Whether you are starting your fishing journey or want to improve your skills, you might wonder which fishing reel is better for you, open or closed. Fishing lovers from FindyourFish.net let us know the differences between both of them, so here is your guide to choosing the right reel for you.
Price
If the price of the reel plays an important role for you, you might opt for a closed face reel. Because it has less components and is less versatile, this type of reel is usually cheaper than the open one.
Even if you choose a slightly more expensive closed reel, it will still be cheaper than most open reels.
Casting
Beginners might want to opt for closed face reels because open ones are harder to cast. To cast a closed reel, you need to make the accurate movement and press the release button.
In the case of an open reel, it’s a bit trickier. It requires more technique when you cast the line and to open the bail beforehand. You also have to guide the line out of the reel using your thumb.
Considering Casting Distance and Accuracy
While ease of use might be crucial if you are a beginner, for more advanced fishermen other aspects can be equally or even more important. If you want to get more casting distance and accuracy, you should consider choosing an open faced reel.
This harder way of casting also means that you have more control over the line, and can be more precise, increasing your chances of catching a fish.
Versatility
Closed reels usually have a limited space to hold the line. Usually, heavy lines don’t fit them, so closed reels might not be a great choice if you want to catch stronger fish.
With open faced reels, you can count on more space for the line. Because they are open, you can tuck in more lines, as well as choosing heavier lines, which also take up more space and won’t fit in most closed reels.
Backlash
You have probably heard about, seen, or even experienced backlash. It’s the situation when the line bunches up and then gets tangled. It often leads to a mess on the spool or the line tangling around the rod.
You need to have control over your reel to prevent this type of situation. You need to know, for example, if the lure you have chosen is heavy enough, and consider the wind direction while casting.
If you prefer a reel which rarely backlashes, you should choose a closed one. However, remember that you cannot see what is going on inside of a closed reel. In effect, you might not notice the knots and tangling that can happen inside.
Conclusions
As with everything, closed and open reels have their pluses and minuses. For beginners and kids, a better choice would be a closed reel, as it is much easier and intuitive in use. They are not as strong and controllable as the open fishing reels, so if you are a more advanced fisherman, you might opt for the second option.
