Pike front brake reel
It is the most widespread in France and Europe today. Equipped with a noisemaker brake, it can be said to have a fixed spool, as its rotor rotates around it to place the line in the spool.
This allows the braid or nylon to come out completely freely when casting. With no friction when you whip the rod, you'll be able to count on long casting distances, making it easier to practice from the shore or when you want to keep your distance from a spot.
The shape and depth of the reels have changed a lot in recent years to emphasise these casting distances. With higher, shallower spools, the line can be pulled out ever faster. This sometimes reduces the capacity of the line, but without posing a risk in a fierce fight.
The front drag on this range of reels is less natural than the rear drag. It does, however, make it easier to adjust the tension, as you always keep your hand close to the pick-up. This means you can easily adjust the tightening or loosening of the assembly during the fight.
Particularly useful for fine pike fishing. It can also be used for carnivorous fish such as pike-perch or even perch. For those who like to use big lures, you can also rely on very metallic sea frames that can be exported to freshwater and pike. It will be easy to find trophy fish with swimbaits and other large soft lures weighing in at over 100g.
Pike Casting reel
Less common in France, having only been imported 2 or 3 decades ago, these reels have different capacities and a different construction to spinning reels.
The major difference you'll encounter is the way the line comes out and is wound in. You won't have a pick-up, but rather a disengagement of the spool to give you the line output. This will lead to friction when the thread comes out, making the bearings essentially of poor quality for good operation. Winding will be easier, thanks to the fact that it is done in the axis, without forcing on the various mechanical parts. Shimano and Abu Garcia excel in this area.
The choice of this type of reel will stand out all the more for very specific uses. You'll particularly appreciate its ability to cast and retrieve several tens of grams with ease and comfort. This makes it ideal for bigbait fishing in search of very powerful fish. It's also ideal for one-handed vertical fishing. Finally, it will be an excellent partner for all power fishing or Texan fishing.
Another technique he excels at is crankbait fishing. Thanks to the availability of a fairly low ratio, it will be able to let the lure work properly in the water column without suffering from too rapid cranking movements. When you consider that this is one of the most traumatic lures for the mechanics of a reel, this is reassuring for its lifespan.
You'll find different models with excellent reputations from all brands. Shimano offers its very solid Tranx in 301 or 401. Thanks to its powerful brake and metal frame, it can easily be exported to sea or for catfish fishing. Lew's has a Super Duty series. The 300 model is the best known, with its ability to catapult lures weighing up to 200g. Japan's Daiwa has two flagship models, the Lexa 300 and the Tatula 300. Their large capacity means they can be used with a large diameter of braid.
At Abu Garcia, we prefer Beast models. They are designed for heavy fishing. Alternatively, you can opt for models with a round profile, less advanced in most cases in terms of technology, but terribly effective in resisting the big lures and powerful head strikes of master Esox. Other less popular brands also offer suitable models, especially those from Northern Europe, which are well versed in pike fishing.
Pike rear brake reel
Less popular and available in fewer models, these rear drag reels are rarely used in France. Their main purpose is to help you enjoy live fishing for predators.
They can sometimes be confused with reels designed for carp fishing, allowing you to disengage the spool and fish more easily from a stall. As a result, they come in fairly large sizes, with powerful brakes to cope with the demands of even the biggest fish.
As you can see, one of the main qualities of a reel for pike stalking is its solid construction, ready to take on heavy weights, powerful battles and sometimes difficult conditions. We're lucky enough to live in a country where this fish is king, and where there will always be a wide range on offer, so you can get the equipment you need for the budget you want to allocate to this purchase.
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