The Shimano Spirex FG series has been designed to provide an economically balanced yet highly effective solution for general purpose angling, and its SR4000FG medium-light model is well suited to nearly all bass fishing applications.

Incorporating a Propulsion Line Management System with a customized spool lip, the Spirex FG yields considerably longer distance casts as compared to the generic designs in the industry. 5 ball bearings, shielded for enhanced resistance against saltwater, work in conjunction with this custom line management system to create a smooth, easy casting experience.

Thanks to the Quickfire II technology, the line and trigger are self-centered and in the reach of your index finger, allowing for effortless one handed casts. As far as retrieval goes, the oval oscillation gear system ensures even laying of line to eliminate knots and loops, and the rotor is counterbalanced to eliminate any wobble during retrieval.

The reel also does away with back play thanks to the Super Stopper II mechanism’s one-way bearing, giving you instant hooksetting power.

The 5.7:1 gear system manages to yield a decent maximum drag of 15 lbs., and an equally impressive line retrieve of 33 inches/turn. The durable cold-forged aluminum spool can hold up to 160 yards of 12 lbs. mono line, or 145 yards of 50 lbs. braid.

It’s a minor complaint but I found the double handle on the reel to be a bit awkward – it seems to be geared towards baitcasting anglers, and it felt a bit out of place on a spinning reel. Also, this reel may be slightly heavier than what you’re used to – but that’s the price you pay for the bigger spool and the possibilities it brings.

The SF4000 series from Piscifun is a stainless steel / aluminum fishing reel for those bass anglers who expect to fish for massive catch in rough conditions – even saltwater.

The reel yields incredibly smooth performance thanks to a couple of stainless steel bearings placed on both sides of the slider. The coating on these bearings ensures that the reel can withstand serious exposure to saltwater: it may not be watertight, but even if you do forget to wash it after it was dunked in saltwater – all you have to do is take it apart, wash the insides and apply some quality lubrication oil!

The 4000 size aluminum spool can hold a healthy amount of line – even when you’re upping the diameter for greater test limits. The pinion gear is supported by 2 stainless steel bearings to eliminate shaft misalignment and torsional twisting which can result in power loss and wobbling under load. Ultimately, this translates into a powerful, long-distance casts.

The SF4000 has a 5.1:1 gear ratio which, combined with its large spool size, can manage to provide both a powerful drag (22 lbs.) and a generous line retrieve. Especially praiseworthy are the carbon fiber drag washers which ensure a smoother drag across the range, and also last a lot longer than standard felt washers.

A one way bearing ensures enough stopping power to do away with any back play in the handle – but you can always disengage it for finesse techniques by means of a switch. Most anglers have been pleased with the way this reel performs against powerful fish (which means you can go looking for big bass!).

Design complaints have been restricted to a customer losing a handle (fortunately the reel comes with a spare) and the reel being slightly heavier than it appears to be (a 4000 size spool can do that). A couple of consumers did report being shipped a completely different product though, so you should check your package carefully after it arrives.

I’ll say from the outset that this is a Chinese brand, so design flaws are an anticipated risk, but if you’re looking for an advanced fishing solution that fits a tight budget you may want to take a look at the Yoshikawa Baitfeeder Spinning Reel 4000.

The most prominent feature of this reel is the bait-running system which lets you free up the spool so a finicky fish can run with the lighter rear drag after it has picked the bait. Once the bait is fed, you engage the front drag once more to put the brakes on the now (hopefully) exhausted fish. This feature works great when you’re dealing with a species such as spotted bass (known to put up quite a fight).

While the graphite construction is a bit unorthodox for a bass fishing reel, it nevertheless manages to provide better protection against saltwater corrosion compared to aluminum. The 4000 size spool system has 10 corrosion-resistant gears installed for smooth operation, and indeed, the reel has received praise from anglers for its buttery casting in spite of its low cost.

The multi-disk drag system, although it packs oiled felt washers instead of CF ones, is nevertheless reliable and smooth – a fact attested to by several consumers. You will also be able to put on plenty of line for bass fishing purposes (up to 12 lbs. / 130 yds. Mono); and if paired with braid, you’ll be able to go for heavy bass with this reel.

I couldn’t find a maximum drag value, but going by the 5.5:1 gear size and silent anti-reverse system (and feedback from seasoned anglers), 20 lbs. seems a reasonable estimate. You can also expect decent IPT figures thanks to the large spool size.

As expected from a Chinese made product, QC problems and random design flaws are the biggest reported concern with this reel. There’s also the matter that it is heavier than its counterparts by a couple of ounces on average. If you’re ok with the added weight and are bound by a budget though, this is one of the best deals out there.

The Daiwa Ballistic EX 4000, with its innovative ‘magsealed’ design is a fine candidate for bass anglers that want proactive protection against saltwater corrosion.

Mag-sealing refers to the use of a ferrofluid (microscopic magnetic particles) to create an impermeable barrier – Daiwa has used it to block the minute gap between the opening of the body and the rotor through which saltwater creeps in.

Consequently, the core components are not exposed to the corrosion and can therefore last a lot longer in saltwater, even when compared to traditional sealing techniques such as rubber seals. The other big advantage is that you won’t feel the slight inertia when cranking the handle that is typical of rubber seals placed on the rotor.

The reel itself is made out of a proprietary material – Zaion® – which, according to the manufacturer, is 20% stronger than ABS and 50% lighter than aluminum. This translates into improved durability, sensitivity and maneuverability, critical features when you’re fighting tough bass.

An Air Rotor design is used in favor of traditional rotor designs to evenly distribute the stress on the rotor and produce a lighter frame overall. The spool system is backed by multiple corrosion resistant ball bearing, placed at strategic points to ensure optimum smoothness and power transmission in the mechanism.

The waterproof drag system has also been bolstered by a couple of ball bearings to keep the washers nicely aligned and capable of consistently yielding an impressive maximum drag of 17.6 lbs. The 5.6:1 gear system will provide you ample power to reel in your catch, and thanks to the 4000 size spool – quite swiftly too.

It goes without saying that this lightweight reel is fully capable of holding more than sufficient lengths of both mono and braided lines. While most users have praised this reel’s performance in all respects, it is surprising that the few complaints which did surface have all been directed at premature damage from saltwater, indicative of poor quality control since the ‘magseal’ feature should not let saltwater enter in the first place!

Meant for sporting scenarios where you’ll have to cast dozens of times a day to catch as much bass as possible, the Pflueger is a lightweight solution that excels at maneuverability and sensitivity necessary for catching speedy fish.

Featuring an ultra-light magnesium body and rotor, carbon handle, carbon/aluminum arbor, and titanium main-shaft, the reel manages to bring its weight down to a fraction of what conventional products in its league weigh.

Besides taking less of a toll on your stamina, the lightweight frame will also be significantly better at transmitting the force of a fish’s bite to your hands, letting you know right away when a fish is feeding on your bait.

The skeletonized spool, and aluminum main gear, are backed by 9 stainless steel ball bearings so you can expect smooth and powerful casting performance. The slow oscillation gear system manages the line in an even fashion to prevent issues such as knotting and slipping, characteristic of spinning reels in general.

A sealed carbon fiber drag system ensures that you get the silky drag at all times – even when the reel has been roughed up a bit in saltwater. A 3 step coating is also applied on the magnesium based parts of the reel to protect them from corrosion.

Naturally, the use of a lightweight materials has to take a toll somewhere, and in this reel’s case, it is the maximum drag which suffers: it’s rated for 14 lbs., which means you can’t go after heavier kinds of bass. The 35 size spool is also a bit restrictive when it comes to line retrieval at a modest 28.8 IPT.

But these inherent concerns aside, the carbon handle may not be the most durable out there, so you may want to exercise caution before putting it through excessive punishment.