As bass fishing has become more specialized, there are countless retrieve speeds and options available for baitcast reels. What was once as simple as deciding your line pound test and lure has become much more complicated with so many reels to choose from. While it makes picking the right reel a little trickier, it allows anglers to have a reel dialed in to a specific technique to make the most of it. And thankfully, there are still plenty of "do-it-all" reels that can handle multiple techniques.
One man who knows plenty about reel speeds, drag systems, and gear ratios is Matt Baldwin, 13 Fishing's Director of Product Development – Reels. Any reel from the company has gone through his design process and reels are what he knows best.
"100-percent. Any reel from 13 Fishing has gone through me and my team," he said. "We develop, design, and test every reel that is released."
The four families
13 Fishing offers plenty of reel models for both fresh and saltwater anglers. Baitcast reels, specifically, can be broken down into four different groups and Baldwin shared a quick rundown of each.
The first is the entry level Origin series. "This is the base level, but they still have plenty of features from more expensive reels," he said. "The Origin F1, for instance, has 20 pounds of drag. All of the reels at this level are tournament-ready and cast lights out."
Next is the relatively new Modus series, which Baldwin calls the best "bang for your buck" because of what they offer. "For reels starting at $99, they have tons of drag and castability," he said. "The reels go up to $150; depending on the price level, you can get high-speed bearings and aluminum frames."
Next is the Inception, which includes the Inception Slide with a unique sliding breaking system. Also in this lineup are the Gerald Swindle signature series G2 reels that Baldwin said are very impressive.
"Gerald wanted the lower speed reels to have the power for big crankbaits and heavier line and chose brass gearings," he said. "Then, the faster reels, he wanted aluminum frames and shallow spools for distance casting. There are a bunch of configurations in the series and for $150, these reels are as good as it gets."
The top of the line is the Concept, which features several options and reel sizes. "The Concept A is the workhorse and brutally strong and the Concept C is all about being light and fishing finesse stuff," Baldwin said. "The Concept Z is our show pony and highlights all the fun things like our SLIDE braking system. It also has zero ball bearings and uses our CZB technology, so it's smooth, quiet, and low maintenance."
Choosing the right reel
Now that you know the families, Baldwin shared some of his picks for reels for specific techniques. This insight comes from a behind-the-scenes look at what's inside of the reels and real-world experience on the water.
Baldwin said it would be hard to beat the Inception G2 in the 5.3:1 gear ratio for a technique like cranking. "That's what that reel was designed for," he said. "It has a low gear ratio but also has a longer handle and bigger knobs. Crankbaits are right in that reel's wheelhouse."
When choosing a versatile reel that can fish jigs and soft plastics, Baldwin said a lighter reel with a faster speed would be perfect. His pick is the Concept C2. "The 6.8:1 or 7.5:1 versions would be good picks for those techniques," he shared.
For fishing moving baits like spinnerbaits, topwaters, and vibrating jigs, Baldwin again chose the Concept C2 and said reel speed is mainly due to preference. "Some of our pros fish all high speeds reels and others like Swindle, like slower speeds for moving baits," he said. "For a guy who's not going to have 20 rods and reels on the deck, a good all-around speed would be the 7.5:1, and you can reel faster or slower as needed."
He said something with added durability and strength is critical when choosing a reel for flipping and pitching. "Those techniques are harder on gear with heavier weights and big lines," he said. "The Concept A2 in a 7.5:1 would be perfect."
13 Fishing also makes a larger Concept, the A3, Baldwin's choice for swimbaits and glide baits. "It's a larger framed reel and a real workhorse for throwing big baits," he said.
13 Fishing's Matt Baldwin knows plenty about fishing reels and dedicates countless hours to understanding them inside and out. His thoughts and ideas are included in every reel released by the company and he's the ultimate source for choosing your next baitcast reel.