How to choose your Lew's baitcasting reel?

Lew's made its name on the American bass circuits with baitcasting reels that are quick to set up, cast far and last the whole season. Yet the current range now covers uses that have little 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 in the Lew's reels range available at Rodhouse, so that by the end you know which one suits your fish and the lures you really throw.

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

• The gear ratio: the number of spool turns per handle turn, so how fast you retrieve. Below 6.0:1, you gain torque for resistant lures (big cranks, bulky spinnerbaits). Between 6.0:1 and 7.0:1, you are in all-round territory. Above 7.0:1, the line comes in very fast: jig, Texas rig, frog, anything that demands immediate contact with the fish.
• The casting brake: it is what prevents backlashes. The magnetic brake is adjusted from the outside in a second and is very forgiving, the most reassuring when you start out. The centrifugal brake acts at 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.
• The spool and the weight: a 34 mm spool gets going faster and casts light lures better, while a wider or deeper spool holds more line and suits big lures. As for weight, a difference of around a hundred grams is clearly felt after 500 casts.
• The drag power: allow about 5 kg for bass, 8 to 10 kg for pike, more for catfish or the sea. A carbon drag stays more consistent than a stack of felt washers on long runs.

These guidelines apply to all baitcasting reels, not just Lew's. Above all they help you quickly rule out the models that do not suit your fishing.

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

The MCS magnetic brake is adjusted from the outside: you match the reel to the lure weight and casting conditions without opening anything. The 34 mm aluminium spool and brass gears deliver a solid, smooth transmission, even 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-time Bassmaster Classic champion, is a compact baitcaster for medium-sized predators (perch, black bass, pike, zander), set up for lures from 10 to 50 g. Its 6.2:1 ratio, or 63.5 cm retrieved per turn, favours torque: it is made for lures that pull, such as crankbaits, bulky spinnerbaits and medium jerkbaits, which you can retrieve all day without effort.

The ParaMag RX system is an advanced magnetic brake that adapts the braking to the weight of the lure, from light crankbaits to heavy spinnerbaits. You cast far and smoothly, with less risk of backlash. Seven double-shielded stainless-steel bearings and aluminium Speed Gears with P2 Super Pinion keep the retrieve even, with no rough spots, even when the lure puts up resistance.

The multi-disc carbon drag stays progressive during the fight and the Zero Reverse removes handle play for an immediate hookset, two points that matter when you search with a crankbait or spinnerbait in the black bass techniques.

In short: a compact 6.2:1 baitcaster designed for lures that pull (crankbaits, spinnerbaits, medium jerkbaits) from 10 to 50 g, from black bass to zander.

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

It also works very well with crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, frogs, topwaters and soft lures. Its 35 mm aluminium spool and QuietCast centrifugal brake favour long, accurate casts, and the 20 lb carbon drag gives enough to hold a pike in heavy cover.

In short: built for pike on jerkbaits (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 top of the range, comfortable from 4 to 90 g, from soft lures and small hardbaits to jigs, jerkbaits and bulkier lures for pike. Its ParaMag magnetic braking keeps control at the start of the cast then frees the spool more towards the end, which lengthens casts without losing accuracy.

176 g on the scale, one-piece aluminium frame, 10+1 stainless-steel bearings and a 9 kg carbon drag: the compromise between lightness and power is well judged. Its 7.5:1 ratio (76 cm per turn) suits fishing where you need to pick up slack quickly: jerkbait, jig or soft lures.

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 in line.

One-piece aluminium frame, solid brass gears, 10.9 kg carbon drag: everything is sized for big lures and powerful fish. The MSB brake, both magnetic and centrifugal, helps keep control of heavy, poorly aerodynamic lures, or in a headwind.

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

It was not designed for sea fishing, but it has been in use for several years on the Brittany coast, notably for pollack. You can therefore take it there, as long as you rinse it thoroughly with fresh water after every trip.

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

If you are still undecided, start from the fishing rather than the reel.

• You are new to baitcasting or want an all-round reel that is easy to set up without thinking: Speed Spool LFS Gen 3.
• You fish crankbaits, spinnerbaits or medium jerkbaits and want torque to retrieve without tiring, with a magnetic brake that keeps up without complicated adjustment: KVD Elite Baitcast.
• You fish deep cranks, frogs or A-rigs and casting distance decides your bites: BB1 Pro, in 6.2:1 for torque or 7.5:1 for versatility.
• You fish often and want the best compromise of distance, lightness and control in the range: Team Elite Ti.
• You throw swimbaits of 100 g and more, target catfish, or fish heavy vertical jigging at sea: Super Duty 300.

One last point that is often overlooked: balance with the rod. A 255 g reel on a light blank upsets the whole setup and tires the wrist, and conversely a 176 g reel on a big-bait rod feels too light. Think in terms of rod plus reel together, and the choice almost always narrows down by itself. Our freshwater predator rods give useful power guidelines for putting this pair together.