Best Baitcasting Reels

I’ll be honest with you. Baitcasters can be damn intimidating reels. At least that’s what I thought when I first saw and then eventually tried one. The first time I used one, the only thing I knew about them was that the pros used em, they were hard to cast, and my friend had just purchased one.

Needless to say, that first cast and the subsequent few did end in backlash. See, a baitcaster is a purpose-built reel that’s all about control. The irony is that control means you have a greater opportunity to lose control.

In the end, though, the truth is that although baitcasters do take some getting used to, the mysteries and allure surrounding them and their difficulty are largely blown out of proportion. The allure is there, no doubt, but in the end, baitcasters can be an absolute joy to use.

Casting one successfully to a lunker largemouth is pure fishing dynamite.

How to choose the best baitcasting reel

Looking at picking the perfect baitcasting reel for your fishing adventures? There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind.

Material

As with most other reels, baitcasters are made out of either aluminum or graphite or a combination of both materials.

Aluminum is going to be more durable but also heavier and generally more expensive than graphite. Consider your style of fishing and casting and the kind of use you’ll be putting your reel through.

Also, durability is always something to look for, but not if that means at the upgraded cost you won’t be able to afford those expensive Yamamoto plastics or if your tired wrists and forearms will have you packing it in early every day

Weight/ Size

Weight and size are always something to consider when picking a reel of any variety. Of course, if you’re inshore (check this article for the best inshore spinning reels) fishing the salt with your baitcaster, you’ll want something waterproof and sturdy. In that case, weight and size won’t be much of an issue, but if you are patrolling the docks of your local lake all day, you’ll want to consider finding the lightest, smallest quality reel you can get away with.

In general baitcaster weight will increase with their reel size. That weight will usually start around 5 oz and work its way up about one oz at a time for every reel size. Considering weight in ounces may have you thinking it’s not a big difference, but an extra few ounces adds up after those hundreds of casts.

Pro Tip: If you feel comfortable casting, consider sizing down your baitcaster and throwing on a braided line. It will cast damn there a mile, and you’ll be able to fit more than enough line to bounce your lure under any dock you can find. Remember though, a braided line is more likely to backlash, so really consider your casting style and ability.

Gear Ratio

Your reel’s gear ratio determines how quickly your baitcaster will pick up line up off the water when retrieving. So gear ratio will play a huge part, whether you’re pulling your line in for another cast, setting your hook, or dragging that rig in to entice a strike.

When selecting gear ratio, remember that the first number through the decimal is the number of rotations of the spool. The second number is the number of rotations of the handle. That means a 1.1:1 gear ratio would have your spool spinning 1.1 times for every handle rotation.

The gear ratio most available on the market for baitcasters is 6.4:1. That should work for most applications, but if you like to fish your gear slowly, consider a 5.4:1. If you’re likely fishing salt with bait, you can go even slower. If you prefer to rip your lure through the topwater, bump up to 7.1:1.

Line Capacity

Having the best fishing line for baitcasting reels is also a huge factor for successful fishing. If you’re using a braided line with your baitcaster, and you should be if you are a practiced caster, line capacity won’t be much of an issue. Either way, though, it’s always good to know what your reel can handle.

Baitcasting reels tend to hold more line than spinning reels. Generally speaking, on the small end, your ultralight reel (see ultralight spinning reels here) will be a size 50 and hold about 65 yards of 12-pound mono. Your Medium-sized baitcasting reel will be a size 200 and hold about 200 yards of 12-pound mono. Finally, on the large end, your saltwater applications, you’re looking at a size 400. That size reel should handle about 330 yards of 12-pound mono.

Braking System

All baitcasting reels come fitted with a braking system. The braking system is how an angler slows down the spool rotation when casting. This works similar to how a car’s braking system slows down the rotation of the wheels.

When purchasing a reel, look for one with the most advanced system possible in your budget range. If possible, that means going with a centrifugal brake system over a less expensive magnetic one.

Remember, a correct setup braking system and the resistance on the spool keeps the ol’ backlash to a minimum. A more advanced system will allow for more finely tuned braking, and some even come equipped with anti-backlash control.

Drag System

The drag system of the baitcaster is usually contained within the housing of the reel. This system is operated via a dial on the right or left side just under the handle.

Baitcasters usually come with a star drag system, easily recognized by the star shape of the dial. A good rule of thumb when setting the drag on a baitcaster is to have it at about 25 percent of the line breaking strength.

When purchasing a reel and considering the drag capabilities, keep in mind the species you’ll be targeting. The line weight you’ll be using to target them will change accordingly, and the drag capabilities will need to follow.

Bearings

Generally speaking, I like to think the more bearings in a reel, the better. That’s especially true in a baitcaster, as the rotation of the spool and a smooth release is paramount to the reel working correctly. More bearings generally mean a smoother, more predictable reel.

However, keep in mind that more bearings of lower quality or in a reel of lower quality material may not mean a smoother setup. So, if you’re looking for a smooth reel day in and day out, look for a reel with good construction and a high number of high-quality bearings.

If you’re planning on taking your baitcaster to saltwater, make sure those bearings are corrosion-resistant.

Price

When considering any reel purchase, you’ll want to take into account the price. Price ultimately comes down to the quality of the reel, type of reel, and the application it will be used for.

Although there are inexpensive reels on the market you can surely count on, the baitcaster is a precision tool. More expensive baitcasters will generally be lighter and easier to use, have a better drag and braking system, and balance better on the rod. These are all very important to baitcasting success.

What is a baitcasting reel?

If you’ve never used a baitcasting reel or are new to fishing, you may be asking what one even is.

A baitcasting reel, also known as a revolving spool reel, is a reel that relies on a geared, bearing-aided spool. The gears in a baitcasting reel allow the spool to rotate multiple times with one rotation of the reel’s handle.

Unlike other reel designs, the baitcasting spool is also allowed to spin freely and separate from the lure pulling drag on the line. The reel also doesn’t feed the line with the reciprocating motion spinning reels rely on. Instead, a baitcasting reel relies on a spool control knob and braking system to control the speed of the spool and the line separately.

Another clear difference between the baitcaster and its spinning counterpart is that a baitcasting reel sits directly on top of a specific baitcasting rod. This allows the spool to lay horizontally. This means that when casting a baitcasting reel, the line spools out directly over the rod instead of feeding out to the left or right side. This left or right pull on a conventional spinning reel often causes line loops.

What makes a baitcasting reel great to use?

Turn on any Major League Pro Bass Fishing tournament, and you’re bound to see a majority of the competitors hooking into fish on their baitcasters. This is because, although a bit more difficult to use, baitcasters can hold more and heavier line and allow for longer casts. They are also better at throwing heavier lures when targeting large fish. Finally, they have excellent control, as the spool is controlled separately from the line that is slowed down or sped up with the thumb.

Although all of these things come into play, ask any fisherman why they use them, and the number one thing you’ll hear is that last one, control.

When a baitcaster is properly fine-tuned, applying pressure on the line with the dominant hand’s thumb can become almost intuitive. That fine motor control and feeling can allow the angler to drop the lure almost exactly where they want it.

Are baitcasting reels difficult to use?

Difficult is a relative word. Baitcasters are certainly more challenging to use, though, than other reel types. Because of this they are not always recommended for beginning anglers.

A proper cast with a baitcasting reel requires the angler to control the spool speed and the lure placement. For a new fisherman, that can sometimes be a bit much to handle. If the spool is allowed to rotate faster than the line is being thrown, the result is a backlash of line and tangled mess.

With that said, in the past few years, reel manufacturers have taken strides in baitcasting reel designs. Aside from better braking systems designed to slow down the rotation of the spool, many new baitcasters come equipped with anti-backlash technology.

What is backlash, and how to avoid it?

We’ve covered this a bit, but backlash occurs when the spool of a baitcaster is allowed to spin too fast and subsequently throws out line faster than the lure and the line in front of it can move. This results in a bird’s nest of line on the reel, similar to that experienced on a spinning reel.

The fear of backlash is the number one reason anglers shy away from baitcasters, but the dreaded birdsnest can be avoided with a few tips.

When looking to avoid backlash, the simplest thing is selecting the correct gear. That’s the rod, line, reel, and lure.

A shorter medium-action rod will give you the strength and control to cast your lure fast and far enough to keep the spool speed behind it.

When it comes to the reel, look for one that’s small enough for you to handle and that, if you’re lucky, has anti-backlash technology. At a minimum, select a reel with a good braking system.

With the reel selected, if you’re an advanced fisherman or looking to up your game, go with a braided line. If you’re worried about backlash, though, mono is the way to go.

Finally, heavier lures can catch bigger, more selective fish, and they can also cast farther. That farther cast will keep your line moving away from the free spinning spool and reduce backlash.

Aside from the proper gear, you’ll want to practice practice practice, so adjust the braking system and start with short casts. Once you’re comfortable with those, see how far you can get.

Pro tip: A solid tip when practicing any casting is to move to the lawn. You don’t have the stress of your buddies watching you or the fear of losing a fish or time on the water.

What benefits do baitcasting reels have over spinning reels?

The clear advantage baitcasters have over spinning reels is better line control. Better line control means a more accurate and often delicately placed cast, even when using a heavier lure. Anglers using baitcasters can often stop a lure directly off a dock or bank or exactly where they want.

Another benefit baitcasters have over their counterparts is their compact design. Sitting wide, low, and directly on top of the rod, baitcasters can often hold more line for their small size than their spinning reel counterparts.

This low, wide design also makes the baitcaster an excellent reel for anglers looking for a setup that feels natural in hand. That raw feel and weldability bring us back to that word that baitcasters love more than anything else, control.

Conclusion

The allure of the baitcaster. The reel all of the pros use to catch all of the fish.

When considering purchasing a baitcaster, step back and do yourself a favor. That favor is to forget everything you’ve ever heard, then to step forward and to buy one.

Are they more difficult to cast? Yes, they are, but with practice and the selection of the proper set up a baitcasting reel will have you fishing and feeling like a pro in no time.