Need reel for long casts (deep cranking)

[TritonUp]

Hi everyone..   I am in the market for a reel that can cast as far as possible, price not really a factor.  I read reviews where they say "casts a country mile", but the couple I have purchased cast "OK", but not really anything to write home about.   I have seen where Dave Mercer talked about how the Abu Garcia REVO EXD was "designed for long casts", however I also know how marketing can go.

 

Just wondering what some of you out there are getting (truly) long casts for deep cranking-- 45-50 yards (actual yards-- not estimates, not "paces")

 

thanks in advance

 

 

[Shimano_1]

I've fished a ton of reels over the years and pretty much any of them adjusted right will cast a mile. The lews bb1 pro comes to mind and from what I've read the new tatula elites may fit the bill. For deep cranking I'd look at the lews or the tatula 150 for line capacity.  I prefer a reel with more line capacity for deep cranking.  I still use an older pro qualifier myself but mostly because I deep crank about 2 percent of the time. I'm sure you're gonna get a bunch of opinions so stay tuned...

[TritonUp]

My son has the Lews BB1, and that is one I was considering.   Oddly enough, my buddy uses an old Pro Qualifier, and it it is his deep crank reel as well.   thanks 

[OkobojiEagle]

I'd suggest starting at the rod...

 

oe

[jeffo21]

LoL I was going to say a Lew's. I have both tournament MB's and tournament pro's both can put a lure way out there

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Reels don’t cast, rods do. A poorly maintained or incorrectly set up reel can hamper casts but distance is result of a rod that loads correctly, good casting form and skill controlling the reel. 

[jimmyjoe]

   First things first: No rod, no reel and no type of line is going to cast a lure THAT IS NOT AERODYNAMIC very far. And by "very far", I mean that there is a limited distance determined by the lure characteristics moreso than the rod, reel and line characteristics. I suspect that this is why manufacturers have gone to magnets with moving weights, low-profile designs and smaller diving lips; those things help lures that are not aerodynamic eke a slight bit more distance out of a cast.

   The most common critique of aerodynamic behavior is simple (or overly simple, perhaps); frontal area divided by weight. The reason I say this is overly simple is that it does NOT take velocity into account.

   Velocity is applied by the rod, as @Delaware Valley Tackle said.

   Still, you can have the best and longest rod, the finest reel in the world, skinny line to use, and you CAN'T CAST A KITE.

   One other thing to consider: Have you ever backlashed?

   When you backlash, the reel spool is moving FASTER than the lure, among other things. So that's telling you that your reel is capable of moving a lure through the air faster than you can get the lure out  there yourself.

   The reel is not .... I repeat NOT .... the limiting factor.

   First is the lure characteristics, second is your ability to cast in synchrony with the line leaving the spool, third is the rod, with its ability to store and release energy, and LAST is the reel.

   It's not that the reel has nothing to do with it, it's just that other things are more important.

 

   As for promotion and advertising ..... you should know enough to take it with a grain of salt.       jj

[TritonUp]

Should have mentioned, I am using a Lew's 7'10" MH (moderate tip) with 12-lb fluorocarbon, I was throwing a Strike King 6XD (not 8 or 10 XD).     I also failed to mention that I basically monkeyed both settings on each reel, basically all morning, with (likely) all possible combinations covered until I got the longest distance.   Have done all of the studying up on how to cast, how much line to put on, etc.    I do find it hard to believe that some reels don't cast as far as others, with all else being equal.   Thanks for the comments... very helpful!       

[PhishLI]

38 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

Catalina TW is supposed to be a long bomber too but it is massive old Tatula/Tatula 150 sized reel. 

It's a bomber for sure. Massive? Ah c'mon. Not really. I was alternating between it and 5 other reels last night and barely noticed the difference in size. That said I probably wouldn't want to use it for jerkbaits all day due to the fact that I have smaller reels, but for crankbaits, no problemo.

11 minutes ago, TritonUp said:

I do find it hard to believe that some reels don't cast as far as others, with all else being equal.  

The two reels I have that contribute to farther than usual casting each have taller than average spools at 36mm. This detail seems to play a role in that outcome.

[Junger]

Curado DC. It handles modern weight shifting lures very well.

[PhishLI]

36 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

It is important to point out the size of these reels so that anyone interested in one is on the same page. 

I agree. Here's a picture of a few currently offered reels for comparison.

 

Top to bottom:

Curado K

Lew's Tournament Pro LFS

Daiwa Catalina

Quantum Tour S3

 

[NHBull]

Rod Is more important...that said it is tough to beat the Met DC for all but the smallest baits

[Boomstick]

I never look at a reel in terms of casting distance. Some reels *DO* cast further than the others, but the primary factor is the rod, and some of the reels that don't cast as far make up for it in other ways, like better braking.

 

If I was going to get that nitpicky about my casting distance, the Shimano Curados cast pretty far so I'd consider those. I got my youngest son a Pflueger Supreme XT a few years ago and that thing casts even further. I am partial to Daiwa reels - the brakes are amazing - but they definitely do cast slightly a little bit shorter, but it's not that bad.

[Hammer 4]

All decent reels will cast really far, the key is, a good rod, a Trained thumb and good technique. You can adjust reels to have very little friction.. 

[FishTank]

For crankbaits I have tried multiple reels to find the perfect one that casts longer than anything else and works best for 3/8oz and 1/2oz baits. For the most part most of my reels cast pretty much the same but I have come down to one conclusion on distance..... The Antares 19 paired with either a G. Loomis IMX 903C or a St. Croix Legend Glass Med. 7'2'' cast longer than anything I have ever fished.  With 12lb Invizx or 13lb Sunline Defier, I can empty the spool.   Does it make the best crankbait reel>maybe but I have chosen to use this reel for soft plastic and lighter soft plastic swimbaits.  My reels of choice for crankbaits right now are the Antares 12, Bantam, Calcutta 251, the Abu Garcia Winch and occasionally the Curado DC.  Which of these cast the furthest depends on the bait, the rod and the conditions.   

[Cityangler7]

I have used a Lews BB1L,Bantam PG and Catalina in varying combinations between a Dobyns Champion 765CB and 805 CB(Graphite only, I personally do not like the feel of glass) with 10lb flouro. The 805 is  producing longer casts. Similar to what Jimmyjoe previously said, the crank being used really makes the difference when it comes to casting distance, the ones with a weight transfer system are outperforming those without one when it comes to distance, I have not done much cranking this year because its still spring and the fish here in the northeast have not made their seasonal transition to deep water. But looking back to last year,  I have to say the Duo G20a is my top performer when it came to distance, the spro little jon dd 70 and the lucky craft CB 20 are a winners as well.  I love my DD 22s , but no weight transfer system really hinders casting distance. Honorable mention goes to the river to sea goon, it casts a mile, but it gives a weird feedback/reception as I am reeling it in , and I don't get many strikes with it. 

[Backroad Angler]

Lews BB1 has a deep spool and has the ability to cast super duper far if paired with the right rod

[WRB]

It's the Rod cast and the reel retrieves so it's a combination.

I have been casting crankbaits (plugs) 50 yards* since the 50's so rods and reels are availble for decades. Your casting mechanics have more to do with distance. The reel however has everything to do with the rate of speed the deep diving crankbait can be retreived with ease. Reels with larger diameter and wider spools are less affected by IPT (inch per turn) then smaller narrower diameter deeper spools. Round reels have larger spools then low profile reels and make better crankbait reels in the 300 size with 5.8:1 ratio then 150-200 reel sizes. ideally the reel IPT ( 26-22) shouldn't change more then 15% at 50 yards.

Tom

* stand on the 50 yard line and cast into the end zone.