One of the most common questions posed by inshore saltwater anglers is which reel type to purchase. The two options, a level wind conventional reel or an open style conventional reel have both advantages and disadvantages depending on a number of features. This is a decision that nearly ever angler is going to have to make at one time or another, so having the information on the benefits and pitfalls of each type of reel is critical to purchasing the right one.
The best answer to this question is simple – take into consideration how you fish, your personal preferences and finally, what kind of line you intend to use most of the time. These factors will help you make an informed decision about which reel type is best for your needs.
Open wind reels have fewer moving parts, while level wind reels use a pawl that runs across a worm shaft on the front of your reel. While the open wind reel requires interaction from the angler to properly rewind a line, the level wind reel accomplishes this through the mechanism that is inherent to this reel type.
An overwhelming factor in either reel type is of course your own personal preference. Surf-casters will tell you that they would not consider level wind reels because of two major factors (A) they are more susceptible to malfunction and (B) they cast differently. It’s important to remember that a saltwater surfcaster almost always hikes to their favorite fishing spot – the fact is that because of this they nearly always have only one reel and rod with them and equipment failure could completely ruin their day. Level wind reels can fail because of just a few grains of sand in the mechanism and they also create another contact point between your line and your reel – which of course are unique to the level wind reels. Open faced conventional reels simply don’t have these significant pitfalls making it the reel of choice for saltwater surfcasting anglers. Open faced conventional reels simply do not have the moving parts that are found in level wind reels, making them far less susceptible to needing repairs.
You may have already seen our article about the various types of lines that are available on the market. Keeping in mind that it wasn’t all that long ago when the line of choice for the bulk of anglers was monofilament which has its own set of issues. Today, Monofilament is one option of course, but more anglers are electing to use braided Dacron lines. These lines simply do not have the spooling problems that are traditionally found in monofilament lines.
Monofilament line is the line of choice for many anglers – it offers stretch and it’s cost effective. It does have its downsides however and these downsides make the use of a level wind conventional reel very practical unless you want to spend time learning how to guide your line back onto your reel with your thumb. While this practice is common and not hard to learn, it’s highly unlikely that when you’re reeling in a big fish you are going to be paying all that much attention as to how you’re rewinding your line if you are using an open wind conventional reel.
It is probably this single characteristic that means that an angler has to learn how to use their thumb to guide the line back and forth on an open reel. This allows the line to spool nearly evenly back on an open, non-level wind reel. This does take some practice, and unfortunately when you’ve got a fish that is destined to become one of your best catches, chances are pretty slim you’re going to be considering how evenly your line is rewinding.
The bottom line here is if you’re using monofilament most of the time you’re probably going to want to consider a level wind reel while if you’re angling with braided line most of the time, an open wind conventional reel is probably perfect for you.
Ask any repair shop owner, myself included, and you’ll find that the level wind reel is one of the top items that are repaired annually. It doesn’t matter who made it, each manufacturer is treated equally in this case. Level wind reels are far more susceptible to failure than open reels. This could be in part that when you’re fishing with a 20lb drag, and you land a good sized fish, additional pressure is put on the line guide system. Combine this additional pressure with salt and sand that might be missed during cleaning and insufficient lubrication and you’re no doubt going to have your level wind reel fail. If you use open faced conventional reels, you are not going to have this problem.
While your personal preferences are certainly going to play a significant role in your final decision, also take into consideration your line type and your fishing habits – rigging or casting – and you’ll be able to make a sound decision between the level wind conventional reel and open conventional reel.
With all the different types of reels out there things can get confusing. Doing your research before hand can save yourself a headache. Some of the most popular reels include: Daiwa Seaborg 300FB, Daiwa Viento, and Shimano Stella FD.
