By Tackle Warehouse | Updated January 2024
In an industry filled with endless ‘game-changing’ marketing claims, advanced technological features, online opinions, and product reviews, choosing the best casting reel is a difficult task for both beginners and experienced anglers. Whether you want to bomb heavy swimbaits for trophy bass, extend casting distance with ultra-lightweight lures, or chase large saltwater predators, there’s a purpose-built casting reel for every fishing application and technique.
Keep in mind, that the best casting reel doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone, as an entry-level angler has different needs than advanced, and the occasional angler often prefers a more cost-effective price point versus someone who goes fishing every week. The Tackle Warehouse staff comes from decades of fishing experience, has tested hundreds of reels, and grouped the best casting reels into eight categories based on price, size, and performance to help anglers of all skill levels make better buying decisions.
Top Pick – Shimano SLX A 150 Casting Reel
Bass fishing is an expensive sport and hard to break into when you’re just getting started, but there are plenty of casting reels built to effectively get the job done for less than one hundred dollars. A benchmark for versatility and high performance, the Shimano SLX A 150 Casting Reel delivers smooth retrieves and effortless casts with an external brake control that provides quick adjustments for swapping lures and adapting to changing conditions. A reel that has always exceeded our performance expectations at an insanely low price, the Shimano SLX A 150 Casting Reel is an ideal choice for tournament anglers or weekend warriors who want to upgrade their arsenal at an affordable price.
Honorable Mention:
Top Pick – Shimano Curado 200 M Casting Reel
A Tackle Warehouse staff favorite and the staple of serious bass anglers dating back to the 90s, the revamped Shimano Curado 200M Casting Reel expands on the Curado reputation as a do-everything, best bang for your buck, workhorse casting reel. Featuring Shimano’s MGL spool to reduce start-up inertia for incredible casting performance, the Curado M Casting Reel is perfect for targeting trophy-caliber fish with power fishing techniques like umbrella rigs, big jigs, crankbaits, and frogs. Delivering strength and durability that’s made the Curado line-up a must-have for hardcore anglers, the Curado 200 M Casting Reel is built around Shimano’s HAGANE aluminum body and MicroModule Gearing that create ultra-smooth retrieves and unparalleled power transfer.
Top Pick – Daiwa Steez A 100 Casting Reel
All the reels in this category are packed with leading manufacturer technologies, so the best overall casting reel for 2024 we define as a reel an angler would select if they’re purely focused on performance and aren’t concerned with the price point. Emphasizing long-distance casting and a relaxed trajectory with medium to heavy-sized lures, the Daiwa Steez A 100 Casting Reel leverages Daiwa’s G1 Duralumin MAG-Z Boost Spool to increase flight distance and provide ultra-smooth retrieves. Utilizing Daiwa’s HyperDrive design concept to create a peak example of design, function, and innovation, the Daiwa Steez A 100 Casting Reel uses premium DigiGearing with large teeth that improve the strength in the rotation field for precise and comfortable winding.
Top Pick – Daiwa Steez 70 CT SV TW Casting Reel
Built around a magnesium frame that’s incredibly strong and lightweight, the Daiwa Steez 70 CT SV TW Casting Reel has a low profile 70-size construction that’s easy to palm and provides better casting control with smaller, lighter finesse baits. Bait finesse (BFS) casting reels have rapidly grown in popularity over recent years as they provide many advantages over spinning gear when it comes to increasing casting distance and accuracy with ultra-lightweight finesse lures. Combined with Daiwa’s exclusive Air Brake and T-Wing systems, the Steez 70 CT SV Casting Reel eliminates backlashing with ultra-lightweight lures, so anglers can effectively use baitcasting tackle for the smallest finesse presentations.
Top Pick – Daiwa SV TW G Casting Reel
A reel that greatly exceeded our expectations in terms of performance, the Daiwa SV TW G Casting Reel features compact ergonomics, a rock-solid construction, and the ability to make long and effortless casts with lightweight lures. Embracing the recent industry trend of smaller and more compact low-profile casting reels, the SV TW G casting reel delivers precise control from a two-stage electromagnetic SV braking system that makes it a breeze to cast any lure in the 1/4-5/8oz range. Undeniably smooth, yet rock-solid and powerful, these reels are built using Hyper Drive Digi-gearing that excels with all kinds of pint-sized power fishing including smaller crankbaits, swimbaits, scroungers, and jerkbaits.
Check out our full product review of the Daiwa SV TW G Casting Reel!
Top Pick – Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B Casting Reel
One of the TW staff’s favorite baitcasting reels for all-purpose applications, the Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B Casting Reel provides versatility for a wide range of fishing tactics with medium to heavy sized fishing lines. Delivering silky-smooth retrieves and effortless long-distance casting, the most advanced Metanium of all time features the never-before-seen magnesium CoreSolid Body, offering next-level durability, rigidity, and sensitivity in a weight-reducing package. The pinnacle of Shimano’s performance technologies in the palm of your hand, the Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B Casting Reel will undoubtedly help you take your fishing game to the next level.
Top Pick – Daiwa Lexa TWS 300 Casting Reel
The 300-500 size baitcasting reels are better suited for swimbaits, as the traditional 100-200 sized casting reels won't offer enough line capacity and power for using heavy fishing line and lures. Built to pull double-duty for trophy largemouth and saltwater predators alike, the Daiwa Lexa 300 TWS casting reel is packed with corrosion-resistant ball bearings which reduce vibrations when casting and ensure excellent durability in tough conditions. Complete with Daiwa’s Ultimate Tournament drag system for the ultimate fish-stopping power, the Daiwa Lexa TWS 300 Casting Reel features a battle-tested design that’s made the Lexa series a staple for lightweight heavy-duty performance.
Top Pick – Calcutta Conquest MD Casting Reel
Offering increased capacity for hundreds of yards of heavy fishing line, the classic bait-clicking round reels provide insane cranking power and torque for fighting large predators in both fresh and saltwater environments. Featuring along handle design combined with Infinity Drive, the compact Shimano Calcutta Conquest MD Casting Reel is our top choice for maximum cranking power with its ability to actively wind under heavy loads and when coming tight on big fish. The perfect choice for anglers looking for power and dependability when targeting trophy-caliber fish, the Calcutta Conquest MD Casting Reel pushes the limits of big game fishing with a premium Cross Carbon Drag that provides a wide range of drag settings.
Top Pick – Shimano Tranx 500 Casting Reel
Designed for battling tough fresh and saltwater species like bluefin tuna, musky, or peacock bass, the Shimano Tranx 500 Casting Reel delivers a host of Shimano flagship technologies to create a rugged platform that won’t flex or torque under heavy loads. A highly popular casting reel for the TW staff who love saltwater fishing, the Tranx 500 packs an incredible 25lbs of drag power with double-shielded bearings to protect against corrosion in saltwater environments. Equipped with a heavy-duty power handle for increased torque and cranking power, the Shimano Tranx 500 Casting Reels provide bulletproof performance that sets the bar in terms of raw power and durability.
When making your decision for the best casting reel, avoid impulse buying decisions by asking yourself some basic fishing questions - What type of fish species are you targeting? What size of line do you intend on using? What kind of fishing techniques do you want to employ? How much money do you want to spend? Inevitably the more you get hooked on fishing you’ll need multiple baitcasting reels in various sizes and gear ratios to accomplish different tasks, so it pays to compare features and prices from the top brands mentioned in this article. By categorizing the best reels into more focused categories, our hope is that anglers are equipped with some basic information that results in better and more confident reel selection.
Choosing the right line for a casting reel is crucial to your success in bass fishing, but the ‘best’ line depends on various factors like the style of lure you want use, the type of cover, water clarity, and sinking attributes. For bottom fishing tactics, fluorocarbon is preferred for its translucency and ability to sink quickly, but if you’re fishing a topwater frog over grass you’ll need the strength and floating attributes of braided line to fish efficiently and remove fish from heavy cover.
Check out our How-To Choose the Right Fishing Line article for more information!
When considering purchasing a casting reel, a common misconception many anglers have is that more bearings always translate to smoother retrieves, but the quality of the bearings is much more important. If you’re fishing in saltwater environments, you’ll want to make sure the bearings are corrosion-resistant or completely sealed within the casting reel, so they don’t become gummed up with salt, dust, and grime.
To execute a cast with a casting reel, hold the rod with your dominant hand, disengage the spool by pressing the button, point the rod tip towards your target, and use thumb pressure to control the spool speed. Keep in mind, when you swap out to a different size lure, you’ll need to adjust the brakes to match the weight of the new bait.
Just like line selection, the best gear ratio for a casting reel depends on a number of variables including what type of lure you intend on throwing, how active the fish are, and angler preference. High speed gear ratios are preferred for topwater and flipping techniques, as they pick up line quickly for improved efficiency. While slower gear ratios are more advantageous for tactics where you want to leave your bait in the strike zone for a longer period, like deep cranks, swimbaits, or bladed jigs.
Backlash refers to the tangled mess that can occurs when the spool continues to spin after your lure has already hit the water but is easily prevented with some practice casting and by adjusting the spool tension knob. After you tie up a new lure, start by turning the brake system all the way up and slowly back it off until the lure drops in free spool with a steady rate of fall from the rod tip, from here use the tension knob to fine tune spool rotation speed and avoid backlashes.