How to Choose The Right Saltwater Fishing Reel

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How to Choose The Right Saltwater Fishing
Reel As we go through each of the factors you
will need to consider when buying a saltwater
fishing reel, you will learn about terms such as
line capacitythe amount of line a typical reel
can hold, usually measured in feet or yards and
drag pressurea measurement, usually marked in
pounds, that should be adjusted to one-third the
breaking strength of the line. You will also
learn the importance of size and weight when it
comes to saltwater fishing reels and learn that
different types of reel actions are better
suited to catching different types of fish.
First, however, we will discuss the two general
types of saltwater fishing reels spinning reels
and baitcasting reels, and what to look for in
each type when shopping for the perfect reel to
suit your needs and fishing preferences. When it
comes to the outdoor life, there is perhaps no
more entertaining or adventurous pursuit quite
like saltwater fishing. Unlike fishing in
freshwater sourceslakes, rivers, streams and
even pondsin which the species and variety of
available fish is somewhat limited saltwater
fishing affords fisherman the unique opportunity
to angle for thousands of different fish
speciesfish that call the vast oceans and seas
of this great country home. Those who set out to
tackle the big fish of the open ocean, whether by
boat, on a pier, barge or even the open shore,
must possess the appropriate equipment and
tacklefishing gear that includes the requisite
saltwater reelthe foundation of saltwater
fishing that is used to surface and land this
great variety of fish and other sea species. Best
Saltwater Fishing Reels For The Money. To help
you purchase the ideal saltwater fishing reel for
your upcoming angling adventure, below we have
highlighted the various features you should look
for in these devices, and explained why each of
these features is so helpful and beneficial in
terms of reaching your ultimate goal a boatload
of prized fish just begging for you to take them
home. About Saltwater Fishing Reels. A quality
saltwater fishing reel can mean the difference
between an adventurous and fruitful fishing
expedition and a boring boat ride with nothing to
show for it. In this day and age, where
everything is better and more advanced, saltwater
fishing reels have become technologically
sophisticated devices, some of which use
space-age-quality materials that are lighter and
more durable than ever before. Add to this the
precision workmanship that goes into these
saltwater fishing reels and you have a tool that
is ready and able to tackle even the largest fish
in the sea. As we will cover later in more
detail, saltwater fishing reels are classified in
one of two ways low-speed and high-speed. These
speeds essentially represent the real gear
ratio. Low-speed saltwater fishing reels, which
offer more power and torque for hauling in some
of the biggest fish in the ocean, have a gear
ratio of less than 41. High-speed saltwater
fishing reels have a gear ratio greater than
61, allowing anglers to retrieve the line and
their baits quicklythe higher the gear ratio,
the faster the reel can retrieve. These ratios
are important to understand when selecting the
proper reel. Fortunately, many of todays
saltwater fishing reels can be switched from
low-speed to high-speed at just a push of the
button, making them very versatile despite the
type of fish you seek or the type of fishing you
wish to pursue.
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Two Types of Saltwater Fishing Reels Spinning
Reels and Baitcasting Reels. About Saltwater
Spinning Reels. Although baitcasting reels have
long been the standard for saltwater fishing
situations, the advancement in spinning reels,
once used exclusively for freshwater fishing,
have now made them a viable option for the ocean
and the preferred type of reel for some
fishermen. Many fishermen have opted for
spinning reels when working lures, high-speed
plugs and poppers on the top water. Spinning
reels are also ideal for casting baits and
lighter saltwater fishing lures, lending
themselves to more accurate casting and faster
retrieval. A saltwater spinning reel is typically
mounted to the underside of the fishing rod, with
the handle to the left (reversible handles are
also available for left-hand-dominant fisherman).
The spool of the spinning reel is stationary
the line uncoils from the spool and is released
from the reel, but the spool does not move. This
is a very attractive feature of saltwater
spinning reels, as it lessens the chance that
the line will snag or tanglean eventuality that
can ruin a fishing trip. On the flip side of the
coin, spinning reels are very rarely used when
big fish are the target, as they are not robust
or durable enough to handle that kind of weight.
Trying to consistently land large fish with a
spinning reel can eventually exert too much
pressure on the gears inside the reel, damaging
the internal components over time. Equipped with
a feature known as an anti-reverse locking
mechanism, a saltwater spinning reel is designed
to prevent too much line from paying out. Should
a large fish bite and run, for example, this can
prevent line fouling and snags. The mechanism
also prevents the line from paying out too
rapidly in instances where the hook snags when
trolling the bottom of the source. Wind knots can
be a problem with spinning reels. These knots can
form if the line becomes twisted or when the
line is not retrieved under pressure. This
disadvantage can sometimes be prevented by
adding a small swivel between the line and the
leader. About Saltwater Baitcasting Reels The
most popular and widely used reels for ocean
fishing, saltwater baitcasting reels have been
used for decades by expert deep water anglers and
by fisherman using heavy lines (10 pound test or
more), baits and lures in their quest for some of
the bigger specimens of fish for which the
oceans and seas around the world are best
known. Baitcasting saltwater reels are
perfectly-suited for bottom fishing and jigging.
They are also the ideal choice for fighting
large fish over a long period of time, such as
sharks, marlin and sailfish, using the device to
tire them out and land them without damaging the
inner workings of the reel whatsoever. Consisting
of a revolving reel that sits atop the saltwater
fishing roda rod that has smaller eyes than a
spinning roda baitcasting reel utilizes an
intelligent drag system, which allows fishermen
to determine the amount of line that is pulled
from the spool and at what speed. The
baitcasting reel system works with the weight of
the line and lure, pulling off the
desired/appropriate length of line when casting
the bait or lure. Hence, a heavy line with a
large, heavy lure, gives a longer, more powerful
cast than lighter line with a smaller lure.
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Baitcasting reels are available in a variety of
sizes. Some of these reels, which are designed
exclusively to catch the largest types of fish in
the ocean (shark, marlin, some species of tuna,
etc.) are even mounted to the side of offshore
fishing boats, as the weight of the reel makes it
too prohibitive to hold for long periods of
time. Now that you have a basic understanding of
the two types of saltwater fishing reelsspinning
reels and baitcasting reelslets take a closer
look at what you should look for when purchasing
either of these two types of reels.
What to Look for in a Saltwater Spinning Reel
Saltwater spinning reels come in a variety of
shapes, sizes and styles. These reels are
typically mounted underneath a spinning rod,
which also has the guides mounted underneath.
Saltwater spinning reels, while not the best
option for going after bigger fish, are generally
easier to cast than baitcasting reels and tend
to reel much faster, albeit with less torque.
When shopping for a saltwater fishing rod, here
are just a few things you should look for Body
or Frame The body or frame of a saltwater
spinning reel, which includes the mounting foot,
support arm and gear-box housing, comes in a
variety of materials, including graphite,
aluminum, composite plastics and other metals
and materials. When shopping for a saltwater
fishing reel, we recommend you select one that
is strong enough for the demands of ocean
fishing, and one that will not corrode or weaken
from the exposure to saltwater. This leaves a
couple of good options aluminum or graphite.
Aluminum reels tend to be a bit more expensive,
but they are more durable than the graphite
options and definitely worth the extra cost if
you plan to do a lot of fishing. Handle Because
the fish you are likely to hook into when
saltwater fishing are much larger than some of
the freshwater varieties, we strongly recommend
an anti-reverse handle. An anti-reverse handle
locks into place after the cast, allowing the
angler to set the hook the moment the fish hits
the bait. An anti-reverse handle will also
decrease the number of line snags you will
encounter, as it stops the spool from moving
once the bait has stopped moving forward. You
should also look for a reversible handleone
that can be placed on either the right or left
side of the reel. This enables the reel and rod
to be used by anyone, despite what their dominant
hand might be. The Spool The spool on a
saltwater spinning reel, like the body, can be
made from a variety of materials, but the higher
quality spools are made from either graphite or
aluminum, with the higher-end models usually
made from the latter. Spools also come in various
sizes. These sizes will determine how much of a
certain weight or test of line the spool can
hold. Spools on saltwater fishing reels may have
measurements such as 270/10-190/20. This means a
given spool can hold up to 270 yards of 10 pound
test line, and 190 yards of 20 pound test line.
For saltwater fishing,
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• we recommend the larger spools, as this will give
  you the opportunity to wind enough line onto the
  spool to reach deep into the oceaneven to the
  bottomwhich is necessary for certain varieties
  of bottom-dwelling fish such as halibut, rock cod
  and red snapper.
• The Bail
• The bail is unique to the spinning reel.
  Consisting of a metal bar that flips open and
  closed, the bail is typically mounted on
  spring-loaded hinges that flip it closed with a
  single crank of the anti-reverse handle. To cast
  the line, anglers simply need to manually flip
  the bail open while holding the line with their
  finger. After the cast, a single crank is given
  to the handle and the bail flips down into place
  (the bail can also be closed manually),
  preventing any more line from feeding off of the
  spool. Unlike with baitcasting reels, which have
  an adjustable braking system to prevent bird
  nests, the bail helps prevent line
  entanglements, but only when it is flipped close
  immediately after casting and after the bait has
  sunk to the desired level.
• Drag Setting
• The drag is a crucial part of any quality fishing
  reel, including saltwater spinning reels. In the
  simplest terms, the drag setting on a fishing
  reel can be adjusted to control the rate at which
  line is pulled off of the spool once the fish
  has taken the bait or lure. Working in concert
  with the action of the rod and the strength of
  the test line, the drag essentially performs two
  functions
• The drag restricts how far a fish can run with
  the bait as the angler attempts to fight the fish
  and reel it in
• The drag offers just enough slack to prevent very
  large fish from snapping the line should it
  become too taught
• Naturally, the drag setting you utilize will
  depend on the type and size of fish you are
  pursuing or how strong the fish is fighting
  after the bait has been taken. Therefore, we
  recommend a reel with an easy-to-adjust drag
  settingone that will allow you to effortlessly
  change the drag either before your cast or
  mid-fight.
• Ball Bearings
• With a saltwater spinning reel, the number of
  ball bearings within the body of that
  reelbearings that are used to operate itis
  very importantmuch more important than the
  number of bearings in a baitcasting reel.
  Jerkiness when the handle is cranked, slippage,
  and even stripping of the reels gears can all
  be caused by having too few bearings in the body
  of the reel.
• Therefore, when selecting a saltwater spinning
  reel, you should definitely pay close attention
  to the number of ball bearings it containsand
  be sure those bearings are sealed. In most
  cases,
• you can determine the number of bearings by
  reading the product information on the back of
  the package, or you can always look up the
  manufacturers information on the product through
  a simple online search.
• Gears and Gear Ratio
• The gears on a saltwater spinning reel will take
  much more punishment than those on a spinning
  reel that is used exclusively for freshwater
  fishing. The reasons for this extra punishment
  range from the increased weight and strength of
  ocean fish to the surroundings (salty) in which
  the fishing takes place. For this reason, it is
  imperative that the gears on the spinning reel you

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ultimately purchase are made of high-quality
metalsteel, titanium, high-grade, forged
aluminum, etc.materials that can withstand the
added weight and often corrosive
conditions. Normally, spinning reels that are
intended for freshwater fishing have a gear ratio
of 61 or more, putting those reels in the
category known as high-speed models, which are
known for their ability to reel fast and
effortlessly cast baits. However, when shopping
for a saltwater spinning reel, you will normally
require a lower gear ratio, with more torque for
fighting the bigger ocean fish. If you plan to
use your spinning reel for a lot of different
kinds of fishing, we highly recommend you select
a model with an adjustable gear ratio, which will
give you the strength and torque you need for
ocean fishing and the speed you covet when
trolling for freshwater species like
bass. What to Look for in a Saltwater
Baitcasting Reel. As we discussed earlier, the
baitcasting reel is the reel of choice when going
after big fish, allowing anglers to use heavier
line and special techniques to lure in certain
type of fish. Yet, despite the enduring
popularity of baitcaster reels in the saltwater
milieu, many fisherman that are new to ocean
fishing choose to go with a spinning reel to
avoid the dreaded bird nesta frustrating type
of line entanglement unique to the baitcasting
saltwater reel. Some also find baitcasting reels
a bit more difficult to learn, but with a little
practice these reels can be quite simple to
master. Right-Handed versus Left-Handed
Baitcaster Reels As we briefly defined earlier a
saltwater baitcasting reel has a revolving spool
that sits atop a baitcasting roda rod with the
eyelets or guides facing upwards. With a spinning
reel, the reel sits underneath the spinning rod,
which has the guides facing downwards. Unlike
todays spinning reels, many of which have
reversible handles to accommodate both
left-handed and right-handed anglers,
baitcasting reels come in right or left-handed
models, but not reversible. If you are a right
handed person who prefers to reel with your
dominant hand, the right-handed baitcasting reel
is the choice for you. However, if you prefer to
hold the rod with your dominant hand and reel
with the left handas many anglers prefer to
dothe left-handed baitcasting reel is the
correct option to select.