Top 3 Heavy Spinning Reels

man with spools

 

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Heavy spinning reels are used in a variety of fishing situations, from surf fishing to trolling blue water, fishing from the pier or jetty or out on the boat. These saltwater spinning reels are made tough, as they need to be to stand up to a reasonable amount of abuse in these circumstances. Look for systems that are well-sealed against saltwater infiltration in order to prevent corrosion. Using stainless steel ball bearings can also protect against saltwater.

Daiwa EMcast Sport Surf Spinning Reel

This reel is a heavy duty entry from Daiwa designed specifically for surf fishing. The design allows long casts and even line retrieval on the spool. It is made with eight bearings including seven stainless ball bearings and roller bearing. It has an ABS aluminum spool and features that reduce line twists and cut down on tangles. It has a folding handle with a soft touch power handle knob. This one will stand up to saltwater. It's a good choice for saltwater uses including fishing from the jetty or pier or in the surf or boat. It is able to handle heavy freshwater fish as well, such as sturgeon and big catfish.

Penn Spinfisher 7500SSV Spinning Reel

Penn is long famous for American-made quality, this is a big spinning reel. This one will work as well for surf as it will for offshore trolling. It's a heavy reel designed for heavy fish. The Penn Spinfisher V line goes from the Model SSV3500 with 20 pounds of drag and a gear ratio of 6.2 to 1 to the SSV10500 with 40 pounds of drag and a gear ratio of 4.2:1. The SSV7500 has 20 pounds of drag and a gear ratio of 4.7:1. All of the Spinfisher V models have five shielded stainless steel ball bearings with a water-tight design to keep out the salt water. The sealed drag system has three HT-100 drag washers, with one on top of the spool and two underneath. You can also choose between standard, Live Liner, and bail-less models.

Shimano Baitrunner D

The Baitrunner's unique feature that allows a semi-free spool operation makes it ideal for free line drifting a live bait makes this one a good choice. It has a waterproof drag and large line capacity and is built with four ball bearings and one roller bearing. The spools are made of cold-forged aluminum which Shimano says is more durable than diecast aluminum or graphite spools. Their Dyna-Balance system helps eliminate wobble during your retrieve. Their Varispeed oscillation system uses an oval gear to get a more consistent spool speed so the line lays evenly for better casting. The Baitrunner D comes in four models, from BTR4000D with 15 pounds of maximum drag and a gear ration of 4.8:1 up to BTR120000D with 20 pounds maximum drag and a gear ratio of 4.4:1.