Spinning reels exploded onto the fishing landscape in 1948 with the introduction of the venerable Mitchell 300. Able to cast lightweight lures without tangles or backlash, spinning reels quickly gained a loyal following across North America - to the point that some people began to question whether they might push traditional baitcasting reels off the market altogether. But for all the advantages that spinning reels possess, there are still many angling situations where only the precision and strength of a good quality baitcasting reel will do.

Today's baitcasting reels are truly wonders of engineering, blending proven design principles with high-tech materials and precision manufacturing to deliver greater capabilities than ever. Abu Garcia's fourth-generation Revo SX, for example, mixes the company's legendary brass gearing with a new X2-Craftic alloy frame and C6 carbon sideplates to deliver exceptional strength, but without exceptional weight. Add no less than nine stainless steel ball bearings plus a further roller bearing and you have a powerful reel that's deceptively light and smooth. It's a combination that gives multi-species anglers tremendous capabilities and versatility. Such as when...

Fishing Heavy Cover

If you flip lily pads for largemouth, burn buzzbaits over cabbage fields for pike or jig sunken trees for big late-summer walleye, you already know that nothing beats a baitcasting rig when you're fishing in heavy cover. The strength of a baitcasting reel to haul fish out of the junk remains unmatched, especially when paired with appropriate superbraid lines that cut through the weeds rather than tangling up in them the way old-school monofilament would.

Trolling

Trolling has always been the domain of baitcasting reels and for good reason. Their high-speed retrieves let anglers retrieve a lot of line in a hurry - a critical feature when trying to keep up with fast-swimming fish like salmon or muskie. Further, comfortable double handles and silky smooth star drag systems, like the Power Stack Carbon Matrix system on the Revo SX, stop hard-running fish in their tracks.

Precision Casting

They're called casting reels for a reason. With the advent of sophisticated cast-control features like Abu Garcia's improved DuraClutch design and upgraded Infini brake system, today's baitcasting reels enjoy an almost magical ability to land even lightweight lures on tiny targets with pinpoint accuracy. With very little practice, anglers find baitcasting reels let them drop lures and baits almost anywhere. With a little practice, baits can be cast low to the water over considerable distances, giving the angler a real advantage in windy conditions or when trying to approach spooky fish in shallow, clear water.

Twist-Free

Because baitcasting reels use a revolving spool, they're almost impervious to line twist. This gives baitcasting reels a huge edge when you fish in a stop-and-go pattern, such as when working a topwater for smallmouth or twitching a suspending jerk bait for pike. With no twist, there's no chance of the slack line recoiling and fouling the lure.

Being able to catch a variety of different fish species over a wide range of conditions demands anglers be adaptable and versatile. And that's precisely why everyone needs a baitcasting reel - it's all about having the right tools for the job.