By Kevin VanDam

Large spools enhance spinning tackle performance.I don’t have to tell Michiana anglers the importance of spinning tackle fishing for bass and panfish in our lakes and rivers.

You’ll probably find more spinning reels on the decks of area anglers’ boats than you will baitcasters. That’s not to say baitcast reels aren’t vital, but many of the techniques and line sizes used here match up better with spinning gear.

Without question, I prefer baitcast tackle for heavy duty fishing, but spinning allows me to fish lighter baits, especially in the wind, on longer casts. For example, I may throw a small Strike King jerkbait, crankbait and even little topwaters on a spinning rod. It enables me to subtle presentations on longer casts when that’s what the bass want.

Spinning reels aren’t without their hassles, but I’m here to tell you how you can reduce those issues while simultaneously improving your fishing efficiency.

To begin with, I highly recommend larger spooled reels. Most spinning reels are sizes as “20s,” “30s” and now “40s.”

And while the 30 size is the most popular because of its weight and spool size, I’m utilizing more “40” size for more spool capacity and smoother performance.

You do add a little weight by stepping up in size, but Quantum’s new EXO 40 size has compensated for that in a lighter, yet gutsy model.

There’s no question that lighter reels balance rods better and make them more sensitive.

Since I’ve begun playing with EXO 40, I’ve noticed a substantial difference in how better I can feel my bait than I could when I was older style 40s. That’s because of the weight reduction.

The larger spool makes line management less of a problem. You get far fewer “woofers” – that’s what I call line blow-ups caused from twist or tangles - that occur occasionally with smaller spinning reels. You can also step up your line size without noticeable problems, and casting distance is vastly improved. I often spool a spinning reel with 30-pound braid, and while the diameter is smaller than mono or fluorocarbon of equivalent size, I gain more strength yet retain castability with the larger spinning reel.

In our clear water, long casts with finesse baits are critical to getting more bites. Casting distance with larger-spooled spinning reels, regardless of line size, is substantially better.

Also, if you have problems fishing fluorocarbon on spinning reels because the line isn’t supple enough, you’ll find those reduced when fishing it on 40 size reels.

Another benefit to larger spools is retrieve speed. While gear ratios certainly impact that, spool size is equally important. With larger spools you take up more line per turn. For example, with the EXO 40, I retrieve three feet of line with one turn of the handle. With most 30 size reels, you get about 30 inches of line per turn. With more inches of line per turn, you gain power and speed.

Consider a larger size for your next spinning reel that will be used for longer casts. Unless the reel adds substantially more weight, you’re going to notice better performance overall.