Inshore fishing is a popular type of saltwater fishing that is usually associated with saltwater rivers, lagoons, bays, flats, and estuaries. When inshore fishing, anglers are usually targeting fish such as redfish, black drum, speckled trout, flounder, snook, and tarpon. Having the right reel for inshore fishing is not only a key contributing factor to increased cast precision and distance but also an increase in successful hookups and landing.
The ideal spinning reel for inshore saltwater fishing will be a light tackle reel in the 2500 to 5000 series size range. The reel should hold at least 150 yds of 20 lb braid line, should be resistant to water intrusion, corrosion-resistant, and should have a high-quality sealed retrieve and drag systems.
Our Top 10 List of Inshore Spinning Reels
We took the time to review a large number of spinning reels from many of the best spinning reel manufacturers in the industry. From this, we were able to put our hands on what we consider to be the best saltwater spinning reels on the market today. The following list provides our ranked order of the top 10 saltwater spinning reels that are ideal for inshore fishing applications. Any of the reels listed below, when paired with the right inshore fishing rod, will be the perfect addition to your inshore fishing setup.
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| Brand and Model | Line Capacity (braid) | Weight | Max Drag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shimano Stradic FL 3000 | 140/20 | 7.9 oz | 20 |
| Van Stall – VR50 | 360/20 | 8.9 oz | 25 |
| Daiwa Saltist MQ 3000D-XH | 220/20 | 9.5 oz | 22 |
| Penn Slammer IV 2500 | 160/20 | 11.0 oz | 20 |
| Shimano Stella 4000 XGFL | 180/30 | 9.9 oz | 24 |
| Daiwa Saltist Back Bay 3000LT | 160/20 | 9.9 oz | 15.4 |
| Penn Spinfisher VI 3500 | 220/20 | 12.1 oz | 15 |
| Penn Battle III 3000 | 180/20 | 11.6 oz | 15 |
| Daiwa BG 3000 | 240/20 | 10.8 oz | 15.4 |
| Quantum Smoke 25 | 160/20 | 8.0 oz | 18 |
The above list provides a set of reels at various price points, sizes, and features. The specific reel on this list that is best for you will highly depend on your budget and fishing preferences. To learn more about each reel, the product links and individual reviews can be viewed by clicking the respective links in the table above. To learn more about key features that make a good inshore fishing reel, I encourage you to continue to read along.
Best Size Reel for Inshore Fishing
Choosing the right-sized spinning reel really depends on the style of fishing you are doing and the fish you will primarily be targeting. Except for a few large species such as tarpon, the most common fish targeted when inshore fishing is on the small to medium-sized and are usually fished using artificial lures using a cast and retrieve style of fishing.
When fishing artificial lures and targeting small to medium-sized fish, the lighter tackle is generally preferred. This lighter tackle not only helps with lure presentation but also reduces the workload of the angler by reducing the weight that they are casting during a long day of fishing. Furthermore, using lighter tackle really helps to increase the sport of your fishing experience by leveling the playing field between you and the fish.
If you need a little help figuring out what rods, reels, and line qualify as “light tackle” for inshore fishing, read my article on the subject here.
If you do more live bait fishing or perhaps prefer soaking cut bait, a larger reel may be preferred as the added weight of the reel doesn't impact you quite as much. The benefit of a larger reel will be higher line capacity and potentially slightly heavier drag and line retrieval speed.
For the majority of inshore fishing applications, the best size spinning reel is one in the 2500 to 5000 series range. We find that, within this range, the 4000 series reel is best for the widest range of fish and fishing styles. For exclusively live bait or cut bait applications, a 5000 series reels is generaly preferred.
If you happen to be targeting larger tarpon while inshore fishing, you may need to step up your real size just a little bit. While large tarpon can be caught with lighter tackle reels, the tarpon is an aggressive fighting fish that can easily drain your reel of 200+ yds during their runs. To increase your chances of success with tarpon, a reel in the 6000 to 8000 series range is recommended.
Line Capacity
Related to the size of the spinning reel, a common question I am asked is how much line capacity do I need for an inshore fishing reel. As mentioned earlier, the most common fish caught when inshore fishing is in the small to medium size range. While many of these fish are feisty and can put up a very aggressive fight, you will rarely need more than 150 yds to land these fish.
The ideal inshore fishing reel will need to hold at least 140 yds of 20 fishing line. This will provide plenty of line to fight a larger fish that can take a large amount of drag but will limit the size such that it is still can be lightweight and easy to handle.
Again, if you are exclusively targeting large species of fish while inshore fishing, such as tarpon. You will need more line capacity for when you hook a big one. For tarpon fishing, we recommend you have a reel that can hold at least 300 yards of a 30-pound line.
Weight
As we mentioned earlier, inshore fishing typically requires anglers to cast and retrieve their lures many times during their trip. This more active style of fishing can really wear you out if you are casting with heavy equipment. Heavier tackle tends to reduce your cast accuracy which is compounded by arm fatigue as more casts are made throughout the day.
To reduce this load, reel manufacturing companies have been stepping their gear up by using lighter-weight material and weight-saving processes in their reels. In general, their goal over the years has been to make the lightest weight reel possible while also maintaining the strength and size needed for the target size fish. A couple of ounces mean a lot when you think about all the extra weight you will be tossing over the hundreds of casts in a fishing day.
Most inshore fishing reels will weight between 7.5 ounces to 12.5 ounces. In general, anglers prefer the lightest reel possible while also maintaining adequate strength, endurance, and line capacity.
One of the biggest driving factors in selecting the reels in our top 10 list provided above was the weight. As you will notice, the number one spot for the best inshore fishing reel is the Shimano Stradic which is also the lightest weight reel on the list weighing in at only 7.9 ounces. I personally own 3 of these reels because of how well they cast and how well they hold up to saltwater conditions.
Drag
When selecting an inshore saltwater fishing reel another key feature you should consider is its drag. Most importantly, you want to make sure the drag system of your reel is smooth and consistent. A smooth drag will allow a fish to make the initial, generally most aggressive, run with a consistent amount of tension pulling back on the fish. A drag with inconsistent tension will increase the chances of break-offs and bad hookups.
The second aspect of a reels drag system to consider is its max drag rating. The max drag of a reel is the total force applied to the line when the drag is fully tightened. It is important to note that more max drag does not always mean a better reel. In reality, anglers will rarely need more than 20lbs of drag when inshore fishing as most fish will only have spurts of energy that will take that much drag. Instead, the important part of fighting a fish is how to use your leverage to tire down the fish and knowing how to gain line back when they are not making their runs.
Most inshore fishing reels will have a quality sealed front drag system with a max drag of 15 to 30 lbs. For most inshore fishing applications, a drag of at least 15lbs is recommended.
Gear Ratio
The gear ratio of a spinning reel tells you how many times the spool rotates 360 degrees with each rotation of the handle. So, a reel with a gear ratio of 5.6:1, such as the Daiwa BG, the spool holding the mainline will rotate a full 360 degrees 5.6 times with a single rotation of the handle. This means that the higher the gear ratio, the faster the line retrieval with the same diameter spool.
When it comes to inshore fishing, this gear ratio doesn't play as big of a role in your success of landing a fish as it does with the presentation of your lures. If you are using a lot of fast-moving baits, a slightly higher gear ratio may be preferred, if the option is given. However, I would not make the gear ratio of a reel the main decision factor in reel selection.
The most common inshore fishing reels will have a gear ratio somewhere between 5.2:1 and 6.5:1. Reels in this range are considered to be low to mid gear ratio. Reels with a 7.1:1 or higher gear ratio are considered to be high-speed reels.
Most of the reels in our top 10 list of inshore spinning reels will have a gear ratio of somewhere between 5.3:1 to 6.4:1. Any reel in this range will be able to work any lure that you need to throw and will be able to handle the load of most inshore fish species. Read my article How to Choose the Right Gear Ratio for a more detailed explanation of fishing reel gear ratios.
Saltwater Corrosion Resistance
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.
An inshore saltwater fishing reel should have a fully sealed gearbox and drag systems and should be constructed of corrosion resistant materials such as anodized aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. Lower quality or freshwater reels can be used for inshore fishing, but they are much more susceptible to damage due to corrosion.
Selecting a reel constructed of the best corrosion-resistant material such as aluminum alloys, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and carbon fiber will reduce the amount of corrosion and pitting commonly seen on reels exposed to the saltwater elements. Furthermore, a reel that is “fully sealed” will greatly reduce the chances of moisture getting into the internals of your reel from salt spray or submersion.
Even the highest quality reels will fail over time especially if they are not properly cared for. However, the rate of failure is much greater with lower quality reels that are constructed of low-end materials and are not adequately sealed.
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.
