Just like you wouldn’t put an under-gunned V6 engine in a Holden race car, you wouldn’t pair a swimbait rod with a small baitcaster reel.
Yes, you could get away with it, or whimper around Mount Panorama in last place, but ultimately you’ll end up loosing in the long run courtesy of bulk birds nests, meshed gears and worn out internals.
Lucky for you we’ve done the hard yards and looked at four swimbait sensible baitcaster reels from under $200 and up to $700, depending on your angling appetite, for this festive season.
If you’re looking for a swimbait rod, too, check out our Swimbait Rod buyers guide HERE
ATC Combat 200
- RRP $199
- Weight: 225g
- Drag: 8kg
Imported by Wilson Fishing, the ATC Combat 200 is not only the ideal entry-level swimbait
Coming with a single and double knob handle and a retrieve ratio of 7.1:1, the Combat 200 is a tough, dependable and attractive option for any
13 Fishing Concept Z3
- RRP: $399
- Weight: 274g
- Drag: 13.6kg
The newer, brighter, bearingless brother of the Concept A3, the Concept Z3 is the freshest
Built to handle the nastiest fresh and salt fishing conditions mother nature can present, the zero bearing technology makes this reel virtually maintenance free – a huge tick for those non-fuss fishos!
The oversized low profile baitcaster style reel, as opposed to the Conquest and Ryoga that sport the ‘barrel’ style, the Z3 can be easily paired with a 7ft baitcaster and thrown from the Hobie, no dramas.
Boasting 13.6, yes 13.6kg of drag, the Z3 (and the A3) has near double the stopping power of most other reels in the swimbait range. If, like us, you enjoy fishing rough Aussie conditions, or like to dabble in the salt for large estuary species, the eye-popping Z3 is well worth a look this festive season.
Shimano Conquest 300
- RRP: $649
- Weight: 325g
- Drag: 7kg
Long revered as the premier swimbait reel in the US, the Conquest 300 will win just as many fans for its eye-catching gold aesthetic, as it will for what’s on the inside this baitcasting beauty.
Rest assured, Shimano has spared no expense in jam-packing this 5.6:1 ratio reel with all the latest and greatest baitcaster tech. Of all the reels used this is the beefed up baitcaster – with a pay-cheque-sized-price-tag – that best handles casting the heaviest of swimbaits.
Loaded with 80lb braid and paired with the Venom Swimbait rod or the Miller Rods Swimsanity, the Conquest 300 eats big baits, in excess of 350g, for breakfast. While some Aussie anglers opt for its bigger, 400-sized brother, the 300 is more than adequate to handle casting any baits currently on the Aussie market.
Daiwa Ryoga 1520
- RRP: $699
- Weight: 270g
- Drag: 6kg
While the Conquest is known for its distinctive flashy gold finish, the dark silhouette cast by the Batman-like aesthetic of the Ryoga 1520 has amassed just as many fans. It’s so striking I recommend wrapping it with clear paper if you are putting it under the Christmas tree to soak up all its gothic splendour.
Norbs has already waxed lyrical about the smoothness of this reel and it does have to be felt to be believed. Carrying the heftiest price tag of the bunch, the Ryoga honestly feels like it floats on the reel seat – it’s that freakin’ smooth!
Smaller in the hand than the Conquest and some 50g+ lighter, the Ryoga is the swimbait reel of choice if you use a medium to heavy swimbait rod and fling 100g to 300g baits. It is also great for flicking swimbaits out of small crafts, like a Hobie kayak, when you have to downsize your rod but not necessarily your baits.
Notable Mentions
While not in the main review, a swimbait reel buyers guide would not be complete without mentioning these two big baitcasters with serious balls.
13 Fishing Concept A3
- RRP: $369
- Weight: 297g
- Drag: 13.6kg
The OG of the 13 Fishing swimbait range of reels, the Concept A3 is tough, light and a great price for the quality of this big baitcaster with a small reel feel.
Shimano Tranx 300AHG
- RRP: $449
- Weight: 330g
- Drag: 8kg
The Tranx 300 was an early settler on the aussie swimbaiting scene, finding a home on countless reel seats in this country. Strong, dependable and tough, the Tranx is a serious reel for a serious swimbaiter.
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