As one fisherman said, you can never separate a fisherman with his favorite line. Well, so is the case with his reel.
Line fishing involves attaching a hook on a fishing line, then using it to pull the fish out of the water. A fishing reel is that part of your fishing rod that holds the fishing line, allowing you to cast and pull back your fishing line as conveniently as possible.
There are four basic models of fishing reels, and we have analyzed their functionalities in this article.
Baitcasting Fishing Reel
A baitcasting reel is primarily designed to cast bait accurately and effortlessly. Some baits and lures have weights which help them stay underwater. The free movement of the line allows the bait to be cast at a significant distance, and with great accuracy without risk of line entanglement.
Baitcasting reels are ideal for catching big fish, and comes really handy in waters with a lot of vegetation.
Reeling (pulling the fish out of the water) is done with ease by the help of a handle that is usually on either side of the baitcasting reel. A baitcasting fishing reel is customized depending on the fisherman’s dominant hand to facilitate convenient control of the line movement.
Spinning Fishing Reels
A spinning fishing reel is a lighter and more versatile reel, which makes it ideal for catching small fish. The spinning reel can also be used when fishing using bow and arrow harpoons. The spool of a spinning fishing reel is specifically designed to take care of the excess momentum and the casting speeds.
When using a spinning reel, you need to control the position landing by casting your fishing line at the right angle, all while regulating its speed with your index finger. The trickiest part in a spinning reel is realigning the line with the bail before making the first reel. There might be an entangling once the fishing line is cast and reeled due to the circular motion of the spool.
Modern spinning reels—mostly available at your online fishing tackle shop—automatically correct the line positioning on the bail immediately you start reeling.
Trolling Fishing Reels
Trolling fishing reels are larger and stronger than baitcasting reels. A trolling reel is designed to be pulled behind a boat during fishing. Due to its huge size, normal casting methods are not used in a trolling reel.
When casting, a live bait is attached to the hook and dropped deep down into the water. Deep water lovers such as tuna are the main targets for fishermen using trolling reels for fishing. Once the tuna is caught, the large spool deploys the fishing line freely to accommodate and adjust to the sudden change of the rod inertia.
Reeling the trolling reel line is done similarly to that of baitcasting reel. The straight reeling prevents the fishing line from entangling, although it allows the fishermen to pull the fish with ease. Additionally, the fishing rod handle is fixed to the boat, allowing the fisherman to use both hands to reel both the line and the catch.
Flying Fishing Reels
Fishermen use fishing reels to catch fish that are closer to the water surface. The flying reels use lighter lures that float on the surface of the water, the idea being to mimic insect movements. Trout fish likes falling for this trap.
The momentum of the line assists in casting the flying reel. Reeling the fishing line with the catch is easier as the movement of the handle corresponds to the movement of the spool, such that three turns of the handle are equivalent to three spool turns.
Conclusion
It is almost impossible to make the right fishing reel decision if you are not clear on the type of fish available in your waters. In fact, the choice of the fish determines the kind of reel to go for. You need to carefully examine your waters, as well as your available budget prior to making a fishing reel purchase decision.