Hey there my fellow fishing fanatics and welcome to my post where we will check out 5 reasons to use an electric fishing reel. When it comes to fishing there is no one answer that fits everyone. Some people prefer spinning reels and others swear by a baitcaster. However, there is one type of fishing reel that is growing in popularity; the electric fishing reel.
So for those of you who have seen them in the fishing shop, or have been thinking about them, here are five reasons you might want to consider purchasing an electric fishing reel for the next time you hit the water.
What are electric fishing reels?
So let’s keep this simple – An electric fishing reel works in the exact same way as any other fishing reel except it has an electric motor attached to retrieve the line. These reels allow you to fish without having to use any physical strength, which makes them perfect for people who struggle with traditional fishing gear such as those with injuries, kids or fishers within their senior years. Professional fishermen like them as well.
For others however their use is considered to be ‘cheating’ and I have to admit that there is something special about fighting a big catch under your own muscle. Alternatively there are of course some definite advantages to them as well so let’s check out my 5 benefits of them below…
Check out these: Electric Fishing Reels
1. They are more efficient in deeper water
In my opinion, one of the main reasons that you would want to consider an electric reel is if you find yourself fishing in extremely deep water, or where currents are strong. In these instances, the time and effort taken to retrieve your line can not only take forever, but really tire you out as well.
Another aspect to consider here is that fishing in really deep waters (up to 1000 feet) means that you will often need really heavy weights on your line just to get the bait down there. Hence, the use of an electric fishing reel here can allow you to bring your line up as quickly as possible meaning you and your gear are not put under any extra strain. This also of course means that you are fishing more, and retrieving less.
Of course if you are fishing in water this deep, you will need a reel large enough to hold 1500 feet or so of line as well.
2. They are perfect for larger fish
As a follow on from above, fishing in areas where you might need an electric reel may also mean that you have a good chance of catching a very large fish. Even if you are not fishing in deep waters, electric reels can be an invaluable if you need some extra help in fighting the fish.
The main reason for this is their superior drag systems. This is because the electric controls on the reel can not only assist with retrieval, but also manage line release as well. This means that you as the fisher, just have to control the rod leaving the reel to do the rest.
3. You have more control your line
One major advantage of electric reels is that many have the ability to determine just how much line you want/need to release based on where you are fishing. For example, if you are fishing in 300ft of water and you want to keep the weight just off the bottom, then you can set the reel to release 299ft of line. This will allow you to ensure that you are keeping your bait where you know the fish are as well as being able to get the fish off the bottom and out of the snags quickly if they strike.
When it comes to surface trolling, they can also allow for the setting of a line at a pre determined distance from the vessel and then set to wind the line in bit by bit as the boat moves. This is especially good if you are using lures and want to give it a bit of a ‘jig’ as the boat moves along.
4. You can track data
Some electric reels come armed with built-in GPS and other electronics to let you track your catches, record data, and map your fishing spots. This means that you can get to the exact spot you caught fish at last time – even without a fish finder. Another aspect here is line release memory meaning it will release the exact same length as last time.
This of course may need adjustment for tidal and current influences however at least you are starting from a good point – and of course once you have it set for that visit, it will release that exact same amount each time.
And as mentioned above, you can often set electric reels to jig the bait both along the surface or off the bottom. Most reels with good tracking memory will keep this information loaded for you as well.
5. They are easy to use
And finally, using a good deep sea manual trolling reel can take some getting used to. You will need to get used to how to manage the line release lever as well as the drag which to be honest, can be quite complicated for rookie deep sea fishers. Electric reels make this all a lot easier due to the fact that you can quite often just press a single button and you are off and running.
Sure you will need to learn how to input all of your settings, but this is generally not a difficult task either.
Conclusion
So there you have it, 5 reasons for using an electric fishing reel. I hope it has been helpful and as always, please let me know below of your experiences with them.
Have you tried anything else that has worked well, or not so well for you – or of course have a different opinion than above? If so, please comment below and we can have a chat.
As always
Have fun
Paul
