Monday, April 9, 2012

Reel Recommendations: Steelhead

We all have to start somewhere. I cover rod selection here Rod Selection For Beginners . Now it's time to cover a good spinning reel. So what should we look for in a reel?

A good reel will have metal components such as the gears inside and a good set of bearings. Another thing to look at is the reels ability to keep the elements out. I've heard tales of fisherman hooking the "big one" only to have the gears in reel completely disintegrate. And the equates to lost fish at any size, and no one wants that to happen to them. Another thing to account for is "backlash." Backlash is important for two reasons. It prevents tangles and when you get a bite, you don't want your reel to spin backwards. It could mean the difference between landing the big one or getting nothing at all.






I picked up a lot of reels. All brands from Okuma, Abu Garcia, Penn, but only one stuck out to me after spending a few hours at the reel display case. The Shimano Sedona 2500 FD. Why this reel?

It felt "tight" as I picked it up and played with the display model. No funny jiggles, noises, loose joints. After fishing with it for a day, I'm in love. This reel casts like butter. It's completely silent. Has a huge drag selection for super fine tuning. And has zero, and I mean zero backlash. This makes for immediate fish hook ups. The 6.2:1 gearing is great for river fishing and I had zero issues with knots or malfunctions. 

Now of course some of us have brand loyalties, or just prefer something different. But if your looking for at a good start, this reel, hands down, is the one of the best. Especially for the price. If your in a budget you can't go wrong. $59.99 at most retailers. 

Shimano Sedona 2500 FD specs:
Shimano Sedona 2500 FD

For other tips and advice, check my links below. Not only is it informative, but will get you going in the right direction!


USEFUL LINKS

Fishing Gear: Must Haves for Any Tackle Box

Questions? Comments?
Contact me at patrickhvr@gmail.com

*Disclaimer: Products are personal recommendations.


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