When I started my search online for my first trolling reel, I was so confused at the options. I knew I wanted a conventional reel, but why do some have levelwinds and some do not? Did I want single speed or 2-speed? The best trolling reels have high line capacity, 2-speed gearing, and lever drag. A clicker, and a banana handle are must-haves. When targeting big game, you’ll also need harness lugs and solid body construction. Read on to learn about the design features to look for in a trolling reel.
Trolling Requires High Line Capacity
Perhaps the most important feature in a trolling reel is high line capacity. Trolling involves letting line out behind the boat and getting lures or bait to a desired depth. You’ll need to keep lures and bait between 50 and 200 feet behind the boat and likely at depths 50 feet or less. You’ll need hundreds of feet of line to position the lure or bait appropriately, and then more line for the fight ahead.
Trolling reels are most frequently conventional reels partly because of the ability to pack on yards and yards of line on the reel. Conventional trolling reels are also available in wide versions to further increase the line capacity. Spinning reels hold less line in comparable size classes, but are used for inshore trolling due to the smaller sized fish and the ability to also use the setup for casting. To read more about inshore trolling, read my article Inshore Trolling How To PLUS Must Have Lures.
It’s important to keep in mind that a high amount of line capacity is relative. If you’re trolling for snook inshore, you’ll need less line than if you’re high speed trolling for wahoo offshore. A reel for fast running wahoo is commonly a large size class, wide trolling reel such as a Penn International 50VISW.
When deciding how much line is enough line for trolling, you must also consider what type of line you’ll be using. Many anglers still use monofilament as a main line with a higher strength mono leader. Trolling reels with about 700 yards of monofilament line capacity are big, bulky, and require heavy rods. These are the setups that usually stay in the rod holder during trolling and the fight back to the boat.
If you prefer to stand up when retrieving your line, consider spooling your trolling reel with braid. Braid has a smaller diameter, so you can fit more braid on a reel when compared to the same strength monofilament line. If you need more information on choosing whether braid or monofilament main line is for you, read my article Mono vs Braid for Trolling.
Look for 2-Speed Gearing for Offshore Trolling
Gear ratio, retrieve rate, and power are all related qualities in a trolling reel, and the right balance is key. With high line capacity, you may want a fast retrieve when clearing the lines. Imagine how much harder you’d be working to clear 300 yards of line if your retrieve rate was 15 inches per turn versus 26 inches per turn. You’d be worn out for sure!
A fast retrieve rate usually corresponds with a higher gear ratio. A higher gear ratio is less powerful because the gear teeth are smaller and can bind together under heavy load. You don’t want to risk losing a monster big game pelagic because your reel didn’t have the power to handle it. Anglers will usually need a low gear ratio to fight these big fish offshore.
The 2 speed conventional reel handles these two conflicting needs. When retrieving bait or lure to clear it, the fast retrieve rate is great. When fighting a big dolphin, anglers will switch into low gear. With a low gear ratio, the drive gear and pinion gear teeth are bigger and can sustain heavier loads, like a screaming wahoo.
A Clicker is Like an Alarm Alerting You to a Strike
A clicker is a feature that I highly recommend when trolling. Once a fish strikes your bait, it’ll take off running and the clicker is a loud alert. Although the drag also makes noise when a fish takes off, the clicker is much louder and won’t be missed if you’re on the opposite end of the boat or can’t hear the drag over the sound of the boat motor.
When placing your lures or bait, go ahead and turn the clicker on. This is a good habit to get into so you can be sure you never forget to turn it on. Offshore fish can strip off hundreds of yards of line before you have a chance to notice, so you don’t want to be caught without the clicker on. Just remember to turn the clicker off during the retrieve so you can avoid annoying your crew mates.
Not all trolling reels have a clicker though, so you’ll need to look out for it. The Penn International VI and the Shimano Tiagra A are both popular trolling reels with clickers. If you’re in the market for a trolling reel and are looking for the best one, read my article The 2 Best Trolling Reels in which I compare the specs of the International and the Tiagra.
Lever Drag is a Must for Big Game
Trolling requires a high amount of drag. The target species are often big and the tackle is heavy. The pressure on the line created by a diving crankbait, planer, or downrigger weight requires a certain level of drag right away to prevent the line coming off the spool. Planers especially put a lot of pressure on the rod, reel, and line.
Once you’ve got the baits out, you likely have hard strikes and fast runs coming. You’ll need high drag to wear down those big fish. You might even need an extra burst of drag at the very end to get the fish to the gaff.
Since a dedicated trolling reel is a conventional style, you have 2 options for a drag system. There is lever drag and star drag, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages.
Explanation of a Lever Drag System
Lever drag is a system in which the drag washer are located directly beside the spool. Turning the drag knob increases or decreases the pressure between the friction washers and the spool. Lever drag washers are large and can apply a high amount of drag.
When the drag is engaged, it also creates a lot of heat. Heat must be released to prevent drag washers from warping. Drag washers must be replaced when they warp, or they’ll affect how well your drag works. Large drag washers in lever drag systems are the best at releasing heat because of the surface area. This is one of the reasons why big game trolling reels are most often found with lever drag systems.
The lever on a lever drag system adjusts the drag between freespool, strike, and full drag. Freespool is the disengaged position which you’ll use when letting lures or bait out for the troll. The strike position should be set at 25% breaking strength of the line and is used for the hookset and most of the fight. It is possible to push the lever past the strike position, to the full drag position when additional drag is needed. This could be during the last ditch effort to get a big fish in the boat.
There is also usually a preset drag adjustment knob on the sideplate of the reel. To adjust the drag, put the lever in freespool and turn the knob to increase or decrease the drag. Then put the lever back to the strike position. Don’t forget to hold the spool when putting it in freespool to prevent an accidental backlash.
Explanation of a Star Drag System
Star drag is a system in which a stack of friction washers are located on the main drive train surrounding the drive gear. The star knob is located between the reel sideplate and the handle. You can adjust it to increase or decrease the drag.
Star drag is also capable of producing high amounts of drag because of the multiple washers. However, star drag does not eliminate heat as well as a lever drag system because of the smaller surface area of the friction washers. This can cause star drag reels to overheat and ruin the drag washers when you hook a fish that’s stronger than it can handle.
Trolling reels with star drags are effective, but are not suitable for larger species.
Skip the Levelwind on a Trolling Reel
It can sometimes be difficult to sort through fishing reels on a website to find trolling reels. When looking at large capacity conventional reels, some have levelwinds and some do not. So how do you know if a levelwind is right for trolling? Levelwinds are not usually on trolling reels because of the large forces with heavy tackle, heavy strikes, and fast runs. Non-disengaging levelwinds can have difficulty keeping up with a running big game fish and disengaging levelwinds can fail to withstand the pressure exerted during trolling.
When trolling, the line strength is usually so strong that the pressure from the equipment or a hard striking fish will rip a disengaging levelwind right off. This can create sharp pieces that will erode or snap your line and cause a lost fish.
Rather than beefing up the levelwind system to withstand these conditions, reel designers chose to mostly eliminate levelwinds from trolling reels. Now the expectation is that the angler learns to manually levelwind the reel during the retrieve.
Once you learn how to manually levelwind, it isn’t too hard. It is critical, especially when new to trolling, to fill your trolling reel with only about three quarters of the way full of line. A less full spool is more forgiving if an angler messes up the manual levelwinding. Imagine the line building up in the middle of the spool while you’re retrieving a big fish. If your line hits the inside of the cage with a hundred yards of line still out, it’ll be nearly impossible for you to reel that fish in.
Banana Handle is the Way to Go
Trolling requires a lot of time and energy cranking on the handle to reel in a big fish. A long banana-style handle is more comfortable to hold for a long retrieve and can help prevent your hand from tiring out before the end of the fight. Many conventional reels have circular handles which can be awful when you’re bent over at the rod holder reeling in a big one.
Look for the larger handle, and your hands will thank you.
Look for a Solid Frame for Highest Strength
The powerful forces exerted during trolling can put a lot of stress on a trolling reel. The spool must withstand a lot of force from lever drag washers and the body must withstand the torque from retrieving a tiring fish. With weak points in the cage frame, the reel body could get twisted or bent out of shape.
A solid metal body, treated with anodization for strength and corrosion resistance, will keep your reel in the best shape for its lifetime. Remember to always use the rod clamp to prevent the reel seat bracket from twisting. Trolling reels are built to last a lifetime or more, but you will need to properly install it.
T-Bar or Topless is Personal Preference
Topless trolling reels are becoming more and more prominent. A topless reel is one in which the crossbar on the side facing you is missing. The other crossmembers in the frame will usually be stronger to compensate for this one missing, but it gives you better access to the line.
This can help anglers visually see how the line is laying on the spool. There are also a lot of anglers who like this part exposed for more room as they’re thumbing the line as the bait is being let out for the troll. Whichever your preference, both options will work for a trolling reel.
Don’t Skip the Harness Lugs for Pelagics
If you plan on using your trolling reel to target pelagic species, you may need support. Harness lugs allow you to sit in a fighting chair and connect straps to the reel, or connect straps from a stand up fighting belt to the reel. Both of these situations reduces the pressure on your arms when fighting heavy fish. It will also save you from the possibility of losing your rod and reel.
The harness lugs are located on the side of the reel facing you. Some harness lugs are more low-profile than others. Although it shouldn’t happen, it’s possible the line ends up moving up and over harness lugs, which makes a low-profile lug more desirable. The design of the lugs is less critical than simply having the lugs.
After reading this article, I know you’re well prepared to pick out a trolling reel. For help with choosing a trolling rod, read my articles What Makes a Good Trolling Rod? And Top Trolling Rod and Reel Combos. Tight lines, y’all!
