The comments on the Salt Water Sportsman Facebook page were contentious. George Witeley insists: “You can keep those baitcasters. I’ll take spinning all day.” Victor Tornado spits back: “Levelwind, hands down! Coffee grinders don’t make it here!” Readers were responding to an article comparing baitcasting and spinning reels. While spinners and baitcasters each have ardent supporters, most of the responses echoed Raymond Francisco, who writes: “That’s like comparing a claw hammer to a ball peen or rubber mallet.”
Of course, Francisco is correct: Baitcasting and spinning reels each have their purpose. The general consensus is spinning reels are for light lures and baits, while baitcasters are for everything else. But baitcasting reels get a bad rap because they can be more difficult to cast, hold less line and produce less drag pressure than a spinning reel.
Luckily, the latest generation of baitcasting reels for salt water eliminate the disadvantages and highlight the advantages. With advanced casting brakes, durable components, high-powered drag and greater line capacity, baitcasting reels are the choice for anglers looking for every advantage.
Comfort Is King
Hands down, baitcasting reels are more comfortable to use. A low-profile baitcasting reel sits close to the rod and fits in the palm. But don’t let the size fool you—high-tech alloys and out-of-the-box design reduce the reel’s size and weight without sacrificing durability and strength.
Capt. Mike Roy has been using saltwater baitcasting reels for everything from casting lures to live-baiting and bottomfishing. The reason he switched from spinning reels: “The new baitcasters fit nicely in the palm of my hand,” he says.
Next-gen baitcasting reels cram stronger gears and more drag power in a smaller package. To do this, the reel and frame materials must be strong and light. Roy points to Shimano’s legendary Tranx saltwater baitcasting reel. “The stiff metal body eliminates flex, and the Core Protect coating repels water,” he says. The result is a smaller reel body still capable of housing robust components.
Elite Redfish Series pro Travis Land makes a living sight-fishing for redfish. This season, Land has been using Abu Garcia’s Revo Inshore series reel with an asymmetrical body that allows for a larger spool without increasing the reel size. “When I have a reel in my hand for eight hours a day, a baitcasting reel’s compact frame is more comfortable and efficient,” he says. The outside edge of the asymmetrical reel body curves in toward the front of the reel to fit perfectly in a cupped hand, and it has a line capacity of 175 yards of 30-pound braid in a 200 size.
Drop Zone
Everyone knows baitcasting reels are quicker and more accurate for sight-fishing and more comfortable for casting and working lures. Now saltwater anglers are also taking low-profile baitcasters bottomfishing and live-bait fishing.
Roy says a baitcasting reel is invaluable for vertical jigging, especially when a fish hits on the drop. “The baitcasting reel allows me to maintain contact with the line as the lure falls and then instantly engage the reel to set the hook.”
To reduce friction and allow the line to drop freely, Shimano’s Tranx reels use a special clutch that prevents the pinion gear from dragging on the spool. Not only does the design produce longer casts, but the super-free spool allows Roy to use a smaller lure and still reach the bottom.
Roy has even switched over to a low-profile baitcaster for live-bait fishing for striped bass. “A live bait swims erratically, and I’m constantly switching from letting out line and retrieving line.” Quickly engaging and disengaging the reel while keeping a finger on the line allows Roy to detect a bite and react quickly.
Professional Overrun
Call it a backlash, overrun or bird’s nest, the giant tangle caused by incorrectly casting a baitcasting reel is a big mess. The problem is, when the spool spins faster than the line leaves the rod, the line backs up and explodes. To control the spool, baitcasting reels use either a centrifugal or magnetic brake system.
A centrifugal brake uses centrifugal force to activate a series of plastic brake shoes attached to the spool. Abu Garcia’s new Revo Inshore reels debuted at ICAST 2024 with a proven centrifugal brake brought over from the brand’s pro-level freshwater reels. Travis Land says, “I have two ways to adjust the brakes to prevent a backlash.” To initially set the brake, Land opens the side plate and engages or disengages each of the six brake shoes. Then he closes the side plate and lets a lure dangle from the rod tip while he holds the spool with his thumb. “When I lift my thumb, the lure should fall slowly.”
To fine-tune the brakes to meet the casting conditions, Land uses a large dial on the outside of the side plate that micro-adjusts the brake inside. When the wind is blowing, Land cranks down the brake to slow the spool for casting into the wind. On a calm day, he can open up the brake for maximum casting distance.
The other option is a magnetic braking system that uses magnetic resistance to slow the spool without friction. Marc Mills, Daiwa’s senior marketing manager, points to the Coastal SV TW 150 saltwater baitcasting reel. “You cannot backlash this reel,” he insists. Mills explains the SV brake system works on a ramp to move the magnets closer together as the spool spins faster. A large dial on the side plate adjusts the brake to match the lure weight and the casting conditions.
At the beginning of a cast, the lure is moving fast. As it reaches the apex, the lure slows down. The magnetic brake is designed to match the deceleration and prevent a backlash. “I can cast a popping cork with the Coastal SV TW,” Mills brags. The unwieldy rig with a large float and long leader is notoriously difficult to cast and almost impossible with other baitcasting reels. “The responsiveness of the magnets makes it possible,” he says.
Fight Club
Fighting power is a potential downside for baitcasting reels. A compact baitcasting reel doesn’t provide much space for large drag washers. When a fish pulls line from the spool, the drag washers slip and allow the spool to turn with the clutch engaged. Friction causes heat and heat causes expansion. Mills from Daiwa says: “When the washers expand, the drag pressure increases. Over the course of a long battle, heat builds up and causes a catastrophic failure.”
To increase power without increasing reel size, the latest baitcasting reels use carbon-fiber brake washers lubricated with high-performance grease. Mills says, “I get a smoother start-up and consistent pressure.” One way to reduce heat is using larger drag washers, but a low-profile baitcasting reel doesn’t have space. Carbon-fiber washers are smaller and lighter without sacrificing performance.
Read Next: Choosing Between Spinning, Baitcasting or Fly Fishing
Gear Head
One of the biggest advantages for these pros is the wide range of retrieve ratios available for baitcasting reels. Land uses a reel with a fast retrieve to sight-fish for redfish. “If I miss a cast or the fish turns from my lure, I can quickly retrieve the lure to make another cast.” Land chooses a reel with a 10-to-1 ratio to pull over 36 inches of line on each turn of the handle.
Roy is on the other end of the spectrum. “I use a baitcasting reel with a super-slow retrieve to keep contact with my jig and let it swim naturally with the current,” he says. Roy looks for a reel with a 7.2-to-1 retrieve ratio that picks up only 28 inches of line on each revolution of the reel handle. “A 4000-size spinning reel picks up 40 inches of line on each revolution of the handle.”
While the latest saltwater baitcasting reels won’t backlash, run out of line or break down, they don’t solve the debate over spinners vs. baitcasters. As Enrique Vallejo says on Salt Water Sportsman’s Facebook page: “You’d be stupid to limit yourself to only one.”
