Reels

Depending on the type of saltwater fishing the angler is pursuing, reel selection is either a matter of choice or necessity. If the strategy is casting and retrieving lures or bait in a surf fishing or inshore environment, either an open-faced spinning reel or revolving-spool bait-casting model would be a logical choice. Conversely, if trolling for giant tuna over offshore canyons 35 miles off the coast, a big game reel is the only choice. Situations in between will likely call for the use of a conventional reel.

Compared to their freshwater counterparts, saltwater reels are generally larger, heavier, capable of holding much more line, and have more powerful and sophisticated cranking and drag mechanisms. Many are also constructed of more durable and expensive materials to stand up to the stress of larger saltwater fish and the harsher elements of the saltwater environment. As a rule, the larger the fish, the greater the difference between freshwater and saltwater reels. Like the rods with which they are matched, reel choice depends on your fishing location, weight of the fish encountered, and in some cases, preferred angling method.

Spinning Spinning reels are mounted below the rod handle and utilize a stationary spool. Prior to the cast, a curved bar, or bail is opened to allow the weight of the lure or bait to pull line from the stationary spool on the cast. After the cast, the bail snaps closed, capturing the line at the start of the retrieve. When the reel handle is turned, the bail turns accordingly, winding the line evenly onto the spool. As spinning reels get larger, the gear ratio (spool revolutions per crank) often decreases, which results in less cranking speed but allows for more cranking power.

Many saltwater anglers prefer spinning reels for their distance casting ability. This is especially true in surfcasting and many inshore situations where the length of the cast is more important than accuracy. In addition, spinning reels are often preferred when casting live or cut bait due to the ease with which they can be cast compared to the snapping motion required with a bait-casting reel, which often causes delicate baits to fly off the hook.

Drag systems are usually located and adjusted at the front of the reel. A large knob at the tip of the spool is tightened or loosened according to the break strength of the line on the spool. Drag can be adjusted while battling a fish loosened during long, hard runs and tightened as the fish tires.

Spinning reels are suitable and effective for virtually any surf, pier, inshore or light offshore situation. However, as one moves further up the saltwater spectrum, when heavy-duty rods, lines, lures and fish are involved, spinning reels give way to either conventional or big game revolving-spool reels. This is primarily due to the fact that their design does not lend itself to holding large amounts of heavy line. 30-pound class lines are about as heavy as a spinning reel can handle, with 8- to 25-pound being ideal.

Bait-Casting This type of reel is mounted on top of the rod handle and utilizes a revolving spool to cast and retrieve artificial lures and live bait. Prior to casting, the angler presses a button to disengage the spool from the drive train. This allows the spool to spin freely during the cast. During the cast, the weight of the lure or bait pulls line from the spool until it reaches the intended casting target. When retrieving line and fighting fish, the revolving, horizontal spool engages and winds in line as the handle is turned.  Gear ratios will generally range from 4:1 up to 6:1. A level-wind guides the line evenly onto the spool from side to side.

Bait-casting reels have a variety of drag systems to adjust spool speed and casting performance, but the drag system that controls line tension is the star drag, located on the cranking handle. Turning the star clockwise increases tension; counterclockwise reduces it. During actual fishing, it should be set so that it gives at the approximate break strength of the line. After the hookset, it can be loosened or tightened as needed.

Contrary to their name, bait-casting reels are used primarily for casting and retrieving relatively heavy artificial lures. Often, the force generated by the casting stroke, though not great, will cause natural bait to fly off the hook. Nonetheless, they can be used for casting natural bait, especially large or heavy bait. Many bait-casting reels used for medium to heavy freshwater duty are equally suitable for light saltwater use. They are popular for many surfcasting applications but used more commonly for inshore fishing. Line classes of 8 to 25 pounds are ideal.

Much like spinning reels, the use of bait-casting reels begins to taper off as heavier lines and lures and bigger, stronger fish are encountered. In heavy surf fishing situations, as well as offshore bottom fishing and trolling, conventional and big game trolling reels are the rule.

Conventional Reels These closely resemble bait-casting reels in design and function, though the largest bait-casting reel is roughly the size of the smallest conventional reel. Conventional reels are capable of holding much more line, but the key difference between the two is the manner in which line is placed on the revolving horizontal spool. All bait-casting reels feature a levelwind mechanism to place line evenly along the spool on the retrieve. Few conventional reels posses this feature therefore the angler must manually direct the line onto the spool on the retrieve, in a conventional fashion.

Conventional reels are used widely in a variety saltwater fishing situations. Smaller versions may be used for surf-casting and inshore fishing, medium-sized models for bottom fishing, and larger reels for offshore use. With the exception of the smaller versions used in surf-casting applications, most conventional reels are rarely used for casting. Instead they are commonly used for trolling or bottom fishing with heavy lures or bait rigs, as well as large amounts of heavy line. In these situations, line is paid out with the reel in freespool to reach significant depths or distances from the boat. In fact, some conventional reels feature line counters that tell approximately how much line has been let out.

Conventional reels also have a lever, as opposed to a button, to engage or disengage the drive train gear in and out of freespool mode. Like bait-casting reels, star drag systems are standard on conventional reels for adjusting line tension. However, the gears and washers are more complex and sophisticated, and made from stronger materials, to perform under the more extreme pressure produced by larger fish. Yet, for the largest, strongest billfish, shark and tuna, conventional drag systems do not provide the precise drag settings and flexibility often necessary for this style of fishing. In such situations, big game reels are usually preferred.

Big Game or Trolling Reels Also called lever drag or offshore reels, big game saltwater reels are similar in design and size to conventional reels, featuring a revolving spool without a levelwind mechanism. They are used almost exclusively in offshore trolling or bait fishing for the largest, most punishing saltwater species.

The primary difference between big game and conventional reels is the use of a lever drag system instead of a star drag. Lever drag reels were developed to aid anglers abilities to adjust the drag tension while battling a variety of big game sizes and strengths. In lever drag reels, the mechanism that controls drag is separate from the reel crank and does not turn with the wheel. Anglers can control the level of drag through multiple settings, ranging from light pressure for setting the hook to maximum pressure while fighting a tenacious fish.

The gear ratio on many big game reels can also be adjusted from an upper setting (4:1 for instance) for gathering line to a lower setting (2:1 or lower) for maximum cranking power during the fight.

Big game reels are not necessarily used on only the biggest, strongest offshore game fish. Because of their superior drag systems, many experienced anglers choose to use them in situations where a conventional, or even a spinning or bait-casting reel would suffice. In fact, some big game reels are rated for use with line classes as light as 12 pounds, but as a rule, they are rated for lines in the 30- to 130-pound classes.