Walking into an outdoor shop can be extremely overwhelming when looking for a high-end, durable, and dependable best baitcasting reel for bass fishing. This is because there are sometimes ten, twenty, or even one hundred different options to pair with your brand-new graphite baitcasting rod. When looking for the best baitcasting reel for bass fishing, it is essential to find one that is reliable, durable, and dependable. If you are interested in purchasing a baitcasting reel, you may discover that there are a variety of alternatives available for you to choose from. Should you opt for the KastKing Royale Legend, the Shimano Curado DC, the Abu Garcia Revo SX, or the Daiwa Tatula to construct the combo of your desires? You don’t admit that you know any of those names, are you?
This occurred to me when I was younger, but after a few years and many trips down those aisles, I ultimately figured out how to choose the best baitcaster for my requirements. It needed years of talking to other fishermen and trying out numerous reels to understand better how to pick a baitcasting reel. This was especially true when developing situational baitcaster combos for contests. My background working in engineering has been invaluable in improving my fishing abilities more than any other single factor. My knowledge of the components and mechanisms employed in manufacturing baitcasting reels has increased due to this experience.
A person must have a significant level of knowledge about the kind of fishing for which they have a preference to choose the most suitable baitcasting reel. When selecting the best baitcasting reel, some of the most significant characteristics to look out for are the gear ratio, inches per turn, drag, bearings, braking, handedness, and style. In addition, there are other things to consider, such as the frame, the spool, the handle, and the line guides; an expert can help you with all of these aspects. Other aspects to consider include the following:
Gear Ratio
When I am looking for the next baitcasting reel to add to my collection for bass, one of the first items I do is attempt to decide what kind of lure or lures I want to use. The trick I am using will assist me in selecting the gear ratio, which is one of the most crucial aspects of my reel.
The gear ratio of a reel is the relationship between the handle’s rotation and the spool’s course. This connection is represented by the percentage of Rotation (Spool) to Rotation (Handle) (Handle). The image that follows illustrates an example of the gear ratio. Within the context of this illustration, the handle has been condensed down to the circular shaft that connects it to the reel.
Higher gear ratios in high-speed reels are required for fishing lures that need you to respond rapidly to fish strikes. These reels are necessary so the fishing line may be reeled in more quickly. Jigs, jerk baits, and live bait are all these types of lures. Conversely, it is best to use a lower gear ratio when fishing with lures that need more finesse, such as plastic worms, crankbaits, swimbaits, buzz baits, or spinnerbaits. This will allow you to move the trick more efficiently in the water.
According to a knowledgeable source, ceramic gear systems give distinct benefits over brass gears, one of which is absolute corrosion resistance. Therefore, pay special attention to the components if you want to engage in any amount of saltwater fishing at all!
Inches per Turn
When purchasing their reel, some fishermen make the standard error of focusing only on the gear ratio. This is a typical error because the gear ratio may be deceiving. This is because the gear ratio might differ between two separate reels if the hardware is manufactured differently. Because of this, we also consider a reel’s inches per turn (IPT) in addition to the gear ratio. The length of the line that is spooled during one round of the handle is the simple definition of what is meant by the term “inches per turn.” Look at the example that follows:
The IPT is included on the spec sheets of most reel manufacturers; moreover, I have come across several businesses that need to provide this information in their product descriptions. If this information is not supplied, you can base your purchase on the gear ratio, or you may get in touch with someone familiar with the brand who might provide you with some insight (like a Fishing Expert on Curated!).
Drag
The maximum drag a reel can produce is yet another essential aspect to consider. When I was younger and utilizing my ultralight trout fishing gear, I was attacked by a carp that weighed twenty pounds, and the experience taught me a valuable lesson. To make a long story short, the fish not only unwound all of the lines from my spool but also shattered the line I had been using.
When selecting a reel, it is necessary to comprehend the size of the fish you want to catch since the ratings of different drag systems may vary, which can be a factor in determining whether or not you are successful in capturing a large fish. It is always possible to decrease drag by turning the tension knob; I fish very seldom with my drag set to its maximum position. Carbon drag washers are used in a carbon fiber drag system and a carbon matrix drag system to improve torque overall.
If you want to fish for various species with a single setup, the best choice for serious anglers is a reel with a drag rated for the largest fish you are targeting. This provides the most value and utility out of high-end reels and is the best option for anglers who want to fish for various species. If you use that drag in conjunction with a heavy line, like a braid, rather than a fluorocarbon or monofilament line, you may be able to tackle fish that are even bigger than what your drag system would typically allow if you did not use the heavier line.
Bearings
Ball bearings are what assist keep all of the spinning elements of the best baitcasting reel moving smoothly and reducing friction. This allows for smooth throws and increases casting distance. However, there is a “law of thumb” that may lead some fishermen to be perplexed, and this guideline can make bearings more challenging to understand. The general rule of thumb says that increasing the number of approaches will improve performance. This is correct, provided that the bearings are manufactured using high-grade components. But, on the other hand, you can discover that a reel with twelve bearings made of materials of a lesser grade functions less well than a reel with five bearings of a higher quality.
There is a wide variety of bearings available, including sealed, shielded, and double-shielded ball bearings and stainless steel ball bearings. When attempting to analyze a reel, it is in your best interest to seek the advice of a Fishing Expert since reels often need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Braking
The rate at which the line unwinds from the spool may be controlled, along with your throwing control, using more recent bait casters’ brake mechanisms for the spool. This helps to avoid the dreaded bird’s nest, also known as a backlash, which may occur if the line is thrown as the spool spins too quickly. Backlash can be dangerous. Most bird nests may be repaired by releasing the spool and turning it in the other direction. Therefore, it is expected that when you get used to your reel and adjust the settings, you will see relatively few bird nests.
Today, reels may be equipped with various brakes, including centrifugal, magnetic, and spool-tension adjustment brakes. The brake used by most novice anglers is not mentioned above since it is in no way a reel component. When first learning to baitcasting, every newbie will begin by using their thumb as a brake to stop the spool from turning too quickly. After some practice with the rod, you will get familiar enough with the settings that you will no longer need to use your thumb for any casts.
Spool-Tension Adjustment
The spool-tension adjustment functions as a brake that helps slow down your spool to bring it to a halt at some point in the future, preferably at the exact moment your lure makes contact with the water. This kind of braking should not be used in place of the other methods of braking, and it is critical that you spend the time necessary to get familiar with the braking systems on your reel and how to make the required adjustments to them. Removing the cover of your reel is essential to make adjustments to the centrifugal braking system. This is true even though it may be inconvenient to do so. Excessive use of the spool tension adjustment may cause irreparable harm to your reel.
Ultimately, it is not easy to compare the braking systems found on each reel produced by the various brands. Therefore, it is essential to have a friend or acquaintance who can assist you in contrasting and comparing the many brands available. The majority of baitcasting reels that are now available on the market will have these qualities; however, what differentiates them from one another is the mechanical design and the materials utilized to build the braking system.
My background as a mechanical engineer gives me a technical understanding of fishing reels. This is how I try to explain it to my clients: you may have two reels that, in pristine condition, function the same way, but if one of the reels employs materials of a lower quality, the similarity in performance will only persist until something corrodes. When attempting to choose a reel, it is essential to have the advice of a seasoned angler because of the reasons stated above. When looking through a catalog for the materials utilized, it is not always easy to discover them, and the manufacturer may only sometimes disclose that information. If it is not offered, this does not indicate that the reel is not practical; instead, you will need to speak with someone who has used the product to assess its performance accurately.
Handedness
When placing an order for a reel, the user’s handedness is an essential but crucial consideration. Which hand do you use to turn the reel’s handle, your left or right? I began fishing with a spinning reel, which required me to reel with my left hand. When I switched to a baitcaster for the first time, I placed an order for a right-hand retrieve reel. This came up as a result of a conversation in which someone said that while using a baitcaster, it is advisable to alternate hands.
What is the result? It was almost as if I had never seen a fishing pole before. I quickly retracted the line from the reel and began to recover the bar with my left hand. When someone asks me for advice on purchasing their first baitcaster, I always tell them to reel with the same hand they would use for spinning. Because of this, when you use the same hand to reel, you only need to make slight modifications to your rod hand to cast and set the hook. Again, this is because you are using the same hand to reel.
Style
When shopping for a baitcaster, there are certain instances in which the aesthetic is vital. Many anglers, like myself, prefer to use a round-style baitcaster while fishing for larger fish species like carp, musky, redfish, and catfish with heavier lures. This is the case even if there are round-style baitcasters available. These reels feature a more extensive profile, which gives a bigger line capacity. This is advantageous for fish that may need more lines for casting or fighting since the increased power allows more lines to be stored on the reel. I have one of these reels, which works well when I’m going for bigger fish.
Additional circumstances may lead you to choose a low-profile reel over a standard one. These days, low-profile baitcasting reels are the design that dominates the market. Durable and lightweight aluminum frame side plates and an aluminum spool are perfect components for constructing a bass fishing reel. Depending on your chosen aesthetic, another excellent construction option is a frame made of titanium or graphite.
Other design elements, such as grips, the button, the spool tension knob, or the reeling handle, might be potential deciding factors in your decision. But, again, there is a wide variety of types available from well-known and reputable manufacturers like Abu Garcia, Daiwa (check out their new T-wing system), and Shimano, among others.
Final Thoughts
To make an educated selection when choosing a baitcasting reel, you need expertise and a substantial amount of mechanical, material, and brand knowledge. This is the point at which Curated Experts may be of assistance by providing you with excellent guidance, promotions, and special deals to get the most excellent baitcasting reel. Your Expert has access to our great network of fishing Experts and experienced fishermen from all across the nation, so even if they haven’t tried every reel that’s currently available, you can trust their advice. In addition, when someone inquires about a particular brand or item, there is a good chance that someone in our group has experience with that specific brand or entity.