9 Best Baitcasting Reels For The Money in 2022 – Reviews

The Ambassadeur Morrum ZX-3600 is a best-in-class round bait casting reel by Abu Garcia and one of their few reels that is still made in Sweden. The price point is high on this reel, but you can feel the quality when you pick it up. Made with bass fisherman in mind, the Morrum takes 135 yards of 12lb mono or 30lb braid on its aluminum spool and sends it far out on incredibly smooth, silent casts under the precise control of Abu’s Infinitely Variable Centrifugal Brake system.

The reel frame and side plates are machined aluminum and they give superior strength and help keep the weight down to a light 7.3 ounces. They also make the reel look very handsome. Ten stainless steel bearings and a 6.3:1 gear ratio give smooth, fast retrieves while still providing enough torque for the size of fish the reel is designed to handle. The carbon fiber drag can apply 15lbs of pressure, and it has a very smooth action.

We liked the details on this reel, for example the deep-set brake control dial and fine machining and knurling on the other adjustment knobs and parts. It would be nice to see hardened stainless steel on the thumb bar since it is a part that takes a lot of direct wear in hard fishing conditions, but this is a tiny detail.

The Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Morrum ZX-3600 offers quality that makes the higher price an investment rather than a cost, and it is one of the best medium-duty reels out there. The Morrum takes second place in our review.

The Shimano Curado 200XG K is another high quality baitcasting reel with an oval frame and spool made from aluminum. The spool can take 110 yards of 14lb mono or 80 yards of 65lb PowerPro braid. Retrieve rate on the 200XG is 36 inches per crank and the line comes through a titanium line guide and lays up perfectly. The 200XG features 4 (+2) bearings, and a powerful 8.5:1 gear ratio. The Curado line also features reels with 7.2:1, 6.3:1, or slower 5.5:1 gearing to allow for fine-tuning to lure type and fishing style.

All the Curado reels offer some unique high-tech features like the “SVS Infinity” adjustable braking system that allows precise adjustment of casting resistance according to lure size. Brake adjustment is simple with an easily-accessible knob on the reel side plate. Shimano’s X-Ship technology helps the reel last for many years by protecting the gears. With most reels, the pinion gear is only supported on one end. This leads to stress and wear on the gear train. X-Ship technology puts support on both ends for the pinion gear, adding to durability and increasing power and torque.

Finally, the Curado’s perfectly balanced Super Free spool gives you smooth, long casts by removing spool shaft friction. In regular baitcasting reels, the pinion gear is freed when the clutch bar is pressed, and the gear then drags on the spool shaft. This results in friction that can shorten casting distance. The Super Free spool uses a ball bearing to support the pinion gear, keeping the gear and the spool shaft perfectly aligned when the clutch is disengaged and reducing the friction to zero.

The Curado line lets you get into Shimano quality at a mid-price point that is easy to handle. The 200XG is our fifth pick for a good baitcasting reel.

If you don’t quite need the beast factor offered by Revo Toro and are looking for a friendlier price-point, the Abu Garcia Revo SX is well worth considering. This is a premium low-profile baitcasting reel and an excellent example of the kind of performance found nowadays in the mid-price ranges.

This baitcasting reel showcases excellent design and a good set of features as well as following the Revo line trend of cutting weight to the minimum. The X2-Craftic alloy frame fights corrosion while the C6 Carbon for the side plates shave the ounces off. The weight of the SX-HS model we tested is amazingly low at a mere 6.7 ounces, and it is a surprisingly compact reel. The low profile makes it ergonomic and comfortable in the hand, and casting all day long is not a problem at all.

Ten stainless steel bearing make the reel run as smooth as silk, and the titanium line guide cuts friction on the cast. A curved power handle increase leverage during the fight, and makes fast retrieves effortless. The machined aluminum spool is designed to handle heavy lines and the loads that happen when the maximum 20lbs of drag braking is in effect. As in the other Daiwa reels, the Magforce-X magnetic casting brake makes it easy to master precision distance casting.

Whether you fish topwater lures, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits, there is a Revo SX that can dial in perfectly for you. It’s a great little reel for the money that earns sixth place in our review.

The Daiwa Tatula line of baitcasting reels offers high-quality and precision build at a value price point. The Tatula Reels is available in different gear ratios, including 6.3:1, 7.3:1, and 8.3:1 gear ratios and left and right-handed versions. We checked out the R100H, a medium-weight reel that features 7 stainless steel bearings +1 roller bearing and a 13.2lb Tournament Carbon Drag system.

All the Tatula reels are built from machined aluminum for strength and light weight. The Daiwa Magforce-X magnetic casting brake is smooth and precise, and the T-Wing casting system cuts line drag for ultimate distance on the cast. The T-Wing line guide flips up into the casting position, presenting a T-shaped opening instead of a small hole for the line to run through. Distance and accuracy are both increased, and when the T-Wings close for retrieve, the line lays onto the spool through a narrow groove that ensures a perfect, even wind.

The Tatula is compact and palmable, yet all the controls are easy to operate. We like the large star drag wheel and the burly crank handle. There is great value for the money in this feature-packed reel, placing it seventh in our baitcasting line up.

For a light-weight, light-duty, low-cost reel, the Okuma Citrix comes in with a good package of quality details. A diecast aluminum frame gives rigidity to the reel while graphite side plates cut the weight. A 10-bearing drive system produces a surprisingly smooth mechanical action for a reel at this price point. This high-speed machine weighs in at a mere 7.2 ounces but the reel still spools 130 yards of 12lb test line and pulls it in at 31 inches per crank with a 7.3:1 gear ratio.

You can put on 11lbs of force with the multi-disc carbon drag system. We found the brake setting dial a bit hard to get a grip on and nearly impossible with gloves, but the knurled knob works out ok once you get used to it, and the reel is very easy to cast. The magnetic adjustment lets the beginner find the right setting quickly. The micro-click star drag operates smoothly, and the rounded ends on the star wheel are good for keeping things snag-free.

One thing that stands out about this reel is the handle size, which seems large in comparison to the reel body. However, it is very comfortable to use. On the downside, the anodizing on the crank nut showed scarring after one removal of the handle. Stainless steel would be better there. But for the price, the overall fit and finish on the reel is good, and this smooth-rolling, long-casting reel fills our number 9 slot.