Types of Fishing reels- Which should you choose?

It is always a tough job to choose the right fishing reel If you are not aware of the different types of fishing reels present in the market. Fishing is by forth the most adventurous, fun-loving and, exciting for both adults and kids.

It is very important for you to choose the right fishing reel for your rod. If you select the wrong fishing reel, No matter how much you struggle and how good your skill is, you will never be comfortable while fishing activity.

Hence selecting the correct reel is essential. This is to ensure that you have a good grip and support to catch them off from water.

You will end up being annoyed and irritated if you are not comfortable enough with the rod and reel.

In this article, we will be discussing and reviewing the various types of fishing reels that are available. Choosing the right Fishing reels also depends on the type of fish you are interested in or willing to catch.

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If you are very new to fishing, then you should be picking up a reel which is made for beginners. Once you get a hold of fishing you can then switch to a professional reel.

Today, I will be providing all the necessary details you will have to know before purchasing a new fishing reel.

What is a fishing reel?

The fishing reel looks cylindrical and is attached to the fishing rod. The fishing reel is used in winding and controls the yarn in the complete process.

It plays a major role during fishing. Modern fishing reels are now very convenient, durable, and very easy to use. These fishing reels are attached to fishing rods and thus you can control the yarn easily with reels.

Initially, fishing reels were invented in the Song dynasty China.  These fishing reels are traditionally used in a very popular sport like fishing.

Different Types of fishing reels

Spinning Reels

spinning reel

Spinning reels are designed in such a way that the yarn is winded at an angle of 90° to the rod and reel this provides great support to wind the yarn easily. Hence, this leaves us with the conclusion that spinning reels don’t wind the yarn directly.

These types of reels are usually soft and made are not made for catching big fishes. They are usually used for fishing in the common or local area.

Spinning reels are also called fixed spool reels or egg beaters. they were initially used in the region of North America in the 1970s’. These reels are mounted below the rod to ensure there is less wrist pain while fishing for a long time.

They are placed and designed in such a way that it conforms with the gravity and keeps the weight balanced. 

For right-handed people, the Spinning rod is held and the right hand is used while casting whereas the left hand is used to operate the crank handle.

It makes a clicking sound when a fish is being trapped into the hook and this will help us know whether the fish is trapped or not. They are usually light when it comes to weight. Due to this reason, people often like them.

For beginners, The clicking sound made by this spinning reel is very useful. You will find lightweight spinning rods for spinning reels available in the market.

Features and Design

This comes with an open-face design, it includes adjustment of drag on the top. It has a metal bail that serves the purpose of locking the line and prevents unwinding of the yarn. Bail helps in guiding the line evenly on the spoon.

These reels are unique as they are attached to the fishing on the lower side. They provide great support and grip while fishing, It also gives an equal weight distribution and great balance making the handling very easy.

Baitcasting reels

baitcasting reel

Baitcasting reels are made out of graphite. Due to this reason, these reels are usually sturdy and stiff which puts them more on a stronger part.

When compared to a spinning reel, the baitcasting reels wind the yarn directly and this is the reason when you catch the fish it is way easier to wind the yarn and get the fish out of the water.

These types of reels are accurate and strong as they are made of graphite. It shouldn’t be a problem to catch broad types of fishes.

This reel will handle all the situations very easily even if the fish is heavier. These reels are best for professionals, we don’t recommend this reel for beginners as they are a bit hard to use for a newbie.

There is no low yarn or high yarn anywhere; The yarn is evenly distributed around the rod to ensure the spreading of equal weight and support.

For beginners, It might be a little hard to understand without using it.

Design and mechanism

They normally made to fit on the top of the rod handle. They are made very strong and durable that will help you catch heavier fishes very easily. It comes with a semi-closed design. It has a spool tension knob and a braking system to control the reel line. 

Spincast Reels

spincast reel
Image by Petey21 from Commons Wikimedia

The spin cast reel’s mechanism is a little hard to understand. When it comes to their weight they are lighter and more efficient for beginners.

The knob is present on the back of spincast reel this knob is used to throw the yarn and it will continue to open if, you want to stop the yarn you will have to rotate the handle and it will then stop.

These are the good ones to choose if you are fairly very beginner at fishing. Once you are familiar and comfortable with fishing you can shift to some other reels which are made for intermediate or professional Fishermans.

They work great when you are fishing in your local area or in small places. They are easy to use and will make you very comfortable for you while fishing.

Conventional reel or Trolling reel

trolling reel or conventional reel

If you are familiar with fishing and wish to fish in the middle of seas, these are the reels you should surely want to try as they are made out of carbon fiber and graphite. with trolling reels you can catch even some of the big fishes without any hassles.

Their making is very similar to Baitcasting reels but, these are usually made for fishing in saltwater somewhere in between the seas whereas Baitcasting is mostly used in fishing near rivers, lakes, or ponds.

When you are fishing in the sea you will often need more yarn than you fish near the rivers or ponds. There is sufficient place between the gears of trolling reels, it also has an inbuilt lever, Due to this reason, winding up the yarn is much faster compared to other types of reels.

Fly reel

When compared to spinning reels these are very simple and made with few components only. If you are trying out fishing in a very small area then fly reel is the one for you, This reel handles then very well.

The mechanism and the make of this reel are very simple. It is very easy for beginners to get along with this reel.

Fly reel consists of a single action reel, they are normally controlled and operated with one hand and casting the rod with the other.

The main function of the fly reel is to store the line and provide proper tension during the dragging process when the fish makes a long run, counterbalancing the fishing rod with the weight of trapped fish.

The coiled spring mechanism is used in automatic fly reels which will help to pull the line into the reel with flick of a lever. The automatic Fly reels are heavier on the other hand due to their mechanism they also, have a limited line capacity.

Saltwater fly reels are mainly designed for the purpose of fishing in the saltwater. As, these reels are being used in saltwater it is very important to prevent corrosion. Hence, they are made with stainless steel and aluminum material to prevent corrosion.

If you are very new to fishing and want to try it we will surely recommend this reel as they are very easy and simple to understand as well.

Give it a try with Fly reel once you feel you are comfortable with fishing you should shift to some better and professional fishing reels.

Centrepin Reel

The centrepin reel runs freely with its own axle. They are used for the purpose of Coarse fishing. Rather than, pulling the yarn mechanically angler’s thumb is typically used to control the fish being trapped with the hook.

The centrepin reel is not being used much for fishing. It is only used for coarse fishing in the day to day life.

Underspin or Trigger reels

In this type of reel, the spin-cast reels are mounted underneath a spinning rod. As the reel’s weight is not much heavy they can be used for a longer period of time with ease. 

You will find improvement in the versatility when you use all the standard spinning rods when you compare them with the traditional spinning reels. 

The above-discussed reels are some of the Different types of fishing reels which are often available in the market.

Also, check out this article we have reviewed the Top best Daiwa fishing rods for you.

 

Hey, I am Praful Kharade, a Blogger, a Data scientist, and the Founder of Planet Fish. This is one of my Hobby Blogs that focuses on Aquatic animals, Reptiles, and Fish Keeping.

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