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Fishing Reel Basics:

Baitcasting:

Baitcasting reels come in a round or low profile. They have a level spool that spins during the cast to help pull the line out and make longer casts. They are best at casting heavy lures and reeling in large fish. These are the hardest of the reels to master. They are prone to back lashing which means that the line becomes tangled on itself and looks like a birds nest. Most quality reels have a magnetic braking system to slow the spool down when the lure is at the end of its flight so that the reel will stop feeding line. Adjusting this and the casing brake to match the lure weight is essential. The magnetic braking system is different on most reels. If you are new to this reel leave the interior settings alone and look for an external knob. Normally it is about a half inch wide and located below the drag that looks like a star and is larger. Tie on the lure you expect to cast. Turn the knob clock wise until it tightens. Push in the button (with your thumb) and hold the tip of your thumb against the line. (This is how you would cast it.) The lure should not move at this setting. Start to turn the knob counter clock wise until it starts to fall to the ground. Once it starts to fall stop turning and allow it to slowly fall. Once the lure has hit the ground and stopped the spool should spin no more than one rotation. If it spins more than once tighten the knob and start again. If the spool does not spin at all after the lure hits the ground it is too tight.

Spincasting:

This is a good starting combo for new anglers and kids. Most spin casters are pretty cheap and don’t offer a lot of options needed for the variety of bass lures. The spin caster uses a button on the rear of the reel to release the line and allow the bait to be cast. A rubber practice plug can be bought at most tackle shops or just a weight attached to line is great for practicing the timing involved.

Spinning:

Spinning rods use a mechanical pick up called a bail to retrieve the fishing line. The is often a lever on the bottom of the reel that allows the reel to free spin. Make sure you know where this is and turn it to a position that allows the reel to take in line when fishing. After putting ling on the reel (see fishing line link) test the drag setting. The drag adjuster can be found either on the top of the reel or the bottom. When on top it normally looks like a knob that can turned clock wise or counter clock wise to tighten or loosen the ability of the fish to pull line off of the reel. You want to test the drag pressure by pulling on the line like a fish would use small tugs where the lure or hook would be. You want the fish to be able to take some line off of the reel if it makes a big run or attacks the lure. Failure to properly set the drag will result in lost fish or snapped lines. Start with the drag set low and tighten as needed. To make a cast flip the bail over by lifting in up and flipping it over to the other side. Hold the line with your pointer finger against the reel shank or pole and flip the rod forward while releasing the line. It takes practice to get the timing down. Purchase a practice plug or tie on a single sinker and practice in an empty field

Gear Ratios:

The gear ratio refers to how many revolutions the spool of the reel makes per one complete turn of the reel handle. Speed is what changes with higher ratios. A 6:1 ratio will make 6 revolutions compared to a 3:1. Slower speed reels are best for lures that need to be fished slowly like crank baits.. High speed reels are better for working lures quickly like spinners or buzz baits

Line Capacity:

Printed on the reel is a guideline for the amount of fishing line that the spool of the reel will hold and will look like this: 8/(175) 10/(155) 12/(130) the first number is the lb test followed by the amount of yards