|
More often than not, an angler’s first rod
comes with a spinning reel attached to it. They’re relatively easy to use
and usually begin in price ranges easy for a budding angler (or that
angler’s parents) to swallow. But spinning reels continue to have uses far
beyond the casting of bobber and worm, as in some situations, nothing works
better to help put your gear right where it needs to be, no matter how
advanced the angler.
The design of the spinning reel makes it virtually
backlash free and promotes free line flow on the cast, allowing
friction-free flight as line glides off the spool. Spinning reels often
produce superior casting distance and allow anglers to use a wide variety of
lines. For example, extra light or small diameter lines can be better used
with a spinning reel for clear water fishing or finesse fishing situations.
Spinning reels also handle very light line better than baitcasters, which
enables them to be matched with light and ultra-light action rods for the
light-tackle enthusiast. Spinning tackle is ideally suited for presenting
most varieties of live and natural baits as well. Because many baits are
best secured lightly to the hook, using spinning gear allows the angler to
cast these baits more delicately, and often, farther than with baitcasting
gear. Finally, when a lot of open water casting is to take place, a spinning
reel is often the reel of choice. Small jigs, spinners, spoons, and
crankbaits are more easily cast with a spinning reel, and when fish
congregate in large schools in open water, like Alaska’s coho as they pool
up in back-flooded river mouths, that ease, as well as the superior casting
distance gained with a spinning reel, enables an angler to be more efficient
and productive.
And again, it doesn’t take much to master the functions of
a spinning reel. Prior to the cast, the bail is opened to allow the weight
of the lure or bait to pull line from the stationary spool. To gain casting
accuracy, an angler can then use his or her index finger to “feather” or
even stop the line. After the cast, the bail is snapped closed, capturing
the line at the start of the retrieve. When the reel handle is then turned,
the bail turns accordingly, winding the line evenly onto the spool.
Spinning reels, like most other categories of fishing
tackle, span a wide category. There are ultra-smooth, precision-engineered
high-end models, which usually come with high-end price tags as well. Then
there are the basic functional models that most of us learned to cast on.
When talking performance, the first attribute mentioned is the smoothness of
a reel’s operation when casting and retrieving, which is most pointedly
related to the number of ball bearings within the design. Good quality
spinning reels can be found with everything from three or four ball bearings
up to ten or more in the upper echelons of fishing technology. Here are just
a few of the many models for every budget from four of the top spinning reel
manufacturers.
Abu Garcia
www.abu-garcia.com
 For
over 60 years, fishermen have trusted Abu Garcia for top-performing
spinning reels. A tradition of the best in Swedish craftsmanship is passed
on from generation to generation and the Abu Garcia spinning reel series
of today are all that their predecessors were and more.
The Cardinal 300 series of Abu Garcia spinning reels are
designed to give the angler a comfortable fishing reel with the confidence
to cast long and accurately. Five bearings and a brass pinion gear provide
for a noticeably smooth operation, while line twists are virtually
eliminated with the oversized line roller. Line tangles under the spool
are no longer a problem with the aluminum-skirted spool. Instant
Anti-Reverse, an Abu Garcia hallmark, comes in handy for positive hook
sets, and each Cardinal 300 reel features an easy-to-change
precision-click front drag. Finished in metallic green, the Cardinal 300
series is available in four models, from the ultra-light Model 300U, which
holds up to 100 yards of 4-pound monofilament, perfect for small trout and
grayling, to the Cardinal 300 workhorse, the Model 303, which weighs only
10.8 ounces but holds 180 yards of 8-pound test mono. Retail price:
$44.95.
The Cardinal 500 series reels start with a graphite body
and then add a six-bearing drive and brass pinion gears, an oversized line
roller, and anodized aluminum spool. Like the 300 series, the Cardinal 500
comes with an easy to reach and operate precision-click front drag and
Instant Anti-Reverse. Wobble-free retrieves are made possible by Abu
Garcia’s accu-balance rotor. Finished in metallic champagne with gold
accents, Cardinal 500 reels come in three models: the 7.7-ounce Model 501,
which holds 110 yards of 6-pound test, the Model 502 (line capacity: 175
yards of 6-pound mono), and the 11.4-ounce Model 504, where anglers can
spool up 210 yards of 10-pound test monofilament. Retail price: $54.95.
Abu Garcia is marketing the final series in their new
line of spinning reels, the Cardinal 600, as the strongest and lightest
spinning reels in their class (up to 20% lighter than comparable reels).
The Cardinal 600 features Abu Garcia’s patented Stamina center drag
system, created with multi-disc Teflon and graphite with stainless steel
components. Located at the base of the spool, the easy-access Stamina drag
produces 240% more drag surface than conventional spinning reel drags and
35% less heat than competitive models. The one-piece aluminum stem and
gearbox maintains gear alignment for the life of the reel. Five bearings
enhance the reel’s ultra-smooth performance, and line is placed evenly on
the spool with the even-line-lay oscillation system. The oversized line
roller prevents line twist and fatigue during take up. Like the other
models in the Cardinal series, Cardinal 600 spools are skirted to prevent
line tangles along the shaft. The 6.0-ounce Cardinal 600U ultra-light
model can be loaded with 100 yards of 4-pound test monofilament, while the
Cardinal 602 weighs just 7.8 ounces and holds up to 110 yards of 8-pound
mono. Retail price: $54.95.
Daiwa
www.daiwa.com
 Daiwa,
long a leader in the tackle industry, recently introduced five new
“HardBodyz” spinning reel families for 2002-2003. Tagged HardBodyz because
of their super-rigid aluminum alloy bodies, these new spinning reels offer
a range of sizes perfect for anything from the coastal cutthroat of
southeast Alaska to the milling coho of Big River Lakes. Top-end Capricorn
models are equipped with Daiwa’s AirBail, a tubular stainless steel bail
that combines lightweight strength with a smooth flowing shape to easily
pick up line without snagging. Features shared by all HardBodyz include
Daiwa’s BailSafe system to prevent accidental closure on outcast, Infinite
Anti-Reverse to prevent handle back play, reverse tapered, aluminum ABS
spools for better casting and fewer line tangles, Tangle Guard snag-free
bail arm design, and a rugged, machined aluminum handle arm. The advanced
Daiwa Twist Buster system is featured on several of these models and is
designed to reduce nagging line twist problems.
The Daiwa Capricorn, definitely the flagship of this
fleet, has a narrow-profile, aluminum alloy HardBodyz frame and sideplates
that keep precision internal parts in alignment without flex or strain.
The result is great power and less wear. The AirBail tubular stainless
bail delivers greater strength, positive line pickup, and fewer line
snags. The BailSafe click-cam action secures the bail in the open position
to prevent accidental closing while casting, and an infinite anti-reverse
delivers solid hook sets. Retail price: $114.95-$129.95.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Daiwa Caprice
spinning reel sports the same compact HardBodyz frame and manages to pack
a lot of the top-end highlights into a small, perfectly balanced package.
Three ball bearings plus one roller bearing promote fluid retrieve, while
the infinite anti-reverse locks down tight for instantaneous hook sets the
moment the bail is engaged. The advanced Daiwa Twist Buster system uses a
specialized line roller that prevents the rotor from turning the line over
with it, the number one cause of line twist in a spinning reel. And for
even more performance on the water, the Caprice is outfitted with Daiwa’s
high-performance Gyro-Spin system for precision casts without tangles,
wobbling retrieves, or other annoying quirks. A micro-adjustable drag with
oversized washers for smooth line payout completes the package. Retail
price: $45.95.
In between the Capricorn and Caprice are three more new
models of Daiwa HardBodyz, each with varying degrees of performance
features. They are the five-ball bearing Kastor ($59.95), the Laguna
($69.95), which is constructed of high-density graphite to withstand the
worst of angling elements, and the Ondine ($84.95). Each is a top-quality
spinning reel worthy of the Daiwa name, and worthy of Alaska’s best
gamefish.
Fin-Nor
www.fin-nor-international.com
 Contrary
to popular legend, celebrated reel manufacturer Fin-Nor was not founded in
Finland and Norway, but by a Mr. Finley and a Mr. Norwood. Born in a Miami
machine shop in the early 1930s, Fin-Nor has been a leading force in
saltwater fishing tackle for some 70 years, its beginnings stretching back
to the glory days of big game fishing. Saltwater skipper Captain Tommy
Gifford collaborated with a Fin-Nor employee to craft the first Fin-Nor
big game reel in 1933. The reel weighted 35 pounds and was large enough to
fill a sizable water bucket. From there, the company’s reputation quickly
grew, as Alfred Glassell used a Fin-Nor reel to catch a 1,560-pound black
marlin in Cabo Blanco, Peru, in 1953 while fishing to create footage for
the film version of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. It remains the
IGFA world record black marlin. Later, engineer Gar Wood Jr. designed a
revolutionary spinning reel in the 1950s that established the base for
Fin-Nor’s expansion into spinning tackle. Purchased by Cape Fear Rod
Company in 2001, the company continues to be one of the world’s leading
manufacturers of spinning tackle.
Renowned among saltwater anglers with models like the
Ahab InShore spinning reel, Fin-Nor is hoping to have the same effect on
freshwater anglers as they introduce two new lines of freshwater reels.
First is the high-performance Steel River model, which features a seven
bearing system, Fin-Nor’s new Jet-Stack drag system employing drag washers
up to twice the size of those in most competing reels, a titanium spool
lip, bail, and line roller, stainless steel one-way instant anti-reverse
clutch, and a Hy-Frame body and rotor. The Hy-Frame body includes an
aluminum side plate for reduced weight and structural integrity. Steel
River reels come in lines sizes of 4, 6, 8, and 10, and retail for $79.99.
Another Fin-Nor freshwater series of spinning reels is
the Lumina. A champagne graphite body and rotor give it a light feel and
make it a pleasure to cast. The Lumina also features a stainless steel
anti-reverse clutch, a machined and ported spool to further reduce weight,
and a titanium-coated line roller that lays line on the spool smoothly and
evenly. Fin-Nor Lumina spinning reels are capable of handling line sizes
from 4 through 10. Retail price: $49.99.
Okuma
www.okumafishing.com
 Okuma
got its start in 1987 as an OEM manufacturer. They now produce a range of
fishing tackle from fly reels to high-end baitcasters, including over a
dozen different models of spinning reels, several of which are ideal tools
for chasing Alaska’s larger salmon species.
The Okuma Avenger series spinning reels are the result
of a decade’s worth of research and development by the company’s
engineers. The smoothness of the series derives from the Avenger’s six
sealed ball bearings and the lightweight CNC machined spools, which are
fitted with oil-soaked felt washers. An additional one-way roller bearing
gives the “Quick Set” anti-reverse no-play hook sets. The Avenger models
start with the ultra-light AV15 and run through the AV80, a 30-pound line
class reel that uses a one-way clutch bearing for the anti-reverse system.
All are manufactured with lightweight, corrosion resistant TITAN graphite.
Okuma Avenger reels are a quality reel for an affordable price, retailing
for $34.99-$44.99.
The redesigned Okuma Fina series boasts a sleek new
look, but provides the same backbone, and the same manageable price tag,
the series has long been known for. Like the Avenger, the Fina has six
ball bearings, a one-way clutch bearing, and Quick-Set anti-reverse for
zero handle play. Effortless retrieves are a hallmark of the Fina, the
result of five ball bearings, RES (Rotor Equalization System) balancing
system, and Even Flow line roller. An additional bearing has been placed
in the ceramic line roller to help produce tangle-free high-speed
retrieves. The Fina also features multi-disc oil-soaked felt and stainless
steel washers, a heavy-duty brass pinion gear, and a machined aluminum
spool. The 3000/5000 saltwater sizes have been engineered with a new oval
oscillation system to deliver precision line lay for tangle-free
operation, while offering more durability and strength. Fina models retail
for $49.99-$54.99.
Another new product from Okuma is the Epixor series
spinning reel, featuring ten ball bearings, Okuma’s RES, and the new EDS
extra large drag system. It has a titanium coated stainless steel spool
rim for long casts and durability, and the Extra Drag System uses
oversized steel and felt washers to dissipate heat and put the brakes on
Alaska’s trophy fish. Epixor reels retail for $64.99-$84.99.
Okuma’s new marquee line of spinning reels, the Inspira,
features their new machined aluminum handle that folds down with one
simple movement of the locking sleeve, and the new ASB locking bail
function which locks the bail open during casting. Precision cut brass
main gears and 12 bearings are just two of the reasons the Inspira is the
top-of-the-line Okuma spinning reel for inshore saltwater and freshwater
fishing. The lip of the three-piece machine-cut spool is coated with
titanium to help ensure smooth line winding and to resist marring, which
could lead to broken line when you’re fighting the fish of a lifetime.
Inspira spinning reels retail for $84.99-$89.99.
|
