The Best Spinning Reels for Bass, Tested

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We just completed the most comprehensive side-by-side testing of spinning reels ever conducted. Over the last month, I tested 22 spinning reels on various fisheries to determine which ones currently on the market are the best based on quality, construction, innovation, weight, price, strength, and smoothness. 

The most eye-opening discovery throughout this process was the parity in modern spinning reels. Yes, there are a few standouts, but of the 22 I tested, I’d recommend buying 21 of them. Even with all the great choices, we had to make some cuts. So I narrowed down the list to the top 10 spinning reels available for bass fishing. Then, we awarded winners in four different categories. There are premium options for serious finesse anglers, value reels for those looking to expand their spin setups, and great budget picks for those who don’t want to spend a fortune. Here are the best spinning reels you can buy for bass fishing right now.

The Rest of the Best Spinning Reels

Specs 

• Size Tested: 2500

• Gear Ratio: 6.2:1

• Weight: 6.7 ounces 

• Bearings: 8+1

• Price: $200

• Available Sizes: 1000, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000

Pros 

Cons 

The Daiwa Tatula MQ LT is a fantastic reel for the money. At $200, this reel is less than half the price of the Zenon MG-X, yet still offers great performance. It was the crispness of this reel that won me over. From the one-piece body to the machined aluminum handle to the AirDrive rotor and bail—everything about this reel is light, strong, and precision-tuned. Available in five sizes ranging from 1000 to 4000, you won’t find any situation in bass fishing that the Tatula MQ LT can’t handle.

One of my favorite features was how smoothly and easily the bail opens and closes. You barely have to turn the handle before the bail flips down. No other reel in the test was able to do this. It is slightly heavier than the Best Overall winner, but it comes in more sizes and has a smooth and strong drag.

Specs 

• Size Tested: 2500

• Gear Ratio: 6.2:1

• Weight: 8.5 ounces 

• Bearings: 5+1 

• Price: $100

• Available Sizes: 1000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000

Pros 

• Durable 

• Fairly smooth 

• Quality reel 

• Great price 

Cons 

I’ve had this reel for several months now, and in that time, it has separated itself from the others that are priced right at $100. It’s strong, fairly light, and very capable. The drag is sensitive and easy to adjust on the fly. All of the mechanics of the reel are crisp with no wiggle or play. It almost has all the bells and whistles of a high-end reel for only $100. 

All that being said, if you’re a northern smallmouth guy fishing tournaments and relying on spinning reels for a living, you’re probably going to want to work your way up the price chart a little. The weight is noticeably heavier than the premium models. But for the guy throwing the occasional Ned rig, wacky rig, or jighead swimbait, this is a great reel for the price—one I would be more than comfortable fishing tournaments with myself.

Specs 

• Size Tested: 2500 

• Gear Ratio: 5:1

• Weight: 7.8 

• Bearings: 6+1 

• Price: $47.50

• Available Sizes: 2500, 3000 (on Okuma’s site, there’s also a 500, 1000, 3000, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10000 model available)

Pros 

• Great price 

• Quality reel 

• Strong and durable  

Cons 

The Okuma Avenger is a dang good spinning reel for the money. At only $47.50, you can get 10 of these for the price of one Abu Garcia MG-X. It costs only 10 percent of the most expensive reel in this test, but you get much more than 10 percent in performance. Besides longevity (I haven’t fished with this reel for more than a few months), the Avenger is almost as capable as any other spinning reel I’ve ever thrown. Even if you only get a couple of seasons out of this reel and it breaks, you can buy another and still spend less than $100 in total. For those who don’t do much finesse fishing, this is a great choice to save money but still get the job done when you want to throw softer presentations.

Specs 

• Size Tested: 2500

• Gear Ratio: 5.8:1 

• Weight: 6.2 ounces

• Bearings: 7+1

• Price: $250

• Available Sizes: 500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000

Pros 

• Highly capable 

• High quality 

• Priced accurately 

Cons 

The Vanford A is a proven workhorse. With many similarities to the beloved but discontinued Shimano Stradic, the Vanford A has quickly garnered a loyal following. After six months of fishing with the Vanford, I’ve caught some great fish and have really come to appreciate the strength, durability, and smoothness of this reel. At $250, it’s not inexpensive, but it’s still half the price of the Abu Garcia MG-X. And the difference in these two reels, performance-wise, is very small. The Vanford was a close runner-up for Best Overall and an excellent choice for any spin angler.

Specs 

Pros 

Cons 

When it comes to what makes a good spinning reel, you need three things: a lightweight design to balance the rod, rigid components for strength, and an excellent drag. The Okuma X-Series checks all three boxes and then some. This reel produced the biggest bite of the test—a largemouth weighing around 6 pounds. The multi-disk carbonite drag performed flawlessly during the fight, allowing line to peel off when the fish made sudden runs and then cranking down to get the fish in after it tired. Components like the Hydro Block II body and machined aluminum anodized spool deliver the often hard-to-achieve balance between durability and lightness. The X-Series does it all and has everything you need to finesse fish for giant largemouth and smallmouth bass.

Specs

• Size Tested: 3000

• Gear Ratio: 6.2:1

• Weight: 8.7

• Bearings: 10

• Price: $120

• Available Sizes: 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000

Pros 

• Smooth reel 

• Strong 

• Great value

Cons 

Lew’s stepped up their game in the last few years when it comes to spinning reels. The company has long been a leader in the casting reel market, but its spinning reel selection was limited when it came to bass fishing. Not anymore. Now they offer several solid spinning options, including the Lew’s Custom Spin. Though this one couldn’t knock off the Daiwa Tatula MQ LT for Best Value, it wasn’t far behind. Plus, the Custom Spin costs $80 less. It is a little heavier, but has a smooth and strong drag to make up for it.

Specs 

• Size Tested: 3000

• Gear Ratio: 6.2:1

• Weight: 7.8 ounces 

• Bearings: 9+1

• Price: $110

• Available Sizes: 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000

Pros 

• Sturdy

• Strong 

• Great value 

Cons 

I feel the same way about the Abu Garcia Max Elite as I do the Lew’s—it is a great reel for the price, but it’s not quite on par with the Tatula MQ LT. Still, for $110, this is an excellent reel for nearly half the price of the Tatula. Abu pulled from their popular Revo and high-end Zenon line-up to build a more reasonably priced workhorse for the masses—and it worked.

The reel is both strong and light, similar to the other top contenders in the test. The carbon fiber handle, carbon frame, carbon rotor, and machined aluminum spool combine for an excellent design. As is necessary for a spinning reel to be deemed “good,” the Max Elite has a great drag. It’s sensitive, easy to adjust, and is designed specifically to offer even pressure across the whole range. That’s all you can ask for from a lightweight spinning reel.

Specs 

• Size Tested: 3000

• Gear Ratio: 5.3:1 

• Weight: 7.1 ounces 

• Bearings: 5+1

• Price: $100

• Available Sizes: 500, 1000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000

Pros 

Cons 

The race was very close for the best $100 Spinning Reel award. The Nasci barely edged out Daiwa’s Exceler, but this is another great reel for the money. I’d put both of these reels up against several of the $150 to $200 spinning reels in quality and capability. Packed with a lot of Daiwa’s industry-leading technology, this model is light and crisp.

The body and machined aluminum handle come together to create the solid foundation that the rest of the reel is built on. Daiwa then packs in the rugged Digigear, Automatic Tournament Drag, and Air Drive rotor and bail to complete the reel. All that mumbo jumbo means is the reel is extremely durable and has a strong drag that can handle big fish smoothly. With sizes ranging from 1000 to 6000, this is an affordable powerhouse that can cover a wide range of techniques.

Specs 

• Size Tested: 3000

• Gear Ratio: 6.2:1

• Weight: 7.2 ounces 

• Bearings: 6+1

• Price: $69.99 

• Available Sizes: 1000, 2000, 2500, 3000

Pros 

• Strong

• Smooth 

• Great price 

Cons 

The Daiwa Regal is another stellar reel if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option. Again, packing in several of the higher-end components that Daiwa is known for—such as the Zaion V Body, Air Drive rotor, and Air Drive bail—this reel offers a true bang for your buck. It’s strong and still fairly lightweight, making it an easy reel to fish with for various techniques.

How We Tested Spinning Reels

Pooling all our resources together at Field & Stream, the team and I were able to call on several spinning reel manufacturers, including Daiwa, Shimano, Abu Garcia, and others, to send out reels for consideration. Once we got them in hand, we compared the reels based on the following criteria:

• Quality

• Construction

• Innovation

• Weight

• Price

• Strength 

• Smoothness

For the first leg of side-by-side testing, I took the reels to a local lake to put the drags through the wringer against big spotted and striped bass. After two days of fishing and a few dozen catches, I was able to whittle the lineup down to 17. Then I took the remaining reels to a stocked pond monster largemouth for further testing. To add a constant across all the reels, I spooled them with 15-pound Sufix 832 Braid. Then I tied on several similar finesse fishing baits and went to work. 

I caught a quality fish in the 3-pound range on almost every one of the reels. From that final go-around, I was able to confidently select four award winners. However, the competitions were close in all these categories, so we also reviewed six honorable mentions. As far as how the award winners were selected, the Best Overall award went to the best spinning reel from the test, regardless of the price. I determined the Best Value award based on getting the most bang for your buck. Then we awarded the Best $100 Spinning Reel, because so many models fall into this price range. Lastly, the Best Budget award went to the reel that was the most capable for the least amount of money.

Why Trust Us

For more than 125 years, Field & Stream has been providing readers with honest and authentic coverage of outdoor gear. Our writers and editors eat, sleep, and breathe the outdoors, and that passion comes through in our product reviews. You can count on F&S to keep you up to date on the best new gear. And when we write about a product—whether it’s a bass lure or a backpack—we cover the good and the bad, so you know exactly what to expect before you decide to make a purchase.

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