Top

The Best Fishing Reel

Four fishing reels shown together.
Photo: Marki Williams

Compared with a bait-casting or fly-fishing setup, a spinning setup is not only more forgiving but also more comfortable to use and usually easier to repair; it requires less finesse to cast, as well. If you’re a beginner, a spinning outfit is much easier to pick up than any other outfit, and it’s far less likely to become a tangled mess than either of the other two options.

Convenience aside, both the casual angler and the veteran should consider price, suitability, durability, performance, maintenance requirements (or lack thereof), and warranty when choosing gear. Granted, these things may take precedence in varying order. Also, in contrast to rods, reels are a lot more complicated since they have so many moving parts.

Here’s what we took into consideration when researching and testing reels:

How much does the reel cost? The optimal price of a reel (or rod, for that matter) is, as fishing author John Skinner put it, “when you don’t have to worry about breaking it.” At the sub-$100 level, we simply didn’t find anything worth your money. If you’d like something ultra lightweight or intended for a specific method of fishing, you could spend 10 times as much as what our top pick costs, but our top pick will get the job done almost as well—if not just as well—most of the time.

Does it come in a wide-enough range of sizes? The size you choose depends on what you’ll be fishing for and where. Consider sizes 1500 to 2000 for small freshwater and inshore saltwater species, 3000 to 5000 for medium freshwater and saltwater species, 5000 to 8000 for surf fishing and heavier bait-fishing duties (such as from a boat in the sea), and 8000 to 10000 for larger fish, including some light-duty pelagic fishing for mahi mahi and small tuna. We looked for reels that are available in a wide range of sizes, to suit as many people as possible.

Does it have sufficient drag? The drag on a spinning reel is provided by a stack of washers, which you can either tighten or loosen against the spool (the part of the reel that holds the line) to build friction to reel in a fish, relieve friction to allow for “play” in the line (so it doesn’t break), or let it swim away in order to let the hook fully set.

A person holding a fishing rod with the line tied to a drag scale.
Testing drags with a force meter. Photo: Owen James Burke

The amount of drag required varies by fishing method and the species targeted—but if you’re not sure, we recommend asking the locals or going to a bait-and-tackle shop. For the average fisher, the 5- to 15-pound maximum drags on any of our picks will suffice. But to make sure you get what you need, look for the “maximum drag rating” on the spec sheet.

Will the reel stand up to use? Cheaper reels come with cheaper drag systems made of felt or lower-quality carbon fiber, which disintegrates quickly. This construction, combined with little or no preventive sealing to keep saltwater and grit from entering the mechanical parts, means that most reels less than $100 just aren’t worth the money.

If you’re willing to spend $100 or a bit more, you’ll get a reel that’s built to last. That includes a semi-sealed drag—for keeping out water, dirt, and corrosive salt spray—as well as an all-metal body. The reel will also be repairable should anything go wrong, whereas with cheaper gear the cost of a repair can often exceed the worth of the reel.

How well does the reel perform, and how does it feel to use? Quite a few factors go into this equation: The design and the quality of the components, inside and out, affect the reel’s performance as well as how comfortable it is to use. The handle should be easy to hold, and the reel should be light enough to use all day.

Does the reel require much maintenance? For beginners, the less maintenance needed the better.

How long is the warranty? This is a trick question. The industry standard for spinning reels—including all our picks—is a meager one year, which even the cheapest reels are bound to outlive. (The warranties for rods, on the other hand, vary greatly—and matter more.)

Six fishing rods and reels on a boat on a lake.
Six sets of rods and reels provide a full day’s testing. Photo: Owen James Burke

I tested all of the reels (and the rods for the companion guide) on beaches, rocks, boats, and riverbanks. I fished with artificial lures (objects designed to look like fish or other prey with a hook attached) in rivers for trout and salmon, and I set 1- to 1.5-pound live baits from my skiffs, catching ocean fish up to 30 pounds with each rod and reel. I also tested the gear on smaller bottom fish, including summer flounder, sea bass, and porgies (or scup), as well as red drum and spotted seatrout in Charleston, South Carolina. I spent several days fishing freshwater rivers for trout and smaller salmon, as well as a couple of days fishing private ponds and lakes for largemouth bass.