It wasn’t that long ago when a bass angler holding a spinning reel drew strange looks, especially if there weren’t smallmouth to catch or a Western reservoir’s deep clear water to ply. After all, bass fishing was about baitcasting reels filled with rope-like lines capable of winching heavyweight bass from thick cover. Times sure have changed.
Once relegated to finesse tactics that relied on lightweight lines and small hooks, spinning reels and their associated rods are filling more bass-fishing roles. And that’s for plenty of good reasons. They make achieving casting accuracy almost effortless. They handle lightweight baits with ease. For many bass anglers, they’re the perfect stepping stone to advanced baitcasting reels from starter closed-face models.
Spinning outfits are an equal or better choice than baitcasting reels for many popular presentations. Here are three:
- Deep water vertical: Whether dragging a tube across a shoal for smallmouth or shaking a drop shot in a school of spotted bass, spinning reels adeptly handle the required lightweight line. And having a reel’s weight below the rod makes vertical fishing more comfortable for longer.
- Weightless soft plastics: Skipping these baits across the surface and into tight spots, especially well under a boat dock, is easier with spinning than baitcasting gear. Backlashes aren’t a worry; longer distances are easily achieved, a bonus when fishing clear water.
- Crankbaits: Small flat-sided crankbaits made from balsa, such as Rapala’s Shad Rap, produce when the water is cold and bass numb. They weigh almost nothing, but spinning gear casts them far.
Knowing the capabilities of your spinning gear is essential. While choosing the best spinning rod is determined by where and what you're fishing, soft-plastic lures demand a faster action than crankbaits. For example, you always want a quality reel with plenty of durability and fishability. Regardless of brand or price point, the best ones sport these four characteristics:
- Front drag: This drag has larger washers mounted on top of the spool rather than under the body. They start with little effort and slip smoothly, ensuring your line doesn’t break when adjusted properly.
- Large diameter spool: It stores line in wider wraps, which reduces line memory. The tighter wraps of small diameter spools lead to coiled line, which causes wind knots. Search out shallow spools, which reduce the line you'll need, saving you money.
- Ball bearings are the main contributors to a spinning reel’s smooth operation. They also add longevity by supporting key pieces such as the handle and main shaft. In general, the more ball bearings a reel has, the better it performs.
- Lightweight: The less a spinning reel weighs, the more comfortable it is to fish all day. Space-age materials like carbon fiber and a strategic design will make a reel feel like a feather. But be careful not to sacrifice durability to save an extra ounce or two.
The tackle market is filled with spinning reels. And even if you know what you need, it’s easy to spin out from all the choices. So, start with these four recently released spinning reels listed alphabetically. Each sports the most important characteristics at a price that doesn’t break the bank.
Ark Fishing Gravity GS5
The Gravity GS5 spinning reel can be fished all day without a performance lag, thanks in large part to its strong and lightweight carbon-fiber body. Its two sizes are built for bass anglers.
The details
- Sizes: 2500 and 3000
- Gear ratio: 5.2:1
- Drag: Front, carbon fiber, and Teflon discs
- Bearings: 8 ball bearings
- Warranty: 1 year
- MSRP: $129.99
The highlights
In order to win, you have to stay in the game. And this reel keeps you fishing without giving comfort a second thought. Offered in two models, they feature a carbon-fiber body that’s strong and lightweight. Its reversible handles measure 70mm and are equipped with an EVA foam knob.
At this price point, you'll find plenty of performance inside for a reel. The reel's Hyper Smooth Transmission creates retrieves without any spool wobble, and its carbon fiber and Teflon drag system is responsive, ensuring a big bass doesn’t break your line.
Ark Fishing offers this reel in two sizes, meeting most bass-fishing situations. The 2500 size weighs 7.2 ounces and will hold 220 yards of 15-pound test braided line. The 3000 size weighs 7.4 ounces and will hold 250 yards of 20-pound test braided line.
Okuma Inspira ISX
This spinning reel, winner of an international 2024 iF Design award is built to withstand the rigors of a busy fishing schedule. Its high-tech materials inside and out make it durable and user-friendly.
The details
- Sizes: 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000
- Gear ratio: 6.0:1 in 2000 and 3000; 6.2:1 in 4000 and 5000
- Drag: Front, carbonite, and stainless steel washers
- Bearings: 8 ball bearings and 1 roller bearing
- Warranty: 1 year
- MSRP: $99.99 or $104.99, depending on size
The highlights
Bass anglers will be most interested in the 3000 size—one of four offered—which weighs 8.6 ounces and whose spool holds about 165 yards of 10-pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon line. Start on the exterior, where you'll find an aluminum bail and braid-ready spool. The body is built with Torsion Control Armor technology, which uses carbon fiber and a double arm design to resist torsion and flex.
Turn its comfortable TPE handle knob, and this reel comes to life. Inside are nine bearings, including a roller that provides anti-reverse, eliminating drive train slack to create solid hooksets. They also contribute to the reel’s stability and smoothness, as does its oversized main gear and machine-cut brass pinion gear. Its multidisc drag creates as much as 24 pounds of pressure.
Pflueger President XT
This series of wallet-friendly reels has a loyal following. This model takes all that those anglers like and ups the ante, including a machined aluminum main gear and lightweight carbon body.
The details
- Sizes: 20, 25, 30, 35, 40
- Gear ratio: 6.2:1; 20 size has 5.2:1
- Drag: Front
- Bearings: 10 ball bearings; 20 size has 7 ball bearings
- Warranty: 1 year
- MSRP: $99.95
The highlights
The President XT has plenty of guts. Supported by up to 10 ball bearings, its machined main gear and main shaft are crafted from aluminum, cutting weight but not strength. And like most modern spinning reels, the handle, which sports a rubber cork knob, is easily flipped to accommodate left- or right-handed anglers. Its drag puts down 10 pounds of pressure.
Most bass anglers will be interested in at least the 30 size. Its spool holds as many as 130 yards of 8-pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon line or 160 yards of 10-pound test braided line. That's plenty, whether you're skipping weightless worms under overhanging branches or drop-shotting smallmouth 60 feet straight down.
Wherever you chase bass, line management is crucial to trouble-free operation of a spinning reel. The President XT’s aluminum spool is braid-ready, so you don't have to worry about laying down some monofilament line or electrical tape to keep it from spinning on a spool. Its Total Line Control System minimizes twists and improves line placement on the spool.
SEVIIN GX Series
Packed with cutting-edge flair and functionality, the GX Series offers five models that cover every chore given to spinning reels.
The details
- Sizes: 750, 1000, 2000, 2500, 3000
- Gear ratio: 5.2:1 for 750 and 1000; 6.0:1 for 2000, 2500 and 3000
- Drag: Front, carbon fiber, and stainless steel
- Bearings: 10 ball bearings, 1 roller bearing
- Warranty: 1 year
- MSRP: $190.00
The highlights
An aggressive modern design sets the stage for this spinning reel from SEVIIN. Its carbon fiber, polymer body, side cover, and rotor cut weight while providing rigidity and durability. A one-piece titanium bail, aluminum handle, and soft-touch knob complete the package.
There's more performance under the hood, starting with 11 bearings, 10 of which are ball bearings. Its diecast helical drive gear turns a hardened brass pinion gear. Carbon fiber drag disks are mated to stainless steel discs, which minimizes wear and ensures smooth starts and operation.
The GX Series includes five sizes, though bass anglers will be most interested in the 2500 model, which weighs 7.5 ounces and holds 150 yards of 10-pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon or 185 yards of 15-pound test braided line. Its forged aluminum spool is outfitted with a braid band, giving it something to bite into, and operates with an S-curve super-slow oscillation, ensuring even line stacking. That means fewer wind knots and better casting performance, regardless of line size.
