THE BASS COLLEGE

Swimbaits are heavy lures, much heavier than was ever intended to be cast and retrieved with a standard bass reel.  Standard low profile type bass reels are stressed by casting and retrieving lures that weigh half a pound, and the drag systems are not typically designed to perform smoothly when set near the breaking point of 25lb test. 

Because of the limitations of standard bass reels, almost everyone has gravitated toward round, saltwater style reels. Saltwater reels cast, retrieve, and let out drag much more reliably and effectively than the standard bass reel on heavy lures.  You will hear from time to time about people using low profile bass reels for swimbaits, usually with 17 or 20 lb test and small/medium swimbaits. Does it work?  Can you catch a fish on it?

Sure you can, but it is not ideal.  The only low profile reel I would consider for swimbaits right now is the Shimano Calais 200 series because they have the gears and the drag systems to handle it.  You can throw a big bait on a Curado but it will cause you little problems, little problems that will sooner or later cost you a good fish.  Bottom line, stick with round reels with large drags and high line capacities.

Among the round reels, are only two reel sizes I would consider for swimbaits, Shimano 400/Okuma 400/Abu 6500/Penn 965 size orthe Shimano 300/Okuma 250/Abu 5500 size.  I would not ever recommend a Shimano 250 sized reel or an Abu 4600 sized reel.  The reason you don't want a smaller reel is because toward the end of a long cast, the spool has to spin faster and faster to let out line.  This will cost you distance and probably burn your thumb or even screw up your line from the friction.  Most of the smaller reels have equivalently smaller dragwashers which is also a limiting factor.

My advice regarding your reel purchasing decision is this: 

If you can get a Shimano Conquest 300 or 400 (Japan version of the Calcutta TE), it is simply the best swimbait reel made.  The next best is a Shimano Calcutta TE (CTE) 300 or 400.  After that, the regular Shimano Calcutta 400.  After that, the Cardiff Series A300 or 400.  All of these reels have great drag systems, cast welland have good quality gears espcially the TE reels which have great gearing.

other options to consider would be:

Abu Garcia 6500 and 5500's

Diawa Millionaire series

Penn 965 series

Okuma Induron 250 and 400 series

Shimano's Corvalus 300 or 400. 

Shiamno Calais (if you must have low profile)

Shimano makes the best swimbait reels on the market.

To me Shimano makes the best reels priod for anything! But thats just my opinion. However Daiwa is a close second. Plueger  is making some nice and extremely smooth reels as well now but I still question there durability issues as we've had several break on us when we put them to the test of extreme day in and day out tournament use.

Delawarebass at 08:57PM on Nov 01, 2009

Swimbaits are heavy lures, much heavier than was ever intended to be cast and retrieved with a standard bass reel.  Standard low profile type bass reels are stressed by casting and retrieving lures that weigh half a pound, and the drag systems are not typically designed to perform smoothly when set near the breaking point of 25lb test. 

Because of the limitations of standard bass reels, almost everyone has gravitated toward round, saltwater style reels. Saltwater reels cast, retrieve, and let out drag much more reliably and effectively than the standard bass reel on heavy lures.  You will hear from time to time about people using low profile bass reels for swimbaits, usually with 17 or 20 lb test and small/medium swimbaits. Does it work?  Can you catch a fish on it?

Sure you can, but it is not ideal.  The only low profile reel I would consider for swimbaits right now is the Shimano Calais 200 series because they have the gears and the drag systems to handle it.  You can throw a big bait on a Curado but it will cause you little problems, little problems that will sooner or later cost you a good fish.  Bottom line, stick with round reels with large drags and high line capacities.

Among the round reels, are only two reel sizes I would consider for swimbaits, Shimano 400/Okuma 400/Abu 6500/Penn 965 size orthe Shimano 300/Okuma 250/Abu 5500 size.  I would not ever recommend a Shimano 250 sized reel or an Abu 4600 sized reel.  The reason you don't want a smaller reel is because toward the end of a long cast, the spool has to spin faster and faster to let out line.  This will cost you distance and probably burn your thumb or even screw up your line from the friction.  Most of the smaller reels have equivalently smaller dragwashers which is also a limiting factor.

My advice regarding your reel purchasing decision is this: 

If you can get a Shimano Conquest 300 or 400 (Japan version of the Calcutta TE), it is simply the best swimbait reel made.  The next best is a Shimano Calcutta TE (CTE) 300 or 400.  After that, the regular Shimano Calcutta 400.  After that, the Cardiff Series A300 or 400.  All of these reels have great drag systems, cast welland have good quality gears espcially the TE reels which have great gearing.

other options to consider would be:

Abu Garcia 6500 and 5500's

Diawa Millionaire series

Penn 965 series

Okuma Induron 250 and 400 series

Shimano's Corvalus 300 or 400. 

Shimano makes the best swimbait reels on the market.

I bought an Abu Garcia Revo Toro 61 last Aug. and absolutely love it: 250 yrds. 14 lb test, 5.4:1 gear ratio, and 22 lbs. of drag resistance.

Very nice man.:cool:

I fish a couple 250 size reels for swimbaits and they also happen to be 2 of my favorites. 

My top reels are the Daiwa black sheep in 300 and 250, Shimano Calcutta 250dc (this thing is sweet!), Conquest, tE....you can go many other options from there luna, pluton, calcutta 400b, lowprofiles like the curado 300e, or Revos.  Bottom line is you need to get them in your hands and play around with them...see how they fit your style of fishing as well as the line you plan on fishing.

Yes, I also use the Shimano myself, I have the Calcutta right now, and I also use the Curado 300, which is fine for a lot of them. 

Delawarebass at July 4, 2011 at 9:17 AM

Yes, I also use the Shimano myself, I have the Calcutta right now, and I also use the Curado 300, which is fine for a lot of them. 

Steve, I'm glad you mentioned the Curado 300E because that's what I have (301E) for mid-size swimbaits/A-rig.  I use the Calcutta TE 401 for my bigger swimbaits.    My choices are correct...yes/no?

Those are great reels! I'm not a swimbait expert by any means, but I'm trying to get into it so I've done quite a bit of research recently and those are absolutely right. I also have a 301e and I plan to use it on the smaller hudds and BBZ's, and 3:16 Mission fish.  My next swimbait set up will without a do400 TE.

Ficious at February 4, 2012 at 12:47 AM

Delawarebass at July 4, 2011 at 9:17 AM

Yes, I also use the Shimano myself, I have the Calcutta right now, and I also use the Curado 300, which is fine for a lot of them. 

Steve, I'm glad you mentioned the Curado 300E because that's what I have (301E) for mid-size swimbaits/A-rig.  I use the Calcutta TE 401 for my bigger swimbaits.    My choices are correct...yes/no?

In my opinion. lol 

I also throw the Abu Revo Toro 51. It hold tons of line and is a brute and really well built for tossing those heavy swimbaits.

IMHO there is only 2 TRUE BLOODED Swimbait reels and thats a Shimano Calcutta TE 300 or 400, The Shimano Calcutta 250DC would make a AWESOME swimbait reel to and hold enough line so long as you didnt go over 20# line.. Or my choice a Daiwa Ryoga 2020H I use my Daiwa Z2020's as swimbait reels also but the Ryoga is my top choice. the Ryoga is a JDM version of the Pluton. My Fav Swimbait reel for baits where I'm using baits 2oz or less I use my Ryoga 1016's for that job with a Daiwa RCS 2014 spool and 55# Daiwa braid.. that reel with that spool is simply spectacular.