Both Baitcasters and spin cast have there pros and cons. But do not buy the trigger spin reels. They are terrible! I have 14 ft rods with older Abu Garcia reels for a few reasons: good drag system, your able to fine tune what depth your fishing, and they make your pole a little heavier so they don't blow around in the wind so much! The only thing about spin cast that is great is they sit underneath the pole so your able to grab the pole for a smoother hook set EB