The best saltwater reel for taming the ocean is the Penn Slammer III. This reel’s drag system is sealed with a Sealed Slammer. This allows you to fish surrounded by saltwater and sand. Only rinse it in freshwater without disassembling it. Additionally, it features a complete brass gearing system cut with a C.N.C. machine to ensure precision and durability. This reel also boasts a full-metal body, side plate, and rotor, ensuring the gears and pinion are lined up accurately for smooth retrieval. Another good saltwater reel is the KastKing Sharky III. It is a great option if you’re looking for a super light reel with a high percentage of fiber-reinforced graphite body and rotor. It also comes with K.I.S.S. protection that protects the rotor, spool, and the whole reek from dirt and damage. It also features a new shark-vented aluminum spool to eliminate the backing line and accommodate braided lines. Lastly, the KastKing Sharky reel is designed to handle powerful fish species in all fishing conditions.
When venturing into saltwater fishing, you must carry a strong reel to withstand the ocean’s harshness. Saltwater can easily corrode anything it comes in contact with, so it’s important to bring the correct spinning reel. Here are the best saltwater reels you can find in the market today.
5 Best Saltwater Reels for 2023
- Best Saltwater Spinning Reel – Penn Slammer III
- Most Powerful – KastKing Sharky III
- Great Value for Money – Penn Battle II
- Excellent Performance – Shimano Socorro
- Great for All Skill Levels – Piscifun Flame
1. Penn Slammer III
Best Saltwater Fishing Reel
- Full metal body, sideplate, and rotor
- CNC Gear technology
- IPX6 sealed body and spool design
The Penn Slammer III is a spinning reel explicitly designed to combat the rigors of saltwater fishing. It is an excellent addition to your gear, whether you use it as an onshore or offshore spinning reel.
The reel’s drag system is sealed with a Sealed Slammer. So even if you dunk it in saltwater or sand, you can make it pristine again with a rinse in freshwater without disassembling it.
The reel boasts a full-metal body, rotor, and side plate, ensuring that the gears and pinion are lined up accurately for a smooth retrieve. It also ensures that the reel lasts long.
The Penn Slammer III boasts a complete brass gearing system cut with a C.N.C. machine to ensure precision. This encompasses the whole gearbox, which means that the reel’s cranking potential will last long.
The reel also has an IPX6 sealed rating. This means it can withstand saltwater sprays from all angles without getting water into the gearbox. Multiple seals are located around the shaft, the drag system, and the central pinion that keeps the water out.
This feature comes in handy when you are on a fishing charter and are sprayed continuously. This is one of the best saltwater spinning reels to have.
2. KastKing Sharky III
Most Powerful
- NEXT-GEN – The brand new design KastKing Sharky III spinning…
- PURE POWER – You will love Sharky III spinning reel’s…
- K.I.S.S. – Sharky III spinning reels are sealed with a KISS!…
The design of KastKing Sharky III enables them to handle powerful trophy fish in all kinds of fishing conditions. It is super light even though it has a high percentage of fiber-reinforced graphite body and rotor. Its new shark fin vented aluminum spool can easily accommodate the braided line and eliminate the backing line.
The stainless steel ball bearings on this reel streamline effortless fishing. The reel also boasts high-density E.V.A. grips for slip-free control in the wettest conditions. Plus, the anti-twist line roller significantly reduces the chances of tangles and snarls.
The high-quality spinning reel also comes with the brand’s K.I.S.S. (Kastking Intrusion Shield System) protection. This protects the body, rotor, and spool from water damage and dirt, thus ensuring its longevity. The spinning reel is ideal if you are fishing for big fish since it is designed to withstand 39.5 pounds of force easily.
3. Penn Battle II
Great Value for Money
- Durable, high range spinning reel ideal for conquering big…
- Full metal body, side plate, and rotor and heavy duty…
- 4+1 stainless steel bearing system
Being one of the best spinning reels for saltwater, the Penn Battle II offers excellent value for money. It boasts an entire metal body, rotor, and side plate. This ensemble makes it a bit heavy. But the weight also ensures the reel does not flex under the pressure of powerful fish and can be used heavily on a charter boat.
The Penn Battle II reels also have HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers rather than the traditional felt ones, which means that the reel can last for a while. The feature also ensures that the reel experiences a non-jerky drag when it is under assault by strong fish such as marlin or swordfish.
The keyed washer ensures access to both sides of the washer to provide a smooth drag, and it also increases drag pressure to about 20%.
The reel has five stainless steel ball bearings. This setup provides additional protection against saltwater corrosion. Plus, the enhanced paint job also protects the reel against saltwater spray, an issue that was prevalent in previous models. All in all, the spinning reel is designed to be corrosion-resistant.
Check out our full Penn Battle 2 Review. A great alternative is the Daiwa BG.
4. Shimano Socorro
Excellent Performance
- The Socorro saltwater spinning rod offers true durability to…
- X-Ship technology provides improved gear durability and…
- Incorporates Shimano’s flagship HAGANE gearing that provides…
Shimano being one of the best saltwater spinning rod producers out there, the Shimano Socorro can be used to tackle almost any kind of fish in the ocean. Perfect as an inshore and offshore reel, it boasts X-Ship technology, ensuring excellent and smooth performance.
The reel is built using Hagane cold-forged gearing for a smooth system. It employs two bearings – one on each side of the pinion gear to ensure the equipment stays aligned when you are trying to reel in that mighty swordfish.
Additionally, the reel also uses a Cross Carbon Drag washer, which ensures smooth drag. The one-piece and extremely rigid handle shank allow more cranking power. If you’re a sports angler, consider this reel a good addition to your gear. It’s the best saltwater spinning reel when it comes to performance.
5. Piscifun Flame
Great for All Skill Levels
- 【Lightweight and Portable】Weighing only 8.5oz, the Flame…
- 【Powerful Performance】With an incredible drag power of…
- 【Stylish Design】The Flame spinning fishing reel boasts a…
Sometimes you just need a cheap saltwater fishing reel that you can abuse and replace.
The Piscifun Flame saltwater spinning reel has a gorgeous matte black body that goes quite well with the red aluminum spool. The reel feels fantastic in hand due to its graphic body and lightweight design, and it has enough ball bearings to ensure a smooth retrieve each time.
It has about nine quality ball bearings along with a single roller bearing. The bearing is paired with accurate gear engagement that will ensure a fantastic fishing experience. Choose the 4000 and 5000 options for saltwater fishing.
The drag system of the reel offers incredible drag power (up to 19.8 lb). The high-quality drive fear, metal main shaft, and accurate brass pinion gear are the same as the triple drag washers, which allow sports anglers to reel in saltwater monsters with ease.
The Piscifun Flame has corrosion-resistant drive gear. This gear ensures consistent performance each time you reel in a powerful fish. The high-quality parts are assembled together with precision, so these reels have a better clicker sound than others.
The balanced rotors and smooth design allow anglers to spool the line over the reel evenly to increase casting distance. All in all, this reel is versatile and accommodating enough for both beginners and veterans.
Reel Criteria for Fishing in Saltwater
Line Capacity
The line capacity of a reel is the max amount of fishing line the spool can accommodate without overloading it. The line’s diameter is directly proportional to its strength. The thicker the line is, the stronger it will be, and it will also take up more space on the spool.
Braided line capacity is higher than monofilament since it is from thicker materials such as Spectra. So when fishing in saltwater, consider the fish’s size and match the line’s capacity accordingly.
Drag System
All fishing reels are equipped with a drag system consisting of felt or carbon drag washers, metal washers, and an adjustment knob. The former are usually separated by the felt washer to reduce friction. This system aims to help you control the force placed on the line before the spool can let out more lines.
Generally, the drag should be set to 20% or 30% of the line’s total strength to ensure it does not break off when you are reeling in a feisty catch. A saltwater reel has a rear and a front drag system or a combination of both. Rear drags are not difficult to adjust, but the max drag they have is lesser than styles with front drag.
In saltwater spin reels, the rear drag on a combination drag system works as a secondary system, which allows the bait to swim freely with a closed bail. So when a fish latches onto the bait, the secondary drag provides resistance. Thus, the angler can re-activate the main drag for a solid hook set.
Handles and Cranks
Most saltwater reels are equipped with single handles, and these are relatively easy to use, even if you are a novice angler. However, if you customize it, you can get a lot out of your preferred fishing style.
Since the weight of the handle is light, you can adjust the lure or move it faster. When you feel the fish bite, you can turn it quickly to collect extra line slack for a retrieving hook. Plus, if you love power fighting, you can customize the handle with a larger knob.
Just keep in mind that the handle rotates as per the weight of the knob. Typically, you place stress on the knob when you dip the handle down to reel the line faster and get leverage.
When you turn up the handle, though, the reeling speed gets slower. The knob moves like a pendulum, and the handle turns faster. When you turn up the handle, the reeling speed reduces.
You should consider how your fingers rest on the reel’s grip where it meets the handle. Your aim should ensure your fingers have a smooth surface to ride on to prevent blistering while extending power battles.
A handle that is shaped wrong or has a style your hands cannot accommodate can lead to wrist strain and cracked knuckles. Rubber add-on grip covers can be used to make a slippery handle easier to grasp, especially when your fingers get slimy or wet.
Braided-Line Compatibility
The braided line is ideal for reels used for saltwater fishing. Besides being smaller in diameter than other lines, it is corrosion-resistant to salt, has no stretch, and is almost no memory. It can also be easily spooled up to a 20-pound line.
This fishing line is also more robust per diameter compared to mono varieties. It can be cast further and can cut through the water faster in comparison as well. Plus, the braided line does not corrode under the sun and salt as quickly as mono can.
The only drawback to the braided line is that it is visible in clear water and may cause line-shy fish to stay clear of the hook. That is nothing that a fluorocarbon line cannot fix. This line is virtually invisible in the water; just tie on a fluoro leader before tying on the lure. Just make sure that you use line sizes that are under the 12-pound test.
Cleaning Tips for Saltwater Reels
You can compromise your reels’ drag and overall performance if you fail to clean them properly. Follow these steps to clean it properly:
- Line up all of your equipment and spritz it with water. This way, the saltwater will simply run off the reel, and you won’t have to use a harsh spray.
- Wipe down the reel with a dry cotton cloth or paper towel. Do NOT blow on the reel! It will only drive water into the internal mechanism, which can rust.
- Before putting the saltwater spinning reels away after washing and wiping them, loosen the drag. This will relieve some of the strain from the springs, discs, and washers. Just make sure you re-tighten it before you cast it next time.
- Add a thin coat of lubricant to the surface of the reel after washing it. It will keep the dust away and ensure the ball bearings and other components run smoothly. Just make sure you don’t add any inside the reel. Some can damage the fishing reel as well as the internal parts of the reel.
Frequently Asked Questions
While the aforementioned reels are tried and tested to be some of the best out there, the ideal reel is one that meets your fishing requirements. Make sure to choose a reel strong enough to withstand saltwater for years.
Plus, it must have enough ‘power’ to withstand the weight of aggressive and large fish such as swordfish. The ideal reels are ones that match the recommended line weights that are marked out on the rod.
It classifies as high speed (with a gear ratio greater than 6:1) and low speed (with a gear ratio of 3:1).
It is measured in pounds, and it should be adjusted to 1/3rd the breaking strength of the line.
A braided fishing line is the choice since it is durable enough to withstand saltwater and has no memory. The line is visible in the water, but that is nothing that a fluoro leader line cannot fix. The line capacity will depend on the type of reel you have.
Founder & Angler 
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