Full which sea fishing reel guide
The original fishing notes continue below, kept for readers who want the deeper detail after the quick confidence guide.
Our Beginners Guide to Buying Fishing Gear.... Which Sea Fishing Reel? Deciding which sea fishing reel you need will very much depend on which type of fishing you are planning t...
Reel guide
A calmer way to choose fishing kit: what the gear helps with, how to match it to real coastal use, and where to avoid over-buying.
The original fishing notes continue below, kept for readers who want the deeper detail after the quick confidence guide.
From our tackle shop
A good reel should make fishing feel smoother, not more technical. We would rather help you choose something dependable than something flashy.
A reel guide helps you understand size, line capacity, drag and the kind of fishing each reel style suits.
Look for the right reel size, smooth drag, sensible line capacity and a pairing that balances your rod.
The reel choice should follow the rod, line, method and mark rather than the other way around.
Use line and drag settings that suit the ground, casting weight and fish you may meet.
Deciding which sea fishing reel you need will very much depend on which type of fishing you are planning to do and also which rod you have or are going to purchase. A lightweight rod will obviously need a lightweight reel and likewise, a heavier duty rod will need a larger reel. We do not stock hundreds of reels as the choice can be overwhelming. Instead, we have a selection of lightweight rods, medium weight rods and heavier weight reels. Please see the comparison tables below
(also called Spinning Reels)
The majority of the reels we stock are fixed spool reels. This is because they are versatile reels that are easy to use for beginners and novices and are ideal for shore fishing.
These reels have a bail arm that is released allowing the line to flow freely from the fixed spool during casting. When retrieving, the bail arm rotates winding the line back on to the fixed spool.
(also called Baitcasting Reels)
Multiplier reels have a revolving spool which can be disengaged to spin freely when casting. The spool rotates multiple times when retrieving the line which is where the name multiplier originates.
Multiplier reels are not so easy to use for beginners or novices.
When comparing different reels, each reel has a different gear ratio such as 4.1:1 or 5.2:1
Put simply, these numbers let you know how many times the spool rotates for each turn of the handle - for example, 5.2:1 means that the spool rotates 5.2 times for each turn of the handle.
The drag is the tension of the spool and can be adjusted to allow you to change how tightly or loosely the spool moves. The knob to adjust this tension is either positioned on the front of the reel or the rear, hence the names Front Drag and Rear Drag.
Due to the way that rods are constructed, it is generally accepted that front drag reels tend to be smoother.
The bearings inside the reel will determine how smoothly the reel operates. The more bearings the better.
Suitable for light spinning and float fishing
Suitable for light to medium spinning, float fishing and light bottom fishing
Suitable for medium or heavy spinning and bottom fishing
Friendly tackle picks chosen to make the guide easier to put into practice.
£21.10
More Info / Purchase£21.10
More Info / Purchase| Type | Fixed Spool | Fixed Spool | Fixed Spool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag (Clutch) | Front Drag (FD) | Front Drag (FD) | Front Drag (FD) |
| Gear Ratio | 5.2:1 | 5.1:1 | 5.2:1 |
| Weight (g) | 230g | 240g | 265g |
| Ball Bearings | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pre Spooled with Line | × | × | × |
| Spare Spool | ✓ | ✓ | n/a |
| Suitability | Light Spinning Kayak Fishing Float Fishing | Light Spinning Kayak Fishing Float Fishing | Light Spinning Kayak Fishing |
| Free Shipping | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
£21.10 More Info / Purchase | £21.10 More Info / Purchase |  £19.99 More Info / Purchase |
| Type | Fixed Spool | Fixed Spool |
|---|---|---|
| Drag (Clutch) | Front Drag (FD) | Front Drag (FD) |
| Gear Ratio | 5.1:1 | 5.1:1 |
| Weight (g) | 289g | 290g |
| Ball Bearings | 5 | 3 |
| Pre Spooled with Line | × | ✓ |
| Spare Spool | ✓ | ✓ |
| Suitability | Light to Medium Spinning Kayak Fishing Float Fishing . | Light to Medium Spinning Kayak Fishing Float Fishing Light Boat Fishing |
| Free Shipping | ✓ | ✓ |
 £38.95 More Info / Purchase |  £36.99 More Info / Purchase |
£56.99
More Info / Purchase| Type | Fixed Spool | Fixed Spool | Fixed Spool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag (Clutch) | Front Drag (FD) | Front Drag (FD) | Front Drag (FD) |
| Gear Ratio | 4.8:1 | 4.1:1 | 4.7:1 |
| Weight (g) | 375g | 640g | 395g |
| Ball Bearings | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Pre Spooled with Line | × | × | × |
| Spare Spool | ✓ | ✓ | × |
| Suitability | Medium Spinning Float Fishing Bottom Fishing Boat Fishing | Medium to Heavy Spinning Heavy Float Fishing Bottom Fishing Boat Fishing | Medium Spinning Float Fishing Bottom Fishing Boat Fishing |
| Free Shipping | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
£56.99 More Info / Purchase |  £39.95 More Info / Purchase |  £36.45 More Info / Purchase |
