hand, if you’re just starting out and found this crazy combo in your granddad’s shed, or pieced it together for a few bucks at a local tag sale, does it really matter if the rod eventually breaks?

3. A Mismatched Rod and Reel Can Alter the Rod’s Power and Action

This one I’d definitely believe. Fishing rods are carefully crafted to ensure that they meet manufacturer standards for power and action.

Power is the rod’s resistance to bending in the first place, while action refers to where along the blank it will bend (a fast action would bend near the tip, a moderate action further down towards the middle).

Altering the rod in any way is likely to change this. If you don’t believe me, have a rod re-tipped after you break it. Compare it against the same rod, undamaged. The shorter one is going to feel different (usually less flexible) than its unbroken sibling.

If you are mismatching your rod and reel type, then you’re using the rod in a way the manufacturer never intended or designed for. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is something to consider. You might find that the rod performs a bit differently is all.

This could be a deal breaker for someone who demands precision, but I again suppose that if you’re the type of person who is doing this, the rod’s power and action probably aren’t at the top of your concerns!

4. “They’re All Going to Laugh at You” If You Use a Spinning Reel on a Casting Rod

Sometimes you just want to “fake it ’til you make it,” but if you’re using a spinning reel on a casting rod (or vice versa), you aren’t fooling anyone. This isn’t really fair as the reason you’re using this strange combo may simply be it’s all you stumbled into and could afford, but such is life.

There are plenty of people across the world who have the intestinal fortitude to mismatch a spinning reel and casting rod, who brave all the dangers I warned about, and who catch fish regularly. It will work, but you are going to look silly doing it.

Granted, this drawback really shouldn’t matter to you as a grown adult (what do you care what someone else thinks of you?), but it might matter to your kids. Bullying is tough these days and even if experiencing it can teach resilience, we shouldn’t set our children up for it on purpose.

If you see someone out there using their rod this way, cut them a break and don’t be rude. You don’t know what their circumstances are. This might be all that they can afford, or perhaps it’s all they know. You can offer assistance or insight but be kind when you do so and don’t be a jerk about it. The world is full of jerks and us fishermen and women need to stick together.

Conclusions

As discussed, while you certainly “can” use a spinning reel on a casting rod, there are several good reasons why you shouldn’t aim to. It’s one thing to just pick up a couple of odds and ends at a tag sale and throw them together to make things work, but you certainly shouldn’t buy a mismatched rod and reel new.

If you do, there’s a good chance you’ll break your fishing rod because it bends the wrong way, and an even better chance that you won’t get to use it to its full potential. It would be a lot like trying to drive in a nail with the butt of a screwdriver. Yeah, it’s passable if it’s all you have, but certainly not recommended.

If you’re new to fishing and are looking for some tips on what type of gear you should buy, consider checking out my post on the basic skills you need to take your kid fishing. It will set you up with a rod and reel combo suggestion as well as discuss what other gear you should buy.

I also have a detailed post on whether or not expensive fishing rods are really worth it. Reading this might shed some insight that can save you a few dollars to put towards a reel that matches the rod.

Finally, if you’re on a tight budget and need to find a spinning rod to go with your spinning reel, consider reading my post about how to buy used fishing rods with confidence as this is something I do frequently that saves me a lot of money and allows me to get some quality items for a great price.

As always, I hope you found this article helpful. If you did, please consider sharing it so it can help others too.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!