Fishing & Outdoor Life

What makes a fishing reel good?

With the huge variances in price I’m curious as to what makes a $100 reel better than one that’s half the price.Or even one that $300.

First, having more ball bearings does NOT make a reel better. I have a Shimano Biomaster (5 bearings) and it’s 10x smoother than the TD Sol I have that’s got 7 bearings.

It’s all about the tolerance allowed when machining parts (basically, how well they fit together – space between parts, slop in the gears, etc.), bearing TYPE and quality (also, the lubrication used in the bearings will change the performance and feel of the reel – ie. thicker lube will cause the reel to feel slower/more “tired,” and thinner lube will cause the reel to be fast), the materials used will also play a big part in how the reel feels.

Aluminum will break down over time as material rubs together. If you have a “cheaper”/less expensive reel, they are typically made with unhardened aluminum and tend to become sloppy and noisy as the age – a direct product of losing metal due to pressure and direct connection in the gearing and housing. If a reel uses brass or hardened aluminum, that problem is SIGNIFICANTLY decreased and sometimes altogether eliminated.

Drag washer/disc composition will change as you climb the price ladder. Manufacturers will use cheaper material like felt in the low end reels, and in the higher end reels, they will often pack them with proprietary drag concepts – ie. dartanium and carbon.

The difference between a $50, $100, and $300 reel is usually frame/rotor material (graphite vs. aluminum vs. magnesium etc.), internal material (plastic vs. aluminum vs. brass vs. “other”), bearing type/quality (ABEC rating, lube application, and overall quality control – ie. swiss made (best) vs. chinese (crap) vs. japanese (decent) etc. ), and lastly, how well those pieces fit together.

As for the type of fishing you’re doing, it’s not going to be too hard on a reel. I ask a lot from my reels, as they are manufactured with trout in mind, and I fish them for much larger fish. Fish in the 1-5lb range are not going to be able to test ANY drag, so that’s out as a factor. They aren’t going to exert TOO much force either. If a person takes even the slightest of care of their reels, then they’ll last a while in this kind of fishing. It’s not heavy enough to damage gears, bend spool shafts, of dislodge pinions. It’s going to come down to personal feel. Smoothness and feel are personal preferences. Some people don’t care that their reel is a silky as a baby’s butt. Others need that unparalleled feeling. A $19.99 (Shimano AX) dollar reel can land a fish….so can a $550.00 reel (Daiwa Steez)…. If you have the money, then don’t waste time with the cheaper stuff – just buy what you can based on what you feel in the reel.

Compare the feel IN HAND – it’s the only way to truly know the difference.

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