Electric fishing reels - yeah or nah?

Let’s take a look at electric fishing reels – what they are, when they’re useful, and a quick guide to choosing the right one.

Lithium batteries have exposed society to a lot of great things. They kicked off the EV revolution, they made 12V camping a hell of a lot more enjoyable for legions of fans, and they single-handedly made battery-powered tools better than air-powered numbers. I may have upset a few folks with that last one, but you know it’s true. Step into the new age, Robinson Crusoe.

Another area that has become not only viable but actually pretty darn good is electric fishing reels. Where they were once cumbersome and bulky, the new-school`leccy winders are compact, sleek, reliable and easy to use these days. It’s like the remote-control car you had as a kid that lasted a solid seven minutes of fun before needing to be recharged for several hours versus your kid’s RC weapon that’s faster, handles better and lasts for days on a single 20-mins of charge.

Electric reels are here to stay and are actually a great option for a lot of people, no matter what the hardcore fishing traditionalists may tell you.

Wait, what the hell is an electric fishing reel?!

Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Instead of winding the handle on the side of the reel like a peasant, you hit a button and an electric motor spools the line back onto the drum for you. Like an electric winch, but handheld and for fish. They also have settings for drag, line release for casting, and some models allow you to set things like depth and line tension (along with about a billion other features) too.

Why would I want one?

This one is a bit of a two-part answer. The first part is that you’d want one to support the type of fishing you’re doing, in particular, bottom-bouncing in deep sea drop-offs where depths get into the hundreds of metres range. Ever tried winding in a big old bar cod from a couple hundo metres down? Unless your arms look like a powerlifter’s thighs, trust me, it’s pretty tiring.

An electric reel not only saves you from looking like a deflated balloon after a couple hours fighting one fish, but also reduces the chances of losing the catch. Something that’s generally considered to be less frustrating than missing out on a lotto jackpot by one number.

The second part of the answer is that electric reels open up a near limitless range of fishing opportunities for people who would usually be unable to wet a line. Children or folks with physical disabilities can have a crack at a trophy fish or big mulloway without a drama. That sort of inclusivity is fantastic.

And the third part of our two-part answer (we’re givers) is that electric reels also allow beginners to the sport an easy entry into the lifestyle that will likely consume their thoughts, dreams and money for the next 5-85 years of their lives.

I’m already the world’s greatest angler, I don’t need one

First off, congrats legend, that’s terrific. But also, that’s like saying, “I already have a socket set, why would I need a rattle gun?” An electric reel is simply a tool for a job. It can even be used across multiple jobs, but while the fishing you do may not justify the purchase of one it doesn’t mean they don’t tick a box.

Take the aforementioned deep-sea fishing, which is what electric fishing reels are most commonly used for. Not only does an electric reel save on literal hours of fighting and winding long after your forearms began twitching like a meth-head a few hours into rehab, they also can maintain tension on the line at the depth you’re targeting, which ups the chances of bites significantly.

Trolling is another popular use for them. They drastically cut down on wind-in times, which not only results in a higher catch-to-loss rate, but also means you can get the fish to the boat quicker. Handy when the kingies are on the bite and every second your rig is out of the water is another fish lost.

How much am I looking at?

Yep, electric reels are more spendy than their manual counterparts, but the sticker price largely comes down to the size of the reel you need (proportional to the size of the fish you’re targeting) and other factors like brand, features and battery life.

You can pick up a no-name brand online for a couple hundred bucks delivered. But if you’re sticking to the better known (and way more reliable) brands like Shimano and Daiwa then you’re looking from around the $800 mark to anywhere up to $3000-ish.

Choosing the right electric fishing reel for the job

In general, the higher the number on the electric reel, the larger the fish it’s designed to catch. Let’s say you’re targeting smaller fish. A reel with 200-300 after the undoubtedly macho name will be sweet.

Stepping up to kingfish or snapper, something a little beefier in the 400-600 range will be the go. If you’re going full-butch and won’t be happy unless you’ve got a swordfish or marlin on the hook, then you’re shopping north of the 800 mark.

Keep in mind some electric fishing reel-makers won’t stick to this rule and will release the ‘WhaleHarpoon 11000!’ which couldn’t pull a whiting in from 10m away. So maybe do a little reading before spending your $49.95 and blaming me for your ensuing disappointment.

Lightning quick buyer’s guide to electric fishing reels

Here are three electric reels that are a decent cross-section of what’s available. Just like pretty much everything in life, you tend to get what you pay for and sticking with well-known and respected brands is money well spent.

Shimano Plays 600 – $849

Decently priced (relatively) and versatile, the Shimano Plays 600 electric fishing reel is a great all-rounder electric reel that’ll work well for a variety of species. Capable of handling up to 300M of line with features like super free spool for longer casts or bottom mode, which is ambiguous in some settings but in this context is for bottom fishing, it really is a solid weapon to add to the arsenal.

electric fishing reel Shimano Play 600 — *Shimano Play 600 © Fisho’s Tackle World*

Daiwa 22 Tanocom 1200 – $1099

The Daiwa Tanocom is a common sight among the electric fishing reel faithful. Probably because it’s pretty bloody excellent at everything. I mean, the engineers even made the LCD display readable when wearing polarized sunnies, not to mention the Tanocom boasts one of the most easy-to-use menu systems available. It can also fit up to a cool 1km of line and is basically better built than a Swiss watch.

electric fishing reel Daiwa 22 Tanocom 1200 — *Daiwa 22 Tanocom 1200 © Fisho’s Tackle World*

Banax Kaigen 1000 – $899

South Korean angling company Banax took the electric fishing reel market by storm when they released the Kaigen series several years back. Used and loved by professionals and hardcore enthusiasts, they’ve carved out a name for themselves as reliable, durable and fast. Boasting reel-in speeds of 160m/min and one of the most intuitive user interfaces in the game, the Kaigen series is well-priced and high quality.