The fishing reel has been around for many years and is probably the most important fishing gear component available to anglers. With all the different types of fishing reels available on the market today, and the various features and components to consider, choosing a fishing reel can be quite a difficult task, especially for a beginner. Understanding some basic features and specifications of a fishing reel, such as the type of drag system, gear ratio, and line capacity is crucial to ensuring one chooses the right reel for the job.
Imagine hooking a large fish without a drag system. Result? A lost fish because the line would snap due to the lack of tension. The drag system provides tension on the line. In other words, it determines or regulates how difficult or easy it is for a fish to pull the line off the reel. For smaller fish, having a drag system is really not an issue, since the fish are too small to pull line off the reel. However, when it comes to much larger fish, having a drag system is very important. A conventional or baitcasting reel is usually equipped with a star drag or lever drag system. The star drag is easier to operate. The tension can be increased or decreased by turning the star shaped wheel inside the handle. Reels with lever drags tend to be more expensive, but allow for more smoother and consistent performance since the drag can be adjusted in smaller, more precise increments.
The gear ratio of a particular fishing reel determines how quickly the line is retrieved. That is, it's the number of revolutions the spool makes with each complete turn of the reel handle. For example, a reel with a gear ratio of 5.7:1 means when the reel handle is turned one full revolution, the spool will revolve 5.7 times. When you turn the handle of a reel one full revolution that has a gear ratio of 6.2:1, the spool will revolve 6.2 times. Reels with higher gear ratios are better when using lures requiring rapid retrieval.
In short, line capacity refers to the amount of line a particular reel can hold. Fishing line comes in a variety of diameters, measured in lb test. Different reels can hold different amounts of line for the stated lb test. So, a reel can hold more yards of a smaller diameter line that it would with a thicker line. In order to determine the most appropriate type of fishing line, it is important to know the line capacity of a particular reel, as well as where one will be fishing and the species of fish one is pursuing.
During the process of researching and choosing a new fishing reel, one will have to consider the many features and specifications of a particular reel in order to make the best choice. Now that you have a basic understanding of the types of drag system, gear ratio and line capacity, you are equipped with the knowledge that will help you make the best choice of fishing reel for your particular fishing situation.
