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Every angler who has participated in the unique trophy fishing tours in the Krasnoyarsk Krai begins to understand the importance of comfortable, reliable spinning reels or rods. After all, the fight with large predators can be so protracted, so any tackle is especially important.
The reel determines the line reeling speed. And not only that. High-quality reels allow you to see how hard a taimen or pike fights. Reels also indicate whether an angler can land their catch. Therefore, it's important to carefully select your gear before heading out on a rafting trip.
How to choose a reel for a spinning rod?
Selecting fishing gear is important. However, it's important to consider three key criteria:
- In what place, river, reservoir, will the fishing take place;
- What kind of fish will you be hunting?
- In what conditions, i.e. from the shore, boat, spinning rod, fly fishing, etc.
Reels can vary in more than just size. They can be inertial or spinning. They have different mechanisms that can rotate in different ways.
Inertial
These are reel-to-reel products with a 1:1 gear ratio. This means that each turn of the spool winds one turn of line. These reels are ideal for ice fishing. The rig allows you to release the line with the current, which is ideal for fast-moving rivers. However, a clear drawback is that inertial reels often become tangled.
Animated
They're better suited for calmer waters. Recently, multiplier reels have become available, equipped with various winding and braking systems. They are also inertial, but the appearance of a beard is quite rare with them. Their advantage is that the spool makes several turns during reeling in, and gear ratios can vary from 4.1:1 to 6.3:1. It's worth noting that the higher the ratio, the faster the line reeling speed. A disadvantage of multiplier reels is the need for a certain area for the casting stroke.
Spinning
These reels can offer excellent performance, with gear ratios as high as 8:1. For catching large predators, gear ratios of 4:1 or 4.7:1 are used. These are ideal for catching such noble species as taimen, brown trout, and nelma.
Ratings of the best reel manufacturers
We suggest considering several particularly popular reels:
SHIMANO Catana 2500 FD
This spinning reel features a front drag system. It's expensive but durable. Weighing 260 grams, it's compact but holds a generous 160 m of line. Its gear ratio is 5:1. This reel excels at catching large predators and can be used for feeder fishing. Other SHIMANO Catana models, such as the 4000 FD, are suitable for long-distance casting, while the 1000 FD is excellent for shore fishing.
The reel's pros include a wide range of different models, drag up to 4 kg, a single spool turn that retrieves 71 cm of line, smooth rotation, and multiple bearings. Its cons include its high price (around 3,500 rubles) and the fact that a spare spool is not included. As we can see, this reel is unlikely to be suitable for whale or shark fishing, but it's quite suitable for burbot, pike perch, or pike.
SHIMANO CALCUTTA 301
A multiplier reel suitable for trolling. This is an expensive item, rarely available unless you've visited Japan. It can be attached to a spinning rod only for left-handed reeling. It has a drag rating of 7 kg and is used for catching large, saltwater predators. The gear ratio is 5.6:1, and it retrieves 75 cm of line per spool turn. The reel's line capacity reaches 210 m. This multiplier reel is suitable for fishing from a boat or yacht.
Pros: Durable and reliable reel with an aluminum body; well-protected mechanisms; excellent drag; multiple bearings; suitable gear ratio; smooth rotation even with heavy fish resistance. Cons: the reel is very expensive (28,000 rubles) and weighs a hefty 325 grams.
We've featured two models from Japanese manufacturers, but in reality, there's a vast selection of reels, and every fishing enthusiast prefers their favorite, convenient models. The most important thing is that the product meets their needs and can effectively handle powerful predators.
