Fly Fishing vs Spin Fishing: Which is better?? (Trout Fishing) 

Which is better... whichever one puts the biggest smile on your face and warmth in your heart.

I fly fish for trout on streams and rivers, I use bait-caster or spinning rigs for lakes. I don’t discriminate different styles of fishing, they all have their advantages.

I feel like most fly fishermen think that the only lure spin fishermen use is spinners. I lived in Colorado for a few months and I caught a lot of trout spin fishing with 2-inch jerkbaits and micro softplastics on a 1/32 or 1/16 oz jig. Those are way more effective than spinners IMO and would be a better representation of what spinning rods are capable of.

I am 79 years old and have fish for trout since I was seven. I’ve used all methods that I know of. I think flyfishing with my Flyrod is great fun and sometimes it seems to be the only way to catch fish but I think spin fishing is much more versatile and let’s face it you can always Tie a afly onto your Spooner or spinne Or use a bubble and throw the fly as far as you want to. That’s my two cents.

It has to be tough making these comparison videos because so much depends on the water conditions and the mood of the fish. Today they wanted flies, but you may go back to the same creek next week and smoke them on spinners. I think knowing how to fly fish AND spin fish, and when is the best time for each, is the key to being a truly proficient angler. Great video, thanks for taking us along!

Definitely a ultra light spinning guy. Grew up on it, and i’ll always love the feeling of catching a fish on a spinning rod! Getting into fly fishing has taught me a new appreciation for fishing as a whole, and I will say, it’s definitely super fun and in some cases way more effective! 100% worth getting into if you’re a serious angler and want to try something different.

love your videos, every time im feeling burnt out or discouraged you inspire me to get back out on the water. thanks for the content

Learnt to fly fish first, did this for me. Then had to learn to spin cos my wee man wanted to come out fishing with me. "The things you do for your kids." Love doing them both!! Brilliant video, thank you.👍

I have been fishing using spinning gear for about 17 years. I have been fly fishing for only 2 years, and I feel like I have caught the same amount of fish in those 2 years that I would have on spinning gear. And I’m a guide so I fish a lot

I used spinning gear for decades but started to slip into fly fishing in the late 90s. Though I enjoyed it, as arthritis took its toll on my body, I find myself using spinning gear once again. Both are enjoyable, both productive and both addicting. Great vid and discussions.

Nice show! A fly rod can be the best tool to present something in the strike zone and that is not talked about enough I think so great that you point that out 👍

Beautiful big rainbows! Thanks!

Hey man, I just wanna say thank you for getting me hooked on fly fishing. You were they first guy I started watching when I got my first fly rod. Keep up the great videos. God Bless 👍

Neither is better, they both have a time and place. Both are about having fun and being outside, if its what you have and it gets you out its the best. I am a die-hard fly fisherman but recently have expanded to spinning to be able to adjust when needed or to change it up and try new things.

Finally a video of spin fishing! I miss your spin fishing videos.

Typically I run a spin fishing set up and a fly fishing set up when I’m out on the water. To me it seems that is the best way to catch the most fish. This was a great video to watch love the content!

An interesting topic, well handled. Thanks for sharing this with us!

I started fly fishing about 2months ago and haven't used a spinning reel since. I absolutely fell in love with fly fishing.

Its an easy answer question. It really depends on the conditions of the rivers, the time of the year and the mood of the trouts. I only fish trout with the spinning technic for about 30 years now but I love to see fly fishing videos. I use spinners, jerkbaits and shad softbaits, and depending on the days etc the fish react differently on the bait I use. It happened to me several times using one of those baits in some hole and nothing, and changed to a different bait first cast and boom!!! Thanks for the videos!!!

Just starting fly fishing yesterday, and found it to be much easier than spin fishing. Could be my teacher, but it’s so much more smooth

Awesome video as always. You're keeping me 'fed' until out season opens on April 15th

Great video! Definitely makes me want to get better at fly fishing. I think if you used a smaller spinner (1/16 or a 1/24 oz) with a silver blade you would have caught just as many with the spinning rod. Can't wait for more dope fishing content in 2023!

I do both types. I use them depending on where I’m going or what I’m doing. For me I feel like it’s more of a personal preference. I do have to say that a spinner is used so much on trout that most don’t hit it anymore. Besides most fish have their own preferences of what to eat that day so always good to bring a variety of lures

Your videos are the reason I am learning how to fly fish.

Love your videos.Many tools for different experiences.

I do both and have been successful with both. There are many variables that drive me to use one over the other at a given time on a given water. Also, the technique you were using for the fly in this video can easily be emulated with a spin rig on that particular water.

When you get good at fly fishing and when you learn to pick up specialty methods like euro nymphing, you will catch way more trout in rivers and streams than with spinning gear. However, when trout fishing in lakes and ponds, fishing with spinning gear is usually more effective but you can still do well on the fly when they’re not hunkered down deep.

I agree with your assessment totally . The only advantages I see spin fishing having is that you can really launch it further and get into the undercuts a lot more effectively! I do see guys on the water using spinning gear on the water and it’s usually quality over quantity! I’ve actually tried experimenting exactly as you have and found that fly fishing overall is more efficient and requires more skill making it a much more rewarding way to fish ! Oh by the way , awesome job landings those beautiful bows !! Tight line buddy

Spinning can be really effective when you use hardbody minnows and soft plastics rather than spinners, but I’ve been places where they hit spinners one day, hardbodies another day and soft plastics another day. I would argue that soft plastics are just as effective, if not more, than fly fishing

I LOVED this video. Sure, a comparison like this is tough, but fascinating none-the-less. The other take on this is still water fishing (lakes and ponds). I find it incredibly frustrating to fly fish on a pond or lake, and have greater success using a spin rod in those circumstances. Yes, there are a ton of videos out there on how to fly fish still waters, but it's an area of fishing that I lack competency.

I’ve trout fished with both and have had around the same results on both, i think I sheerly depends on the scenarios of which you are fishing!

The video might not have given the best answers, but it is asking a very intriguing question worth exploring.

thx mate, great video! I bought the fly rod and never used it. Now it's time to clear the cobwebs .

Great video and analysis.

Definitely times and spots where a fly-rod is the best tool to catch fish, and times and spots where a spinner is the best tool. Great video, brother. That bow at 11:00 was beautiful!

That’s it. I’m convinced 😂 I gotta learn to fly fish. Nice vid

Man, your videos are great!

I'm sure one day I'll take the dive and learn me how to fly fish, but I've really enjoyed fishing with spinners and dont really feel like im missing out, I catch plenty. Certainly beats the ol worm n bobber my old man tried to raise me on. Good video and always fun to see side by side comparisons for fishin trout in rivers. Cheers!

People can discuss what they like more and what's the most fun all they want. But if you want to catch fish then spin fishing is always superior. With a spin rod you catch more fish, it's easier to learn, and you catch larger fish. In Norway all fish size records are recorded for both fly fishing and spin rods separately, and spin rods records are consistently 40-50% ahead of flies. Like for instance brown trout, where the national record for flies is 10.6 kg and the record for spin rod is 15.3 kg. For Salmon, the record is 26.6 kg for flies, 35.3 for spin. Again the spin rod is far ahead. It's also worth noting that spin rods can also be better than fly rods for fly fishing. A float + fly setup can allow you to cast flies at far greater ranges than a fly rod can. I carry a pretty special tackle box, a Loop Opti 180 Tube Fly Box, which in practice works really well for carrying a combination on flies and lures in a single box. And I carry about 50 flies and a float + 15 clean hooks for bait fishing, 12 spinners, 10 lures and 3 jerkbaits. That's one single pocket size box that allows me to fish for trout anywhere no matter what the trout want and where they are. If they're far out, I got the range. If they're deep in a lake, I got the lures. If they're in the shallows, that's no problem either and if they're busy eating flies I got a large selection with me at all times. You can't match that with a fly rod. So discuss the fun and challenge aspect all you want, but at the end of the day, spin rods are more diverse, catch more fish and catch larger fish.

With what I just said I just started fly fishing eight months ago and I am totally addicted !!!!!

Awesome video, I hope it’ll help convince my grandkids to take up fly fishing & tying with me

Jon, fly or spin fishing, you're a danged fish magnet! Great video.

I have recently started to fish for trout in the winter. For the last 45 years I have fished bass tournaments, briefly at the pro level. Bass fishing I use both spinning and casting equipment with line test from 4 lb Mono to 65 lb braid. I’d like to fish 20 on a Flipping Rod with a jig 100% of the time but in bass fishing what works is what counts and you don’t get points for style. I am starting the build of a 8 ft 4 wt rod as I watch the video and hope it will increase my presentation option fishing for brook trout in the small Pocono class A streams I’ve been fishing.

I think it really depends. Weather conditions, target species, body of water, time of year, fishing pressure and many other factors come into dictating the most effective method for fishing. Fly fishing definitely takes more skill than using spinning/bait casting rod, but that doesn’t always mean one will be superior to the other all the time. It all comes down to conditions in place.

Spin fishing was my original method of Trout fishing in great state of West Virginia. Pennsylvania made me a believer of the fly rod. Just caught my first wild pa brown of 2023 on a white wooly bugger today on my 8 ft 4 wt. Both tools have applications that make it effective. Having abilities with each makes you a better fisherman IMHO 😎👍🏻

Man! What a beaut! I'm surprised you didn't take it home n cook it! I'd sure be tempted 👍

In my region so few fishermen use fly rods but i enjoy your every video!Don’t know why,but it’s also easier to catch a fish on spin rod for me:)

I'd say they would be about the same effectiveness depending on conditions, but spinning is WAY more convenient, versatile and flexible in terms of places where you can use it, kinds of lures you can use, and types of fish you can catch

Both are fine. I perfere to change the treble hook on the spinner to single hook. Treble hooks can tear up trout at times.

I can confirm as a person that fish with both i have similar experience that fly fishing gets you more fish but those on spin are way bigger.I also don't use spinners because fish just don't bite on them but i use spoons like Abu Toby or Salmo Minnow otherwise most of the time they just ignore them even if see them in water.

Love both but for different time and different enjoyment. Many tools for different experiences.

Different methods for different situations. I typically spin fish more than fly fish for trout in my local waters because it suits the fishing here more. I use a 5 and a half foot ultralight setup with 3 pound line and a variety of lures. I use spoons, small spinners, smaller crankbaits, jigs and certain soft plastics such as worms and hellgrammite imitations with this rig as well as salmon eggs on occasion. I use my 6 foot medium light rod with 4 pound test with larger spoons, larger cranks and soft plastics like crawfish imitations, especially when I’m specifically targeting larger browns. Here’s a twist to throw in here; I will sometimes use flies with my spinning gear. I use a clear casting bubble a couple feet up the line and often with a two fly dropper rig. In some of my local creeks the overhanging trees and abundance of greenery as well as the steep and high embankments and little to no means of wading due to water depth makes for a nearly impossible time using conventional fly gear. It’s very effective in certain situations. That said there are certain situations where trout will only hit a properly placed fly that matches the forage they’re after at that moment. Both methods have their place. If I might add too that bigger examples of trout from all species often target larger prey such as other fish as well as things like crayfish just as much as insects. Sure, muddlers, streamers, buggers and craw imitators work, with a fly setup but throwing soft plastics, spoons and cranks with spinning gear is often tough to beat for those situations. I’ll crawl a plastic craw or jig slowly along the bottom or jerk and pause a crankbait that has an action that no fly can imitate. BTW, you were fishing that spinner awfully fast and it was a rather large spinner too. I mostly use 1/16 ounce or smaller spinners and retrieve as slowly as possible. I prefer inline (wire through the blade) type spinners when fishing in current as those type of blades will spin at very low speeds. I have tried a few of those Joe’s Flies type fly spinners like the one you used here and never have had any luck with them, LOL. My other spinner offerings beat them soundly in terms of catch rates. I’d like to see another challenge between fly fishing and a spinning rig using 3 pound test line and something along the lines of a 1/16 ounce Worden’s Vibric Rooster Tail in black Mylar or black with copper blade color (my favorite spinner and color of such) fished *slowly* to see the difference in catch rates then.

You can use any type bait/lure/fly on a spinning setup and cast just as effectively by placing a small clear casting bubble 12 to 24 inches above the fly. The bubble also allows you to use dry or wet fly. You can also tune the depth of the lure with the casting bubble. Have caught lots of trout, crappie, and bass with this setup.

Fire videos as always!

Nymphing is exactly like bait fishing. Streamers are just like throwing spinners. The reason I like dry flies is because it’s something you cant replicate conventional fishing.

I think all styles and methods of fishing are interesting. To some it's not about what is most productive. Trout eat flies which is why fly fishing is just about as easy as bobber fishing. What I learned from bass fishing with spin and bait casting and fly gear is that sometimes it's not about matching the hatch but getting the fish to strike even when not hungry. I think out of all the ways I fish, if I want to go out and guarantee a catch, I will go fly fishing for trout. It's not that hard. Being a well rounded angler by learning different techniques and methods makes fishing even more fun. Last summer I tied up bass jigs in crawdad patterns and crushed it. Before fly fishing, I was bass fishing and fishing jigs was a really effective method and took what I learned using baitcasters and spin rods and it really helped when targeting bass with a fly rod. I love hook setting on a bass with a baitcaster but a good solid strip set is just as satisfying. Fishing is just awesome!

I fish the smallest phoebe spoon in small streams and some larger sizes in the lakes for trout . I have found Ol' phoebe to be one of the best lures in my box . On the fly rod I do alot of nymphs and terrestrail patterns . The ant is a great trout fly that seems to work well.

Nice looking trout stream ! I flyfish and spin. Where I have had more success with spin fishing in rivers is with Rapala countdown in smaller sizes. Thanks for the video.

You inspire me to want to try fly fishing!

I used smaller panther martins generally on 4lb test, small spinning reel and normally did well where we fished. I practiced with a fly rod on a stock tank once and thought I had it down, but once on location, failure and foul language, switched over to an ultralight spinning rig with my favorite panther martins. I did not get to fish often so I went with what put meat on the table. We picked one day per trip to keep our catch for fresh trout and probably a few too many beers. We obviously called this a Rocky Mountain High. However your thoughts on fly fishing made perfect sense and I'll admit is probably "better" for most that know what they're doing. I do enjoy watching y'all fly fish, but generally love the mountains with the creeks and rivers. PS- those rainbows were killer! Good show.

I've always used spinning gear for Trout. Would love to learn and dabble a bit with Fly fishing. I use spinners, spoons, jerkbaits, jigs. I love the versatility of using a spinning rod.

Nice fish! Good angling my friend!

awesome. 👍

I've been a devoted spinner fisherman my entire life. Always thought fly fishing was more about style points than catching fish, but RU-vid has been changing my mind. This video might be the one that finally convinced me to give it a shot. The above comments are probably right that it depends on conditions, but I'd hate to think my Mepps spinners are going right past monsters like that.

Awesome fish! It’s not really the same thing though right? Spinner vs nymphs. Why not throw a spinner and a streamer or if you’re gonna use nymphs, toss a small jig with float on the spin rod? There’s so many different techniques you can do with both rods, you can essentially do the same thing with both.

Wow sure some nice fish.!

I used to only fly fish for trout, now that I'm usually fishing with my kids I typically use spinning gear. I've come to appreciate the simplicity of spinning gear, theres not too many days I cant catch some respectable trout on little more than a silver Mepps. And you can definitely nymph with spinning gear, either on a drop shot rig or under a slip bobber. Generally works just as well as with fly gear, in some cases better.

I've fly fished for awhile and I still prefer a spinning rod, fishing jigs. This type of comparison never quite works out very well since each method could be more effective in differing fishing situations. It's also somewhat arguable that jig fishing is similar in principle to fly fishing since marabou jigs are basically heavy woolybuggers. In my case, I'm usually fishing still water in a float tube, so jigging with a spinning rod lends an added degree of control when working the hard edges of thick weed beds and other obstacles. That said, my two largest trout came on the fly rod, on the tube near weed beds. The conditions and motivation dictate the best tools for any given outing. I don't chase big grayling with a spinning rod and I don't chase big brookies with a fly rod. Specific to this video's question, getting a proficient (primarily) spin fisher to be the spin fishing example and letting the proficient fly angler be the fly fishing example would give both methods a better representation. Winter streams provide great opportunities for both methods, when carried out by people who know their craft.

I do both, I can say with certainty that in small rivers and creeks a fly rod will put fish a spinner every day of the weak! Nymphs, dries, soft hackles, streamers all done on fly rod and covers the entirety of the fishes diet!

You can cast tiny lures as well, you just need a BFS setup. 😁 Ultra light baitcaster with low cup casting reel, short rod (4-5 feet), tiny lures. I can cast even tungsten nymphs too, jig flies with my BFS rod. In Europe and Japan it is very effective for trout and our bigger chub, european perch, barbel, etc. but I follow BFS anglers from USA as well. Many lures are available on the market, and not just lures, flies too.

I like the fly fishing. 🐾🐾🎣

I can't fathom the flyline that you're using. It looks so easy to cast. I am primarily into Tenkara-style fishing right now. So easy to present a fly on cheap($25) gear.

I've used a flyrod since I was old enough to use one. i had a lot of fun doing it. I laid the flyrod down in my early 20's because all my friends were bass fishing. 25 years later, my boys are grown, and all I want to do is fly fish. It's not better, it's just more fun to me.

I will not say which is more productive . But consider one very important point . The hook . I tie my flies and always use barbless hooks . Spin fishing with lures , not all people switch out the treble hook to a single hook . Treble hooks were never made for catch and release fishing therefore the fish inevitably is more likely to die . Just food for those .

Ya it can! Years ago I was at my local state park which has a rather large pond and low and behold there were fisherman and women using spinning gear fishing with flys. But each one had a hard plastic bobber tied to their lines for the weight needed to cast. The clear round plastic bobber had a small eye screw mounted on each side - opposite each other - for tying the spinning line on one side and a fly line leader tied on the opposing eye screw. Generally, the leader side was about 4 feet or longer and a fly was attached to the end. Some fisherman were presenting with a dry fly while others were using streamers or nymphs and these people were reeling in trout with abandon. So, yes you can use a spinning rig to fly fish and on a large pond or a lake, the technique is very effective. I generally use my old Fenwick glass fly rod on small streams but I have used the spinning rig which works just as well as my fly rod.

Great video... 💯👍

Nunca he pescado con vara de Fly trataré porque me gustó mucho tu video 👍

My opinion both ways can be equal as good depends on conditions of water,spinning you got spinners,jigs,live bait options and fly you got plenty of options and you can make your own flies easier than your own lures. Regardless as long as you're out having fun with which ever type of rod and just out fishing is always what you need.

I like to do both. My best day of euro nymphing is 18 trout, which isn’t too great, but my best day with spinners is 33. I like spinners for really small streams, where shorter casts are better. Overall I enjoy fly fishing more, but it is good to know how to use both

I have done both, I got hooked on flyfishing years ago. I mostly flyfish, but both are fun, I would guess you would catch more fish on a flyrod. Tight lines. 👍

Good points at the end regarding the time of year and species differences. Thing is, rainbow and brown trout are not really that alike. They not only spawn at a different time, but they also live in different geographic range. All browns in North America are non-native, but if we go to Europe, where browns are native, we'll see that in many eastern-northern regions they are safe from attempts at introducing the rainbows because the latter just can't reproduce (too cold). Plus, rainbows can be grown in ponds en masse, similar to carp, and you won't see that with browns. All in all, very different fish and quite different fishing. And, by the way, spin fishing for brown in winter is nowhere near as effective as doing so in warm water, even in relatively warm conditions like you have here (no ice and/or snow in January - that's warm ;). In winter, you will do much better with slow cranks that are worked slowly, even at a standstill, against the current, preferably not in fast runs but in slow, deep undercuts and such. That's why I personally don't like winter trout fishing - it's just too different from the warm water one. With that said, I too have a feeling that an experienced fly fisherman would out-fish an experienced lure fisherman on an open stream like this more often than not, independent of the trout species or time of year. It's just a hunch, though.

Great video. May i ask what company of that fly rod is that and its wt and height ? It seems your casting at ease.

I use a 1/4 oz. Kastmaster the majority of the time. I would be curious to see it see how it stacks up against flyfishing in your area. I personally have had little luck with spinners. I have caught a few on the silver #2 buds spinner(cheap mepps copy), and the little Cleo spoon. However the kastmaster for me outfishes any other lure. I am eager to try flyfishing this Spring. Keep the videos rolling. Peace

love the background music mate keep doing these types of videos

Love fly fishing for Bass on tributary streams to the Susquehanna River.

I got in to fishing by fly fishing with my grandpa , I liked it but it was the only way if fishing I’d ever known for a long time , I then got older , got a phone and started watching fishing videos and got a spinning rod , I have touched my fly rod maybe 10 times since I discovered spinning, I’m still good at it but I always out-fish my grandpa, him using a fly rod and me a spinning rod ,let’s face it , spinning is more fun and catches more !

Nice video! I think it would be cool to put spinners against streamers for a video, and then float fishing soft plastics vs euro nymphing flies. Im not into spin gear, but I have seen some very real looking stone fly and other bug soft plastics. That way, there is no bias towards the fly rod because of its ability to catch the smaller ones. That would seem like a little bit better comparison to me. I’ll always be a fly guy, but videos like these are good fun 👍

I find fly fishing to be highly more productive for all trout species...however ive found spin fishing to be a useful prospecting tool when exploring new water.I do so with large streamers covering a lot of water fast.If I move fish I will return ready to fish the section by fly.

I love my spinning outfit as my spinning setup allows me to fish in any weather, rain / shine, an wind / rain. I do like fly fishing as well as being able to see the fish take a fly is quite exhilarating in itself! However fishing in a river or stream from the shore is practically impossible with a spinning setup.... Guess it really pays to learn how to both fly fish and spin fish..... Using a spinning outfit also tends to catch bigger fish but fly fishing will catch more fish (but smaller) overall.....!

All my best salmon and trout have been caught fly fishing but spin fishing definitely is great for scouting new spots and I still always have my spin rod in my car

Awesome video!! Your channel looks really cool! Just subbed too!👍

I picked up fly for my birthday and absolutely love it, place for both me thinks

I started out fly fishing for trout in streams. Been doing that for like 20 yrs. So now days when I freshwater fish I use a fly rod. A few years ago I started spin rod saltwater fishing , mainly surfcasting for striped bass. I absolutely love them both and mix it up sometimes. In my opinion flyrod is better for trout and Spinning tackle is better for Striped bass

Neat show. What kind of Orvis Fly Reel is that.

Homemade live well. The epitome of red neck ingenuity! I like that better than the stick fishing video. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The ventral fin on that second big rainbow was crazy.

I always open up the belly of the first trout i catch (if its big enough), if i see worms, i use the spin rod, if i see mostly flies, then i use the fly rod. You're still technically hunting, don't forget that.

Funny on your Facebook post someone thought that was a poster behind you lol 🤣 nice fishing ,always enjoy your videos

Ive done both types of fishing from coast to coast. Spin casting is SO much cheaper to do. Fly fishing is much more costly. With all the gear including rods & reels, wader and boots, vest,line, and flys. Flys alone are a ridiculous investment unless you decide to tie your own. Fly fishing also takes a great deal of dedication to know what to use and when.

so beautifull trout