If you are an inexperienced angler you may not understand the importance of good fishing reel. I'm referring to spinning reels more than any other type of fishing reel, because spinning reels are what I use for 95% of my fishing. A good reel truly can make all the difference in the world. The interesting thing is that when it comes to fishing reels, the word good doesn't have to mean expensive. In fact, you should be able to find a very serviceable spinning reel for under $50. There are a few things that need to be kept in mind when looking for a spinning reel, which are what I'm going to discuss in this article.

The first thing to keep in mind is the position of the drag. The drag will either be located on the spool of the spinning reel or at the heel of the reel, in the form of a dial. The dial type drags located at the heel of the spinning reel are very convenient, but oftentimes experience more adjustment problems than having the drag located at the spool in my experience. At the end of the day the location of the drag is really up to whatever you prefer. Whichever position is more comfortable to you, is the one you should go with. As I said, I prefer having my drag adjustment be on the spool of my spinning reels, so that's the type I buy.

The other major consideration when it comes to spinning reels is the number of ball bearings that the reel has. For example, in the description of most spinning reels it will tell you how many ball bearings it has. The general rule is the more ball bearings the better. This might sound strange, but it's true. You see, the more ball bearings, the less play the reel will have. The less play you have in your spinning reel the better. As a matter of fact, my favorite spinning reels have no play at all. This means when I turn the handle of the reel, the bail turns immediately, there is no play at all. In reels with fewer ball bearings, when the handle is turned, the bail doesn't immediately turn, there is play.

Follow these two tips and purchase a reel that's made by a well known manufacturer such as: Daiwa, Pflueger, or Okuma and you'll be fine. And as I eluded to earlier, you should easily be able to find a serviceable spinning reel for under $50. Just make sure you stay away from unknown manufactures and outrageously inexpensive prices.

Trevor Kugler
Co-founder of JRWfishing.com
Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, 15 years of business experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country......Montana.