A Guide To Electric Fishing Reels

Fishing is undoubtedly amongst the most popular hobbies around the world. For some people, it is a great pastime. Whereas for others, it is a source of income and running their household. The modern era is the age of technology. As technology extended its roots into different fields of life, it also became a part of fishing. The fishing rods that used to be manual, were updated and they took the form of electric fishing reels.

Thanks to these electric fishing reels, the fishermen no longer need to struggle with manual pulley systems to remove the fish caught on the bait from the water. The electric fishing reel takes care of this job pretty well.

Electric fishing reels are a lot more efficient, time saving and easy to use as compared to traditional and plain fishing reels therefore, they have gained immense popularity amongst fishermen from all around the world.

What Is An Electric Fishing Reel?

An electric fishing reel resembles a plain fishing reel in terms of appearance. The only significant difference is the fact that the electric fishing reels come with an electric motor that can automatically pull the line. Therefore, the fishermen don’t have to put in the effort of manually reeling the line and bearing the weight of the fish.

Most of the electric fishing reels come with a combination of both an electric motor as well as a manual handle. Therefore, the fishermen can opt to reel the line themselves if needed. This combination also ensures that the fishing reel can be used even if there is electricity or power failure.

Why Are The Features Of An Electric Fishing Reel?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions. The fishermen who plan fishing trips often and believe that their manual fishing reels are doing pretty well especially inquire about why they should opt for an electric fishing reel. Electric fishing reels come with a number of perks and benefits that make things easier for the fishermen. Here are some of the advantages of electric fishing reels which are also some of the reasons why you should consider getting one:

1. Two-in-one Product:

As mentioned earlier, almost all electric fishing reels come with the option of both an electric motor as well as a manual handle. Therefore, if you are worried you will not be able to fish manually if you get an electric reel, there is nothing to be concerned about. In reality, these are two in one product that offers both the options. The fishermen can opt to sit back and relax while the electric reel takes care of the task for them or use the manual handle to enjoy the fishing experience in the old school way.

2. Convenience:

The biggest perk of electric fishing reels is convenience and ease. The fishing reel will take care of everything on your behalf. All you have to do is to set it in place and wait for a fish to be lured into the bait. The fishing reel will wind the reel and pull the fish out of the water itself. Thus, giving you more time to enjoy the landscape and the scenery around you. You can also enjoy some music or read your favorite book while you wait for some fish to get caught.

3. Saves Effort And Hassle:

When using an electric fishing reel, the fishermen do not have to put in any effort. In case of a traditional manual fishing reel, they have to vigilant and based on the movement of the bait assess whether a fish has been trapped or not. If a fish has been caught, they have to reel the line and eventually pull the fish out of the water. This may seem easy and fun but at the end of the day, it does require effort and a lot of arm strength. Therefore, physical exertion and tiredness is taken away from the fishing experience when fishermen use electric fishing reels.

4. Saves Time:

The use of electric fishing reels also saves time. These reels are a lot more powerful as compared to the plain fishing reels. Therefore, they can be used to pull the line a lot quicker. This saves time and the fishermen can catch fish a lot more quickly as compared to the time required when using a manual fishing reel.

5. Easy To Use:

The electric fishing reels are great for fishermen with all levels of skills. No matter whether you are a newbie or an experienced fisherman, you can use these electric fishing lines. The use of electric fishing reels is especially recommended for beginner level fishermen who are new to fishing. One can easily catch fish without much effort using these reels. These reels do not require any particular skill level or expertise. The fishermen who are on their first fishing trip can also make use of these reels and catch fish with ease.

6. Great For Weighted Fish:

There are certain fish species that are heavy and bulky. When such fish are caught in the bait of the fishing line, the fishermen have to exert a lot of force and put in a lot of effort to remove the fish from the water. When using the electric fishing reels, fishermen do not have to crank the weight automatically. Since the winding of the line is automated through the electric motor that is attached to the fishing reel, therefore, the fishermen don’t have to bear the weight themselves. The electric reel is enough to bear the weight of the fish and remove it from the water with ease.

Why Switch To Electric Fishing Reels?

When fishermen use manual fishing reels, they have to use the angler so that they can turn and wind the fishing line. When the handle is turned, the line draws nearer and brings the fish along with it. The effort and power required to crank the handle is directly proportional to the weight of the fish that has been caught in the line.

The Benefits

This process of rolling the line and catching the fish can be extremely exhaustive. But when the fishermen use an electric fishing reel, they can reel in the fish with ease. The power and strength required for this purpose is provided by the electric fishing reel.

Since the pulling of the line is automated, the process also takes a lot less time. Therefore, the use of electric fishing reels is especially recommended for commercial fishermen who have to catch fish as a means of feeding themselves and their family members or to sell them in the market.

If you are a fisherman who loves to go fishing in seawater, the use of an electric fishing reel will be extremely beneficial for you. The currents in seawater are strong and the overall environment is harsh. Therefore, the use of manual fishing reels becomes a hassle. The fishermen have to be very cautious and face a lot of hardships. But when electric fishing reels are used, they are far more stable than manual fishing reels. Therefore, they can withstand the harsh conditions of seawater.

Another reason why fishermen should seriously consider switching to electric fishing reels is because of range and depth. The range and depth of electric reels are a lot better than manual reels. Therefore, the use of electric fishing reels is highly recommended for regions where the fish are deeper. The electric fishing reels can go much deeper in the water body thus increasing the chances of one catching a fish.

How To Choose The Right Fishing Reel?

There is a diverse range of electric fishing reels that are available in the market. Therefore, selecting the right electric fishing reel can be an overwhelming decision for the fishermen. In order to make sure that you choose the right product, there are a few factors that should be taken into consideration. Here are the features and specifications that you must consider when browsing for an electric fishing reel to make sure that you end up with a good product that is worth your money:

Speed Of Retrieval:

How does a fishing reel work? It is simply a pulley system that is rotated using the handle provided. As the fisherman rotates the handle, the fishing line draws nearer. Along with the fishing line comes the prey that has been caught up in the bait.

When the fishermen make use of manual fishing reels, they have to push the fish themselves since they are manually rotating the handle to draw the fishing line. Therefore, the speed of retrieval varies and totally depends on the fisherman’s elbow grease.

But in case of the use of an electric fishing reel, the line is rolled in automatically by the electric motor. When choosing an electric fishing reel, you should take a look at the retrieval speed of the fishing line. Make sure that the fishing reel you choose comes with a good retrieval speed so you can pull in the fish with ease. Remember, the longer you leave the fish in the water, the more chances you give the fish to get rid of the bait and get free.

Line Capacity:

The line capacity is the term that is used to refer to the length of the fishing line that the reel can easily hold without overburdening the reel. The line capacity depends on your needs. There are some electric fishing reels that come with a smaller line capacity. This means that these reels can not be used for fishing deeper. These reels are best for shallow water fishing where the fish are on the surface of the water body.

But in case you plan to dive in deeper, a fishing reel with a larger line capacity will be needed. For deeper fishing, opt for a fishing line that has a minimum length of nine hundred to three thousand feet.

Braided Line:

Braided lines are the most popular type of fishing reels. These are a lot stronger than plain fishing lines. Rather than consisting of a single thread of line, the braided line comprises a mesh-like weave which comprises several threads of the line that are braided together.

When choosing an electric fishing reel, always try and opt for the one that comes with a braided line. Although the two main downsides of braided lines are difficulty in cutting and tying knots, they are a lot stronger therefore, they can easily bear the weight of even heavier fish species.

Another perk of braided lines is that they are easily visible underwater. Therefore, the fishermen can keep an eye on the line and track it with ease. When rolling the reel, the chances of the braided line breaking are also close to zero because the interwoven lines of thread add to the density of the line making it tough and hard to break.

Drag:

When buying electric fishing reels, the drag is a feature that can surely not be overlooked at any cost. The drag is basically the pad that is responsible for ensuring that the fishing line does not snap or break. The pad is directly in contact with the spool. In order to set the drag of the fishing line, all that needs to be done is to tighten a few screws. Based on the direction in which the knobs are rotated, the spool either loosens the drag or tightens it.

The drag of an electric fishing reel needs to be just perfect. If the drag of the electric fishing reel will be too tight, it will lose the fish. But in case of a drag that is too loose, it will be hard to grasp the fish in the first place.

The ideal drag range in case of an electric fishing reel lies within forty pounds to eighty pounds. The fishermen are free to rotate the knobs and adjust the drag between this range as needed.

Line Counter:

An electric fishing reel with a line counter is surely a plus. One of the trickiest things to master, even for experienced fishermen, is to estimate how much line they have let into the water. As time goes by and one starts gaining some experience, the fishermen do get an idea about the length of the line that is in the water, but this is simply an estimate and one can never be a hundred percent sure.

The line counter is a feature that will come in handy for this purpose. As the name indicates, the line counter provides information about how much fishing line is in the water. Line counters are mostly colour-coded so based on the color, one can get a reading of how many yards of the line is in the water.

How To Use An Electric Fishing Line?

Before you go ahead and start using your electric fishing reels, it is very important for you to read the instruction manual very carefully. Go over the instructions and then examine the fishing reel carefully. Using the reel seat on the handle, adjust the size of the fishing rod to the desired length.

The next step is to tighten the reel and connect it to the fishing rod. Now your fishing rod is ready to use. Spool the fishing line over the reel. Turn the reel to acquire the perfect length of the line. Add the bail to the end of the line that will be drawn into the water.

Then set up the rod and wait for the fish to be lured into the bait. That’s all!

How To Maintain An Electric Fishing Reel?

There is no doubt about the fact that an electric fishing reel is an expensive investment. Therefore, make sure that you take care of your fishing reel and maintain it so it can last for years to come.

Tip#1

The first and foremost thing is to clean the reel after every use. This is especially critical and crucial if you used it in saltwater. Make sure that you use a mild soap to gently rub the fishing reel to get rid of any dirt or debris. Use fresh water to rinse off the soap.

Tip#2

When washing the electric fishing reel, make sure that you don’t use too much pressure or leave the reel immersed in the water. This can not only cause corrosion and damage to the reel itself but can also cause harm to the batteries and the power supply of the reel.

Tip#3

Observing the gears and brakes is also very important. Make sure that these parts are greased properly so that there is no friction and one can use the reel with ease. If the parts are not greased properly, there will be tension which can cause the line to break and even damage the reel itself.

Tip#4

Keep an eye on the battery of the electric fishing reel as well. There are two sources of powering an electric fishing reel. Either you can opt to use a battery or connect the fishing reel directly to the power supply of the boat itself. The use of batteries is highly recommended in this regard. Through the use of batteries, one can use the electric fishing reels wherever and whenever needed. Some reels come with an option of rechargeable batteries while others make use of batteries that need replacement.

The fishing reel can be connected to the power source of the boat as well. But since there is no way to regulate the power supply of the boat, you may end up experiencing fluctuations in the power supply. This can sometimes cause damage to the electric fishing reels.

Who Should Use An Electric Fishing Reel?

The great thing about electric fishing reels is the fact that everyone can use it. If you are a beginner fisherman or someone who has ample experience of fishing, the use of an electric fishing reel is highly recommended nevertheless.

Beginners

However, they are a must-have for beginner level fishermen or people who have just started to explore fishing. Such people don’t have much experience and don’t know the technical details and techniques that can help them. Moreover, newbies often tend to be impatient and make mistakes that may end up causing them to lose fish. With electric fishing reels, they don’t need to do much work. They simply learn how to set up the reel. Once they have caught some fish and have been to a couple of fishing trips; they can gradually transition to manual fishing by using the manual reel handle.

Experienced

The people who wish to catch a large number of fish in a small amount of time should also make use of electric fishing reels. The fishermen who are physically weaker and are unable to bear the load of manually rotating the handle to draw in the fish can also invest in an electric fishing reel. This way they can enjoy fishing without having to put in any strength and exert themselves.

Master

Sometimes, some fishermen catch a very huge fish but they never end up successfully pulling it out of the water. Why? because the fish weighs too much for them to be able to pull it out by reeling the line manually. When using electric fishing reels, the entire effort is automated; as the power to pull the fish and wind the reel is the responsibility of the electric motor that is attached to the reel. Therefore, you need to use an electric fishing reel to catch larger and heavier fish.

Electric fishing reels are also a must-have when going to fish in deeper water bodies or saltwater regions. Saltwater bodies are harsher and it is hard to manually take control of the reel. The manual fishing reels also have a smaller range which means they don’t go as deep. But the electric fishing reels solve both of these problems. It does so by withstanding the harshness of saltwater and can also go deep into the water.