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Anglers Gear (10)
Anglers Gear (10)

Skip To Save Time: Best Spinning Reel Ever Made /// Best Saltwater Spinning Reels /// Best Freshwater Spinning Reels

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Best Spinning Reel Ever Made

Shimano Stella Sw

Highlights:

  • Infinity Drive – lessening of the up and down motion of the shaft

  • Heatsink Drag – allows the drag to work up to 50 percent better when under extreme pressure

  • X-Protect – outstanding protection against the effects of the salt spray

  • X-Rigid Rotor – creating balance that is ideal across the board

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Best Saltwater Spinning Reels

Best for Big Game Fishing

Daiwa BG8000 BG

Highlights:

  • A great reel for catching some of the biggest species at sea.
  • Perfect for use by both beginners and experienced fishing enthusiasts.
  • An aesthetically pleasing design.
  • Can cope with strong drags and is durable.
  • Gear ratio: 5.3:1.
  • fishing line capacity: 30oz (850g) Mono Line Capacity (lb/yds): 20/550, 25/440, 30/370
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Best Left-hand Reel

Slow Pitch Jigging Reels 66lbs

Slow Pitch Jigging Reel

Highlights:

  • Left-handed reel, an uncommon feature.
  • Durable materials, help you to fish with this reel for years to come.
  • Smooth operations for a better fishing experience.
  • Can be used to catch some of the largest fish.
  • Gear ratio: 6.3:1.


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Best Off Shore Reel

Penn Fathom Lever Drag

Penn Fathom Lever Drag

Highlights:

  • You can catch some of the largest fish available with this reel.
  • Protected from the damaging impact of seawater for long life.
  • Has a quick switch to ensure you’re pulling in the catch with the right settings.
  • Is perfect for beginners and experienced fishing enthusiasts.

 
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Best Value Saltwater Reel

KastKing Kapstan Elite

KastKing Kapstan Elite

Highlights:

  • Available in different sizes so you can choose the reel that is best for your fishing location.
  • Strong, robust design.
  • Perfect for beginners and experienced fishing enthusiasts.
  • Affordable pricing at each size.
  • 5.7.1 gear ratio
  • fishing line capacity: 10/130, 12/110, 14/90
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Best Inshore Fishing Reel

Penn Clash II

Highlights:

  • Available in several different sizes, so you can get the reel you need.
  • Made with sea water-resistant materials.
  • Cost-effective reel that is suitable for all skill levels.
  • Strong, robust construction.
  • 5.2.1 gear ratio for the 1000
  • fishing line capacity: 275/2 135/4 105/6 for the 1000
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Most Versatile Reel

Most Versatile Seawater Reel

Penn Pursuit III

Highlights:

  • Versatile, available in many different sizes.
  • Great materials protect the reel from damage from seawater.
  • Perfect for experienced and beginners.
  • A large potential range of fish can be caught with this reel.
  • 6.2.1 gear ratio for the 2500
  • fishing line capacity: 255/6 175/8 140/10 for the 2500
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Best Freshwater Spinning Reels

Best Spinning Reel Ever

Shimano Stella Sw

Highlights:

  • Infinity Drive – lessening of the up and down motion of the shaft

  • Heatsink Drag – allows the drag to work up to 50 percent better when under extreme pressure

  • X-Protect – outstanding protection against the effects of the salt spray

Read more >>
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Best reel for the money

Shimano Stradic FL

Highlights:

  • Variety of sizes from light to heavy
  • An 87 percent five start rating on Amazon
  • A price that will not break the bank




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Best Spinning Reel For Bass

Shimano Stradic Ci4+

Shimano Stradic Ci4+

Highlights:

  • Designed for the freshwater angler in mind – hands down
  • Smooth drag
  • Precision casting ability
  • Water resistant drag


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Best Spinning Reel For Trout

Abu Garcia® Silver Max

Highlights:

  • One of our favorite mid-range spinning reels
  • Smooth retrieves
  • Best with braided lines
  • Titanium coated line guide reduces friction
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Best Ultralight Reel

Shimano Spirex FG

Highlights:

  • The smallest of the Shimano line if not the majority of ultralight reels on the market
  • QuickFire II casting system
  • Five ball bearings, 6.2:1 gear ratio and a spool that fires line better than most
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Best Steelhead Spinning Reel

Okuma Avenger ABF

Highlights:

  • Extreme smoothness & durability during retrieves
  • Excellent balance
  • Infinite cast control drag knob
  • Several anti-reverse options
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Shimano Stella Sw

The Stella tops our list and for good reason.  It is the epitome of the fishing experience for any angler. 

The Stella also represents the most expensive reel we review and offer, so this is not a purchase to be made without strong consideration and review.

Angler’s Gear has covered the Shimano Stella line extensively in previous pieces, so we will not be touching on it again.  Instead, click the link above to go straight to our review on the Stella and its complete line of reels.

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Daiwa BG8000 BG

This is one of the top reels for you to use if you’re looking to catch some of the largest fish offshore. The black anodized machined aluminum housing protects the reel from the hardest of salt water, allowing you to fish for some of the largest species.

The Daiwa is one of the top brands when it comes to reel, and you can be sure that this reel is robustly made and able to cope with some of the strongest drags. The design is also aesthetically pleasing, simple to use and perfect for beginner and experienced fishing enthusiasts alike.

Slow Pitch Jigging Reel

If you’re looking for a fantastic left-hand reel for your offshore fishing reel. The bearings of the reel are made from high-density, high-speed stainless steel. Therefore, the reel cannot be corroded by seawater and the reel is highly durable. You can expect to have this reel for years, fishing in sea waters and catching the fish you want.

The reel includes an accurate drag setting while still maintaining smooth operations, perfect for those that want to enjoy the experience to the fullest. And this reel has left-handed features, something that is not included with many other reels.

The reel is also great for catching some of the biggest fish you can attempt to catch. And this reel comes with a support team from the manufacturers, allowing you to solve problems with their team at any moment.

Penn Fathom Lever Drag

This is a heavy-duty lever drag finish reel that allows you to catch some of the biggest fish in deep-sea fishing. The reel has some of the best durability and cranking power, helping you to reel in some of the biggest catches you will get. However, if your catch is a little smaller, not a problem. This has a quick shift 2-speed system that allows you to switch quickly between high and low gears.

Even under extreme drag settings, the Dura Drag system eliminates virtually all snags and hesitation.

The five shielded stainless steel ball bearings protect your reel from damage in the harsh sea environment. For those looking for the top-performing reel in deep-sea conditions, this is the best option.

KastKing Kapstan Elite

The KastKing Kapstan Elite is a great option for those looking for a saltwater reel with some power. The Spinning Reels comes in several different sizes from 3000 which is a perfect size for those who are looking to catch smaller fish in bays or just off the coast. There are also versions up to 8000 which allow you to catch fish like barracuda and amberjack.

The KastKing has a super-strong aluminum body offering maximum strength with a carbon fiber rotor that offers strength but reduced weight. If you’re buying some of the larger sizes (5000-8000) then you will also have a CNC aluminum rotor to provide additional cranking power.

Penn Clash II

Those looking to stay closer to the coast might want to consider the Penn Clash II saltwater spinning reels. The reel comes in a range of sizes from 1000 to 5000. The smaller couple of sizes are not suitable for saltwater, but they are good for those looking for stream fishing. In contrast, the 4000 and 5000 are great for some of the inshore fishing that many people enjoy.

In addition to the strong construction, the inshore fishing reel is made from stainless steel that is perfect for those looking to fish in seawater environments.

Penn Pursuit III

A very versatile set of saltwater reels spinning, this group is perfect for anyone who is looking to get started with inshore or offshore fishing. The reel comes in numerous sizes from 2500 to 8000. Therefore, there is a large potential range of fish that you can catch, choosing the right reel for you.

The reel has a Ht-100 carbon fiber drag system for smooth and long-lasting drag. This is even when you have extreme drag pressures. Despite the potential power that is behind the reel, the lightweight and corrosion-resistant body are easy to handle and perfect for anyone, whether you’re an experienced offshore fishing enthusiast or a beginner

The Shimano Stradic FL

This may come as no big surprise considering how fond Angler’s Gear is of the Shimano line, but the reel has everything an angler would want in a quality reel

Like we said at the outset, Angler’s Gear is after the best for the money.  The Stradic is not a cheap reel by any stretch but with a bit of budgeting, the Stradic is affordable.  Make coffee at home; take your lunch to work and cut back on some other spending for a few months.  You can make the Stradic affordable.  What you pay for in price will be made up in years of faithful service.

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Shimano Stradic Ci4+

Again, Shimano reels tops our list of quality reels, and the Ci4+ is designed for the freshwater angler in mind – hands down.  The Ci4+ has the holy trilogy of spinning reel needs: smooth drag, casting and reelinng.  You can expect the HAGANE gears, one piece bail and shielded bearings – perfect for saltwater.

This is the ideal largemouth bass fishing reel.  It has the precision casting ability that bass anglers want coupled with the backbone to wrest the same fish.  The graphite material used in the construction of the reel means rust is not going to be an issue, so feel free to take this piece for your inshore saltwater experiences.

The drag is water resistant, so you can fight big bass and those inshore saltwater species.  The aluminum handle has EVA foam for a solid grip.

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Abu Garcia® Silver Max

Mechanism Type: spinning, 7 stainless steel ball bearings + 1 roller bearing provides smooth retrieves, gear ratio of 6.2:1 which means it works best with braided lines, lightweight graphite main shaft & aluminum cutaway side plate provides excellent balance and lightning-fast retrieves, titanium coated line guide reduces friction during the cast which results in better distance and accuracy, quick access to spool tension adjustment knob for easy maintenance.

Ah yes – one of our favorite mid-range spinning reels is the Abu Garcia Silver Max – you are definitely getting a bang for your buck with this model. It’s lightweight yet very tough, easy to use & maintain, and comes with loads of great features. This is why it has so many positive reviews on the web – anglers love the high-performance design as well as its smooth retrieves. You can use regular monolines or braided lines without any trouble at all – just make sure you don’t overload it with too much weight because that could compromise performance during a cast.

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Shimano Spirex FG

This is the smallest of the Shimano line if not the majority of ultralight reels on the market.  It is a workhorse in spite of that fact.

The reel has the QuickFire II casting system, meaning the angler can open the bail and cast with only one hand.  The mechanism does not affect any of the function, aesthetics or the balance of the reel.  If anything, the system gives the reel a futuristic look.

There are five ball bearings, 6.2:1 gear ratio and a spool that fires line better than most.  This reel can take 200 yards of 2 lb. test line or up to 10 lb. test for those who need to muscle fish out of deep cover.

For the angler on a true budget, this is the reel of choice.

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Okuma Avenger ABF

Mechanism Type: spinning, 4 + 1 stainless steel ball bearings provides extreme smoothness & durability during retrieves, high-grade graphite main shaft & aluminum cutaway side plate provides excellent balance and lightning-fast retrieves, infinite cast control drag knob which you can use to quickly adjust the cast control drag from 0 – 10 lbs, several anti-reverse options available from free-spooling to 180 degrees of resistance.

We’re big fans of Okuma – this Japanese company has been building top-quality fishing tools for over more than a century – they make one of the best bait feeder fishing reels on the planet. The Avenger ABF is a very versatile model – you can use it for fishing in salt and fresh water and it’s ideal for catching a wide variety of fish, including tuna and mackerel. It works like a charm on both low and high speeds – you can cast this bad boy up to 100 feet if the conditions permit (the wind & weather permitting).

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