While the rod rightfully gets the most attention when casters shop, experienced casters know that getting the best bait casting reel is just as important as getting the best casting rod. In this article, we are going to be looking for a good casting reel that will serve you well on your fishing trips.
To accomplish this, we will be looking at 5 different, high-quality casting reels. We will do a fairly in-depth review of each one and will tell you what is good and bad about each one.
If you want our opinion on the overall best reel, we would say it is the Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel.
A Spotlight On Some of The Best Bait Casting Reel 2020:
Abu Garcia Silver Max Low Profile
To kick off our search for the best baitcasting reel, we want to do a review of the Abu Garcia Silver Max Low Profile. This is a good, middle of the road first entry to start off the list. This is the case for a few different reasons.
First off, it isn’t too pricey, but it also isn’t that cheap either. Secondly, it is well-made, but not necessarily as heavy-duty as some of the pricier options out there. So, we figured that this middle-ground option was a good introduction to the world of bait casting reels.
The first place that we always want to start when talking about baitcasting reels is with the body of the baitcasting reel, more specifically, what the reel is made out of.
The Abu Garcia Silver Max Low Profile is made out of graphite, and pretty high-quality graphite as well. In terms of quality, graphite is pretty strong and fairly light, which makes it an exceedingly popular option for reels. Graphite is by far the most common material for making reels, both on this review list and on the market as a whole. You will find out more in our buying guide.
In terms of ball bearings, the Abu Garcia Silver Max Low Profile comes with 5 stainless steel ball bearings. For those unfamiliar with what these do, ball bearings help to ensure the internal stability of the reel. They also play a big role in helping to minimize things like drag and to ensure that you are able to smoothly bring in your reel.
Something else that a good caster needs to consider is how comfortable a particular reel is. In this regard, the Abu Garcia Silver Max Low Profile again does surprisingly well in this regard.
It has very comfortable, high-density foam handles. Furthermore, it just feels nice in the hand. Graphite isn’t too heavy of a material either (as we said earlier), which helps to make it a lot more comfortable to use.
- Very lightweight.
- Comfortable foam handles.
- Solid graphite body.
- 5 stainless steel ball bearings.
- Fairly affordable.
- Can’t quite achieve the durability of more expensive models.
Abu Garcia Revo X Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel
The next baitcasting reel that we want to show you our best baitcasting reel list is the Abu Garcia Revo X Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel. Those of you paying attention to our review list (or those who are familiar with fishing reels) will no doubt remember the name Abu Garcia.
We have already taken an in-depth look at one of their products earlier on this list, and we are going to be doing it again now as we think that this particular baitcasting reel has enough differences to justify a separate review.
One of the biggest differences between the Abu Garcia Revo X Low Profile Bait casting Fishing Reel and the other fishing reel from them that we reviewed is that the Abu Garcia Revo X is on the pricier end of the spectrum.
The first Abu Garcia product that we reviewed was about in the middle of the price spectrum. The. Abu Garcia Revo X Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel is definitely a lot pricier. However, it also has some great features that justify that higher price.
A good place to start is by looking at the frame on the reel. The Revo X is equipped with a very useful and impressive X2-Craftic alloy frame. This frame is special because it manages to combine both toughness and weight into one good package.
The frame helps to make the reel both very tough and remarkably lightweight, which are both traits that every good caster looks for in a reel. The frame also helps to make the Abu Garcia Revo X Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel feel absolutely great in your hands.
Something else that is very notable about this reel and that helps to set it apart is the presence of a specula carbon matrix drag system. This, along with some other features, helps to ensure that you always have a very smooth reeling in experience with the Abu Garcia Revo X Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel.
Finally, we want to mention that the Abu Garcia actually comes with special brass gears from Duragear. To say that these gears would be tough would be a massive understatement. They can last for a lifetime with proper maintenance, so you should definitely consider this to be a major positive factor.
- Very well-made frame.
- Durable brass gears can last for a long time.
- Comfortable and lightweight.
- Comes from one of the most trusted fishing equipment brands.
- Pricier than other Abu Garcia Reels.
KastKing Royale Legend/Whitemax Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel
If you have been scanning our best baitcasting reel review list looking for a good option that also happens to be budget-friendly, then you need to consider the KastKing Royale Legend/Whitemax Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel. This is a low-cost fishing reel option that we think brings some good quality performance to the table. It definitely is capable of punching far above its weight in terms of quality.
In terms of material, the KastKing Royale Legend/Whitemax Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel‘s main body is made of light graphite, like pretty much every other cheap baitcasting reel out there. As we have said many times on our best baitcasting reel list, graphite is such a good material because it is both very cheap and relatively durable. So, it isn’t surprising in the slightest to see it be used on such an inexpensive baitcasting reel.
Despite being relatively cheap and affordable, the KastKing Royale Legend/Whitemax Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel is definitely not lacking in really high-quality features.
For example, it has a whopping 11 corrosion-resistant ball bearings. As we are sure all casters and anglers know, good ball bearings help to protect the inside of the reel and they help to ensure that the reel always operates very smoothly.
Speaking of cost, we should finally address that factor, since it is definitely one of the premier reasons to invest in the KastKing Royale Legend/Whitemax Low Profile Baitcasting Fishing Reel in the first place.
This is probably not the cheapest reel out there, but it is definitely one of the cheapest options on our review list. Also, in terms of quality to price ration, it ranks extremely highly as well. It is just an overall great baitcasting reel at a great price, so what isn’t to love?
- Very affordable option.
- Great price to quality ration.
- Smooth reeling in.
- 12, high-quality ball bearings that are also corrosion resistant.
- Lightweight, yet durable graphite frame.
- Probably won’t last you for too long.
SHIMANO SLX Baitcasting Reel
The next baitcasting reel that we think deserves to be reviewed on this list looking for the best baitcasting reel list is the SHIMANO SLX Baitcasting Reel. Those of you who are experienced when it comes to to casting and angling will no doubt recognize the name SHIMANO.
They are one of the absolute best names out there when it comes to creating components for fishing rods. So, it won’t be surprising to anyone to see them appear on this best of review list. While not everyone will care about the famous name, for others, it will no doubt be a sign of the high quality of this particular baitcasting reel.
The first thing that indicates just how high the quality of the SHIMANO SLX Baitcasting Reel is its high-quality metal body. It is equipped with something called a HAGANE metal body, which is extremely durable.
It will require a bit more maintenance than many other baitcasting reels due to the presence of metal (which is obviously at risk of rushing or corroding whenever water is invovled). However, if you don’t mind the extra maintenance required, then you are going to be getting a very high-quality, reliable baitcasting reel.
Something else that is very notable about the SHIMANO SLX Baitcasting Reel is that it is an exceptionally lightweight option. You may think that because this is made out of metal, that this would be a much heavier baitcasting reel than it actually is. It is surprisingly light and comfortable to use. You can cast with this reel for hours and your hands won’t feel fatigued or tired in the slightest.
While there aren’t any real weaknesses regarding the SHIMANO that we feel are worth mentioning, we do think that it is worth mentioning that there are cheaper options out there that offer at least comparable performance to the SHIMANO SLX Baitcasting Reel.
- From one of the most respected fishing equipment brands.
- Surprisingly lightweight, despite solid construction.
- Reliable, durable metal exterior.
- Comfortable to use reel that delivers very reliable performance.
- Cheaper options available that offer similar quality.
- Requires more upkeep than some other baitcasting reels.
Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel
The last baitcasting reel that we want to review is a very heavy-duty, high-end option in the form of the Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel. As you will see in our review, this particular baitcasting reel has so many great features, that we absolutely had to include it on our review list. In fact, we would go so far as to say that this is our choice for the best bait casting reel.
The first thing to note is that this is an exceptionally well-made and well-built baitcasting reel. The Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel is made using super solid metal. This does have the effect of making it pretty heavy, but it is also going to last you for a very long time.
It isn’t just the exterior frame that is durable either, the internal components are equally well-made. For example, the Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel comes with these really well-made, Japanese brass gears inside the reel. These gears go a long way towards ensuring that the reel always operates smoothly and without any issues.
With a high gear ratio, the Piscifun is easily capable of tackling larger, tougher fish. It can quickly reel in fish of all sizes, no matter how much of a fight they seem to put up. That is a big part of the reason why this is such a good baitcasting reel.
Our biggest issue with the Piscifun Torrent Baitcasting Reel is the fact that it is definitely a bit on the heavier side of things. This isn’t going to be a problem for everyone, but given that you can’t test out a reel online before you use it, it is definitely something to think about before you buy.
- Strong metal frame.
- Good gear ratio.
- Very durable internal components.
- A bit on the heavier side of things.
Baitcasting Reel Buying Guide
We hope that you got a lot of use out of our review list above. In addition to telling you what the best baitcasting reel is, we also want to tell how we decided which reels were worthy of being included on our list and which deserves to be left off.
To a certain extent, this was possible to tell just based off what we said in our reviews, but we wanted to do a dedicated buying guide just to make sure that everyone understands exactly what to look for in a baitcasting reel.
Frame Material
If you read our best bait casting reel review list, then you know that one of the first and most important things to consider is what material the frame is made out of. As you saw from our list, reel frames are generally made out of one of two materials, metal and graphite.
Metal frames (which are generally made out of some sort of die cast aluminum) are the strongest and generally the heaviest type of frame that there is (although there can be some exceptions to this rule as evidenced by a few of the reels out there). Metal frames are also by far the most durable kind of bait casting reel frame material. Reels made using metal frames are also generally the more expensive option.
Graphite frames are, on the other hand, a lot cheaper. Likewise, graphite is definitely the much lighter option as well. As you can probably guess, this means that graphite baitcasting reels are a lot easier on both your wallet and on your hands.
You might think that because graphite is such a cheap, lightweight material, that reels made from it are weak and flimsy. However, you would be mistaken. While it is undoubtedly true that graphite frames aren’t quite as durable as metal ones, graphite technology is incredibly advanced.
Graphite frames can end up being almost as tough as metal ones, all while being cheaper and lighter too. This is why so many of the reels on our best baitcasting reel list are made from graphite and not metal.
Ball Bearings
Almost as important as the material used to make the frame is the number of ball bearings and their quality. Ball bearings help to determine how smoothly the baitcasting reel operates.
Simply put, the more ball bearings that a reel has, the smoother it will operate (but also the more expensive the reel is likely to be). As you saw from our best baitcasting reel review list, the number of ball bearings can vary quite wildly. Some reels have as low as 5 ball bearings, while others have as many as 12.
Knowing Your Brands
Something else that prospective buyers may wish to consider is the importance of brand name. Not all brands are built alike and when it comes to your baitcasting reel, you want to make sure that the one that you are buying is the absolute best.
To help narrow down your search, we would heavily recommend sticking to searching among a few of the more well-known brands out there. You probably noticed on our best bait casting reel list that a lot of the same names kept popping up over and over again (Abu Garcia, Shimano, KastKing, etc.).
This isn’t just a coincidence. These brands are proven and they will pretty much always deliver a high-quality product.
Giving Us Comments
If you are an experienced caster and want to let us know what you thought of our best bait casting reel list, or if you are new to casting and want to have a question answered then you can leave us a comment down below.
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