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Whether you are a professional or casual angler, investing in a high-quality fishing reel is very rewarding. However, with the abundance of options available in the market, the choice of a good fishing reel only gets tougher.
There are so many things that affect the effectiveness of fishing reels and how well they serve your needs. It is not as easy as deciding what meal you’ll have for dinner. From technical specifications to body and size of the reel, there are many things you have to keep in mind when in the market. In this post, we review the best-rated fishing reels and provide a brief buyer’s guide detailing important things you should consider when a fishing reel.
Last update on 2023-02-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Fishing Reel Brands
If you are looking to buy a top rated fishing reel, you might as well buy from the best brands. These brands are industry leaders and known for the manufacture of high-quality products.
- KastKing: This brand is known for high-quality fishing gear that comes at affordable rates. It is a well established, reliable brand that made a name for itself through the production of incredible fishing lines and accessories.
- PENN: This is another trusted brand due to the amount of time they’ve been in business as well as the quality of fishing equipment they manufacture. The company has been producing fishing gear for more than ten years and during that time, it has perfected its craft making it one of the most popular brands in the fishing industry.
- Shimano: In addition to fishing gear, Shimano Inc. also manufactures cycling components and rowing equipment. It also produced golf supplies and snowboarding gear until 2005 and 2008 respectively. While not all of its products have been successful, you can bet that Shimano fishing reels are strong, durable and reliable.
Best Fishing Reels: Our Top Picks
Shimano Stradic Spinning Reel
This is the upgraded version of the C14 model. It is built with new material that is 25% stronger and which makes it incredibly lightweight. Another significant improvement is that the new FK doesn’t contain metal and as such, doesn’t rust. This makes it one of the best saltwater fishing reels. It is worth mentioning that the C14+ contains the X-Ship technology, which supports the pinion gear on both ends with special bearings and ensures that the gears stay in perfect alignment even when under heavy loads.
This system also improves the rotating performance and extends the life of the gear system by reducing wear and tear. The pinion gear is made from hardened brass while the drive gear is made from special cold forged aluminum. The Rapid fire drag system allows for quick and smooth adjustments while the Magnumlite Rotor alleviates the handle rotation to allow for better precision.
Abu Garcia Revo SX Spinning Reel
It features an Insert Molded C6 carbon body design that’s inclusive of a one-piece X-Craftic aluminum gear box. This makes the new Revo SX lighter without compromising on its rigidity or its excellent strength. The new aluminum gear provides exceptional durability while the heavy rectangular porting in the spool gives this reel a sporting look and reduces unnecessary weight. It has one roller bearing and eight stainless steel bearings.
It comes in a black predominant color with touches of grey-red that make the styling of the Revo SX outstandingly sleek. This fishing reel also comes with computer-optimized AMGearing machined aluminum gears; lightweight graphite motor, Rocket line management system and Slow Oscillation system which combined help provide optimal control. Other notable features of the Revo SX include K-Clutch Anti-Reverse and Carbon Matrix hybrid drag system.
Okuma Trio High Speed Spinning Reel
This spinning reel comes with an aluminum lip and graphite arbor as well as a remarkable spool design. The crossover construction is quite unique what with rotor arm and aluminum reel that are paired with lightweight graphite plates.
This ensures a reel that’s lightweight but still strong. It incorporates a Precision Dual Force Drag system that makes it possible for high-end drag pressure to occur. The above features combined with the Quick-set anti-reverse roller bearing offer incredible strength and smoothness.
Daiwa Df100A Giant Spin Reel
For many fishing fanatics, attractive design is a top priority and the Daiwa DF 100A Giant Spinning Reel offers just that. The powerful gear ratio and multi-disc drag system ensures smooth casting. The design is highly innovative and utilizes high-quality materials in construction. The spool is made of aluminum while the main shaft is made of stainless steel. Both of these materials offer protection against corrosion, making this reel ideal for brackish and saltwater fishing. On purchasing the Daiwa DF 100A Giant Spinning Reel, you will soon come to realize that it’s highly reliable due to its smooth action and preciseness.
Shimano Baitrunner D Spinning Reel
This spinning reel has a gear ratio of 4:8:1 and is an upgrade of Shimano’s classic live bait reel. It is suitable for right hand and left-hand retrieves. It is most suitable for offshore fishing and comes with advanced technology that allows for natural bait movement. The frame is made of graphite and cold forged aluminum.
It has three ball bearings and one roller bearing, a maximum drag of 25 pounds as well as line capacity of 20/265, 16/350 & 12/550. This fishing reel also features A-RB Shielded ball bearings, Propulsion Line Management system, Super Stopper for instant ant-reverse, Full S Concept design, Varispeed oscillation as well as a Dartainium II Drag Washers system.
Penn Battle II Spinning Fishing Reel
What makes this reel unique is that it comes with its own HT100 Versa-Drag washers, which are keyed into the spool. This allows for great performance, higher maximum drags more range as well as optimum smoothness. It comes in a variety of sizes that range from 1000 to 8000, with 2500 and 6000 being the latest releases.
This reel is designed to resist corrosion, cast much further and provide higher drag pressure as compared to its predecessors. Some of its amazing features include Superline spool, heavy-duty aluminum bail wire, Instant Anti-Reverse bearing, line capacity rings and five stainless steel sealed ball bearings.
What to Consider Before Buying
If you are on the lookout for a good fishing reel, it’s important that you keep the following factors in mind.
- Price: For many people, the price is the most important thing when buying a fishing reel. They will settle for what the budget can afford. And while a cheap reel may be better suited to your budget, it’s important to remember that some of the best features are only available in expensive models. Be sure to compare the price tags of the models available before making a definite choice.
- Drag System: Another important factor that differentiates fishing reels is the drag system. If you want one that can prove to be the best reel for bass fishing, make sure that it has a smooth drag system. This makes it easier for you to control the fish.
- Ratio: To truly differentiate one fishing reel from the other, find time to evaluate the technical specifications of all the options you have. The gear ratio is one of the factors you’ll be looking at when evaluating the technical specifications. It refers to the number of times that the spool turns with every single turn of the handle. A slow reel has an average ratio of 5:1, a medium gear has a ratio of 6:1 and larger reels have a ratio of 7:1 or higher. There is no definite answer as to which ratio is best, as this is affected by other factors like type of fishing to be done. Slower reels will suffice for overall fishing while the higher ratio is recommended for fishing that requires lures.
- Materials Used: These are important as they serve as a general indication of the overall quality of a fishing reel. It’s important that you go for a reel that’s made from high-quality material as this will have an impact on the durability, user-friendliness among other things.
- Ease Of Use: When it comes to bass or saltwater fishing, the user-friendliness of a fishing reel will play a big role especially for those who are just delving into the world of fishing for the first time. If you are a novice on the lookout for the best reel for saltwater fishing, consider choosing one that doesn’t require much effort to use.
- Weight: You don’t want the burden of a heavy load when on a fishing trip. As such, investing in a lightweight fishing reel should prove useful. However, it’s important you remember that weight also impacts on other things like durability, ease of use as well as comfort.
- Ball Bearings: A higher number of ball bearing suggests that a particular fishing reel can be operated in a smoother manner. In addition to the number of ball bearings, consider their construction, particularly the materials they made from. Many anglers prefer stainless steel ball bearings as they are more durable and offer better control.
Conclusion
Fishing is a rewarding activity but having the right gear is crucial. Purchasing the right fishing reel will lessen the likelihood of having a frustrating fishing experience. Whether you are a pro or newbie, this guide provides all the information you need to make the right choice. The important thing is to avoid making the price the only thing that dictates what you buy because you could end up missing out on a great fishing experience.
