By LOY MILAM              

     At first, you may be staggered by the vast inventory of brands, styles, sizes and price ranges of rod-and-reels found in any well-stocked tackle store. But buying a reel that will fit your needs and give you dependable service really isn’t that hard. It’s just a matter of knowing what each is designed to do and picking one that will best serve you.         

     Basically, there are three styles of reels: spincast, spinning and baitcaster. The basic differences involve the method in which line is released from the spool and construction materials.         

     Spincast models normally have a cheaper over-the-counter price and are closed-faced (a cone-type cover over the supply spool) with the spool set at a right angle to the rod. Line is released by pressing a button mounted on the back of the reel which disengages the spool.         

     


 
    Spinning reels are open-faced, with the supply spool also mounted at a right angle to the rod. These reels use a heavy wire bail to keep tension on the fishing line. Opening the bail allows line to feed over the front lip of the stationary spool.         

    



     Baitcast models are also open-faced, but are designed with the supply spool mounted in line with the rod. Line release is accomplished by disengaging the spool, allowing it to turn freely and feed line off parallel to the rod. While baitcasters are basically considered top-of-the-line by serious bass anglers, they can be very difficult for novice anglers to use because of their back-lash potential.




         

     Reels are not unlike any other consumer products; you get what you pay for. Cheaper models are most often housed in plastic, with gears and bearings made from inferior materials such as plastic or weak alloys with limited durability. More expensive models, on the other hand, can provide years of trouble-free service, being constructed with brass or hardened-steel gears, with roller or brass bearings and extended-life housings.         

     Aside from durability, reel selection depends upon the type fishing the purchase will be used for. Generally speaking, baitcasters were not designed to be used with ultra-light light line and feather-weight baits. Likewise, spincast and spinning reels will not perform adequately with heavy line and bulk baits like a 1-ounce jigging spoon. Both are mismatches. As a general rule, spincast and spinning reels perform best using 10-pound test line and under, using three-eight-ounce lures and lighter (the lighter the bait, the lighter the line needs to be to enable satisfactory casting). With baitcasters, 12-pound test line and up works best, casting lures one-quarter-ounce and heavier.         

     An additional factor to consider when picking a reel is the gear-ratio of the retrieve. The higher the ratio the faster the reel will retrieve line. While there many different gear ratios available, the slow end of the scale, the 3.8 to 1 ratio, is good for use with lipped crankbaits and spinnerbaits, the 4.4 to 1 ratio is a good choice for use with jigs and plastic worms, and the 6.2 to 1 ratio is designed for rippin’ baits like buzz-baits and rattle (no-bill) crankbaits. If your budget only allows the purchase of one outfit try to pick a mid-range ratio (4.5 - 5.5 to 1).         

     A smooth-working drag is also important in reel selection. A reel’s drag is an internal slip-clutch system that can be adjusted to allow the spool to slip and release line under the fighting pressure of above-average fish. Baitcasters normally have a star-drag adjustment next to the cranking handle, while spinning reels have either a rear drag control knob or a drag screw mounted in front of the spool. Set your drag loose enough that the spool will allow line to come off with only moderate resistance. One broken line because of a sudden lunge by a trophy fish will be more than enough to convince you of the importance of a smooth operating drag system.         

     While there are no hard-and-fast rules concerning reel applications, there are certain styles that have emerged as being more popular in specific fishing situations. Crappie and panfish anglers seem to equally prefer spincast and spinning models, while most bass fishermen stick with spinning and baitcaster models.         

     In picking a rod to go with your reel selection, three factors are important: 1) action, 2) sensitivity and 3) balance. The action of a rod is descriptive of its stiffness; with ultra-light being the most limber, while heavy action is the stiffest. Ultra-light rods are the best selection for use with 2- to 6-pound test line and lures under one-eighth ounce, medium action rods best handle 6- to 10-pound test line and one-quarter to three-eighths ounce lures, and heavy action rods are reserved for heavy lines and lures.         

     The degree of sensitivity in a rod involves how well you can "feel” what’s going on at the bait-end of the line. Rods constructed of graphite have the best feel, but are less durable than fiberglass, which is less sensitive. One option is to take advantage of the best of both worlds by purchasing a graphite/fiberglass composition rod which offers good "feel,” but at the same time, is very difficult to break under normal use.         

     Picking a rod that balances well with your reel selection involves choosing one that is the proper length and weight. The best test of balance is the way the rod feels in your hand. An outfit that feels too heavy at the tip or butt means the components are not matched well. Perhaps the best way to eliminate the guesswork is to purchase a factory-matched outfit. Not only are they properly balanced, often they’re less expensive when purchased as a combination.

Loy Milam is a Coast Guard Charter Boat Captain and licensed Kentucky/Tennessee fishing guide, web site www.loymilam.webs.com