What Size Reel Do You Need for Surf Fishing – Answered by Pro Anglers!

The size of the reel plays an important role in surf fishing. When your fishing bait is under 80-100b yards from the surface of the water, you would need a powerful and strong reel to stay connected with the end of the line and be prepared to retrieve the line if a fish bites.

You need a powerful surf fishing reel that has the capacity to deal with any critical situations. In this article, I am going to give you a complete idea about the perfect reel size for surf fishing.

What does a reel size mean?

Before knowing about which size of the reel is good for surf fishing, you should understand what the numbers on the reel mean. It is very easy and simple to understand fully. Reel size mentions the line capacity of the reel.

With the increasing number, the reel size increases and gives you the opportunity to put more lines under the water.  A large reel is much heavier and stronger than the small one. Because it contains more bearings, more washers and plates, more gears that makes the reel heavy. You would find two or four digits on the manufacturers that describe the size of the reel but the fact is the first two digits also describe the same size.

There are nine sizes of the reel and they are:

1. 10 or 1000
2. 20 or 2000
3. 25 or 2500
4. 30 or 3000
5. 40 or 4000
6. 50 or 5000
7. 60 or 6000
8. 70 or 7000
9. 80 or 8000

You may also find other sizes reel in the store but the above sizes are the main one. I hope that you have understood the different sizes of the reel very well.

Best size of the reel for surf fishing

The size of the reel depends many variables and factors like-

• The fishing line
• Targeted fish
• Beach structure
• The drag setting

Among all the factors, the fishing line is the main. The targeted fish species dictate the thickness and diameter of the line and the size of the reel depends on the length of the line to position the bait where your targeted species hold.

The structure of the beach could tell you about the location of the sandbars and that’s how you could measure the distance for reaching sandbars.

On the other hand, the drag system should be fixed to 30% of the general line breaking power. Now, you can see that every factor is connected with the fishing line that makes it the major factor of reel size.  After finding out the best line, you could easily figure out the right size of the reel. The reel size should be big enough for holding many line yards. For more lines you would need more reels.

However, the large size of the reel is expensive to buy. That’s why it’s better to buy a mid- size reel if you don’t want to spend much money on a fishing reel. You could buy 3000 or 4000 size of reel as it would offer you the ability for various fishing methods.

Long-distance surf casting reels

Long distance surf casting fishing is an enjoyable habit but it could be offensive for your old fishing gear. Long distance surf casting reels are corrosion resistant and sturdy and also provide stability and torque to handle large fish, jagged rocks, corroding saltwater and cruel conditions. Once you buy the ideal reel, it would remain in your fishing gear for life.

Things to consider while choosing a surf fishing reel

You would need a rod matching with your fishing reel. The modern rods come with the model and brand name. you would find the measurement of the length in feet and sometimes in centimeters. You would also find the weight range that recommended the line. If the line range is 4to 8lb, the manufacturer would suggest the rod weight up to 8lb for fishing. It is important to maintain the balance of the rod and the reel.

A balanced rod would help to make the casting easier and accurate. The balanced outfit could increase sensitivity in the tip of the rod that makes it much easier for detecting fish striking the lure or bait.

Taking proper care for your fishing reel

After buying the right fishing reel, you have to ensure its longevity. Clean your fishing reel nicely after a brackish, dirty freshwater or saltwater fishing trip. Rinse off your reel every time with freshwater and give oil to each moving part, handle and the spool after removing them. If you find tightly packed casting reels with cogs, washers and springs, it is better to go to a technician. Don’t try to pull any parts hard because that could break the parts of your fishing reel.

I hope that this guide about fishing reels would help you to find the right one for you according to your needs. Many fishermen may find the surf casting fishing a bit tough but all you need is a rod, reel, baits and the sense of accurate fishing to be a good fisherman.