The fishing of predators is a vast field that has continued to develop over the past two decades, reflecting the increasingly numerous reels available on the market. The range offered by manufacturers indeed increases every year, sometimes making the choice difficult for beginner or even passionate fishermen like you.
To help you choose between brands like Shimano or Daiwa, but also between the different characteristics and sizes available to you, we will try to give you the main points that will make your choice a success once on the water.
You will see there are two main types of reels for catching perch, pike, zander, and other sea bass. We will talk about casting and spinning, trying to help you make the most judicious choice for your search.
We will then see, depending on techniques and species, what size and style of reel we should opt for so that you will always have that sensation of smoothness and fluidity. We will take advantage of this to give you examples of some models that have already proven themselves in terms of strength, lightness while maintaining good sturdiness.
Two choices are available: Casting or spinning?
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The casting reel
While casting reels were not very popular a few years ago, they have now found their place in all shops and in the hearts of a new generation of enthusiasts. They have the advantage of having a rotating spool located right under your thumb. This leads to better control of the line's unwinding.
Beyond the fun aspect of the technique, it will bring you small extras compared to spinning that are not negligible. It is a choice reel for casting very large lures of the big bait type, weighing 100 or even 200 grams and more if necessary. Designed for this use, your reel will not at all suffer from the weight of this type of lure if you choose a suitable model.
Another point, it allows you to fish faster and only requires one hand to release the spool and cast. This ensures more efficiency, especially on techniques like powerfishing, a technique based on quickly searching for active fish. Finally, casting will allow you to keep one hand warm regularly when you go vertical fishing or pelagic fishing.
The spinning reel
Spinning is the best-selling type in France and by far. Historically made in our country with Mitchell and its global reputation at the time, it has won over the majority of users by the water thanks to its ease of use.
The number 1 criterion for its choice comes from its ability to make long casts. The freedom of the main line when you open the pick up allows a quick exit without friction or resistance. This is a very important aspect for various techniques, especially when you fish from the shore.
Another point, this type of reel is particularly comfortable with small lures and small weights. It can cast them without risk by ensuring a good distance, but especially by not risking a bird's nest with each attempt. The small diameter of nylon or braided line is very easily supported.
Finally, for some techniques, choosing a Spinning reel will allow you to reverse reel. This may be a detail for some users, but it is an essential aspect for some trout seekers or even for sea fishing.
Choosing from the different sizes of reels: How to do it?
To make a wise choice in purchasing a reel, you should be aware of the size you need to buy. Indeed, from 500 to more than 10,000, the capacity offered is very varied.
Spool from 500 to 2000
If you opt for a size of 500 to 2000, from any manufacturer, you will be leaning towards a fairly light practice. You are then searching for fish like trout, perch, or you are practicing rockfishing on the sea shore. These small capacities allow you to reel a fair amount of thin-diameter braided or monofilament line to reach the necessary casting distances while still being light enough for your rod.
Spool from 2500 to 4000
With a spool size of 2500 to 4000, we turn to medium-sized fish. These will be the most sold models for bait fishing, as they are both lightweight and provide enough line capacity for users. We will generally be targeting zander, pike, sea bass, and many other species weighing up to several kilos.
Spool from 4000 to 10 000 (and more)
From 4000 to 8/10 000, we are already looking for all combative fish that can regularly exceed 5 / 10 kg. They will be used both in freshwater and in the sea, taking care of resistance to corrosion in the latter case.
For sizes above 10 000, these reels are intended for powerful fishing both in the sea and in exotic freshwater. In this last case, you will primarily be looking for catfish. At sea, you can attack particularly fighter fish species, such as tuna, or even exotic fish such as mahi-mahi or red carp.
For casting, the sizes are a bit different. From a value of 50 to 400 or 500, you can, in the same way as for Spinning, adapt your choice according to the species of fish sought and the weight of the lures to be cast.
Some trusted models that we recommend
The Stradic FM, the king of mid-range
The first that comes to mind is the Shimano Stradic FM, replacing the legendary Stradic FL. Mid-range model, it represents highly qualitative know-how providing a lot of fluidity in all its uses.
If you were to start with a decent budget, this would be our number one choice.
The Vanford, worthy successor of the Stradic Ci4+
Another excellent choice is the Vanford, which had the heavy task of replacing a reel highly appreciated by all: the Stradic Ci4+. Fortunately, it's a faultless performance for the Vanford, which offers almost similar qualities with a slightly less metallic frame for almost exclusively freshwater uses.
You will benefit from the latest generation technologies and the different sizes offered will allow you to easily cover numerous fishing techniques and situations. From trout, sea bass fishing or bigger, to perch, zander or pike, you should find a model to suit your needs.
The Cardiff XR or the Silvercreek X LT for trout
If you are searching for trout on a light, small rod and need a smooth operation, then turn to a or the Silvercreek X LT, developed for this practice and you won't go wrong.
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Two price ranges, but in both cases, an exceptional price/quality ratio.
The Stella or the Saltiga for Tuna, two undisputed champions
For the luckiest and most passionate among you, if you are looking for tuna, then you will need to turn to ultra-high-quality models offering bearings that do not heat up and tremendous resistance to pressure. Two models have been vying for the number one spot for years, namely the and the Saltiga 2023. Even if everything indicates that these models are different, you will not make a bad choice by opting for one rather than the other.
Last but not least, for casting, the most sold reel in the world is the Curado M in all its forms. Be it finesse, big bait, BFS, with a small spool, with the dc system, everything is good about this reel.
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