A lot of people enjoy fishing, as a hobby or as a sport; as now it is no longer a means of earning livelihood. The thought of sitting by the water, relaxing in the sun and at the end of the day having some big catch to take home and boost about, makes fishing such a favorite past time. Fishing involves a lot of different techniques, the most common of which is known as angling. As is obvious from the name, angling refers to the use of an angle or hook, which is attached to a fishing rod by a reel. The fishing rod or fishing pole was traditionally made from bamboo but now various other materials such as carbon fiber and fiberglass are also used in its construction.

Long before, the bait used by fishermen consisted of live or dead worms, insects, minnows and leeches. However, with the changing times as fishing became a sport, the nature of bait changed as well. Now we use artificial bait or lure; this resembles the real bait and consist of hooks to engage the fish once it comes closer.

Baitcasting reels are also known as casting or overhead reels or simply bait casters. These reels have a rotating spool, attached at the top of a fishing rod. These casting reels are mounted on a fishing rod that has a bearing supported spinning spool which accommodates the fishing line. These baitcasting or overhead reels are commonly made of graphite or aluminum. The casting reels made of graphite are more affordable and lighter in weight in comparison to the reels made of aluminum. However, the extra price does not make aluminum reels any less favorable, for these show more stability and rigidity and are preferred by the fishermen to get a perfectly aligned casting of overhead reel.

The advantage of having good quality casting reels is comfort of use and smooth motion. Bait casting gears are composed of either brass or steel or Duralumin, a light yet tough material. Good quality casting reels also come equipped with good quality bearings that are either shielded, double shielded or are sealed bearings. Apart from the gears, the other characteristic features of good quality casting reels include a smooth drag, spools made of aluminum, forged handles and titanium lines.

Baitcasting reels available in market are typically of two different types. First, there is round baitcasting reels that have a large sized spool to accommodate a greater length of fishing line. The other kind is low-profile reels which have the advantage of being ergonomic and easy to use. The choice of baitcasting reel depends upon the kind of fish you are interested in hooking up. For instance, if you are looking to catch bass, you will not be requiring a long fishing line, therefore, a low-profile casting reel is what you need to get. On the other hand, if you are fishing for muskie, salmon, pike or steelheads, a lengthy fishing line would be required and for this purpose a round bait casting reel would be more suitable.

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