I've 2 spinning rods for windy days and overgrown rivers. Shakespear Trion Royalty Spin Rods one is 8ft and casts 5-25g the other is 10ft and casts 10-60g.

What other tactics can I reasonably use these rods for?

Rolling the worm for salmon - Done this already with the 10ft rod and a bouncing betty.
Bubble float and flies - I'd expect so (although I may not want to) is this right?
Trotting - They might be short and there'd be less fun playing a small fish on the stiff 10ft one but float, bait and split shot would be 5-10g or so wouldn't it?
Legering - with an appropriate weight why not? Would I just fail to detect bites with the tip of a spinning rod?
Float legering - with an appropriate weight why not?
The Method - presumably the 10ft rod could shift 60g of ground bait on the bait cage. Is that enough to bother with? I guess I'd need a baitrunner reel though?

I know there are better tools for the jobs but what can I do with these rods and still have fun with?

You could use your rods for any of those,but it's a bit like playing a round of golf with just one club.You can do it,but would you get much pleasure from the experience?You could use them either spinning or float fishing from your nearest harbour,the Moray coast has lots of nice spots to choose from.

I have the 10ft version. Perfectly fine for chucking bubble floats, feeders and ledgers around on the reservoir. I used to do this a few years ago, before I saw the light Not so good for sensitive bite detection or trotting a 3BB float down the river. But, there is nothing to stop you doing it, after all it still a fishing rod! As burnie says, it might detract from the pleasure a bit.

Fly fish for salmon same way!
2" TUBE FLY OR WADDINGTON Tied post wing style with bouyant hair/fur wings, arctic fox or simillar, fished 3' below betty has caught me 20lbs salmon! (picture in my gallery)
Totally different situation, sea fishing off rocks with bait/spinners/floats for pollock/cod/bass/mullet with 10' rod would work!
portsoy/buckie area springs to mind!
regards
bert

I use a 9 foot (travel) spinning rod for legering and freelining for chub and perch on my local river during summer (as well as for lure fishing). This means that I only need to take one rod with me which makes it more mobile.

When legering I tend to touch leger (especially in summer) and with big baits bike meat and lobworms you don't tend to get tiny bites

Just because a rod is marketed as a spinning rod doesn't mean you can't use it for other purposes!

A 9 foot rod is just a touch too short for really adequate float fishing so if I want to trot I will use my float rod.

__________________
Cheers,
Lawrence

Definitely worth a shot freelining or margin stalking where hit and hold tactics are required. A short rod can be a real advantage in a close in scrap and a spin rod will be better than most for flicking a weighty bait (slug, cheese, lob worm, spam, jelly baby) where it's needed.

Float fishing, close in maybe, tiny waggler laid on or lift style in the margins, but trotting?... naaah. Really you need a bit of length on your rod to maintain control. Float fishing at any distance is probably right out, unless you're using a ridiculously heavily loaded float. Then again, splasher waggler tactics ...

Have fun.

I spent the first few years of my fishing life using an edgar sealey 7ft solid glass spinning rod. Float fishing, legering spinning and even sea fishing I reckon I caught more on that rod than on any one rod since....


Andy


Fly fishing North Yorkshire