How to choose your Lew's baitcasting reel

Lew's built its name on the American bass circuits with baitcasting reels that set up fast, cast far and last the season. The current range covers uses that have little left in common: the everyday all-round baitcaster on one side, the big bait reel able to handle 250 g lures on the other.

This guide compares the five references of the Lew's reels range available at Rodhouse, so that by the end you know which one matches your fish and the lures you actually cast.

On a baitcaster, four parameters frame most of the choice, and all of them are on the spec sheet.

• The gear ratio: the number of spool turns per handle turn, so the speed at which you retrieve. Below 6.0:1, you gain torque for high resistance lures (big cranks, bulky spinnerbaits). Between 6.0:1 and 7.0:1, you are in all-round territory. Above 7.0:1, line comes in very fast: jig, Texas rig, frog, anything that needs immediate contact with the fish.
• The cast control brake: this is what prevents a backlash. Magnetic braking adjusts from the outside in one second and forgives a lot, which is the most reassuring when you start out. Centrifugal braking acts on the end of the cast and gives finer control, but you have to open the side plate. Hybrid systems combine both and remain the most flexible solution today.
• Spool and weight: a 34 mm spool starts faster and casts light lures better, a wider or deeper spool holds more line and suits big lures. On weight, a hundred grams of difference is clearly felt after 500 casts.
• Drag power: count on around 5 kg for bass, 8 to 10 kg for pike, more for catfish or saltwater. A carbon drag keeps its smoothness better than a felt stack on long runs.

These reference points apply to baitcasting reels in general, not just to Lew's. Above all they help you rule out quickly the models that do not fit your fishing.

The Speed Spool LFS is the all-rounder of the range, tuned for lures from 10 to 60 g, with the option of going up to 90 g occasionally. Its 6.8:1 ratio and 71 cm of retrieve per turn suit topwater and hard baits as well as a Texas rig, a rubber jig or soft plastics. At 198 g, it stays light enough to keep casting all day when covering water.

The MCS magnetic brake adjusts from the outside: you match the reel to lure weight and casting conditions without opening anything. The 34 mm aluminium spool and the brass gears deliver a solid, consistent drivetrain, including with heavier lures.

In short: a good choice for fishing mainly between 10 and 60 g, from black bass to zander and pike, with occasional peaks at 90 g.

The KVD Elite, developed with Kevin VanDam, four times Bassmaster Classic champion, targets first of all jig, frog and soft plastic fishing, over a 10 to 50 g range. Its fast 7.5:1 ratio picks up slack very quickly and allows firm hooksets, which matters when the fish immediately heads for cover.

The ParaMag RX system combines an external magnetic brake with four adjustable centrifugal shoes, which gives precise cast control without multiplying settings. The 34 mm aluminium spool starts fast and follows across the whole stated power range.

The carbon drag goes up to 9 kg and Zero Reverse removes handle backplay, two points that count when you set the hook on a jig or a frog with the black bass techniques.

In short: a fast and powerful baitcaster, designed for jigs, frogs and soft plastics from 10 to 50 g.

The Lew's BB1 Pro is above all a pike reel for jerkbait fishing (Buster): it casts heavy lures a long way and its 7.5:1 ratio picks up fast. Its working range sits around 10 to 80 g, with occasional peaks at 100 g and 110 g.

It also handles crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, frogs, topwaters and soft plastics very well. Its 35 mm aluminium spool and QuietCast centrifugal brake favour long, accurate casts, and the 20 lbs carbon drag gives enough hold to keep a pike out of heavy cover.

In short: built for pike on jerkbait (Buster Jerk), but versatile enough for other lure fishing from 15 to 80 g, with occasional capacity up to 110 g.

The Lew's Team Elite Ti is the flagship of the group, comfortable from 4 to 90 g, from soft plastics and small hard baits through to jigs, jerkbaits and bulkier pike lures. Its ParaMag magnetic brake keeps control at the start of the cast then frees up the spool more towards the end, which lengthens casts without losing accuracy.

176 g on the scale, one piece aluminium frame, 10+1 stainless bearings and a 9 kg carbon drag: the balance between lightness and power is well held. Its 7.5:1 ratio (76 cm per turn) serves the techniques where slack has to be picked up fast, jerkbait, jig or soft plastics.

In short: a very versatile premium baitcaster, from 4 to 90 g, for black bass, zander and pike, with casting distance and accuracy as the priority.

The Lew's Super Duty 300 is designed for heavy pike fishing, with an optimal casting range of 30 to 250 g, big swimbaits and bulky lures first of all.

One piece aluminium frame, solid brass gears, 10.9 kg carbon drag: everything is sized for the loads of big lures and powerful fish. The MSB braking, both magnetic and centrifugal, helps you keep control with heavy, low aerodynamic lures, or into a head wind.

With a 7.2:1 ratio and 89 cm recovered per turn, the retrieve stays fast despite the size, which you feel quickly with big lures.

It was not designed for saltwater fishing, but it has been running for several years on the Brittany coast, notably for pollack. So you can take it there, provided you rinse it thoroughly with fresh water after every session.

In short: a very powerful baitcaster, for pike on big swimbaits and glide baits from 30 to 250 g, sturdy enough to go after pollack at sea.

If you are still hesitating, take the problem from the fishing side rather than from the reel side.

• You are starting in baitcasting or you want a do-it-all reel you can set without thinking: Speed Spool LFS Gen 3.
• You alternate jig, chatterbait, crank and Texas rig on the same session and you want braking that follows without complex settings: KVD Elite Baitcast.
• You fish deep cranks, frogs or the A-rig and casting distance decides your bites: BB1 Pro, in 6.2:1 for torque or 7.5:1 for versatility.
• You fish often and you want the best balance of distance, lightness and control in the range: Team Elite Ti.
• You cast swimbaits of 100 g and up, you target catfish, or you fish heavy vertical at sea: Super Duty 300.

One last point that often gets overlooked: balance with the rod. A 255 g reel on a light blank throws off the whole set-up and tires the wrist, and conversely a 176 g reel on a big bait rod feels underdone. Think in terms of a rod plus reel pairing, and the choice almost always narrows down on its own. Our freshwater predator rods give useful power reference points for building that pairing.