Fishing reels, what a subject! Have a talk to a tackle shop representative or an angler and ask them, "what is a great reel to buy"? I bet you every one of them will start frothing and drooling at the mouth after trying to convert you to their way of thinking and tell you just how great their favourite reel is. Well, to tell you the truth, the most disappointing thing is that most tackle shops are swayed by agreements and licences to reel manufacturers and many angler's comments will be from their own personal and financial experiences. The question I'm raising is, quite honestly how much bias is in their stories. This is the age old story that is always the underlying problem when trying to find out good honest feedback as a novice angler or one that is not familiar with a different or new reel to the one that has been used before. But after having said all that I'm afraid this web article is probably not going to be any different because we as individuals can only go by the experiences we ourselves have been through and hence all the decision making will come down to the buyer after all options have been considered.

So there you have it in a nutshell and it would seem that we have you right at the very beginning again...........totally confused no doubt! [excuse me while I stop laughing and you stop rolling your eyes back]

1. The Low-End reel group - Reels priced from bargain bin price up to $200
2. The Mid-Range reel group - Reels priced from $200 to $400
3. The High-End reel group - Reels priced from $400 to $$$$$ what ever your willing to pay.

Editors Note: Most prices mentioned here were converted from $USD and may retail in Australia at a higher or different price and all models may not retail in Australia but are readily obtained online in the USA. Also some models here may be discontinued by the manufacturers but may still be purchased from various retail outlets. All suggested prices are very much a guide only as many variances were found when researching the pricing.

The Low-End Group of Reels

(entry level/budget option)

The Mid-Range Group of Reels

The mid range group of reels are the most popular of baitcasters among casting anglers and one would expect a certain level of quality, durability and performance from this group and from my experience I think this is most likely the case. The reels in this group are more than likely constructed of good quality metallic and/or modern composite materials for their outer frames and internal components. Engineered tolerances are far more minimal and the reels do run alot more smoother and gearing running closer to clockwork. The spools run freely as they run on good quality ball bearings. A good guide on how good the reel quality or casting ability is, is usually by the number of ball bearings that keep the running gear running. The drag system is another feature in this group and should be quite smooth and be very consistent with the set amount of friction added to the spool. The spools should also have a good free spool braking system to assist in the spool from over running and bird nesting the line. The spools will also be made of very light material and able to spin freely for a good length of time and perhaps this is a good test to do when comparing reels at a tackle shop before purchase. You will do well to purchase a reel from the mid range group of reels and should look forward to hopefully a lifetime of use. Daiwa and Shimano are probably the most outstanding manufacturers of reels but other manufacturers like Abu Garcia, Quantum and Pflueger are quickly catching up with the these major players and have some fantastic reels at realistic prices.

The high end group of reels are pretty much the crème del la crème of the reel makers and they would be expected to be the best that technology can provide. These reels do run smooth as silk with almost zero tolerance amongst the parts of these fine machines. They have a higher number of quality ball bearing races used in them and can cast long distances effortlessly. The spool braking systems are the best modern technology can provide and some like in some of the Shimano range have unique digitally controlled systems almost making them virtually unable to overrun the spool and bird nest your line. The drag systems are a delight to to use and let line simply peel off the spool under a predetermined pressure at a very smooth rate which can be the difference between hooking up or losing a fish. So pretty much any reel that falls into this group should speak for itself as you should expect it to be of the highest quality, perform at the best of an anglers expectations, last a lifetime and have a reliable support back up from its manufacturer. Overall, if you purchase a reel from this group you should be very confident that you have made a great choice and probably using one of the best there is available.

....more reels & brands than you can shake a stick at.

Now that you have a feel or a little idea on the grand scheme of things it now comes down to how much you want to spend and what type of use you expect to perform with that reel. One important item you need to be very aware of is that many of the good quality reels on the market may only be good for freshwater so ensure you keep that in the back of your mind when you are about to make a decision on what reel you want to purchase. Also have a careful think wether the reel is to be used for just casting or trolling as most reliable casting reels or low profile reels as they are commonly called will have a smaller spool and may not be suitable for trolling. Trolling reels are traditionally the barrel type reels and most will have a larger spool to take a stack of line which is vital when trolling  but they will no doubt suffer in the casting distance department. The spools and gearing are of a heavier design which does not allow for the super smooth operation of the low profile reels. However, some of the smaller barrel type reels like the Daiwa Millionaire and Shimano Calcutta's do perform well for both casting and trolling but they are a compromise as the larger barrel type reels are the best for trolling and the big plus is many good quality ones can be purchased in the low end group of reels. Casting reels on the other hand can be likened to buying a car as you simply get what you pay for more or less.

I have found over the years that you can get a good performing reel from the low end group of reels but they usually all don't last more than a few years as they tend to succumb to the rigours of plenty of use and finally stop working one way or another due to plenty of wear & tear. It is really worth spending a little more if you want to get many years of use out of your reel but you will not need to spend a fortune. Sticking to known brands will be a good piece of advice as not only do they have a reputation for quality and have a history of providing good quality equipment to anglers for many years they have been used by many a happy angler for many years.

Great article

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