Reels

Coarse & Match Reels

Most reels incorporate a body which is made from a high performance carbon material, with the quality of the Carbons used often determining their price. Most brands have their own unique high quality carbons such as the Shimano Ci4 material which is used in their top end reels. There are many things to consider when it comes to buying a Course and Match reel, we have broken down some of the key features below, which should give you a rough guide of what to look out for.

Drag

Its fair to say Fixed Spool Reels are the most popular when it comes to Coarse and Match fishing, with most of them featuring either a front, or Rear Drag system. Being at the front of the reel, the Front drag is much more sensitive and can be fined tuned to ensure you can totally control the fish, a big advantage for match anglers who are trying to gain big weights fast. The smoothness of the drag depends on the quality of the components used is the manufacturing process.

Ball Bearings

On most Fixed Spool Reels you will find they have a number of ball bearings listed usually on either the Spool or the Body. These are located inside the reel around the parts which rotate as the reel handle is turned, to ensure this is as smooth as possible, with the bearings also reducing the friction around these areas which helps increase the longevity. As a general rule, the more bearings a reel has, the smoother the retrieve will be. Bearings of high end reels are constructed from premium components to ensure they are super durable.

Size

Most Reels you are likely to be using when Course and Match fishing are between 1000-6000 in size, with the latter being the largest. Its important to ensure the reel you choose matches the Coarse and Match Rod you are using. To break it down, the smaller the size of the reel, the lighter it will be, so if you are using a lighter rod such as a Float Rod, then a smaller reel will create a more balanced set up. The bigger sizes of reel hold more line meaning you can cast further and with heavier line, so they lend themselves perfectly to fishing on the bottom at range or for snaggy situations.

Line Lay

The way in which the line sits around the spool of the reel is done via a rotor which is designed to wind the line onto the spool evenly from top to bottom, meaning it flies off on the cast. If there is a large taper in the line on your reel, it creates more resistance as it comes off the spool, so you will not be able to cast as far and this can cause wind knots. The higher quality reels will have a perfectly even line lay, allowing line to smoothly rotate off the spool on the cast.