Reels With Many Bearings

[bigbill]

I been buying the okuma spinning reels with 10 ball bearings. To break them in I use them on my crankbait rod first before putting them on my inline spinner and spinner bait rod. I find them on the tight side to use them on spinner baits right away. The reels with less bearings are easier to use. But the reels font last as long. Any thoughts?

[Jrob78]

The number of bearings in a reel is one of the most overrated things in fishing. A cheap reel with 12 bearings is just that, a cheap reel with a bunch of cheap bearings. Companies advertise the high bearing count as a selling point. The quality of the materials used in the reel and the fit and finish of those parts are what makes a quality reel, not the number of bearings.

I'm speaking in generalities, not about your specific reel. As the price of the reel goes up, the bearings are normally better quality and then the count starts to mean a little more. A cheap reel with 10 bearings wont be as smooth or last as long as a quality reel with 5 bearings.

[.RM.]

The number of bearings in a reel is one of the most overrated things in fishing. A cheap reel with 12 bearings is just that, a cheap reel with a bunch of cheap bearings. Companies advertise the high bearing count as a selling point. The quality of the materials used in the reel and the fit and finish of those parts are what makes a quality reel, not the number of bearings.

I'm speaking in generalities, not about your specific reel. As the price of the reel goes up, the bearings are normally better quality and then the count starts to mean a little more. A cheap reel with 10 bearings wont be as smooth or last as long as a quality reel with 5 bearings.

Very Good!  

[Capt.Bob]

The number of bearings in a reel is one of the most overrated things in fishing. A cheap reel with 12 bearings is just that, a cheap reel with a bunch of cheap bearings. Companies advertise the high bearing count as a selling point. The quality of the materials used in the reel and the fit and finish of those parts are what makes a quality reel, not the number of bearings.

I'm speaking in generalities, not about your specific reel. As the price of the reel goes up, the bearings are normally better quality and then the count starts to mean a little more. A cheap reel with 10 bearings wont be as smooth or last as long as a quality reel with 5 bearings.

X3

[MichBassMan]

The number of bearings in a reel is one of the most overrated things in fishing. A cheap reel with 12 bearings is just that, a cheap reel with a bunch of cheap bearings. Companies advertise the high bearing count as a selling point. The quality of the materials used in the reel and the fit and finish of those parts are what makes a quality reel, not the number of bearings.

I'm speaking in generalities, not about your specific reel. As the price of the reel goes up, the bearings are normally better quality and then the count starts to mean a little more. A cheap reel with 10 bearings wont be as smooth or last as long as a quality reel with 5 bearings.

X4

[bigbill]

I got into bass fishing by trial by fire. I was using cheap trout fishing rods and reels. With $0.99 Garcia river mist line. As I learned how to bass fish I had a pile of cheap reels to where I was swapping parts to keep them running. As I moved up to better equipment I started using the Excalibur line too(copolymer). Now I figure the more bearings the better. But I didn't count on reel break in time. Now I'm no longer fixing reels. I do use the 10 ball bearing reels on my other rods before using them on my spinner bait rods. They are really smooth. I also use the finor spinning reels too.

My cheap reels were so noisy I seen sunnies with there ears to where my line went into the water. Our line is like a guitar string. It sends every reel noise into the water.

I don't know how you guys fish with the faster ratio spinning reels to rip spinnerbaits. I figure it's time to go back to casting reels. Fishing from shore I make as many casts as the guys in boats do too. I'm worn out by the end of each trip. But I take my fishing very serious. I think about fishing only when I'm fishing and I'm on my own zone. I focus on my presentations. The past 20 years of bass fishing has been awesome too.

Instead of fishing from the spring everyday till I get burned out I'm going to start soon and fish heavy into the fall.