Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Fishing Reels

Buying fishing reels is an important part of being a fisher. You don’t want to get out to your favorite fishing area with a shabby reel and not be able to catch the fish you want. You also don’t want to end up with equipment that doesn’t meet your needs or that isn’t easy enough to use for you.

For these reasons, you should ask yourself some important questions before you choose your fishing reels.

Which Type of Fishing Reels Work?

Fishing reels come in a wide variety of types but for most basic fishing you only have two possibilities: spinning or casting reels. If you’re new to fishing then you’d probably be better off choosing a spinning reel because they are easier to use. You’ll also find a number of different types of spinning reels to choose from. Many of these are good for using bait to catch fish.

On the other hand, casting reels are a little more difficult and take some experience to master. If you’re going to be using lures then using a casting reel would be an ideal choice.

Which Type of Water am I Fishing in?

Obviously, you’re going to have two choices: salt water or fresh water. You may also choose to fish in both types of water. Now many experts will tell you to choose fishing reels that are designed specifically for those types of water. You could do that. However, you don’t really need to.

In most cases, salt water isn’t going to be any more destructive to your reel than any other type of water. Of course, you don’t want to dunk the reel into the water and hold it in there for long periods of time. You also want to follow proper maintenance for your fishing reels at all times.

The only time this is going to be different is if the reel contains magnesium. Magnesium is highly corrosive especially when it comes in contact with salt water. However, only very expensive fishing reels contain magnesium so this is rarely going to be a problem.

Fishing Reels and Attracting Fish

Another consideration when choosing your fishing reels is whether you want to use bait or a lure to attract fish. Also, the specific type and size of bait and lure you want to use can also have an impact on the reel you want to pick. The weight of the lure, for example, will have an impact on the reel you choose because of the line capacity that of the reel.

Of course, this means that you’re going to need to know the answer to these questions before you go shopping for fishing reels. If you’re not an experienced fisher, you should do some research and talk to other fishers before you make that decision and start your search.

Finding More Help with Fishing Reels

If you have questions about the fishing reels you are interested in, then you need to talk to specific companies, such as Sea Isle Tackle, about the questions you have.

Caring for Your Fishing Reels

Fishing reels are an important piece of your equipment. When you purchase one, you’re making an investment in a favorite pastime and that’s going to require some maintenance. You can’t just leave it in the corner when not in use and expect it to continue performing at peek capacity for years to come. That just won’t happen. Following the tips for caring for your fishing reels below will help ensure a long life for your reel.

Preventing Problems with Your Fishing Reels

The main problem with fishing reels is that you simply can’t clean them in just any old way because of the materials they are made from. For example, if you’re using an aluminum reel it could corrode pretty easily and that’s not what you want. However, titanium is pretty resistant to this problem but the average fisher can’t really afford to purchase that type of high end equipment. Even if you could, there are other parts of the reel that are not quite as resistant.

One way to save yourself from having to deal with this problem is by not putting the reel into water unless it’s absolutely necessary. The more contact with water your reel has the more likely it is to be damaged. That’s especially true if you’re dipping it into saltwater. Additionally, if you’re fishing from a boat you want to protect the reel from any of the spray coming back into the boat. The force of the spray can get the water inside the reel and that’s not good.

Cleaning Your Fishing Reels

After you return home from a fishing excursion, you should always make sure to thoroughly clean your reel. Make sure to only use low pressure water and to remove the spool afterward so you can get rid of any extra water before you put it back together. You definitely don’t want that water sitting around inside your reel. If you’ve gone on a saltwater fishing trip, then you’ll want to be even more thorough. You should take apart the reel, scrub everything with soapy water, rinse it all down, and dry it completely. Only when it is completely dry should you start putting the fishing reels back together. Make sure there are no salt crystals left on any part of the reel because these can be very destructive.

Routine Maintenance for Your Fishing Reels

Fishing reels should be well-maintained obviously. If you do salt water fishing, then this is even more critical because that salt can be so destructive. You’re going to want to spend time about four times a year to really take everything apart on the reel and clean it with hot water. You’ll also want to apply new lubricant to the reel at this time.

Getting Good Fishing Reels

Of course, the best way to ensure that your fishing reels are well taken care of is to pay attention to the maintenance but also to purchase high quality equipment from the beginning at sites like Sea Isle Tackle.

Understanding the Label of Fishing Reels

Before you start comparison shopping for fishing reels, you might want to learn a little bit of the industry jargon so you can understand all of the terminology you’ll find on those boxes. If you’re new to fishing or if you’ve never really tried your hand at buying fishing reels before, then you’ll probably feel like you’re lost in a world of strange terms that may or may not be important clues about the quality of the purchase you may or may not be making.

Don’t worry though. That’s a natural reaction to what you’ll see on the box. Now let’s try to understand the basics of the box so you can start searching for the best fishing reels possible.

Bearing Amount in Fishing Reels

One of the main numbers you’ll see on the side of the box and one that you should pay attention to is the number of bearings. The bearings contribute to the smoothness of the reel. The general, although not universal, rule is that a larger number of bearings are going to give you less resistance when you’re turning the reel and that will make fishing a lot easier and less strenuous for you. However, sometimes other factors can enter the picture and cause fishing reels with fewer bearings to be just as smooth as or smoother than ones with more bearings.

While those numbers can act as a guide, the only real way to know the smoothness of your fishing reels is by testing them yourself. Only when you have them in your hand and can feel them in action will you know for sure. That’s why you should do plenty of tests with other fisher’s rods before you make decisions and start buying.

Fishing Reels & Line Capacity

The line capacity number is meant to tell you how much line can be held by the fishing reels. However, this usually isn’t consistent for all lines. Different sizes of line can change the basic numbers. If you see a line capacity such as 10/(155) that means if you’re using a 10 pound line you’ll be able to hold about 155 yards of line.

Gear Ratios and Fishing Reels

This number is probably not going to mean much to you but understanding its meaning may help give you an idea of which fishing reels you’re more partial to after some hands-on testing. Basically, these ratios tell you how many revolutions the spool or line winder is going to make each time you turn the handle on the reel. Obviously, the more turns it makes the less cranking you have to do and the easier your job is going to be overall.

When you’re reading the ratio, the first two numbers represent the number of revolutions. The last number is almost always going to be a 1 which stands for the one time you have to turn the handle.

Shopping for Fishing Reels

When you begin shopping for fishing reels, you should start your search online so that you can have the biggest selection. Sites like Sea Isle Tackle are good starting places.

Casting or Spinning Fishing Reels: Which to Use?

Although there are a large number of fishing reels available in the world, you’ll actually probably end up focusing on only two types – casting or spinning – unless you’re interested in doing some very unique of challenging fishing. Even though you’ve limited your options to just these two types, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to have an easy decision when it comes to fishing reels.

Let’s look at some of the differences between these two types of fishing reels.

Casting Fishing Reels

If you’re an inexperienced fisher, you’re probably not going to be able to use one of these reels right away. Instead, you’ll need to get a little more experience because they can be a challenge. However, fishers who are a little more experienced do tend to like these fishing reels better. That’s often because these reels allow you to catch larger fish because they can support heavier lures and lines.

At first, you may have trouble casting the reel. However, once you have more experience you’ll find that these reels actually allow you to make more accurate casting.

These are also better for salt water fishing, especially if you purchase a one piece blank. When you use a one-piece fishing rod, it’s less likely to be damaged by salt water. Many of these reels come with built-in drag systems that give you more control over the line’s resistance.

Spinning Fishing Reels

As you can probably guess, spinning fishing reels are a better choice for beginners or for people who just don’t know much about casting. Because the line is propelled by the bait or lure, these types of reels used to require a heavier lure. That’s no longer true and spinning fishing reels can be used with a wide range of bait and lure, as well as for any type of fishing.

If you decide to choose spinning fishing reels, make sure you pay attention to the retrieve on that reel. These can be left-hand, right-hand, or either-hand. You want to choose one that will work best for you.

Like casting reels, you can use spinning reels even in salt water fishing. However, you’ll want to be careful about the reel you choose. You need one that comes with a skirted spool because this will keep out the moisture and water from the reel which prevents the corrosive effects of the salt crystals.

Other Fishing Reels

Of course, these are only two types of fishing reels. You may eventually want to pursue other types of fishing, such as fly fishing, which will require very specific equipment if you’re going to be effective.

In those cases, you’ll want to do some additional research and talk to some experts who are familiar with those specific types of fishing. You may also want to get your own experience with this new fishing experience by borrowing someone else’s reels.

Choosing Your Fishing Reels

When you do make your decision, remember you can find the fishing reels for your needs by going online to stores such as Sea Isle Tackle.

Shimano Reels Part I: Are you fishing with the right reel? Maybe you should try Shimano Reels.

Whether you’re a freshwater or saltwater fisherman, you’ve probably asked yourself the question, “Am I using the right fishing reel?” Because let’s face it - if you’re not catching fish, something has to give! And guys, we all know it isn’t us! It’s undoubtedly the fishing rod, fishing reel, the weather – basically anything but us!

Well, I have good news: Shimano has a fishing reel for virtually every type of fishing, whether you’re a fresh or saltwater fisherman. Let me walk you through a few different types of Shimano Reels. We’ll go through these in 5 different posts, and when we’re finished you should have a good idea whether or not you’re using the Shimano Reel that will best suit your fishing style.

It’s important to understand that Shimano Reels are grouped into five major categories:

• Shimano Conventional Reels
• Shimano Low Profile Baitcasting Reels
• Shimano Round Baitcasting Fishing Reels
• Shimano Offshore Spinning Reels
• Shimano Traditional Spinning Reels

Today we’ll discuss Shimano’s Conventional line of fishing reels. Shimano Conventional reels are an excellent choice for both offshore saltwater fishing as well as blue water fishing.

For blue water fishing, the Shimano Torsa is an excellent choice. This stellar fishing reel was awarded the best choice award for Bluewater fishing as well as a “best in show” and “best in category” by the American Sporfishing Association.

If you’re an angler, don’t miss the Shimano Tekota. This great Shimano Reel has a built-in line counter so you’ll know exactly how deep you’re fishing.

Is Marlin / Tuna fishing your sport? The Shimano Tyrons is an absolutely stellar fishing reel for all heavy duty saltwater fishing applications.

Finally, the Shimano Torium is a great reel, light in weight yet durable in construction, that will work well in all live bait or bottom water fishing application.

Be sure to check back for Part 2 of our 5 Part session on Shimano Reels. Part 2 will be about Low Profile Baitcasting Reels – yet another excellent line of Shimano Reels.