How Pro Anglers Choose Spinning Reel? 2024

Patrick Morrow reply :

I am new to this forum, but wanted to share and spark discussion about the article I recently published. I managed to ask 42 top tournament angler what would be their top-3 factors in spinning reel. I was not able to post link,it is understandable I am new. However I can copy data. Here is the top 5 in (most mentioned order):

1.Drag- performance and smoothness to avoid break-offs

2.Weight/Size – should be light and comfortable, small to medium sized reel like 2500

3.Wider Spool- reduces line twists and improves casting distance

4.Overall Quality- durable and cost effective frame, number of bearings,

5.Gear Ratio – ratio high for bass, ~6.0:1

Most used reels:

Shimano (CI4) – 6 votes

Abu Garcia (Revo) – 5 votes

Lew`s – 3 votes

Daiwa – 2 votes

Here are some different opinions on price:

Skylar Hamilton

Another tip that I have learned over the years is to not pay attention to price or how many bearings the reel has. Regardless of what companies claim, ball bearings don’t make that much difference, they make the price go up. You can have a $50 spinning reel that feels just as good as a $200 reel. That’s not necessarily the case with casting reels, but I have learned to not spend your money on more ball bearings, if it feels good to you, then buy it. I’ve also found that lower bearing reels tend to last much longer believe it or not…

Troy Morrow

"Weight, must be light. Price, but not in the way you would think, I start looking at 150, I have found at that price and up you find the drag systems that you need. The drag must be seamless, by that mean it must start and stop with no “stiffness” or hesitation. Smooth, I do not want to feel anything when I reel it".

Casey Scanlon

"Balance, doesn’t wobble when you crank the reel. Size: small to medium sized reel 2500 model for many reel brands. Price: I’m not a big believer in the need for high end reels. Something in the $100 or less price range".

John Crews

"You get what you pay for in spinning reels for sure. Anything less than $100 is going to act like it."

Chris Zaldain

1. Always purchase a spinning reel at the top of your budget. You want that purchase to last a lifetime.

Here are some of top ranking tournament anglers answers:

Bryan Thrift

Frame material doesn’t really concern me. I like a bigger spool because I feel it helps cast farther. Never really paid much attention to bearings either, I just pick one up, reel it and if it feels nice a smooth i buy it. Drag is probably the biggest concern. I have to make sure they have a smooth drag that doesn’t vary in tension when you pull it. With light line an inconsistent drag will cause more break-offs.

Jason Christie

Drag system: when using light line a smooth drag system is a must for fighting big fish

Overall comfort: the reel has to be the right size, physically. Not too big, not too small.

Smoothness of bail: when testing reels I pay a lot of attention in how smooth the line goes on the reel and how smooth it comes off, there can’t be any hiccups in the spool going up and down

Shinichi Fukae

1. Drag performance, 2. Spool size, & 3. Ease of use with light lines

So what you think about it? I personally was surprised about that one of the biggest factors was spool diameter. I knew that wider spool will decrease wind knots, but I haven`t felt genuine difference in real life.

Anthony Gagliardi

No. 1 for me is a high quality drag system. Since in most cases spinning reels are being used with light line a smooth drag is a must in order to protect from breaking off.

No. 2 is a easily accessible anti-reverse switch(don’t know the proper name). I back reel quite often and I like for the switch to be easy to find and flip during the fight so I have no problems when the fish gets close to the boat and I need to engage the anti-reverse so that i can land it.

No. 3 is probably weight. I like the feel of a light, sensitive spinning rod setup, well, pretty much any setup i guess…. You don’t switch hands between casting and fishing with a spinning reel, so over the course of the day a lighter reel will result in less fatigue. Less fatigue equals more productivity.

EDIT 1::

Skylar Hamilton

The key factors that make up a good spinning reel are the spool width, smoothness and the weight.

The spool width is very important, the wider the better. Wider spools tend to cast farther and resist tangles much better than many of the narrow spool models you see.

Smoothness in a spinning reel makes a huge difference. A smoother reel will enable you to feel more bites when you’re fishing a moving bait such as a shad rap, it also allows you to feel structure better. Many people think the fishing rod is more important when it comes to feeling bites and structure, but that’s simply not true. You’re reel is just as important, especially spinning reels, because you tend to impart more action to your baits with a spinning reel. Simply put, you move your reel more than your rod with spinning tackle. A smoother reel let’s you feel that your bait is working correctly and that you’re making contact with whatever structure you may be fishing.

Finally, weight is another factor I always take into consideration. A light weight reel always makes for a better set up, increased sensitivity and less fatigue on your wrists. A spinning reel can be much harder on your wrist than casting tackle if you don’t have a lightweight set up.

The only spinning reels I use are Abu Garcia, and they are about as smooth and durable as they come.

One thing I like to point out, he says he uses Abu Garcia spinning reel, normally for other pro anglers it is Abu Garcia Revo Premier which has 11! bearings. But he stated in one of his sentences that bearings do not matter regardless what companies say. If he would be pushing Abu Garcia products he would logically say bearings make the spinning reel.

Justin Lucas

My favorite spinning reel is the Abu Garcia SX ( EDIT: it is actually baitcaster) for the following reasons.

1) The most important factor in a spinning reel to me is line recovery per turn. This goes unnoticed quite a bit when talking about spinning reels. I want the fastest reel I can get away with so I can pick up slack line and set the hook quickly. It also allows me to reel my bait in much faster and therefore I make more casts throughout the day.

2) A smooth drag is incredibly important when choosing a spinning reel. Generally we are all using smaller hooks and smaller line when we are using a spinning reel. I need a super smooth drag to make sure that I don’t break fish off and don’t pull a hook out of their mouths.

3) Weight of the reel would be my 3rd most important feature on a spinning reel. Using as light of a reel as I can will help keep the rod balanced and sensitivity high. A heavy reel will dull out the sensitivity of the rod and be uncomfortable to use all day.

Disagreement on the price of the reel was also something new. Some of the top anglers actually stated they do not feel the difference between high and low end reel. What is average price you all pay for spinning reel?

Feel free to name one pro angler whom answer you are interested in, if I have them on list I add it here. (Cant`t I bold these anglers names somehow?)

00 mod reply :

Very interested in seeing the data from your research!

Jeff

J Francho reply :

$200 to $250. Inked pros use flagship models in the appropriate size from their sponsors brand. 2500 to 3000 size or equivalent, unless there's some special application. Most reels over $50 have balanced rotors. The differences in higher end gear lie in materials, construction, and durability. Drags are usually better in higher end gear.

SudburyBasser reply :

There was a time where I would have spent over $200 a spinning reel -- and have -- but those days are over. While the differences in weight and construction are apparent enough between an expensive and inexpensive spinning reel I don't know if they're enough for me personally to justify the added expense. I'd rather put the money towards the rod than a spinning reel in a new set-up.

That's the plan this winter as I put together a new drop shot set-up. I'll spend what's necessary on the rod but the spinning reel? Unless I find a tremendous deal I imagine I'm just going to use one of the relatively inexpensive ones I have lying around.

As for spool diameter? I must be a ninja because I think I've had all of one or two wind knots on spinning gear in over two decades of angling.

Patrick Morrow reply :

On 12/1/2014 at 2:22 AM, J%20Francho said:
$200 to $250. Inked pros use flagship models in the appropriate size from their sponsors brand. 2500 to 3000 size or equivalent, unless there's some special application. Most reels over $50 have balanced rotors. The differences in higher end gear lie in materials, construction, and durability. Drags are usually better in higher end gear.

Yeah I understand a lot of them area probably biased to their sponsor reels. However I did not asked them for certain spinning reel model, but what they were looking in the reel. In my opinion answers varied quite a bit which of course made the article much more interesting to read.

Here is the exact question I asked from all of them:

“If you would have to buy a new spinning reel, what would be top 3 factors you would base your decision on ?”

smalljaw67 reply :

I think the rod is more important when spinning, but I like a good solid reel, aluminum frame with a good drag in the 2500 to 3000 size. The best purchase I made has to be my old model Cabelas Tournament ZX which was a Daiwa Tierra, with the only difference being the ZX has all regular bearings while the Tierra has 2 corrosion resistant bearings but the bearing count is the same, heck the Daiwa logo is on the knob and the rotor. They were discontinuing that reel and were selling them for $39.99, I should have bought a few but I wasn't sure how the Cabelas version would work, well it works fantastic to the point I'm sorry I didn't get more. Most spinning reels in the $100+ range have decent drags so that is what I tend to use, as far as asking pros, most will use a sponsor product so you really don't get great information other than generic statements about drag.

Patrick Morrow reply :

On 12/1/2014 at 4:49 AM, smalljaw67 said:
I think the rod is more important when spinning, but I like a good solid reel, aluminum frame with a good drag in the 2500 to 3000 size. The best purchase I made has to be my old model Cabelas Tournament ZX which was a Daiwa Tierra, with the only difference being the ZX has all regular bearings while the Tierra has 2 corrosion resistant bearings but the bearing count is the same, heck the Daiwa logo is on the knob and the rotor. They were discontinuing that reel and were selling them for $39.99, I should have bought a few but I wasn't sure how the Cabelas version would work, well it works fantastic to the point I'm sorry I didn't get more. Most spinning reels in the $100+ range have decent drags so that is what I tend to use, as far as asking pros, most will use a sponsor product so you really don't get great information other than generic statements about drag.

Answers weren`t all generics statements about drag. There were some certain properties which repeated because they were probably important. More deep answers came from not-so-known pro anglers who actually wrote 200-300 word detailed responses.

One interesting answer from Jay Grave:

When I am looking for a new spinning reel the very first thing I consider how I am going to fish it. If I am a big proponent for use-specific gear. A spinning real for deep water drop-shoting has got to have a large spool but if I am skipping a stick worm under docks weight is much more important. I hardly ever by a reel or rod or whatever, without a purpose in mind.

Whatever the application, however, weight is very important. If I am going to twitch, or skip, or jiggle this rod and reel all day it has to be a comfortable and balanced weight on the rod I am going to be using. If it is heavy or unbalanced I am not going to use it.

The second thing I need to have in a new spinning reel is trust that will stand up to every day use and abuse. I fish more than 250 days a year in all conditions. I need to trust my gear and that means trusting that the bearings are solid, bushings are not made out of cheap plastic, and that the drag will stay true fishing day in and day out.

Lastly, and this goes together with being sturdy is that I have to be able to tear it down and keep it clean. Service-ability is very important.

Two more things. I want a reel that looks cool and matches the rods I am using. That isn’t really functionally important, but makes a difference in my shopping. And you should know that I am on the Daiwa and Denali teams. I use almost always Denali rods and Daiwa reels.

I will admit that most of those answers do not offer something extra-ordinary to experienced anglers. They do, in my opinion, provide great value for a beginners determining what are the main factors to focus on when choosing spinning reel and just reading entertainment(hopefully).

Grantman83 reply :

The intent of the article was good but it only served to highlight the the fact that guys use totally different stuff for different or contradictory reasons. Also, at least get the pics of the guys right!!!!!

J Francho reply :

Quote

“If you would have to buy a new spinning reel, what would be top 3 factors you would base your decision on ?”

Since there are over 40,000 members here that have actually purchased a reel, I'd take their advice over someone who's only reason to even be in a store is to do a clinic promoting product. Don't get me wrong, I have a great deal of respect for these guys - many of home risk it all to go pro, but in this arena, their opinion loses traction for me.

desmobob reply :

For me, it's:

1) drag

2) weight

3) feel

Most bass fishermen are going to be using spinning gear for light line applications, so smooth drag would seem like the most important consideration.

The weight of the reel has become important to me. If the rig is unbalanced, it's uncomfortable to use.

The overall feel of the reel: smoothness, bail-trip, lack of flex, etc., mean a lot to me. My spinning reel with the smoothest drag (Daiwa Tournament SS) also has the clunkiest bail trip and is not the smoothest. I probably would have replaced it a long time ago, but the smooth drag always impresses me, especially each spring when I'm using it for inshore striped bass fishing and catching big fish.

I used to do a lot of trolling and downrigger fishing. The one thing I miss about it is it offered an easy and accurate way to test the drag on any reel I had. If you put a rig in the rod holder, set the drag, and then dropped the downrigger ball, you could watch the rod tip and easily see just how good your drag was, from start-up to sustained run. (My old Daiwa SeaLine level winders were the smoothest).

Tight lines,

Bob

Patrick Morrow reply :

I want to thank all for kinda different opinions I have got so far. All fellow bloggers, site owners, other forum members who have seen the it have really appreciated the article and stated it was good one. Bassresource seems to be one of the few who thinks different, which of course in return helps me to get second viewpoint on the whole topic. So thanks for that guys!

@Grantman83 Oh, oh ,oh what you mean by at least get the pictures right? Every angler sent me his own picture so next time think before you write something!!! Highlight what? The point of this article was just to ask pro anglers, who most of the anglers look up to, for their opinion of 3 most important spinning reel factors. Then I put together Top 5 from their answers. I am certain this article was interesting for a lot of people.

0119 reply :

For me smoothness is first. A smoothness that stays in the long term and defines quality and durability. Weight comes second and drag the very last. Drag on all current spinners is adequate and I keep my drag light and use the long lost finger on the spool trick to gain drag when needed. I give no sponsored person, angler, blogger guide or 'pro' any weight as money has provided their loyalty. Your initial post stated you published this as an article. Are you also sponsored? Your initial post stated feel free to ask about a particular "pro's" choice? Did you interview anyone without a reel sponsor and who used a reel he selected himself?

Alonerankin2 reply :

Sponsored Pro's say what they must.. It's really that simple..

WRB reply :

Most bass anglers use bait casting reels as their primary reels, spinning for finesse applications and I am in the same boat.

You see more finesse presentations from the pros each year, rarely will you see more than 1spinning outfit one the deck being used at a time, there are exceptions, like Aaron Marten's, it's not the rule.

Another factor to consider with spinning reels is line twist and casting accuracy. Spinning reels by design will twist line, the reason some bass anglers use small diameter braid with FC leaders.

The size factor is interesting, no standard to judge from. The "2500" means what? One manufacturer's 1000 equal anthers 2500, depending on the era it was made. For example my older Daiwa SS TD1600, Shimano Stradic 1000 is the size as my newer Shimano CI14 2500, all have excellent drags and perfect for my finesse fishing techniques like split shot, slip shot, drop shot with 6 # FC.

Weight should be about balance with the rod you use and agree a smooth drag is essential.

Welcome to the BR site Patrick.

Tom

Patrick Morrow reply :

On 12/2/2014 at 12:46 AM, 119 said:
For me smoothness is first. A smoothness that stays in the long term and defines quality and durability. Weight comes second and drag the very last. Drag on all current spinners is adequate and I keep my drag light and use the long lost finger on the spool trick to gain drag when needed. I give no sponsored person, angler, blogger guide or 'pro' any weight as money has provided their loyalty. Your initial post stated you published this as an article. Are you also sponsored? Your initial post stated feel free to ask about a particular "pro's" choice? Did you interview anyone without a reel sponsor and who used a reel he selected himself?

I understand where you are coming from, but I did not asked any angler for specific reel brand/model. All I asked was what were their 3 most important aspects they need in spinning reel. Only 16 from (now 46) anglers posted their reel. This post is full published as an article with 42(now 46) answers which link I can not post. I asked particular pro question because there is no point to paste 42 anglers answers, it would make thread too long. If any person here got a favorite pro angler he could say it to me and maybe if he is 1 in 42 I can post his result here. It is that simple! I have not checked out who has a reel sponsor and who does not. I interviewed many not so popular pros too, which probably all don´t have reel sponsors. I posted only the popular names in first post thinking it would be appeal more to forum members here. I am happy that I made this article because positive feedback overwhelmingly surpasses the people who have not got anything out from it. This bassresource community has most definitely the most deep/different thinking anglers I have ever seen. It is only good, because it makes me to understand this article in second viewpoint too.

roadwarrior reply :

All I asked was what were their 3 most important aspects they need in spinning reel.

Strong, silent and reliant.

bigbill reply :

I been using the Fin-nor lite spinning reels now for over a decade. There very quiet noise wise too.

I also use the Okuma expitor if I ever get the spelling right. They have ten ball bearings and are very quiet.

The Globe is another good quality spinning reel. The Viva is another good one too these are popular in Russia and Australia.

Sam reply :

Patrick, the pros get the reels either free or at a discount.

If a pro is a spokesman for the reel manufacturer then he can get his reels free.

If a pro has a reel's logo on his shirt he can get a good discount.

Same for rods, lures and tackle.

This is why KVD harps Quantum stuff.

SirSnookalot reply :

I fish for fun and only use spinning gear. Fishing for bass I want a reel that is smooth on retrieve and balances well on my rod. Don't find drag to be overly important in bass fishing, many of my larger bass swim back at me and not away like some other species do. I've been using the same brand and model with 3 different sizes over the last 5-6 years, none of the reels have ever been cleaned or serviced, each performs as good as the day I bought them, that's 7 days a week 12 months of the year. Only thing I have done is replaced the worn out handles on each of them. Cost $100.

smalljaw67 reply :

Patrick, what I think you'll find is that more seasoned anglers tend to form their opinions based on experience and time on the water versus what a pro says. I'm sure what sites you posted the finding on but guys that are just starting out or those that are more casual, fair weather anglers tend to be the ones that lean on what the pro's say. The reason is after you've been doing this for 15 to 20+ years you find that there are a lot of instances in which the pros contradict themselves, look no further than Rick Clunn, it isn't because he wants to mislead, it is because he says what is required of him in order to promote his current sponsor. I singled him out because he has been around so long that there is just numerous examples which are easy to find, like one time I heard him say that since he started using graphite, there is no need for fiberglass and then he signs with W&M and he says it was manufacturers that didn't like fiberglass but he always had fiberglass in his boat???? Or how about Ike or Skeet preaching how good their sponsors product is only to switch to another sponsor and then saying the same things? We really do appreciate the post and the findings as it provides a lot of thought and debate but asking a pro what he looks for in a jig, a rod, a worm or anything else is going to read like the packaging on the product his sponsor sells, and guys that have been around this for a long time know what we, as anglers are looking for without the help of a paid spokesman. I have a friend that really likes the KVD 1.5 square bill and the KVD Elite Treble hooks and he hates buying them because he thinks people are laughing at him thinking he is buying the stuff because the pro's name is on it, and that right there is how experienced anglers feel about the opinions of the pros when it concerns product. On the flip side, we watch with the utmost focus as the pros give tips on techniques and locations, that is where the value is with them, that is what all of us want, is their insight on how to effectively fish a drop shot in 30' of water or how to work a frog to generate the most strikes. I'll finish with this, a very smart angler told me that being on a pro staff doesn't mean you are a professional, it means you are a promoter, because the pro in pro staff stands for promotional, not professional.

Patrick Morrow reply :

On 12/2/2014 at 10:02 PM, smalljaw67 said:
Patrick, what I think you'll find is that more seasoned anglers tend to form their opinions based on experience and time on the water versus what a pro says. I'm sure what sites you posted the finding on but guys that are just starting out or those that are more casual, fair weather anglers tend to be the ones that lean on what the pro's say. The reason is after you've been doing this for 15 to 20+ years you find that there are a lot of instances in which the pros contradict themselves, look no further than Rick Clunn, it isn't because he wants to mislead, it is because he says what is required of him in order to promote his current sponsor. I singled him out because he has been around so long that there is just numerous examples which are easy to find, like one time I heard him say that since he started using graphite, there is no need for fiberglass and then he signs with W&M and he says it was manufacturers that didn't like fiberglass but he always had fiberglass in his boat???? Or how about Ike or Skeet preaching how good their sponsors product is only to switch to another sponsor and then saying the same things? We really do appreciate the post and the findings as it provides a lot of thought and debate but asking a pro what he looks for in a jig, a rod, a worm or anything else is going to read like the packaging on the product his sponsor sells, and guys that have been around this for a long time know what we, as anglers are looking for without the help of a paid spokesman. I have a friend that really likes the KVD 1.5 square bill and the KVD Elite Treble hooks and he hates buying them because he thinks people are laughing at him thinking he is buying the stuff because the pro's name is on it, and that right there is how experienced anglers feel about the opinions of the pros when it concerns product. On the flip side, we watch with the utmost focus as the pros give tips on techniques and locations, that is where the value is with them, that is what all of us want, is their insight on how to effectively fish a drop shot in 30' of water or how to work a frog to generate the most strikes. I'll finish with this, a very smart angler told me that being on a pro staff doesn't mean you are a professional, it means you are a promoter, because the pro in pro staff stands for promotional, not professional.

Thanks man for insightful post, future I will focus on your told techniques and locations if I am going to make this kind of article. I updated original post with some other responses from "not so known pros" which are little bit longer and detailed. One question more, are members here interested in any more responses? I have so far posted about 12 and I can keep adding them if some want. I would like to get other people opinion too who have not yet posted in this thread. I saw that some of you were excited about the thread where one pro Mark Menendez made short appearance. If you guys want I can contact some of the pros in my thread who were interested in future cooperation too and invite them here for some time to host a Q&A thread with the pro. Let me know if that would be something interesting for you guys.

J Francho reply :

Quote

I updated original post with some other responses from "not so known pros" which are little bit longer and detailed.

Speaking of....how is Jared? The kid's a trip.

Choporoz reply :

Thanks, Patrick. I think it is great info and an interesting read. I'm a skeptic at heart, so I do think it is important to keep in mind factors such as sponsorship that might affect responses. However, as long as it is understood that there are 'unstated' considerations, it is great to hear what they have to say.

Patrick Morrow reply :

On 12/2/2014 at 11:19 PM, J%2520Francho said:
Speaking of....how is Jared?  The kid's a trip.

Wow, that is interesting. You mean Jared Trimboli? I wonder where you take that I know? I have not posted his response here. But you are right, we still keep in contact and plan to help each other in future too. Another article idea is the nasty truths of tournament fishing offered by him. He sayed he got some great stories that most of the public have no idea about. What you mean by "kid is trip" in my opinion the most humblest pro of all 42(45 who I contacted).

Choporoz I am glad you liked it. In my HONEST opinion most of these answers are not THAT much influenced by sponsorship. However, there was one angler who catched my eye which most obvious, funny, visible promotion of his sponsor reels. I will post his answer. I will not write the author name here though.

On today’s heavily pressured tournament waters the question is not if you need a spinning reel and rod but rather, when do you need to apply them and the finesse techniques they are associated with.

When looking for the right spinning reel, 3 factors come to mind, size, drag system and smooth operation.

Size: This is important for line capacity and balance. Larger spools allow for more line, more line allows for easier casting. However, if the spool and reel are too large this will affect balance and ultimately your abitilty to use a particular set up affectively. Most reel companies offer 3 sizes, the lower the number, the smaller the reel. I prefer reels in the mid range, such as the Team Lew’s Goldspin TL3000H. The spool size allows for long casts and the minimal weight allows for comfortable use all day.

Drag System: Spinning reels are used most in finesse applications. Therefore the drag system is extremely important when using light line. A sealed drag system is important as it prevents the negative affects water can have on the system. The drag must be smooth and easy to adjust, especially during the heat of battle. Fish often make a final surge or run when close to the boat. Not having a smooth drag or one you can adjust easily often results in a broken line and lost fish.

Smooth Operation: Typically, the more ball bearings found in a reel, the smoother the reel will operate. This is important when using a reel over the course of a full day. The less you have to fight the reel to turn it over, the more comfortable it will be to operate and the longer you will be able to use it. Often lost in this factor is handle comfort. Ease of locating the handle after a cast and how it feels in your hand are two factors to consider when picking a reel that will be used all day.

There are many outstanding spinning reels offered at a wide variety of prices and I have used many. I have found that the Team Lew’s Gold Spin TL3000H offers everything I am looking for in a quality spinning reel, including price. The TL3000H weighs just 7.4oz yet holds 140yds of 10lb. line. The size provides a perfect balance to both a 6’6″ and 7′ graphite rod. The 10 bearing system offers smooth operation and the aluminum cranking handle with Lew’s Paddle Grip allow me to operate the reel in comfort all day long. The sealed front drag system is outstanding and one I use confidently with lines as light as 6lb. test. When looking for your next spinning reel be sure to include Team Lew’s in your search.

J Francho reply :

Quote

He sayed he got some great stories that most of the public have no idea about.

I bet he does. Lots of time in the back of the boat with some big names, and not so big names.

Matthew2000 reply :

I don't see why people are always throwing pros opinions away. Yes they do induce there sponsor, more than 90% percent of the time a pro signed with the company is because he believed there product would give them the biggest chance at winning a tournament. Because for one they make more money from winning a tournament then they do from signing with a company. Did you hear about the FLW tourney on Kentucky lake 8 of the top ten were using a Ben Parker magnum spoon. How many of them were sponsored by that company 0. How many of them raved about the bait all of them it had nothing to do with being sponsored it was that it truly worked. These guys go out and catch 30 pound bags on some very tough lakes it's not because they are sponsored it's because they are good fisherman. The point of the article was to ask pros some of the best fisherman in the world about what they look for in a spinning reel. It wasn't what spinning reel should buy. Not one of the pros mentioned the brand they used. I'm not real sure what the people saying the pros were idiots were talking about. Because I am willing to bet that if you were placed in the MLF format you would get your butt whopped.

SirSnookalot reply :

A number of reasons why I pay little or no attention to what a pro uses. First off I seldom watch them, but when I do I see little to compare how they fish to the way I do. I don't fish the same kind of water and my bass fishing is from shore. I do not drag fish in at warp speed, I play them for the enjoyment and if I lose one it's no big deal. I have seen on tv, believe the FLW, where the spinning reels look to be much larger than I use. I could use a larger reel and rod in my canals, they are high banked and quite often fish are pulled into sea lettuce and up a bank to land them (not easy), instead of pulling them out of it to land them on boat. Fishing 7 days a week and 12 months of the year I have a good idea of what I want and need, and with over 60 years of spinning experience. I pay for my own gear, I doubt many high level pros spend their own money. The pros probably don't use a reel with the hopes if it lasting for years, they probably don't get a reel serviced, they just use a new one. Competing for the amount of money that they do, I know I would be using a new reel every few weeks, the cost of a new reel is meaningless with thousands on the line. That isn't the case with most of us here, we look for value and performance over the long haul.

When push comes to shove, it's the lure and where it's placed that catches fish, not this reel or that reel.

J Francho reply :

Quote

Because for one they make more money from winning a tournament then they do from signing with a company.

Really? I think you have that backwards. In fact, most pros don't make much at all. Who do you think pays the bills? Sponsors or purses?

Matthew2000 reply :

100,000 dollars for a first place finish..... That's quite a bit... Only the top 15 ranked pros in the world make more than that. Just to name a few KVD, Ike, skeet Reese, Gerald swindle. Now anthony galliardi made 500,000 dollars from the forest wood cup. I agree most pros get quite a bit from the sponsors but how do you think they earned those? They sure didn't go out there with the sponsors already lined up. So really throwing that opinion out the window next time tis something to rethink. And KVD has made 5.9 million from tourneys. Roughly 2.5 from sponsors

J Francho reply :

Are you a pro? You know more about this than the pros I'm acquainted with, lol.

I couldn't think of poorer example of an average working pro than KVD. His situation, both in sponsorships and winnings are not what I'd call typical.

Jrob78 reply :

On 12/9/2014 at 10:42 AM, Matthew2000 said:
100,000 dollars for a first place finish..... That's quite a bit... Only the top 15 ranked pros in the world make more than that. Just to name a few KVD, Ike, skeet Reese, Gerald swindle. Now anthony galliardi made 500,000 dollars from the forest wood cup. I agree most pros get quite a bit from the sponsors but how do you think they earned those? They sure didn't go out there with the sponsors already lined up. So really throwing that opinion out the window next time tis something to rethink. And KVD has made 5.9 million from tourneys. Roughly 2.5 from sponsors

If pro fishermen had to rely on tournament winnings for their livelihood, there would be no professional fishing, period. Nobody would be able to afford it.

OkobojiEagle reply :

Why any discussion from the pros about spinning gear? I read here and other sites that experienced anglers can fish every bass technique with their favored bait casting reels and rods...

Grantman83 reply :

If it was all based off tournament winnings, then gagliardi wouldn't be sweating trying to find a title sponsor for next season when Chevy dumped their team deal with FLW.

Also, I'm pretty sure that KVD is a part owner eith strike King and nitro boats so a lot of his revenue comes from product as well.

Ish Monroe has talked about how he has stock option, health benefits and a pension plan with River2Sea soooo again I'll assume most of his pay comes from sponsorship both in paying his fees and giving him a steady check. He had a terrible year this year, you think he could afford to drop 50k in entry fees plus gas, tolls, board, gear etc? I sincerely doubt it

Matthew2000 reply :

KVD received shares in strike king as part of the contract. Back in 2007 skeet Reese got a 600,000 dollar contract largest one ever. But that's only 1 out of how many pro anglers ? The next I gerald swindle with a 315,000, then KVD with 300,000. It just goes down from there. So 3 anglers make that much. Not 1 of them was in that survey. Most of those guys were less known.

Grantman83 reply :

According to another site, Ish Monroe has been a pro for 16 years and has total tournament winnings of 1.53 million.

That's basically 100k a year. Last season he fished both tours which basically comes to 80k in entry fees. He ran two rigs which is sponsors gave him. He cashed a check in like 3 tourneys combined. You are saying he had roughly 50k to just lose in entry fees alone? Granted he is a bigger name, but if anything that shows how important sponsors are even for the bigger guys, not just the nobodys. They may make extra income from tournies, but they can only fish in the first place because someone foots or helps footbthe bill for them

J Francho reply :

On 12/9/2014 at 8:12 PM, Matthew2000 said:
KVD received shares in strike king as part of the contract. Back in 2007 skeet Reese got a 600,000 dollar contract largest one ever. But that's only 1 out of how many pro anglers ? The next I gerald swindle with a 315,000, then KVD with 300,000. It just goes down from there. So 3 anglers make that much. Not 1 of them was in that survey. Most of those guys were less known.

OK, so add your guys to the list and get a mean. KVD, Swindle, Reese, why not toss in Hank Parker, Larry Nixon, Rick Clunn, and Roland Martin in there for a more realistic view of finances, lol.

Most of the pros would not be without their sponsors. Sorry, picking out a few total purse collection for a few top anglers isn't going to make your argument. According to most, it takes around $350K/year to break in, and that only goes up with success. Where does that come from? What is the average total winnings for first, second, and third year qualifiers? How about you get an average for the entire field, and see how that shakes out. I mean, how do you really think these guys come up with the capital to get started? Winnings? Sorry, you're wrong. It's sponsorship deals. Why do you think these guys talk all day and all night about such and such oats, such and such rods, if they make all their money from winning? They're helping themselves.

I've said it before, I'm not interested in what a pro uses. I am HIGHLY interested in what they are doing, and how they do it.

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