Algorithm for selecting a reliable, durable reel

This article is about choosing a non-inertial spinning reel. The topic is rather hackneyed, but today we will try to focus on choosing not just a reel for a certain amount of money. No, we will make a simple program to choose a reliable and therefore durable “meat grinder”, discarding all the unnecessary things that interfere with the focus on the most important thing and that should not clutter your head, solving this problem.

Let’s focus on choosing a reliable reel, discarding all unnecessary things

Internal mechanics – what do we deal with first of all?

Today you can find and read on the Internet a lot of different advice and recommendations from a variety of bloggers, specialists and even experts from fishing on any issues, including the question of buying a reliable inertia-free reel. The only trouble is that not all advisors are not really in the subject, often all this is written in the networks just to increase the number of views, additional subscribers and advertising. That is, in fact, the answers to the questions of choice there are, but their content with the real reality sometimes has little in common.

I will try here to draw a simple scheme of approach to the choice of the most reliable inertia reel, based on my own experience as a fisherman who himself has traveled a long way in spinning, stepping on different rakes, himself engaged in the maintenance of reels for himself and his closest friends (without commercial interest) and himself a lot and often being on fishing, that is not from the couch broadcasting his expert opinion.

To begin with, we should deal with the internal mechanics of modern spinning reels. Here it is important to understand one simple truth – when choosing a modern inertia-free reel it is absolutely not important on the basis of what scheme its internal mechanics works. That is, all these wacky arguments about what is better – a rocker or an endless – are absolutely irrelevant today. Reliable work of the reel and quality laying of cords and fishing lines by it depends today only on the quality of all parts and the quality of their assembly at the enterprises, where there is a high control of production and its own design base.

Stories about the fabulous properties of the “endless” or “worm shaft” (worm shaft), came from the years when Shimano and Daiwa, as the main leaders of the world reel building, in the 90’s and early 2000’s equipped expensive and mid-price models of their reels with such a scheme based on the endless, and the cheaper segment – the rocker device. Apparently, this is what influenced our perception of the infinity reel as something more advanced. But in fact there is no difference, due to which node in the reel is carried out transmission from the main pair of gears to the rod carriage, forcing it to make reciprocating movements back and forth with a certain amplitude. Finally, Daiwa has moved away from this “worm” scheme, devoting almost all of its developments to the development of the rocker gear, creating reels with cord laying quality of such a level, which is difficult to approach. Therefore, once again – when choosing on the device of this node in the reels do not pay attention.

To begin with, we should deal with the issues of the internal mechanics of modern no-inertia reels

Good bearings – question #1

Let’s better consider what is really important to pay attention to when choosing a reliable reel.

Since a non-inertial reel inside is a small gearbox with rotating gears and other units with sliding parts, you should realize that without good bearings such things can not last long. And no matter what different bloggers tell you, no bushings made of the most modern nanosupermegamaterials today can not compare with the good old ball bearing. And the more of these bearings in the equipment of the reel, the more durable it will be, and its work will be smoother and more reliable. But these bearings must be located in the right places.

Let’s consider in which nodes bearings are obligatory without variants.

That is a minimum of 5, maximum 8 bearings in the most important nodes. With such a set, the reel will already work reliably and will serve for a long time. If, of course, it is a product of quality production, without any crooked parts and backlashes.

With such a set the reel will already work reliably

Now let’s consider those nodes in which it will also be good to have bearings.

• Support of the infinite or support of the gear (parasite) of the rocker. On the rocker gear, one bearing is very useful. On the infinity support bearings are optional, but if you have one, it’s a good thing.

• The option of reinforcing the rotor pressure nut with a bearing is welcome, it is more common in top-end models.

• Bearings on the rocker carriage should be considered as a useful addition, as well as bearings in the parasites of the infinity unit, but there and bushings serve well.

You can learn about the location of all these bearings and bushings from the explosion diagram of the coil, but about how they are located in fact and what bushings can be replaced by bearings, you can learn from video reviews from masters that are engaged in maintenance and repair of coils. But not all of their advice should be immediately taken into action, for the completeness of the picture is always worth to know the truth about a particular coil from different experts, because some masters are also working with certain brands and therefore may not be completely objective in assessing the coils of competitors, and a share of subjectivity also has a place in the evaluative judgments of different people.

For completeness of the picture it is worth to know the truth about the coil from different experts

Important nodes and other parameters

Let’s continue to consider the important components and parameters of the chosen reel.

The friction brake is one of the most important nodes. From the precise work of its package of washers hidden inside the bobbin of the reel, depends on whether we can carefully bring out the cherished trophy and in general even the integrity of our fishing rod sometimes depends on the friction setting. Therefore, when choosing a reel, we choose a suitable friction brake with a weight range corresponding to the weight of those fish that we are going to catch in the future with this reel. That is, the inscription on the box with the reel, for example, 10kg, does not mean that it will be possible to drag as a winch a fish of approximately this weight, but means that the friction brake of this reel will cope properly with the load up to 10kg inclusive.

The friction brake is one of the most important parts of the reel

The most important part of the reel is the fishing line roller (L/C). Its work depends on the reliable and high quality laying of the cord and line. Loads on this miniature node is very high and its rotation speed is much higher than the rest of the nodes of the reel. Therefore, the equipment of its bearing, or even a couple, is not even discussed when choosing. Reels without bearings in L/C can be considered only if you are going to catch mono line and that is if they are reels from reliable brands. As an option to save money, you can find some models in which the bushing in the L/C is replaced by a bearing.

The handle of the reel is also an important element, although not as important as the L/C roller, internal mechanics and friction of the reel. Ideally, the handle is screwed or bolted onto the drive pinion axle. Once only the top models of reels could boast such a mounting, but today, fortunately, even in budget models such a solution is not rare. The only trouble is that budget handles are not always equipped with bearings in the knob, and even not always disassembled, so that you can at least replace the bushings for bearings. Therefore, choosing your favorite reliable in all respects reel, we consider only those that are equipped with bearings in the knob, or at least allow them to retrofit it.

The ideal option – when the handle is screwed in or screwed onto the axle of the drive gear

Choosing a reliable in every respect unit among the “meat cutters”, it is also worth paying attention to the equipment of the bobbin unit of the reel. Ideally, the presence of a pair of bearings in this node, they will help the friction of the reel to clearly strain the cord when fishing a large trophy, even if you are lazy and long ago did not lubricate the rod under the bobbin. As a compromise option – a reel with the possibility of replacing the bushings in this unit with bearings.

It is also worth paying attention to the equipment of the bobbin assembly of the reel

As for the weight of the reel, it is an important enough parameter, but not so important that in pursuit of the fashion for the lightest reels to buy a reel almost entirely made of carbon parts for fishing with heavy jigs or large wobblers, to the detriment of the overall strength. In the pursuit of lightening their reels between the market leaders today counts on every gram, it is noticeable in modern reels, which are no longer backstops, there are almost no metal parts, and their carbon shells are thinned to a minimum. All this is quite well tolerated in ultralight and light tackle, but if you choose a reel for powerful tackle, the good old aluminum and magnesium alloys, at least in the reel bodies, and better in their rotors, will thoroughly help in durability and reliability.

In the latest developments of the market leaders – Shimano and Daiwa – there is nothing revolutionary, all these permutations of the endless from place to place on Shimano reels or Monocoque bodies on Daiwa reels – all this once, somewhere was already in European reels of the past years, of course not in such a graceful form, but it was. But the increase in the diameter of drive gears and the size of their teeth is definitely a plus. Well, the implementation of the new Monocoque housings is impressive, although the budget reels of the LT series are only in the not the cheapest reels 21 Caldia LT and its headset varieties.

The increase in drive gear diameter and tooth size is definitely a plus

Brief summary

At the end of the story, we will try to summarize our approach to the choice of a modern reliable reel with the expectation of its long service.

So, choosing such a unit we discard everything insignificant and useless, and look only at the most important:

• Metal body for reels of size 2500 and above, for smaller reels it is possible from carbon composites, or their combination with metal.

Once you have made your choice and finally got the reliable reel you are looking for, don’t forget to have a reliable travel storage for it, in the form of a box or a small case, equipped with a soft foam interior, for example. This will help you safely deliver to the reservoir and back your assistant, not letting it break from an accidental fall or impact, thus spoiling the whole fishing trip.

Author: Bob Nudd is an expert fisherman with over 20 years experience and winner of many competitions.