DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. The Shimano Stella is the flagship of Shimano’s wide range of spinning reels. It comes in two different versions, the Shimano Stella FK, which is a smaller reel for lighter fishing, and then the Stella SW, which is the bigger offshore version. To help you get a better understanding of each, we have written a detailed review for both Shimano Stella versions, so you can get the full rundown on the Stella FK and the Stella SW to see if either of these versions fit y ..read more

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. Daiwa has an exceptional range of spinning reels, with quality options starting at the lower entry-level end all the way to some of the highest-quality spinning reels available on the market. After a lot of thorough testing, and owning some of the reels below, I am in a good position to help you make a more informed purchase decision. I have listed what I think are the best Daiwa spinning reels currently available in 2023. So let’s get right into it…. Daiwa’s bes ..read more

Trolling requires towing a lure or bait behind a boat while it moves around in search of hungry fish that are on the prowl looking for their prey. The fishing equipment used for trolling requires  A typical trolling reel is an overhead baitcast reel that holds a lot of line and has a powerful drag. And while this is great for open water trolling, it is not always necessary to have this kind of reel. You also need a specific rod to match the trolling reel, some of the heavier duty rods can only be used for trolling and nothing else. Table Of Contents Why a strong drag is important Pro ..read more

With the different types of fishing line available, it can cause some uncertainty of what fishing line you should be used in specific situations. What fishing line to use While there is definitely no set rule for which type of fishing line you should be using, there are certainly some use cases where a specific type of line will be a better option.  In this article, I will go through some of the more popular types of fishing line and the best situations for using each one. Table Of Contents Braid line – what it’s good for and how top anglers use it Braided fishing line has no memory W ..read more

I have had my Shimano Stradic FL for quite a while now and have put it through its paces over this time, so now I’m going to give you the rundown of everything this reel has to offer. Just for clarity, I own the 2500 model Stradic FL, and this review is based on my usage of this one size only. Shimano Stradic FL Click to Check Price 1 Click to Check Price 2 Who is the Shimano Stradic FL spinning reel aimed at? The Stradic FL is a mid-priced reel that occupies a very busy space in the spinning reel market. But even with so much competition, Shimano has been smart with the design of this r ..read more

You may have experienced a reverse functionality on a spinning reel and wondered what it was for and when to use it. In this article, I will exactly what this feature is and when it should be used. I am also going to mention now, that the anti-reverse system is certainly not essential to have on a spinning reel (so don’t panic if your reel doesn’t have one!), and many of the later reels will not include this feature in their design. Reverse LeverWhat is anti-reverse on a spinning reel? To wind the line onto your spinning reel, you simply turn the handle in a forward motion and the rotor assemb ..read more

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. When I’ve bought spinning reels in the past, I have had a high expectation for them even before I had purchased and used them.  But when I purchased my Shimano Ultegra FC spinning reel, I did so more out of curiosity and to fill a void in the reel sizes I didn’t already have (I purchased the 3000 size Ultegra FC). I didn’t really have any preconceptions about it. Shimano Ultegra FC spinning reel Click to Check Price 1 Click to Check Price 2 But now I have ..read more

Fishing leaders are lengths of fishing line that you add to the end of your main line. They can serve a few different purposes such as reducing line visibility near your hook, they can also provide more protection at the business end of your line, and they also allow you to provide a better bait presentation and get your lure down into the water column where the fish are feeding. fishing leader line In this article, I will reveal what a leader line is, the different types of leaders commonly used, when you should be using each type of leader, and how each one of them can enhance your fishing e ..read more

You’ve just bought a brand new spinning reel, and you’re just about to spool it with line. But wait! You’ve just read that you need to add backing line onto your spool as well?  Why do you need backing line? What is backing line? How do I put it on my spinning reel? All these questions and more, are answered in this article. Read on… What is backing line? Backing line is used to wind onto your spool first before you add your main line. You will attach the backing line to the spool (usually with an arbor knot), then tie a knot from the backing line to your main line, and then start winding ..read more

Getting wind knots and line tangles on your spinning reel is an unfortunate reality of fishing, especially when using braided lines. But there are ways to reduce the number of tangles you get. Understanding what causes the wind knots on your spinning reel is the first step, and then using the effective solutions detailed below will help to minimize these happening. How do wind knots happen in spinning reels? Wind knots in spinning reels happen for a few different reasons, and they don’t always have to involve wind either. The design of a spinning reel means that when you cast the line peels of ..read more