Roundup Bass Reels
Best Baitcasting Reels for Beginners
Three digital-control baitcasters for beginners: the Shimano SLX DC I fish, the Abu Garcia Revo X VoltiQ and the Shimano Curado DC. Why DC beats a basic reel.
Fishing gear, compared
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Gear picks organized by the fish you chase.
Bass Fishing
Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass gear: baitcasters, spinning setups, crankbaits, soft plastics, jigs and the electronics that help you find them.
Explore bass gear →Trout Fishing
Gear for rivers, streams, lakes and ponds: light spinning outfits, fly rods and reels, leaders and tippet, small lures, waders and wading essentials.
Explore trout gear →Everything fishing
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Review Bass Reels
Pflueger President Review: My Spinning Reel
A few years with the Pflueger President size 30 for drop shotting and finesse: why it is the best spinning reel I have used, and the one downside to watch.
Comparison Bass Reels
Spinning vs Baitcaster for Bass
I fish a baitcaster most of the time and rig spinning gear for finesse. Here is how I choose between them, with the two reels I use side by side.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
Best Bass Lures for New England Lakes
The lures I trust on clear New Hampshire lakes like Winnisquam and Massabesic: a Senko, a football jig, a drop shot and a small silver paddle tail.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Drop Shot for Bass
How I rig and fish a drop shot: 3/8 oz weight, nose-hooked worm, leader length from 6 inches to 2 feet, and why I let it sit before I move it.
Guide Bass Lures & Baits
How to Texas Rig a Senko
How I Texas rig a 5-inch Senko on a 3/0 EWG hook, why I usually fish it weightless, when I add a light bullet weight, and when I pick it over a wacky rig.
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Comparisons
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Guides
Plain-English how-tos and buyer’s guides for bass and trout anglers, from picking your first reel to rigging and technique.
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