Reels: spinning, baitcasting, spincast and more

A reel stores the line, lets you cast, brings the lure back and gives you a way to fight a fish with a drag that lets line out before it breaks. There are four main designs, and each is a trade between ease of use and what it can do. Most anglers end up owning a spinning reel and one other.

The main types

Spinning reel. A fixed spool hangs under the rod, and the line comes off in loops. Light lures are easy to cast, it is easy to learn, and it handles light line well. It is the usual answer for beginners, finesse fishing, trout, crappie and most inshore salt water.
Baitcasting reel. It sits on top of the rod and the spool turns as the lure flies. It gives more control, power and accuracy with heavier lines and lures, but it takes practice to avoid backlashes, which are tangles of line on the spool. You set a brake and a spool tension before each cast to tame them.
Spincast reel. A closed-face reel with a push button and a cover over the spool. It is the simplest to cast and very hard to tangle, which makes it the usual first reel for a child. It holds less line and does not cast as far.
Conventional (levelwind) reel. A big baitcasting-style reel with a large spool and a strong drag, made for heavy line and fish that run a long way. It is common for trolling, bottom fishing and vertical jigging offshore.
Large spinning reel. The same design as a small spinning reel, in a size range of about 5000 to 12000. It holds a lot of braid, has a strong drag and throws a heavy lure far, so it is common for surf casting and jetty fishing.

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Sizes

Spinning reels carry a size number, often a thousand-based figure such as 1000, 2500 or 4000, and the bigger the number the bigger the reel and spool. The numbers are not a standard, so a 3000 from one maker is not necessarily the same size as a 3000 from another. Compare within one brand, and look at the line capacity printed on the spool. A reel that is too big for the rod makes it tip-heavy, and one that is too small runs out of line.

Gear ratio

The gear ratio says how many times the spool turns for each turn of the handle. A ratio of 6.3:1 means the spool turns about 6.3 times per handle turn. A higher ratio takes in line quickly and lets you burn a bait or pick up slack in a hurry. A lower ratio gives more cranking power and a slower retrieve, which suits baits that pull hard. How much line comes in per turn also depends on the size of the spool, which is why a bigger reel with the same ratio retrieves faster.

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Drag

The drag is a clutch that lets line out when a fish pulls harder than the setting, so the line does not break. A common starting point is about a quarter to a third of the line's rated strength. Test it by pulling line off by hand, set it before you fish, and check it often because it changes as the fish pulls. Loosen the drag when you put the rod away, so the washers do not get stuck.

Salt water

Salt water corrodes reels. A reel made for salt water has sealed parts, and every reel needs care: rinse it with fresh water after each trip without blasting a hard stream into it, wipe it dry, loosen the drag, and add a drop of reel oil where the maker says to. A yearly cleaning is a good habit.

On the water

Fill the spool. A half-empty spinning spool casts shorter, but do not overfill it, because loose coils tangle.
On a baitcaster, practice with a heavy lure in an open area before you fish with it.
Learn which hand you reel with and set the handle to suit. Most reels can swap it.

Easy mistakes

Buying a baitcaster as a first reel for light lures. It will frustrate you; a spinning reel is easier and casts light lures better.
Setting the drag too tight. The line breaks before the fish tires.
Never rinsing a reel used in salt water.

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