Level Wind Reels vs Conventional Reels

It’s a fairly regular occurrence in my shop – an inshore angler (saltwater) will drop in and ask for our assistance on purchasing a reel.  Many want our guidance on whether to purchase level wind reels or open style conventional reels. These products are completely different – the open style conventional reel doesn’t have the level winding features.  While both styles of reel have definite benefits, they both also have their unique challenges.

The decision of what type of reel to purchase requires that you not only consider your personal preferences, but also how you intend to use the reel (what type of fishing) and what type of line that you normally fish with.  Each factor must be carefully weighed and once you have accounted for them, you can make the best possible decision about which reel works best for you.

Level wind reels are perfect if you’re fishing almost exclusively with monofilament line.

Level wind reels use guides that will ensure that your line rewinds smoothly without the bunching up that is common in an open wind conventional reel when you’re reeling in that big catch.  The level wind reel uses a simple pawl that runs back and forth across the front of the reel on a worm shaft.  This is completely unlike an open style conventional reel which has no guide line.  Those who use open style conventional reels will find they have to take certain steps to ensure that monofilament line is correctly spooled back to their reel.

While part of deciding which reel is the right one for you, the overwhelming factor in the final decision will almost always be personal preference.  I have had many surfcaster anglers tell that there is no way they would even consider  level wind reels.

The factor they take into consideration are dual – first level wind reels are far more susceptible to damage – even a few grains of sand can clog up a good reel.  The other reason has to do with casting ease – many surfcaster anglers feel that even these tiny level winders have a negative impact on their casting prowess.

It’s almost impossible to argue with the first – there’s little doubt that a line guide provides one more surface that contacts your line – this is a hindrance that an open faced conventional reel simply doesn’t have.  There is no doubt that the fewer moving parts that make up an assembly will result in fewer failures.

It’s important to keep in mind when talking about and to surfcasters that they often tend to wander off on foot to remote areas to cast – and they carry only one rod and reel. Under these conditions the last thing you want to be concerned about is reel failure.

You may have already seen our article about the various types of lines that are available on the market.  Keeping in mind that it wasn’t all that long ago when the line of choice for the bulk of anglers was monofilament which has its own set of issues.  Today, Monofilament is one option of course, but more anglers are electing to use braided Dacron lines.  These lines simply do not have the spooling problems that are traditionally found in monofilament lines.

Monofilament is a great line – it’s cost effective, it’s lightweight but it does have some downsides. One of them which can be problematic when you’re reeling in the catch of the day is this lines tendency to pile up in one spot on the spool when you’re reeling it in.  Let us face it – we all understand the mechanics of reels – the more line that piles up the more likely it is to get high enough to interfere with proper reel operation.  Worse yet, this line can bind the spool against the frame which creates even more problems.  It’s a bit ironic – these types of issues almost always occur when you have a fish headed right for you – the line piles up at the back of the reel and you’ve missed your opportunity.

Anglers can guide monofilament line with their thumb, ensuring an even wind. However, if you’re using a braided line, you’re unlikely to need to learn this trick.  Braided Dacron line for some unknown reason rewinds onto the reel nearly perfectly with little interference or help from the angler.  This means that you’re not going to have to worry about your line when you’re bringing in a large fish.

The bottom line here is if you’re using monofilament most of the time you’re probably going to want to consider level wind reels while if you’re angling with braided line most of the time, an open wind conventional reel is probably perfect for you.
Ask any repair shop owner, myself included, and you’ll find that level wind reels are one of the top items that are repaired annually.  It doesn’t matter who made it, each manufacturer is treated equally in this case.  Level wind reels are far more susceptible to failure than open reels. This could be in part that when you’re fishing with a 20lb drag, and you land a good sized fish, additional pressure is put on the line guide system.  Combine this additional pressure with salt and sand that might be missed during cleaning and insufficient lubrication and you’re no doubt going to have your level wind reels fail.  If you use open faced conventional reels, you are not going to have this problem.

Remember to consider not just your personal preferences, but also whether you’re going to be using monofilament or braided line, if you’re going to be casting or rigging before you decide if you are going to purchase open conventional reels or level wind reels.

Making sure you have the best fishing supplies will make sure you have an enjoyable fishing experience. Some of the most popular fishing supplies out on the market include: Daiwa SLD 30 and Penn 965.

Do you prefer conventional reels or level wind reels.

Tags: Level Wind Reels, Occurrence, Overwhelming Factor, Pawl, penn 695, Personal Preference, Personal Preferences, Pros And Cons, Pros Cons, Surfcaster, Worm Shaft