Review

The 2020 Daiwa Saltiga brought an aluminum Monocoque body, a larger drive gear and an updated drag system to Daiwa’s big-game spinning range. The 20 Saltiga 8000-H is the lightest choice below. The 20 Saltiga 14000-XH picks up slack quickly for surface lures, and the newer 25 Saltiga 20000-H carries more heavy braid for fishing

This Daiwa Saltist Back Bay LT review covers the original U.S. 3000 and 4000 pictured here. Both are built for light inshore and back-bay fishing, where you might cast a jig along a grass edge, work a plug over a flat, or fight a redfish near a jetty. Daiwa uses a rigid HARDBODYZ aluminum housing,

The 20 Daiwa Luvias LT brought a one-piece ZAION Monocoque body to the Luvias family. It pairs a light reel body with space for a larger drive gear, a combination that suits anglers who spend a day working small lures. The U.S. 2020 models in this review range from the compact LT1000D to the deeper-spooled

The Van Staal VR reel series are engineered and tested to be lightweight and long-lasting saltwater spinning reels. They are based on the same foundation that made Van Staal reels legendary for power and durability. These saltwater spinning reels are completely sealed and waterproof reel. Van Staal VR Reels are the latest evolution of Van

The Penn Spinfisher VI is the newest edition in a long line of Penn reels known for durability. The most recent Spinfisher boasts the same rigid full metal body and HT-100 Drag system that made the previous Spinfisher a top performer. What’s new is that the Spinfisher VI has an improved water-resistant rating, meaning its

The Shimano Twin Power SW is built for saltwater anglers who want a firm frame and reliable line pickup under load. The SW C generation adds Infinity Drive and gives you a useful range from the compact 4000XG to the fast 14000XG. The right size depends on what you cast, how much braid you need

The 2020 Shimano Twin Power FD suits anglers who like a solid-feeling rotor on a freshwater or light inshore outfit. Five sizes were listed for the U.S. market. The 1000 is the finesse option, the 2500 covers most general-purpose fishing, and the C3000XG gives you a deeper spool with faster line pickup. The buying table

The all-new Shimano Vanford F is designed to become the ultimate finesse fishing reel with a super-fast start-up. Replacing the iconic Stradic Ci4+, this reel is equipped with a range of technology upgrades that set the Shimano Vanford F apart. Personally, I’m especially excited about these new Vanford spinning reels from Shimano. The Shimano Vanford

The Shimano SpeedMaster XTC Surfcasting reel is loaded with signature Shimano technologies, and it is a high-performance workhorse surf fishing reel built to provide surf anglers with advanced long-cast capabilities at an incredible value. Shimano SpeedMaster 14000 XTC is a high-performance workhorse reel built for budget-minded surf anglers. Feature-packed with stunning looks, Shimano SpeedMaster XTC

The new Shimano Stradic FL saltwater spinning reel is the latest edition to a line of some of the best saltwater spinning reels that, for generations, have served as a benchmark by which all other reels in its class are measured. For years, the Shimano Stradic FL has set the bar for innovation and performance