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Fishing Reels

There's nothing like standing on the bank of a stream or river, the sun sparkling on the water and feeling the thrill of a big catch. You play the fish until it tires, carefully bringing it in using your reel. Your choice of reel is important when you're an active fisherman.

A fishing reel is a piece of fishing equipment that is devised for sports and hobby fishermen to cast and retrieve fishing line. It is a spool and axle that mounts on a fishing rod. There are also reels that have been specifically designed to mount on boats. There are three basic types of fishing reels: bait casting, fly casting and spin casting.

Bait Casting Reels - Bait casting reels are extremely complicated. The line is pulled off the rod by the weight of the lures being used. It is thrust forward by the motion of casting. These reels usually provide a device that lays the line evenly across the rotating cylinder that acts as the core of the reel. If the cast is not smooth, it will cause problems when the line is reeled in. The line can become tangled, which is frustrating to the user. Great lengths of time can be spent untangling the line when using bait casting reels. These reels are not for beginners or children.

Fly Fishing Reels - There are two specific things you need to be aware of when choosing a fly fishing reel. One is to ensure that it has a drag that is extremely responsive. The second thing is to buy a fly fishing reel that can stand the tension and strain put on it should you have a significantly large catch. Fly casting reels are more expensive than other types of fishing reels. When purchasing a fly fishing reel, look it over with an eagle eye and ascertain that there are no plastic parts. It isn't unusual for plastic to fail when you have a large fish on your line. All metal reels are much more reliable and are worth the extra price that you will pay.

Spinning Reels - There are two types of spinning reels - closed faced and open faced.

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The closed faced reel is inexpensive and easy to use. It is the best type of reel for those who are learning to fish. Closed faced reels are almost trouble free, yet are capable of bringing in your catch, whatever it may be. Closed faced spinning reels have a push button release when casting and have an opening in the top for the line to come out when cast. This type of reel is mounted on your fishing rod. Spinning reels are used by fishermen who are hobbyist, casual sportsmen, beginners and children. If you buy a prepackaged rod and reel, this is usually the type of reel that's included.

Open faced spinning rods are more difficult to use and comes in a variety of sizes. Ultra light models are great for catching pan fish. Larger models will be needed for game fishing or ocean fishing. Line capacity on an open faced reel is greater and is serviceable when fishing for salmon and trout. They have a smooth drag, which makes them an excellent choice for the longer run game fish.

A closed faced fishing reel is perfect for beginners and children, as mentioned above. As your fishing skills are honed, you may wish to upgrade to an open faced reel and then move on to more advanced reels. Keep in mind that you don't want to choose a reel with plastic parts that can fail if you catch a good sized fish. A good rule of thumb is the lighter the line, the smaller the reel. Be sure the reel you purchase is compatible with the type of fishing line you plan to use. If you're choosing only one reel, a medium speed is best. If you plan on buying at least two reels, choose both a high and low speed. There is a difference in reels for right and left-handed people. Be sure you purchase a reel that is compatible with your dexterity. Left handed reels turn counter clock wise while a right handed reel turns clock wise.

If you have trouble choosing a reel, ask a family member or friend who is an avid angler to lend you a hand, or ask the staff at your local fishing store. Anyone who has experience in fishing will be more than glad to help in any way they can.

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	Fishing superstar disqualified from BASS tournament If you are going to fish professional bass tournaments, you had better know the rules and learn how to control your temper. In the second major disqualification in the past month, the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society reports that fishing superstar Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., has been disqualified from competition this week at the CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series event on Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina. VanDam is the top-ranked angler on the Elite Series Power Index. In accordance with Rule 12, Non-boaters are only allowed to drive the boat in emergency situations in both practice and competition with the exception of loading and unloading from trailers. "We had another professional call us and tell us that he had witnessed Kevin on the front deck, while his co-angler was running the motor," said Trip Weldon, Bassmaster Tournament Director. "The professional said that it appeared as if Kevin was looking for spawning beds." Weldon noted that Rule 12 had been changed two years ago to prevent this very practice that gives an edge to a professional angler who has a co-angler running the boat for him while he looks for spawning bass. VanDam was contacted about the incident and readily admitted to what had been reported, saying that he was not aware that he had violated any rules. The inadvertent infraction resulted in both VanDam and Stawiarski being disqualified from the tournament.