Best Saltwater Spinning Reels: Expert Top

You’re thirty minutes into the fight. Pouring sweat, legs shaking, and heart pounding. All you want to do is just catch a glimpse of the monster that is attached to your fishing line. Over 30 minutes ago, you had set out a small live bait on a free line and now, whatever is attached to that hook is no longer a small live bait. Your fish took over three hundred yards of line and now it’s finally almost up to the boat. Outmatched and undergunned, you’re shocked you’ve been able to hold the fish for so long. You lift your rod tip with one final heave and there it is—the biggest mahi mahi you have ever seen in your entire life. Bigger than the pictures you’ve seen or the ones you’ve caught in the past. The mate sinks the gaff deep into the fish and the rest is history.
THIS is saltwater fishing. The thrill of the unknown. The battle of man versus beast. There is nothing else like saltwater fishing on this planet. Where else do you get to go head to head against some of the strongest creatures in the world? While this is a scenario we may all dream of, we have to be prepared for it to come. This means coming to battle with the right gear and tackle. Today, the gear and tackle I will be focusing on is the saltwater spinning reel. This reel has been a long-time staple of the saltwater fishing community and will be for the foreseeable future. In this article, I’m going to break down everything you need to know about saltwater fishing reels and how you can be better equipped for your future fishing endeavors so you can land that fish of a lifetime.
Speaking of being equipped for future saltwater adventures, the Fishbox App and its personalized quiz technology is a great way to start. Other than analyzing over 40 different metrics that play into the bite of fish—such as wind, weather, and tide data—the Fishbox App also provides users with unique personalized results and fishing locations and data tailored to the results of your free quiz. Personally, I would jump on this opportunity today and see what the Fishbox App has to offer. In fact, you don’t even have to download the app right now if you don’t want to. Just try this quick quiz listed below and see how you like Fishbox. Anyways, I hope you’re ready to learn about some saltwater fishing reels.

What Is A Saltwater Spinning Reel

Definition and Basic Functionality

Let’s start with the spinning reel aspect first. A spinning reel is a fishing reel in which the line is wound on using a bail system as the spool is moved up and down by rotating the handle. This spools the reel evenly. To cast a spinning reel, pinch the line against the rod or your fingers, open the bail, then sling the rod, releasing the line from your fingers. Close the bail once your bait is at its desired location and you can start reeling again. Drag is adjusted via a knob at the top of the reel, and the handle can often be swapped for left- or right-handed anglers.
In terms of saltwater spinning reels, these are just a subcategory of the larger category of spinning reels which we’ll get more into in the next point.

How Saltwater Spinning Reels Differ from Freshwater Spinning Reels:

• Size: In general, most saltwater spinning reels are significantly bigger than their freshwater counterparts. 
• Seals: Because saltwater reels have to put up with saltwater environments and sand, seals are normally much better and last longer.
• Corrosion: On saltwater spinning reels, more corrosion resistant materials are used to construct the reels so that they have more longevity.
• Build Quality: In the same way, the build quality of saltwater reels, for the most part, is higher than freshwater reels due to the species they are up against and the harsh environment of the sea.
• Drag Systems: Saltwater spinning reels have better drag systems that can output more drag on average than a freshwater spinning reel. This is because the fish in saltwater can run longer and fight harder than fish in freshwater.
• Line Capacity: Saltwater reels have to have more line capacity than freshwater reels because of the size of the target species and the runs that they can take. Some fish in saltwater, such as the king mackerel, can easily take 300 yards of line in a single run making line capacity of utmost importance in saltwater reels.

Read also: King Mackerel Fishing: Tips and Tricks to Catch More and Bigger Kingfish

• Price: Because of all of the reasons I listed above, saltwater reels quality is going to be reflected in the price. While these prices are sometimes not cheap, they offer a long-term solution instead of a short-term solution which would be buying a freshwater spinning reel for saltwater.

Key Features to Consider When Buying A Saltwater Spinning Reel

In this section, I’m going to break down some of the most popular features to consider when buying a saltwater spinning reel. This should give you guys a far better idea of what to look for. As you are reading this, I would highly suggest that you rank these different features/aspects in order of importance to you so that you can make your decision on what reel to buy a little easier down the road.

Corrosion Resistance

Corrosion resistance is going to be a monster consideration when buying a saltwater spinning reel. That reel is going to go through a lot and have a lot thrown at it so the last thing you want is for clogged up sand and salt to be the reason you lose a fish of a lifetime. In terms of the actual corrosion resistance, this can be broken down into the two following subcategories.

• Material: The material of the reel is very important. For saltwater spinning reels, you want durability and quality materials that won’t wear and tear as much with time. You want your reel to be some kind of aluminum (preferably anodized), bronze, or stainless steel. A lot of the time, saltwater spinning reels are made from a mix of these but be sure to check before you purchase a reel.
• Seal: Seals on saltwater spinning reels are only the reason that every bit of sand and salt doesn’t get into the actual interior of your spinning reel. I would highly recommend getting a sealed reel. This really shouldn’t be a problem since most saltwater spinning reels are sealed but check to be certain.

Line Capacity

Line capacity is another key feature that we need to be aware of when purchasing a saltwater spinning reel. Because it’s a spinning reel, it already is going to have less line capacity than a conventional so be aware of this. You need the line capacity of your spinning reel to match your needs. For example, when I king mackerel fish with a spinning reel, I have to know that the reel has at least 400 yards of line on it so that I know I can survive a long run. Think like this and it will pay dividends. Identify your target species and base a choice off of that.

Drag

Drag basically falls into the same sort of category as line capacity. You need to know what you are targeting before you can make a decision because your target species should inform you of how much drag you’ll need. Again, for king mackerel, we don’t run high drag, so drag is not super high on the list for a king reel. However, for a grouper/bottom fishing reel, we need some pretty heavy drag to stop those fish from going into the bottom. This is just one more feature to consider.

Gear Ratio

Unfortunately, a ton of anglers don’t really have any idea what a gear ratio is. The easiest way of explaining it is using a bike. The lower the gear ratio, the easier it is to gain line with tension on the reel. However, the lower that gear ratio is, the slower the reel pulls in line. So once again, if we’re grouper fishing, we want a low gear ratio to be able to winch a fish up and out. However, for king mackerel fishing, because they can swim so fast and change direction so easily, we need a higher gear ratio to keep up with the fish.

Retrieve Speed

Retrieve speed works in tandem with the gear ratio. For the most part, the higher the gear ratio, the higher the retrieve speed—and vice versa. Another important thing to consider is that as your saltwater spinning reel gets bigger in size, the retrieve speed will increase with that as well.

Reel Size

Reel size will heavily depend on the amount of line and drag you need, as well as what species you are targeting. If you are targeting flounder in the backwater, you don’t need a huge reel with a ton of line and drag capacity. You could easily get away with a size 2500 spinning reel and any kind of line. Just tailor this to the size and pull of the fish you are targeting.

Target Species

Like I’ve reiterated many times in this section, target species is probably one of the biggest—if not the biggest—factors in determining what saltwater spinning reel you should buy. My best advice for this section is to consult locals to see what species are around and their typical size, and get the most universal reel for those species. The biggest thing is having confidence in your gear, and choosing the right size is a great start.

Fishing Technique

Fishing technique is another big factor when selecting a saltwater spinning reel. You need to know where you will be fishing from for the majority of the time and allow that to affect your opinion on what saltwater spinning reel to buy. Maybe you usually fish from the shore. If that is the case, you probably want a reel with more line capacity and that is smoother than other saltwater spinning reels.

Brand Reliability

Being able to trust the brand you buy your saltwater spinning reel from is of huge importance. This may seem obvious, but there are name brands for a reason. For myself personally, I like to stick with companies with long-standing, good reputations. Some of these brands for saltwater spinning reels include Daiwa, Shimano, Pflueger, Penn, and Okuma. Yes, there are certainly more, but these are just a few of the most reputable.

Price

Lastly, we have a price. All I can really say here is that you get what you pay for. The nicer reels are going to cost you some money, and you have to be willing to pay that for the quality. I know it hurts, trust me. I have spent tons of money over the years on nice saltwater spinning reels. However, let me tell you one thing: when you pull that beast of a fish into the boat, the money that you spent on that reel won’t matter. In fact, you’ll be happy about the purchase you made and how you could trust it to get this fish in the boat.

Saltwater Spinning Reels vs. Baitcasting Reels vs. Conventional Reels

Spinning Reels:

• Pros:
  • Extremely versatile and can be used for all different types of fishing such as surf casting, jigging, bottom fishing, live bait fishing and more.
  • Affordable. Spinning reels tend to be cheaper than both baitcasting and conventional reels.
  • Virtually no backlashing ever occurs.
  • Beginners can pick up how to use this reel very easily.
  • The reel is very easy to take apart and clean if needed.
  • The casting distance on a spinning reel is superior to any other reel on the market.
• Cons:
  • Spinning reels often do not have the power and torque that conventional and baitcasting reels may offer.
  • Spinning reels also don’t have the line capacity that conventional reels have.
  • They can get very bulky and unwieldy as they increase in size.
  • It is hard to throw heavier lures, jigs, or baits on a spinning reel as opposed to other reels.

Baitcasting Reels:

• Pros:
  • Great casting accuracy. The casting accuracy on a baitcasting reel is unmatched to any other type of fishing reel.
  • The reels are often very small and compact—not getting in the way very much.
  • You can very easily control the rate at which you sling your bait.
  • You never have to worry about line twist like you do with spinning reels.
• Cons:
  • Limited line capacity, especially on smaller models.
  • Don’t really have a great drag capacity.
  • It is very hard for beginners to go straight to using a caster reel.
  • Backlashing is a very real issue and can be a problem, especially if you are fishing in windier conditions.
  • These reels require more maintenance and are harder to take apart than other reels—especially spinning reels.
  • Lastly, baitcasting reels are more expensive than spinning reels.

Conventional Reels:

• Pros:
  • By far and away, conventional reels have the most power and drag output ability.
  • These reels also have a ton of line capacity—more than any other type of reel.
  • There is also no line twisting with this type of reel.
  • Conventional reels are made out of the nicest and most durable materials.
  • Sometimes, conventional reels can be two or even three speed meaning it can have multiple different gear ratios—like an adjustable winch.
• Cons:
  • These reels are extremely expensive. Now, I think they are worth the money, however, they will still always be expensive.
  • These reels are hard to cast with, and you really only want to drop these or let line out—not try to cast. I will note that there are some models of conventional reels that are meant to be cast for things like tunas on surface irons.
  • These reels, for the most part, are pretty big and heavy, making them hard for them to move around a lot.
  • These reels have a steeper learning curve than the spinning reel.

Read also: The Complete Guide to Types of Fishing Reels

Below is a table that summarizes a lot of the points I just went over just in a form so that my visual learners were not overwhelmed.

Saltwater Reel Comparison Table

Feature / Reel Type	Spinning Reel	Baitcasting Reel	Conventional Reel
Beginner-Friendly	✅	❌	❌
Accurate Casting	❌	✅	❌
Long Casting Distance	✅	✅ (with skill)	❌
Handles Light Lures Well	✅	❌	❌
Handles Heavy Lures Well	❌	✅	✅
Low Risk of Backlash	✅	❌	❌
Line Twist Resistance	❌	✅	✅
Strong Drag System	⚠️ Moderate	✅	✅
High Line Capacity	❌	✅	✅
Great for Big Fish	❌	✅	✅
Easy Maintenance	✅	❌	❌
Compact / Lightweight Design	✅	✅	❌
Ideal for Offshore Use	❌	⚠️ Sometimes	✅
Best for Trolling/Bottom Drop	❌	❌	✅
Overall Versatility	✅	✅	❌

Why Spinning Reels Are Better for Beginners: 

Like we just established above, spinning reels are definitely the most ideal reel for beginners—but why?

First off, spinning reels are going to be the most affordable out of all the different types of reels (at least the reel types you should be considering purchasing).

Second, spinning reels by far have the easiest learning curve. It doesn’t take too long to figure out how to use one.

Third, casting where you want with a spinning reel isn’t too difficult at all. Additionally, it’s very easy to cast with a spinning reel in general.

Fourth, you very rarely will run into issues with backlash and tangles—and if they do occur, they can often be fixed far easier than with conventional or baitcasting reels.

Fifth, you never have to worry about spooling your line with your finger because the bail already does it for you.

Sixth, spinning reels are easy to take apart and clean.

Lastly, spinning reels are just a great all-around reel and can be used for virtually anything.

Ideal Cases for Spinning Reels:

• Fishing in the backwater for species like trout, flounder, and redfish. Spinning reels are helpful because they are compact, have enough drag and line capacity to get the job done, and offer the most control and castability.
• Throwing artificials at busting fish on the top of the water. You will need a good bit of casting range which the spinning reel will provide.
• Surf fishing. Nothing much needs to be said here other than the fact that it can be cast far easier than other types of reels.
• Fishing from jetties, piers, or kayaks where space can often be tight or limited. Spinning reels give great control and reliability in these areas.

Read also: The Best Fishing Piers in New Jersey: Your Ultimate Guide

There are many more great applications for spinning reels, but these are just a few of the more popular ones.

Maintenance Tips for Saltwater Spinning Reels

Cleaning:

• Every time you get off the water after using your reel, you need to be hitting with a quick soap and water rinse. Just use the brush from cleaning the boat and briefly and lightly hit the reel.
• Wash the reel off with the drag relatively tight so that no water gets in. Take a couple cranks to get some of the water off, and then loosen the drag to store.

Storage:

• Store out of the sun and heat to preserve both the line on the reel and the reel itself.
• Store out of the way of where people walk so that it doesn’t get stepped on.
• Like I just mentioned, store with loose drag so that you can preserve your drag washers.

Maintenance:

• There are plenty of great YouTube videos out there that will show you how to dissect your particular reel model. Watch one and then clean out the reel and re-grease it as they show you how to do it.
• Don’t go try to do this on your own the first time. Just watch the video.
• Do a deep clean at least once a year where you take it apart and clean out most, if not all, of the old grease and sandy grunge that will have made it’s way into the reel. Hit with fresh grease, tighten everything back up, and you’re good to go.

What To Avoid:

• Please, please, please avoid dropping your saltwater spinning reels in the sand. And if you do, try to wash them off in FRESHwater immediately. The sand and saltwater love to get in the reel and mess it up and dropping it in those don’t help at all.
• Never, ever dip your saltwater spinning reel in saltwater to rinse off unless you want to expedite the corrosion process.
• Don’t let you greasy-handed, snot-nosed cousin use your nice spinning reels. He will break them, or drop them, or do something bad. It is totally okay to tell inexperienced anglers that you would rather not have them use your very nice reels. Now, don’t be a jerk about it, but they should be able to understand how valuable these tools are.

Top Best Saltwater Spinning Reels (Expert Picks)

For this section, I’m going to pick three saltwater spinning reels that each apply to various categories, budgets, and fishing styles to give you guys a better picture of some great reels that are out there. Now, I want you to know that fishing gear can be a very subjective issue. All I’m saying is that from both my research and experience, these are the saltwater spinning reels that I love. You don’t have to love them—that’s totally fine. These are just a few I highly recommend.

Model 1: Diawa BG 3000 ($159.99)

Pros:

• This reel has excellent value for the price. A high-end saltwater spinning reel for the price of a mid-end.
• Having used this reel before, I can assure you that it is very smooth.
• Daiwa does a great job sealing their reels and making them extremely durable—even in the tough saltwater conditions.

Cons:

• The reel isn’t 100% sealed, meaning you can’t drop it in the water.
• The drag cap is plastic which may mean it needs to be replaced after some use.

Ideal Use: This reel is an amazing all-around inshore and near-shore casting reel. This can be used in the backwaters fishing for trout, redfish or flounder or even out-front nearshore casting for spanish mackerel, bluefish and bonito. The reel is great for close quarters fishing such as banks, kayaks, piers, and jetties.

Link: Daiwa BG Spinning Reel | Bass Pro Shops

Model 2: Penn Fierce IV 4000 ($119.95)

Pros:

• This reel is extremely affordable and thus is a great reel for a beat-around reel. What I mean by that is that it can be used for anything virtually anywhere. Personally, it is my go-to travel spinning reel.
• For its small size, this 4000 sized reel can output a pretty good bit of drag and has good stopping power.
• The casting distance and smoothness when throwing with this reel and braid is remarkable. 
• Due to the depth of the spool, you can fit quite a bit of line on this sucker.
• The drag is carbon fiber, so it lasts a while longer than felt.
• The reel is made with a full metal body for ultimate protection and durability.

Cons:

• The reel definitely isn’t as smooth as other spinning reels on the market.
• The Penn Fierce IV reels tend to run a bit heavier than other similarly sized reels.
• Once again, the reel is 100% sealed meaning that it can’t be submerged in saltwater.

Ideal Use: This reel is a great rod for heavier inshore or nearshore applications (maybe offshore if you were targeting smaller busting fish). Great for live bait or heavier chunk bait where sensitivity isn’t as important. The perfect jetty and shore fishing rod. It can withstand getting dropped on rocks and other things that would screw up other reels.

Link: PENN Fierce IV Spinning Reel | Bass Pro Shops

Model 3: Penn Spinfisher VII 7500 ($309.95)

Pros:

• This reel is completely sealed from saltwater with IPX5 technology making sure everything stays operation for a long time even in harsh conditions.
• Once again, Penn utilizes carbon fiber drag washers to increase longevity.
• This saltwater spinning reel, particularly at this larger size, has great drag output and very good stopping power.
• This reel is very smooth because it is made with very high-quality materials. Additionally, it has a full metal body.
• Lastly, this reel has a ton of line capacity on it. I loaded mine up with 65-pound braid for both shark fishing from the beach and offshore fishing and I believe I fit about 400 yards of line on it.

Cons:

• While better sealed than the other reels in this section, it still is not fully sealed to be waterproof.
• This reel is pretty pricey and has increased over the years unfortunately.
• This reel, while extremely robust and durable, isn’t going to be as smooth as the higher-end Shimano reels like the Stella or Stradic.
• This reel isn’t built for finesse, but rather, it’s built for power.

Ideal Use: This reel is an amazing all-around offshore fishing reel as well as a great reel for heavy duty surf fishing. In fact, in my own personal experience, I have bottom fished for snapper and grouper with it, trolled for kings and cobia with it, and even cast from the beach and caught some monster sharks on it. This reel is a beast and will last you a long time.

Link: PENN Spinfisher VII Spinning Reel | Bass Pro Shops

Conclusion

After reading this article, I hope you can see the importance of investing in the right saltwater spinning reels. The saltwater environment is no joke, and your fishing gear should reflect that. Now, I understand that I probably didn’t answer every single question you had, so if you want to, feel free to reach out and ask—I’d be happy to assist you. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this article, and as always, good luck and tight lines!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use a freshwater reel for saltwater fishing?

Can you and should you is going to be a big distinction in this case. Can you use a freshwater reel in saltwater? Yes, you can. Now, should you? Absolutely not. Freshwater reels are not designed with the materials and seals required to perform in saltwater. Now, you could delay the damage by taking very good care of your freshwater reel after using it in saltwater, but it simply won’t hold up nearly as long as a well-maintained saltwater reel.

What reel size is best for saltwater fishing?

I get this question a lot, particularly from younger and more inexperienced anglers. Unfortunately, there’s not really a short answer to this question because the size of the reel needed will differ depending on the application. For example, if you’re strictly inshore fishing, I would recommend anywhere between a 2500 and a 3500, or maybe a 4000 on the larger side. If you’re wanting an inshore/nearshore/all-around reel, the 4000 is probably the way to go. For surf fishing, offshore bottom fishing, or live bait trolling, your saltwater spinning reel should probably be above a 6500. Now, everyone is going to tell you something different, but these are the sizes of saltwater spinning reels I would recommend for saltwater fishing.

What’s the difference between offshore and inshore reels?

Oftentimes, fishing reel companies will make reels in enough sizes that they can be used for both offshore and inshore fishing. For example, Penn makes Spinfishers as small as 2500 and as large as 10500. Given that the range is that big, the same model of reel could be considered an inshore reel if it’s a smaller size and an offshore reel if it’s a larger size. However, in the grand scheme of things, offshore reels are mainly different from inshore spinning reels because of factors like size, line capacity, and drag output. Offshore fishing reels are simply going to be bigger and stronger than your inshore reels almost every time.

What kind of fishing line should I use on my saltwater spinning reel?

Because spinning reels can’t hold nearly as much line as conventional reels, I will always recommend spooling your spinning reels with braid. You get far more strength and capacity with braid as opposed to monofilament. If you want the benefits of monofilament or fluorocarbon that badly, then feel free to add some sort of topshot or leader. Mono and fluoro are just too thick—especially at higher strengths—so it makes it hard to get a decent amount of line on there.

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