Freshwater Baitcast Reel

[jimmayor007]

Challenges

Basically, the challenge any Baitcast reel faces is to allow the angler to cast a lure or bait as quickly and as far as possible (free spooling) and prevent the line from over running the spool (braking). The main factors that affect how the reel performs are

1. The weight of the lure
2. The size of the line
3. The speed of the line coming off the spool
4. The speed of the line when you retrieve your lure, and more importantly, any fish that you catch!

These four factors still affect Baitcast reels that are made today, over 100 years since the first reel was invented!

To overcome these challenges, let’s take a look at how Manufacturer’s solve these problems today:

Braking

Manufacturers have developed a system known as "Centrifugal Braking". This is a system that uses magnets that can be physically moved either closer to the center of the spool (less braking, faster speed), or closer to the perimeter of the spool (more braking, lower speed). This system applies the principles of Centrifugal Force to affect the rotational speed of the spool. Remember that the higher the speed, the farther you can cast your lure, but there is a greater probability that the rotational speed of the spool is faster than the speed of the line which will increase the likelihood of a backlash..
Look for reels that offer a "Free Spool" which allows the spool to rotate completely free. This allows farther casts with less effort. At the same time, look for reels with more brakes. Reels can come with anywhere from 4 to 10 brakes. Look for a reel that allows you to adjust the brakes externally. This comes in very handy when it’s very windy.
I fished a Tournament once during a very bad storm with extreme wind and rain. One of my personal reels (I won’t mention the Manufacturer or model, but it is the most Popular selling Baitcast Reel in the past 5 years of any Manufacturer) required me to take the reel apart to reset my brakes. That was the last thing I wanted to do, especially in a Tournament where every cast counts, as does every second spent not fishing.

Counter Balance

All modern high quality Baitcast Reels have a counter balance. This is usually a knob to slightly adjust the rotation of the spool to compensate for the weight of the lure or bait. The more a lure weighs, the faster the line will come off the spool because of the increased inertia caused by the heavier weight. To slow down the speed, a counter balance is applied to the spool. Most lures, regardless of type, typically weigh 1/16 oz, 1/8 oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz, etc. Live bait can weigh almost anything. The counter balance ensures that the spool always rotates at the same speed, no matter what size lure or bait you are casting. Look for an easily adjustable counter balance so that if you change the size of the lure, you can easily adjust the reel.

Drag

We haven’t even discussed what happens when you catch a fish! When you catch a fish, the bigger the better, I always say! However, a bigger fish can cause a problem. If a fish hits your lure, there is a tremendous amount of force that is involved when you set the hook. The worst that can happen is breaking your line (or even rod!) and losing the fish. The weight (strength) and type of line is important. The new braided line offers extreme strength with lower diameter and almost no stretching of the line when force is applied at both ends (1 end is the reel, the other is the fish!). A traditional monofilament line with more stretch is more forgiving to force, but in my opinion is not as durable as the newer Braided Super lines. The newer Baitcast Reels are better engineered to handle the increased forces involved with newer Braided Super lines. To prevent line from breaking when reeling in a fish (especially a Largemouth Bass in heavy cover), drag is very important.
We looked at how spool design, brakes, and counter balance affect the line coming off your spool. Drag affects the line when you reel it back.
Simply put , drag allows the spool to rotate in reverse back towards the fish. It allows the fish to slightly pull the line so the line doesn’t break, but not so much that the fish can swim away with your lure still in its mouth!. You don’t want the fish to be able to freely pull the line. After all, we do want to land that fish! Drag allows you to reel the fish in as quickly as possible on a tight (taut) line without the fish being able to break the line because the fish is fighting and resisting your effort to reel it in. Drag also helps to tire the fish so you can reel it in more easily. Look for a Drag System that allows you to easily adjust it while you are hopefully reeling in a BIG fish! Most Drag adjustment knobs look like a Star shaped device that is next to the handle so you can adjust with your thumb at the same time while you are reeling. Hence, they are referred to as "Star Drag". Fish come in all sizes (unfortunately). The bigger the fish, the more drag you will need to apply.

...read the full guide with pics here