>>1486803spinning is inferior for fishing a sardine anon, that's just a fact. It's easier to be able to tell when you get a bite on a conventional star drag, and when you get a good bait it's also easier to tell. I'd also take a small conventional, like penn 15 size or shimano torium 14 over a spinner to fish the smaller baits as well, hell use a large baitcaster in the 300 or 400 size at that point too, even easier.
Conventionals are also lighter than spinning reels overall when you get to the size of reel you need for larger yellows and medium size tuna and dorado. Their line capacity to size ratio is also better in every way. And the whole popper thing is a niche thing, just like irons, if you're casting at wahoo you'd probably be throwing a raider jig or a bomb anyways, both reels will do fine.
Another important point is that you can get 2 speeds with conventionals, and that really helps out when the fish goes vertical and you need all the extra torque you can get, especially on larger models.
Spinning out here for saltwater only has a few applications imo. Either to teach someone the basics, for throwing lures when surf fishing, throwing small lures in the 3/4oz and below in a situation where you need them to and if you're doing some lighter drop shot in the bays from shore for halibut or something. I can cast shit like pic related, which is an 8 foot rod and 300 sized lexa, pretty far and with no problem, I just had to get accustomed to it. And most of my friends throw poppers on similar outfits just adjusted for line size on anywhere from 30# to 60# class outfits.
