What’s the reel deel?

Aroostook’s spring thaw has rivers and streams at freshet levels and regional lakes and ponds slowly shedding their winter coats. Open water fishing season is at hand and spring trolling yields steady trout and salmon action throughout the month of May. This is the one time of year that fly rods and reels take a backseat to bait casting outfits and trolling rigs. While most boat rods, spinning rods and bait casting rods work fine for fishing local waterways in cold, high and fast levels, there’s a lot of controversy regarding reels.
Some anglers remain steadfast in their beliefs about reel selection for spring fishing; perhaps based on personal experience, family heritage, or top rate advertising by certain manufacturers, but for many the choice is cloudy and uncertain. While there are actually hundreds of makes and models to select from, realistically, reels for casting or trolling live bait, plugs, spoons and lures fall into three main categories: baitcasting reels, closed face spin-cast reels and open face spinning reels.
Bait-casting reels tend to be favored by bass anglers, down-rigger enthusiasts, and trolling aficionados  after bragging-sized game fish. Learning to cast this type of reel can be a trying experience since delicate thumb control of the reel and line in free spool setting takes practice. Frustrating bird’s nests of monofilament are common for beginners! Once mastered, however, few hardcore fishermen ever change back to any other style of reel.
Thankfully, trolling with a bait-casting reel proves much simpler and there are several benefits with this type of reel. These are low profile, lightweight reels with multiple bearings to assure smooth casting and line retrieval and boast a smooth, heavy drag with quick finger tip adjustments. The fact that all bait cast models are level wind reels allowing no line twist or overlap when reeling in line, even with the drag engaged and a hard-fighting fish on the hook, is a prime selling point.
Bait-casting reels also offer the advantage of handling all types of line with ease, be it lightweight monofilament, heavier, stiffer braided lines or even lead core. In general, these reels run between one and three hundred dollars from dependable manufacturers such as Daiwa, Abu Garcia, Shimano and Penn, but they last decades when properly maintained and malfunctions are rare. Some companies offer rod and reel combos specific to certain styles of fishing and species of fish — well worth checking out.
My cousin, Mike Wallace, a transplanted Texan, was brought up using a closed-face spincast reel and despite trying many other styles and models, refuses to switch. Spin cast reels use a thumb-push button to release line for casting and set on top of the reel handle rather than hanging underneath like a spinning or fly reel. Their most important claim to fame is that they rarely, if ever, tangle, twist, bird’s nest or snag the line while casting or retrieving.
Aesthetically, to my eye, this style of reel looks like a Vienna sausage can rounded out at each end with a crank. Technically however, these are one of the toughest, most dependable reels for a fraction of the cost of the other two styles. Perhaps the most recognized models are produced by Zebco, but Abu Garcia, Johnson and Goldcast also offer top rate spincast reels.
My dad swore by Mitchell 300 spinning reels, so that was my first exposure to tossing lures and plugs with a spinning rod. I’ve tried dozens of other styles but also return to Garcia. Mitchell products. I still own three of those original 300 model reels that Dad bought at least 75 years ago. They still work, casting and retrieving line smoothly and efficiently.
It’s been my experience that spinning reels combine distance, accuracy, smooth line dispersal, efficient drag systems and comfort of use for all Maine gamefish. It’s just a matter of selecting the correct reel, line strength and rod combo for casting or trolling any intended quarry. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed casting and catching with Shimano, Quantum, Daiwa and Pfleuger reels with fine results, but kept going back to Mitchell models.
This year the updated version of that antiquated but venerable original 300 model hit the market and caused a huge splash. The high-tech features and modest price of the Mitchell 300 Pro have already won several angling awards and praise from professionals. If a spinning reel turns out to be your final choice for casting, the Pro 300 needs to be among the top options.
While fly fishing remains very popular throughout Maine, fly rods and reels do have seasonal limitations. Rods and reels for presenting a wide array of live, dead, and artificial baits offer year-round options, even ice fishing. Talk to experienced friends and fishermen as well as tackle shop owners, and do hands-on research before buying your first, or next, casting reel, but do get one. You’ll enjoy a longer angling season and better results!