Fishing reels have become a tackle market in of themselves. For the new fishermen, the variety of reels can be somewhat overwhelming. Not only do you have to contend with a wide range of manufacturers, but if you settle on one you’re still faced with the endless array of spinning reels, bait casting reels and then there are the endless numbers of reel designs. How do you decide which one is best suited for your individual needs?

For freshwater and light salt water use, determine whether you are going to use a reel designed for bait casting or spinning. Bait-casting reels are a very common choice among bass anglers, in view of the fact that they hold heavy lines and have a lot of cranking power. This is very helpful when you are pulling fish out of hiding. However, bait-casting reels are not normally a good choice when you plan to fish with light lines or lures. You should take some time practicing your cast in the backyard to become skilled at how to cast this kind of reel correctly and to find out how to avoid spool overruns or “birds nests”.

If you plan to fish with lighter lines, smaller lures, and smaller baits, then a spinning reel is the best choice for you. These reels easily handle smaller diameter lines like 2–10 lb. test. They are very well liked among trout fisherman and walleye anglers for this reason. Bass anglers are beginning to make use of spinning equipment more frequently; particularly with the increased attractiveness of finesse methods such as drop shotting.

Saltwater fishermen demand lines that will enable them to catch larger fish. Line diameter is almost always larger for this type of fish. Bait casting reels are the most commonly used for saltwater and are often called by the name “conventional reel”. Advancements over the years have resulted in reels that are suitable for bottom fishing or trolling. This negates any need to cast the bait or lures to distances. The bait casting reel offers superior cranking power and enables you to secure that larger fish.

Over time, reel manufacturers have developed specific models to accommodate various rods and line sizes. While spinning reels start (in size) around 1,000 and go upwards of 6,000 the overall size of the reel increases accordingly. The smaller the reel, the smaller the spool and common sense dictates the smaller the spool the smaller the line. Reels are rated for lines right on the labels and almost always have specific recommendation on exactly how much line (and what size) the reel will accommodate.

Freshwater and light saltwater bait-casting reels are numbered slightly differently. They utilize a three digit sequence generally using 900 to 100 with 900 being the largest; maintaining the higher the number the larger the reel measurements. Finally, there are convention reels which use a two digit system 50, 40, 30 in general. The increasing size is designated by the larger number as with other reel measurements. Carefully review the reel – either the reel itself or the box that it comes in will provide you with information on both line diameter and rating for each reel.

These handy tips should help you find the right reel for your needs. Keep in mind that selecting a fishing reel resembles finding the correct golf club. Like you would not choose a 5-wood to do a pitching wedge’s job, mull over what job your reel needs to do in order to make the best decision.

When choosing your reel make sure you do your research, some of the most popular reels include: Penn Fishing Reel, and Shimano Reel including Shimano Spinning Reel.