10 Best Saltwater Reels 2020
Your fishing reel is the heart and soul of your rig. Fishing reels are expensive, so determine what the best reels for saltwater fishing can take some time to figure out. A quality rod is important, but a comfortable and successful day on the water heavily depends on your reel. Finding the best spinning reels can be difficult, it needs the ability to withstand corrosion and wear down monstrous fish.
With hundreds of reels available to purchase, it’s overwhelming to choose the correct one. Here is a list of the best 10 best saltwater fishing reels to purchase this season.
What You’ll Find In This Review
Our main goal for this review is to provide you with the best overall fishing reels. If you’re looking for deep dropping reels, you won’t find that here, we’ll write another review for that! What you will find is the best reels for saltwater fishing, whether inshore or offshore.
Reels that are corrosion resistant, with various line capacity, good gear systems to land everything from mangrove snappers with ease, to a real enjoyable tarpon or dolphin bite.
Penn Battle II Spinning Rattle
Penn is a longtime and well-respected name in the world of saltwater fishing. Their reels are some of the more versatile options available. The Penn Battle is equipped with a HT 100 drag system and a Superline spool that doesn’t require backing.
The capacity rings on the reel are a helpful feature that most reels don’t have. The 3000 version of this reel fits itself right between surf and light tackle. You can buy these between 1000 and 8000. It’s fairly priced and is a great option for any level of angler.
A new angler won’t be overwhelmed or concerned with the price and experienced anglers are pleased with the performance. These reels will run you around $100 a piece.
Honestly, the Battle II is one of my go-to reels for inshore. I personally use the 4000 as I prefer to load up on line for the chance of a nice Indian River Lagoon Tarpon or Snook. For the 4000 sized reel, A 8-12lb (4-6kg) mono and braid of 8-20lb are suggested.
The overall feel of the handle, as well as the front drag is superior to some of the other reels we’ve tested.
Daiwa BG Spinning Reel
The Daiwa BG Spinning Reel is a no brainer to make this list. It has “Hard Bodyz” aluminum that increases the overall strength of the reel. It’s also anodized so you won’t have to worry about any saltwater corrosion.
The carbon fiber drag on these reels gives you peace of mind that you won’t be losing any trophy fish due to a weak system. This reel can handle saltwater surf fishing and succeed in many freshwater situations. Plus, it is braid ready so you won’t have to worry about adding any attachments to make it work.
Daiwa offers this reel in sizes ranging from 1500 to 6500. Plus, these reels will only cost you around $100. Daiwa BG’s are meant to last and they have proven to do so. Purchase one if you’re looking for an affordable all-around reel that thrives in all types of fishing.
Shimano Saragose SW 25000
The Shimano Saragose is a wonderful reel to use for offshore saltwater fishing. It easily handles some of the largest fish you can possibly catch. It has a propulsion line management system that gives you longer casting distance and prevents wind knots.
It has a max drag of 44 pounds and a gear ratio of 5:7:1. You can find these in sizes ranging from 5000-25000. No matter what fish you’re targeting, the Shimano Saragose will be able to handle it. Shimano is a well respected name in the world of fishing.
These reels are expensive and will cost you around $250 a piece. However, the quality and solid warranty system that Shimano offers make these reels well worth it.
KastKing Sharky III 5000
Smooth is the name of the game for the KastKing Sharky. The reel and drag system makes it possible to handle those larger saltwater fish. You can use these on your surf fishing rods because they range from 1000-5000.
Another positive of the Sharky III is that it is a bit smaller than other reels its size. Many anglers believe that the size means less power, but that isn’t the case. You’ll still receive 40 pounds of drag on its carbon fiber system.
KastKing is making more and more noise in the fishing industry. Their low prices make skeptics out of some people, but they’ve found a way to make quality products without charging customers an extreme price. These reels only will cost your around $60 each.
Penn Spinfisher 8500 V
The Penn Spinfisher is one of Penn’s best reels. This is high praise for a company that creates so many quality products. This reel can cast a long distance and handle some of those grueling fights with large fish.
The one potential downside is that the Penn Spinfisher is a bit heavier than other reels in its class, but the added weight should provide some reassurance that the reel is going to last. Use it in the surf and it will work just fine.
Penn makes you pay for the quality you receive. This reel runs around $200, but has proven to last. Paying a little extra for reassurance that the reel is going to survive whatever you put in its path is reassuring.
Abu Garcia Revo Inshore
The Abu Garcia Revo Inshore is a great option for both fresh and saltwater fishing. If you need a reel that can easily transition between the two and not require much change, the Revo Inshore is the correct option.
It’s lightweight and is already prepared to handle PowerPro. The reel is sealed well and can fight any sort of inshore fish you might find. The reel has six ball bearings with one roller bearing as well as a carbon fiber drag.
The Revo Inshore isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg. It averages around $130. It’s a great choice for an all around baitcasting reel.
Shimano Baitrunner OC
If you want a reel that is going to be successful in landing anything you might hook, the Shimano Baitrunner is the right way to go. You can handle speckled trout, redfish, drum and even larger fish you’ll find on the flats.
The 4000 series is great for all-around fishing on both salt and freshwater. The 6000 series is a bit larger than others in its class, but it’s nothing too overwhelming. These reels will cost you around $150 a piece.
There are few reels that handle themselves better than the Baitrunner. Honestly, you can’t go wrong using it in any situation.
Penn Slammer III
Yes, this is the third Penn reel on the list, but the results speak for themselves. You don’t have to worry about the Slammer in any scenario. Ranging from 3500-10500, these reels were meant to last and withstand any abuse.
The 10500 reel has 60 pounds of drag and the 3500 has a respectable 30 pounds. The 10500 can handle sharks and rays and any other sort of big fish. Like all of the other Penn reels, you have to pay for the quality. These start at around $200, but are well worth the investment.
Van Stall X Series
This is by far the most expensive reel on the list, but if you have the money, it’s worth spending on the X Series. These are wonderful surf spinning reels that are able to fight any fish that comes its way. Marlin and Tuna stand no chance against the X-series.
The anti-reverse drag provides around 30 pounds of pressure. Plus, the titanium bail is extremely smooth and looks good as well. These reels will cost you around $750, but if you have the money, it is worth the high price tag.
Piscifun Flame
The Piscifun Flame is easy on the pocket book and is a great rod for lightweight saltwater fishing. Ranging from 2000 to 5000, Piscifun makes these reels affordable and high quality for any angler looking to enter the world of angling.
The graphite makeup is lightweight and only weighs around 9 ounces. The 5:2:1 gear ratio is great for all types of fishing. Plus, this reel will only cost you around $30. You can’t beat the price tag on this impressive reel!
