The Best Fishing Reel Brands to Ensure Success

Beginners in fishing can find the choice of tackle slightly overwhelming. There are all those opinions from the experienced bunch, but which one exactly should you follow? Some list fishing rods, the various fishing lures for sale and the terminal tackle as the most essential pieces of gear. Others insist on putting the priority on your self – getting proper boots, jacket, the perfect flashlight, a folding chair and similar equipment to boost your comfort. Then, even after you know what to get, there are so many options to choose from.

Take reels for example. A beginner is well off with some of the four types of reels: spincast, spinning, baitcaster, and fly reels. The baitcaster and the spinning reels are your saltwater gear and spincast and fly reels are freshwater gear. And just when you become confident you solved the issue, all these other type of reels pop into your field of view: centerpin, surf and trolling reels. You can safely ignore them for the time being as they come in handy as you begin to accumulate fishing experience. As with other fishing gear, the type of fish you are after will dictate the elements of your tackle that are to be deemed essential.

However, not all fishing reels are made the same. Just like any other piece of equipment, the brand you choose dictates the quality you will get. That being said, this article will explore some of the best brands manufacturing fishing reels so you can get to learn more about your options and narrow down your choice.

Daiwa Reels

Daiwa Exceler LT Spinning Reel

Being the most popular angling brand in Australia, there’s a wide range of Daiwa reels to choose from. And the Exceler definitely stands out the most. This is a spinning real with airspool designed to improve castability. It’s significantly lighter than most other reels so you can expect better handling.

Don’t think it’s not tough enough, though. It’s stronger than many other reels, and the increased diameter of the main gears along with bigger size of individual gear teeth ensure it will stay that way. So, when you go for this sort of Daiwa reel you are after reliable performance oriented fishing tackle.

The drag capacity of this set is substantial as well. And the reduced start up inertia will prevent unnecessary thinning of your lines on behalf of aggressive fish movements. The air rotor spinning with perfect balance contributes to enhanced transmission of vibration so you can get strong gearing with more ease.

When it comes to line management, the Daiwa Exceler LT is equipped with a tapered line roller and protrusion free tubular bail arm that offsets or completely eliminates line twists and line entanglement. Without a doubt, it’s a remarkable and technically advanced Daiwa reel offering you the potential for high performance.

Daiwa Lexa WN Baitcast Reels

The Lexa WN features open access profile frame designed to be comfortable to handle. And not only that. Such open access on reels allows optimal spool and reel control. Even though it seems too open, it’s also very strong. The gear side plate is made of non-corroding alloy which will ensure reel integrity under stress. You can expect some struggle to be had because this reel not only has high sensitivity, but also boasts 10 kg of drag. It’s the stuff angler dreams are made of. So, battling heavy fin propelled fauna is not an exception with this reel, it’s the rule.

On top of the tough build, there is a multitude of performance oriented features centered around precision and refinement. We are talking Winn grips here, but also purpose engineered gearing system equipped with anti reverse and dual stopper technology. Able to take the load, and spotless when load is to be acquired.

Shimano Reels

Shimano Twin Power SW Spinning Reels

This saltwater ready reel built from a hagane body has high crank power rating and cast rating. The ten SA-RB bearings are shielded and corrosion resistant. So you can rightfully assume that winding any catch goes smooth regardless of the drag. It can support a lot of it, 11kg in the 4000SWBXG, and incredible 25kg on the 14000SWBXG. The line capacities and gear ratios on this reel with cross carbon drag are top notch. The 10 year warranty extended to the angler serves to prove this.

Shimano Baitrunner D Spinning Reels

Another great piece of saltwater gear. It holds the high manufacturing standard as described for the Twin Power SW above. The difference here being – Baitrunner D can be adapted to the type of fish you are after. Housing exquisite spin reel technology, it’s there to keep you confident in the reliability of the system. Sizes of 8000 to 1200 are great for pelagic game fish regardless if you are simply casting or bait fishing. And if you are into catching snapper with berley, then the 4000 to 6000 sizes will work fine for you.

PENN Reels

Penn Spinfisher SSVI Live Liner Spinning Reels

The best of the Penn range, this reel is made for harsh wear in marine environments. With a rating of IPX 5, you can rest assured it keeps it’s strength even after prolonged exposure to saltwater – it won’t get into the drag or gearbox. It has carbon fiber drag washers and stainless steel ball bearing system to ensure it stays that way. The built is tough with full metal body, side plates and line capacity rings manufactured to high standard. High degree of precision is to be expected as well since the gear system is CNC machined, it serves to keep the alignment on point even under heavy loads. This type of reel proves to be very versatile too, since you can have bail lees, live liner, standard or long cast models according to your preference.