Choosing a multiplier
Great casting doesn’t depend on a reel’s tournament credentials
44 Does your reel have the casting credentials?
BECAUSE this series focuses on good casting from the beach rather than specialist work, I’d like to dispel the widely held idea that a small and highly tuned CT multiplier reel is the only way to throw baits a long way.
Just about any multiplier, big or small, that conforms to a few basic specifications will do the job.
As versatile fishing tools, the larger models are superior, offering unrivalled retrieve speed, high cranking power and mechanical durability. Penn’s 525, and equivalents from Daiwa and Shimano, are fine examples of the genre, and they all have what it takes to throw a long way: accurate spool, good bearings and simple cast controls. If I could own just a single beach reel, it would be one of these beefy all-rounders.
This is not to say, of course, that a small tournament-style reel won’t suit you perfectly. On the right beach, in good conditions, they are an excellent choice. Great casting doesn’t depend, though, on their tournament-bred spools, advanced bearings and complex magnet controllers.
An old Mitchell 602 from the 1960s will deliver all the distance you need – as long as you cast well. South African field casters once used gigantic Penn Mariner boat reels with fibreglass spools loaded with 60lb line to cast 8oz of lead weight to distances of more than 200 yards.
CHUNKIER MODELS
Choose a reel to suit your range of fishing, and all will be well. Consider, too, how nicely the chunkier models handle on the beach – much easier to operate with cold, wet hands, for instance.
Whichever reel you prefer, go for quality, even if it means saving up for it. Solid engineering and a long track record are the hallmarks of every beach multiplier worthy of your time and cash.
The market is awash with tackle that looks good and promises the world, but is actually trash. Wise anglers and trusted tackle dealers are a newcomer’s best guide to avoid ending up with an expensive piece of junk.
If your budget is tight, a reel from the bottom of a top maker’s range is better than a ‘tuned’ reel from some factory you’ve never heard of.
A second-hand reel stamped with one of the big names is a great way to get top performance for modest outlay. If spares are available, it’s also worth rebuilding a worn out but, basically, sound old-timer.
Tempting as bells and whistles are, they probably won’t make much difference to your fishing unless you can cast exceptionally well. A simple multiplier, whether small CT or heavy-duty model, will do all you need for the beach and more besides. Customised reels, replacement bearings and complex magnetic controls do have their place, but rarely spell the difference between catching fish or not.
I have stuck with bottom-of-the-range reels for decades and have never once felt under-gunned. Besides, as I’ll explain next time, too much speed and tuning can ruin a angler’s prospects.