Walleye Jigging can go smoothly by using a right Jigging reel that is well designed for this fishing style. That’s why searching for The Best Walleye Jigging Reels is worth it. We will help you in this task, we did our extensive research looking for reels that we can recommend.
In this article, we are presenting a review of 5 walleye jigging reels. There is also a simple buying guide at the end of the article about choosing the right jigging reels In addition, we answered some of the most common questions that pop up in your mind when it comes to walleye jigging.
5 Best Jigging Reels For Walleye Fishing
I know that you’re probably in hurry. Here is our list:
- Pflueger President Spinning Fishing Reel
- Cadence CS8 spinning reel
- Piscifun Alijoz Baitcasting Reels
- KastKing Rover Round Baitcasting Reel
- PENN Slammer III Spinning Fishing Reel
Pflueger President Spinning Fishing Reel
The budget option on our list. Though Pflueger President Reel comes at a fairly cheap price, it offers a wide range of features that made it to our list.
Let’s start by talking about the drag system. You probably know that the drag system is pretty important and ensuring its smoothness and reliability is crucial. Pflueger President offers an oiled felt drag system. This is expected at this price point. This system is old, but it’s reliable and smooth. The drag works excellently offering smoothness and consistent releases.
The gear ratio in the entire series is 5.2:1 and if you need more speed you should choose a bigger spool size. Anyway, 5.2:1 is considered in the mid-range and is suitable for rigging walleye. It’s worth noting that the spool is braid ready which eliminates the need to use monofilament packing with braid lines.
Looking at the materials, the body and rotor are made from graphite. It’s lightweight and corrosion-resistant at the same time. The main shaft is made from corrosion-resistant stainless steel. It’s a solid and durable choice. The handle is also made from aircraft-grade aluminum for superior durability.
The reel comes with 7 corrosion-resistant stainless steel ball bearings. It’s not only a high number of ball bearings at this price point, but it’s also made from quality stainless steel. The reel comes in 5 sizes which gives you plenty of options to choose from.
Some drawback that you should be aware of is the reel feels kinda cheap. It also doesn’t come with a spare spool. Setting the drag in the right way is also kinda tricky and you have to grease the reel regularly to maintain the best performance.
Overall, If you’re on a budget and looking for a quality spinning reel for walleye jigging, Pflueger President may be the right one for you.
Pros
- Smooth operation.
- Lightweight and made from corrosion-resistant and durable materials.
- It’s versatile and works for many fish species.
- Good quality for a cheap price.
Cons
- Tricky drag setting.
- Feels Cheap.
- Doesn’t come with a spare spool.
Cadence CS8 spinning reel
Cadence CS8 spinning reel is one of the best-looking spinning reels actually. But, beauty isn’t the only thing that made it to our list. This spinning reel offers an impressive list of features and performance that makes it a good walleye jigging reel.
Let’s start by talking about the strong lightweight carbon magnesium composite frame. It’s rare to see a reel made of magnesium. The magnesium is 33% lighter than the aluminum used in normal fishing reels. It’s also much stronger than aluminum. To further minimize the weight of this reel, they involved some aluminum parts like the pinion gear, bail, handle, spool, and main shaft.
Looking at the drag system, it features a carbon fiber disc drag system. This drag system offers consistent and smooth dragging. It can handle up to 20 Lbs which enables you to go after large walleye species. It’s also more durable than the old traditional oil felt drag system. Cadence CS8 features 9 corrosion-resistant stainless steel ball bearings with an additional one for the anti-reverse mechanism.
The gear ratio is 6.2:1 or 5.2:1. Which makes it a pretty fast reel for its size. If you’re chasing big walleye, you will probably need a spinning reel this fast. The handle is made from Aluminium and comes with an ergonomic EVA knob. Though EVA knob isn’t the best when it comes to sensitivity. It’s just a knob for the reel handle which is lighter and more durable than cork grips.
My final verdict about Cadence CS8 is that it’s considered a strong competitor to large established names like Shimano, Penn, and Pflueger. It’s offering great value for its price, though its price may be a little bit high compared to other reels on our list. With its list features, We recommend it for jigging walleye.
Pros
- Very good looking.
- Extremely lightweight.
- Fast spinning reel.
- Smooth operation.
- High Value for the price.
Cons
- It’s relatively expensive compared to other reels on our list.
Piscifun Alijoz Baitcasting Reels
Piscifun Alijoz is the first baitcasting reel on our list. Baitcasting reels offer several advantages over spinning reels that you can use for jigging walleye. Some of these advantages include fewer line twists, better casting accuracy, and higher power of large walleye.
Let’s start by talking about the dragging. Piscifun Alijoz features a very powerful drag system that can boast up to 33 Lbs. This is huge compared to the spinning reel on our list. It also comes with 8 double-shielded stainless steel ball bearings in addition to one instant anti-reverse one. This makes the reel pretty smooth and suitable for saltwater fishing applications also.
The reel is available in 2 gear ratios which are 5.9:1 and 8.1:1. You can easily differentiate between them from the color code. This makes it suitable for various fishing conditions. You can use the 5.9:1 for fast jigging while the 8.1:1 for slow jigging.
Talking of materials, the reel offers reinforced Japanese haimai cut gears which can handle large fishing species. It also has a durable and lightweight aluminum frame which a double shaft line guide system that adds more to the stability. I like that the brake system is of the magnetic type. You can easily adjust the settings from 0 to 1 to manipulate your casts.
The drawback here is that the Piscifun Alijoz baitcasting reel is a little noisy. You also have to clean them carefully after every saltwater use to keep them at optimum performance. The brake setting comes on zero and you’re to set them yourself which is not the best for beginners. Also, sometimes it comes dry, so you will have to grease it out. The reel contains a lot of plastic parts which isn’t surprising at this price point. However, all the areas underload are made from metal, so the plastic parts won’t harm you.
Pros
- Strong dragging system.
- Very durable.
- High quality for the money.
- Made from quality materials.
- Fast gear ratios are available.
Cons
- The included diagram doesn’t clearly show how the parts are oriented. If you lost the track of the direction of some parts, you will have to try a lot to get them in the right orientation again.
- Sometimes you will have to grease the reel because it comes dry.
- You have to clean it after every saltwater fishing use.
- A little noisy.
KastKing Rover Round Baitcasting Reel
Kastking Rover Round is an example of how you can get a decent conventional reel for walleye jigging at an affordable price point.
Let’s start our review by talking about the materials. The spool is made from high-grade aluminum with a tuned brass shaft and appealing anodized red side plates. In addition, the internal components are made from stainless steel. It also offers 6+1 double-shielded stainless steel ball bearings. These materials combined offer a high level of durability and corrosion resistance which makes it good for saltwater fishing.
The gear ratio is the lowest on our list at 3.6:1, so if you want a slow retrieval for fast jigs, this may be the one for you. The reel comes with a carbon fiber star drag system. It delivers great power and can compete with other expensive baitcasting and trolling reels. However, some anglers reported that they noticed some weakness in it. It also has better longevity than the traditional old dragging system.
Overall, if you’re new to walleye jigging and looking for an affordable conventional reel that won’t break the bank, you’re to put Kastking Rover Round baitcasting reel into your consideration.
Pros
- Made of high-quality materials.
- Beginner friendly.
- High value for an affordable price.
- Lightweight.
- Durable.
Cons
- Doesn’t have a braid-ready spool.
- The diagram in the manual is so small.
- The drag is kinda weak.
PENN Slammer III Spinning Fishing Reel
The premium option on our list. Penn Slammer III spinning reel is the most expensive reel on our list and is the best one so far. It was released in 2016 and won the best new saltwater reel in the iCast 2016. With being close to a 5-star rating on Amazon, this spinning reel is really something to consider.
The reel is designed to do the job in a harsh saltwater environment. It has a full metal body, side plate, and rotor. It keeps the pinion and great lined up properly ensuring smooth retrieve and high durability. It offers a CNC machined brass gearing system that gives high cranking power. Brass is better than aluminum when it comes to longevity and smoothness.
The Shaft, main pinion, and the drag are sealed to keep the saltwater away. For the dragging, it’s offering the Dura-Drag system which is even better and stronger than the HT-100 carbon washers. This is expected at this price range. They also coated the washers with Phenolic to enhance their durability and smoothness.
Slammer III comes with 6 IPX6 sealed stainless steel ball-bearing with an additional one for anti-reverse. One of the features that got my attention is the 2 handle knobs. Penn Slammer III comes with an aluminum knob used for big fish. There is also an EVA knob for comfortability.
Pros
- Heavy-duty design.
- Strong Dura-Drag drag system.
- IP67 sealing system.
- High-quality materials.
Cons
- It’s heavy in weight because of the aluminum body.
Buying guide On How To Choose The Best Walleye Jigging Reel
The fishing reels are one of the most important items in your Fishing trip. If you need to have a successful walleye Jigging experience, you should carefully choose the right reel.
But How do you do this with the so many choices that are offered to you when you walk into the fishing gear store? And what are the differences between them all? Let’s answer these questions by going on an Explanatory guide about the most important factors that should be considered when choosing your new Walleye Jigging Reel:
The Reel Type
This is a small point that you should be aware of. Should you choose a conventional or a spinning reel? Well, both work, but it depends on which type of jigging you’re doing.
For long jigs, I recommend using spinning reels. This is because the spinning reel takes a longer time to retrieve which gives the long jig more time in the horizontal position. The horizontal position is the one that gets bitten the most. For short jigs, conventional reels are better because you will be able to pull easier than with the spinning setup.
Related:
- Best 4 Walleye Rods Under $100 – Reviews And Buying Guide.
- Best 5 Rod And Reel Combos For Walleye – Which One Is Better?
Frame Materials
Ordinarily, there are several materials used for manufacturing fishing reels, especially those made for walleye fishing. Frame materials vary from solid aluminum to graphite, and plastic.
But what is the difference between these materials?
Firstly you should know that Plastic reels should be avoided as it is not durable and the different components won’t be tightly integrated with each other.
Aluminum is featured for its rich durability. But it also has a heavyweight due to the aluminum material. On the other hand, graphited reels are light in weight but don’t have the same durability as aluminum. Being lightweight, Graphite made reels are highly suggested for walleye jigging.
Dragging system
Using a good dragging system enables you to catch bigger fish, particularly the walleye. Using a disc drag system is perfect for smooth fishing and gathering great numbers of fish.
Walleye don’t require heavy lines, so you need a smooth, reliable drag that can work well on the lower end. Maximum drag settings aren’t so important for walleye. For walleye, 15 pounds of drag or slightly less is enough.
Reel Ball Bearings
Bearings is the part responsible for making the reel turn smoothly. They are located within the reel body and work on improving its smoothness and stability. It is generally known the more bearings that are located on the reel the better.
But now it doesn’t look right to think so as more bearings don’t always be an indication of a superior product. A reel with upwards of 10 bearings will not emulate a high-end reel with only six or seven bearings. That is why strongly ensuring that the bearing quality outweighs its number.
So you should carefully choose good Quality bearings that will provide a better performance, smooth operation, and high corrosion resistance.
Related:
- 5 Best Walleye Lures and Rigs for Shore Fishing: Reviews and Tips.
- 5 Best Walleye Trolling Rods – Reviews & Buying Guide.
gear ratio
gear ratio is a measure of the number of rotations of the spool that are produced by each turn. For example, a gear ratio of 4.0:1 indicates there are complete 4.0 rotations of the spool with one turn of the handle.
A gear ratio somewhere between 5.1:1 and 6.4:1 will be good for many applications including soft surface lures, plastics, and bait fishing. When you are trying certain fishing styles like surface fishing the reefs, you will be required to pick up the line quickly, so a 6.2:1 ratio would be highly suggested.
But if you are going deep sea jigging you will need more power to perfectly pull fish from the depths, so a 4.4:1 gear ratio would be ideal. Also, keep in mind that it depends on the type of the jig. For fast jigging, you will need a slow retrieving reel while for slow jigging you will need a faster retrieval one.
Reel Handle
The reel handle plays the main role in the performance of the reel. Having a smooth and easily controllable handle is an essential factor in a successful comfortable fishing time.
Line Capacity
line capacity is worth paying great attention to. On a beach caster, you need to have a reel of 15lb line. When casting a long distance a reel of about 12-15lb is best. Generally, A reel with about 20lb is preferable for beginners if you’re going for walleye jigging.
Spool
Spools are used as housing for fishing lines and work with the bail arm for keeping the line secure. Some spools are so shallow and others are deeper with room for sufficing a lot more line. When spooling a reel, more care should be taken for ensuring correct filling. Too much or less line can affect real performance. For example, you can use a 300m Spool size for a 15lb line.
Line type
There are three main types of fishing lines used for fishing reels. Every one of them can help in putting some fish on the deck. Each type has its own features and benefits that make it suitable for specific styles of fishing. Line types are braided, Monofilament, and fluorocarbon.
Braid and Monofilament are more common.
Braid features with Best casting distance
Very thin diameter which is useful for increasing line capacity. It has No memory which means it will not get curls in line. Also, it doesn’t stretch, providing better contact with walleye lures and baits, and it has a good strength suitable for the size ratio.
Monofilament can Provide better knot strength
Stretch, Naturally buoyant, comes in natural and highly-vis colors and provides the best abrasion resistance.
Budget
The budget comes down to your financial ability. you will find a broader range from the smallest kid’s reels to offshore workhorses. Their prices can start from 50$ up to 300$. Each reel has been manufactured for a specific purpose with some certain capabilities.
Generally, expensive reels are designed with higher-grade components which make them more pleasurable to fish with and extend the reels’ life expectancy.
FAQs
What Color Fishing Line Is Best For Walleye Jigging?
line color can be used as a helpful tool for catching more walleye. A colored line makes it easy to see when vertical jigging. Colored lines can tell whether the bait is below the rod tip, which is important to detect the point where the optimum control enables you to avert snags as much as possible.
Choosing Clear bright colors for walleye can be the key to successful walleye jigging.
What Weight Jig Is Best For Walleye?
The 1/4-ounce jig is best for walleye jigging as it caught most walleyes. 1/8- and 3/8-ounce jigs are also important in certain situations. The 1/8-ounce works better in water depths less than 20 feet. the 3/8-ounce is more effective in deeper depths.
What Is The Best Line Weight For Walleye Jigging?
The best line weight for walleye jigging is somewhere 8 to 10 lb.
Conclusion
Walleye Jigging requires a smooth reel, as Using jigs requires that all components work together perfectly for the best sensitivity. However, there are certain rules for choosing a good walleye Jigging reel. We tried as much as possible to make it easy for you by clarifying the important points that should be considered for buying the right Jigging reel.
The best walleye Jigging reels need to have some characteristic features the most important of which are having a lightweight that must match with the rod for good balance, Plus having a good line type that has no line lay issues and suitable spools.
The Right gear ratio, ball bearings made from good materials, and smooth dragging system are also worthy elements to be considered.
Additional Resources: