Fishing from the beach is one of the most popular, fastest-growing, and most accessible types of Saltwater fishing. Surf fishing gives anglers a very unique opportunity to combine fishing with the enjoyment of a beautiful day at the beach. Beach fishing is not only an easy way to get out and fish by yourself but also is a great activity that can be enjoyed with family and friends of all ages.
If you are new to fishing in general, or just looking to expand your fishing reach to include beach fishing, picking out the right surf fishing reel is a very important first step to building a good surf fishing setup. Having the right surf fishing reel will not only help you get the bait out into the right spots in the surf, but will also increase successful hookups, and keep you on the water more often.
The best spinning reel for beach fishing is one that is in the 4000 to 6000 series size range, that can hold at least 200 yds of 30 lb braid. A good surf fishing reel should be should be constructed of high quality corrosion resistant components and should be resistant to water intrusion.
Top 10 Spinning Reels For Surf Fishing
After a lot of hands-on research and many hours on the beaches, we narrowed down the best saltwater spinning reels, meeting our minimum criteria, to the following top 10 lists for surf fishing. Pair any of these reels with a quality surf fishing rod and your must-have equipment for surf fishing and you are sure to have a top-notch setup for any beach.
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| Brand and Model | Line Capacity (braid) | Weight | Max Drag | Gear Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shimano Saragosa 5000 | 225/30 | 16 oz | 22lb | 5.7:1 |
| Penn Slammer IV 4500 | 250/30 | 15 oz | 30lb | 6.2:1 |
| Van Stall VR50 | 360/20 | 8.9 oz | 25lb | 6.3:1 |
| Daiwa Saltist 5000 | 280/30 | 15 oz | 17.6lb | 5.7: 1 |
| Penn Spinfisher VI Long Cast 5500 | 265/30 | 20.7 oz | 20lb | 4.8:1 |
| Tsunami SaltX 4000 | 270/30 | 14.5 oz | 50lb | 5.1:1 |
| Shimano Stradic 6000 | 180/30 | 9.9 oz | 24lb | 6.2:1 |
| Daiwa BG4000 | 280/30 | 14.3 oz | 17.6lb | 5.7: 1 |
| Shimano Baitrunner D 6000 | 245/30 | 20.1 oz | 20lb | 4.8:1 |
| Penn Spinfisher VI 4500 | 250/30 | 12.5 oz | 20lb | 6.2:1 |
Best Size Spinning Reel for Surf Fishing
The most common fish caught from the beach are small to medium-sized fish ranging anywhere from 1 lb to about 10lbs. While much larger fish are caught at the beach, fish in these smaller fish are going to account for about 90% of the fish you bring in.
For the majority of the fish caught from the beach, the best size spinning reel is one that is in the 4000 to 6000 series size range that will hold at least 200 yds of 30 lb test braid fishing line. This size reel, when paired with the correct rod, will allow you to toss out heavier tackle and bait that is commonly used when surf fishing while also providing plenty of line to land larger, more aggressive fighting fish.
Choosing the right-sized spinning reel for surf fishing really comes down to what you are targeting and what style of fishing you are doing. If you, like most beach fishermen, are casting a line out using live or cut bait and putting it in a rod holder between strikes (this is known as spiked fishing), a larger reel may be preferred because it won't negatively affect your casting throughout the day. My spiked fishing setups generally have a 5000 or 6000 series reel.
If you on the other hand like to throw a lot of artificial, you are going to want to stay on the lower end of the spectrum to reduce the total weight of your rod and reel setup. I generally use a 4000 series reel with my smaller rods that I use to throw spoons, plugs, and jigs in the surf. I often also carry a light tackle reel in my cart to throw smaller lures.
Can you Surf Fish With Light Tackle Spinning Reel
If you don't have a 4000 to 6000 size reel, this doesn't mean you can't be very successful at the beach. In fact, there have been many days I have had my Shimano Stradic 3000 outfish my Shimano Saragose 4000 by a landslide using the same fishing tactics. However, if a big boy were to ever get on the Stradic 3000, I might be in trouble.
Lighter weight spinning reels can easily be used to surf fish. The only down side to using smaller reels when surf fishing will be their ability to cast long distances or their ability to cast heavy weighted bait. When exclusively sight fishing in the surf using light weight lures, a smaller reel may be preferred over a large reel. However, for live or cut bait, heavier tackle is preffered.
Most often I use my lighter tackle gear to throw smaller swimbaits, spoons, and jigs. Usually, my strategy is to first cast out two or three lines on my bigger rigs with live or cut bait and, between bites, will kill some time casting smaller artificial lures using my lighter tackle gear. There's been a few times where I'll unexpectedly catch a fish with a spiked rod while I'm concentrating on casting lures, check out my YouTube video to see a time where it happened and I caught it on camera! In the right conditions, I have also been very successful when surf fishing with a 6 or 7ft rod and a 3000 series reel. When doing this, you will just need to make sure the surf conditions aren't too bad and you will need to use smaller weight and bait.
Minumum Line Capacity Needed For Surf Fishing Reel
Related to the size of the spinning reel, a common question I am asked is how much line capacity do I need in a surf fishing reel. When deciding how much line capacity you need, you need to ask yourself two questions, how far can you cast with your surf rod and how much line do you need to fight a big fish.
In most beach fishing situations, you are only going to need to cast out your line 20 to 50 yards out from the shore. Some beaches may require a little more distance to get to the fish, but in reality, most fish are much closer than you think.
As a general rule of thumb, you are going to want enough line to cast your bait out as far as you need for the fish you are targeting while allowing at least 100 yds of line on your spool to fight the fish.
For general surf fishing applications, a spinning reel with enough capacity to hold 150yds of 30 lb braid will be adequate. Ideally, your surf fishing reel will have a capacity of at least 200yds of the line in which you are casting.
If you are exclusively casting long distances for large species of fish such as sharks, you may want a reel that holds 300+ yards of 50lb lest or more. For those extreme shark fishermen, creative tools such as drones, launchers, and kayaks are used to put their bait way out there, sometimes 200+ yards away from shore, to get the bait to the fish. In these cases, you may need to put the spinning reel down altogether in exchange for a higher capacity surf fishing casting reel.
Spinning Reel vs Casting Reel For Surf Fishing
If you ever take the time to observe other fishermen's beach carts you will notice that the majority of the reels used when beach fishing is the spinning reel. A natural question for many anglers getting into surf fishing is “can a casting reel, or baitcaster, be used for surf fishing?”.
Casting reels such as baticasters reels are a very popular stlye of reel for surf fishing. In the hands of an experience surfcaster, the baitcasing style reel can provide much more casting distance as well as controll when compared to a spinning reel. Additionaly, due to their design, a baitcasting reel will also have more line capacity compared to spinning reels of the same size category.
The reason spinning reels are more popular when beach fishing is because they are more user-friendly and have less of a learning curve. Most new fishermen can pick up a spinning reel and have it figured out after a few casts. Casting reels on the other hand will take time and a lot of practice.
To learn more about casting reels, be sure to click along to see our Top 10 Favorite Casting Reels for Surf Fishing.
How Much Drag Is Needed For Surf Fishing
When selecting a surf fishing reel you are going to want one with a good drag system that is easily and precisely adjustable. A proper drag set is very important when surf fishing, especially if you are spiked fishing where your reel is in a rod holder for the bite. Setting the drag too light will result in poor hooksets and missed fish, setting the drag too heavy will result in your rod and reel dragging through the sand.
Having a reel with a quality drag system will allow you to precisely set your drag to the correct setting. In general, the drag on a spinning reel should be set between one-quarter and one-third of the lightest rated strength between your line and leader.
How much drag is needed for surf fishing really depends on how big of a fish you are targeting and what sized line you are using. For most surf fishing applications, a reel with a max drag rating of 20-pounds will be adequate for most surf fishing setups. Since most fish caught from the beach are small to medium-sized, you will rarely need to tighten a reel to its max setting in order to land your fish.
With that being said, big fish will hit your line from time to time that will put a 20 lb test reel to the test. When this happens, and you are at a point where you are unable to slow down the fish or turn him around, some manual pressure with your hand may be required. You will just need to be careful when doing this so so don't burn your hand or get it caught in the reel.
If you are regularly targeting extra large fish you are probably also using a much heavier line. In this case, you will want to step up your minimum drag rating to 25+ lbs to help muscle in these larger fish.
What Gear Ratio Is Needed for Surf Fishing Spinning Reel
The gear ratio of a spinning reel tells you how many times the spool rotates 360 degrees with each rotation of the handle. The higher the gear ratio, the more rotations of the spool for every rotation of the handle. So, a reel with a gear ratio of 5.7:1, such as the Shimano Saragosa 5000, the spool holding the mainline will rotate a full 360 degrees 5.7 times with a single rotation of the handle. With all other things equal, the higher the gear ratio, the faster the line retrieve.
Most surf fishing reels will have a gear ratio between 4.8:1 and 6.2:1. Reels in this range are considered to be low to mid speed reels which is perfectly adequate for most surf fishing applications. For some applications, a high speed reel may be preferred, which is a reel with a 7.0:1 gear ratio or higher.
When it comes to surf fishing, most often the gear ratio will not play a big role in hooking or landing fish. This rating is more important when it comes to bait presentation using artificial lures more than anything else. However, if you happen to hook a big one and he starts to spool you, every inch of line gained back is important so he doesn't empty your spool. However, this is not going to be the normal situation when fishing from the beach.
How Much Should Surf Fishing Reels Weigh
Surf fishing is done in two major styles, spiked fishing using live or natural cut bait, and active fishing with artificial lures. The most common style of beach fishing, spiked fishing, consists of fishermen casting their line out to the target and then placing the rod and reel in a sand spike rod holder to wait for the fish to bite. This is a much less active style of fishing that is much less tiresome to the fishermen when compared to the more active style of fishing where you are continually casting and retrieving artificial lures.
If you are like most and prefer spiked fishing when at the beach, the weight of the reel is not going to make a huge difference during a day of fishing. However, if you are doing a lot of casting and retrieving, every once makes a big difference.
Most surf fishing reels weight between 9 ounces to 20 ounces. In general, anglers prefer the lightest reel possible while also maintaining adequate strength, endurance, and line capacity.
In general, the higher quality reels are going to have a higher weight and power-to-weight ratio. Meaning, high-end reels will most often hold more line and handle bigger fish while also remaining lightweight. In general, the lighter the reel the better as long as it matches all other criteria needed for surf fishing and fits within your budget.
Build Quality & Resistance to Saltwater Corrosion
One of the most important things when selecting the right inshore spinning reel is its resistance to water intrusion and corrosion. Saltwater is a highly corrosive substance that will quickly deteriorate your reel's external and internal components. Since you are never going to fully avoid your reel's exposure to saltwater, you should spend the extra buck for a higher-end, well-constructed reel with quality seals. You will ultimately spend less in the long term if you opt for a higher quality reel vs replacing a low-end reel every other season.
The best surf fishing reels are constructed with a water resistant or water proof seal around the main gearbox and drag systems to help reduce the amount of water that penetrates these intricate systems. Furthermore, the best surf fishing reels are constructed of high quality corrosion resistant materials such as anodized aluminium, stainless steel, and titanium.
While a reel that isn't built for saltwater can be used for surf fishing, you can almost guarantee that these reels will not last as long as reels specifically built for saltwater fishing. However, even the highest quality reels will fail over time if they are not properly cared for.
To learn more about proper care and maintenance techniques to drastically extend the life of your reels, take a look at our article on reel clean and care best practices. Using these tips can easily add several seasons to your reel which will save you hundreds of dollars in expenses.
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