When I first started fishing in the 1980s, baitcasting reels were mysterious and a little bit daunting. The old-timers told us tales of monstrous “bird’s nests” and “backlashes,” which they euphemized ...

Today’s baitcasting reels bear a passing resemblance to the first one I bought in 1983 as a tween, but in terms of performance there’s little comparison. Today’s reels are lighter, are more durable, ...

There are as many types of fishing reels as there are types of fishing. Big, small, fast, slow, spinning, baitcasting, trolling and jigging-there's a reel for every type of angler. Before asking what ...

This reel looks good—matte black finish, clean, minimal graphics, with slightly aggressive lines and shapes. It feels good—ergonomic, low-profile form, large handles, not exceptionally light, but ...

With bait finesse systems, it's possible to fish lures as light as an eighth of an ounce with the speed and accuracy of baitcasting rods and reels. Courtesy Z-Man I face a conundrum when sight fishing ...

Low-profile baitcasters tend to be highly specialized, which makes it difficult to find one that’s well suited for all-purpose use. Shimano has been dabbling with solving this problem for years, and I ...