While the humble handline is still widely employed for fishing, a mug fisho is less likely to wind up (pun intended) with a tangled mess by starting out with a simple rod and reel outfit.

Basically speaking, we have four major styles of fishing reels available to us. These are the threadline, the overhead, the side-cast and the centre-pin reel. Within this range are a host of sizes, brands and variations, just to confuse the novice.
The threadline is the most commonly used reel and definitely the best mug (sorry, novice) angler’s choice. Threadlines are often referred to as eggbeaters due to their slight resemblance to the old manual style of kitchen eggbeater or cake mixer.
Threadlines are available in a wide range of sizes. Smaller threadlines should be matched to light rods and line weights for estuary, stream and other lighter fishing applications. Larger threadlines can be matched to powerful offshore rods or beefy, long rods for beach and rock fishing. Of course, these eggbeater reels can also be used for all applications in between — but preferably not for mixing your secret bream pudding recipes!

Threadlines are quite simple to use, employing a bail arm and roller-bearing system that winds line onto the spool. The bail arm is flipped over for casting and is automatically engaged to retrieve line once the reel’s handle is turned. Even a child will not get into too much trouble learning to cast and retrieve with a threadline. The only disadvantage of the threadline concept is that the line must travel at 90º to pass through the bail-arm roller and onto the spool. This adds to line friction and is not quite as effective for fast-running fish as a reel that offers direct access for the line to the spool. However, most quality, modern-day threadlines are widely used by novices and experts alike.

OVERHEAD REELS

Overhead reels are generally regarded as more of an expert’s reel. They work off a horizontal spindle that doesn’t require a bail arm. This allows the reel’s drag to work more smoothly and efficiently, and offers a greater amount of cast control. Small overhead reels are commonly called baitcasters. Many lure-casting fanatics employ them as they can generally deliver a medium sized lure more accurately than any other type of reel. This greater degree of control is delivered via educated thumb pressure applied to the spool. Baitcasters require a higher degree of skill to operate because, as the lure slows down toward the end of a cast, the spool tends to keep spinning at a fast rate. This can cause annoying ‘bird nests’ of
line to form at the reel for the novice.

Larger overhead reels are favoured for targeting big, fast-running gamefish and sportsfish. They offer large line capacities and smooth, direct drag systems. Many of the larger overhead reels cannot cast a bait or lure any great distance. They are designed more for trolling or feeding a bait out.

SIDECAST TOUGH

Centre-pin and sidecast reels are a very basic style of reel that lend well to fishing applications where the elements play havoc with the more complex mechanics of conventional threadline or overhead reels.

The centre-pin reel employs a horizontal spindle that lets the spool to spin freely. Rock and beach anglers often use this style of reel as it can take the knocks and environments associated with this type of fishing. Centre-pin reels have less moving parts and therefore, there are fewer things to go wrong with them. Australia’s famous Alvey reels employ the centre-pin design. Build quality of reels is, of course, wide ranging. Generally speaking, lower quality reels have limited ball and roller bearings — sometimes none.

Better quality reels may have up to eight or 10 bearings and be built to a very high degree of precision.
The price of a reel relates to its quality. Cheap reels may only give a season or two of average performance, while an expensive, quality threadline may give a lifetime of top-class performance.

Matching reels with the appropriate rod and line weight is most important, and now we’ll take a look at balanced tackle.

BALANCING ACT

Fishing, like any other pursuit, needs a range of specific tools for the varied tasks undertaken in the pursuit of the many and varied fish species. Uneducated observers of recreational fishing are often overwhelmed by the massive range of fishing tackle available. Some believe that much of it is designed to catch the angler rather than the fish. While there might be a touch of truth in that, the fact remains that not only are the species we target many and varied, but so, too, are the conditions and situations that we target them in. Choosing the right outfit for a certain species and fishing environment will dramatically increase anglers’ strike rates. For instance, an angler chasing wily bream or timid whiting in a quiet estuary with 10 or 15kg line might wait a lifetime just for a bite.  Conversely, an offshore angler using 2kg line for yellowfin tuna might hook plenty of fish, but getting them to the boat would be a whole different story. And, of course, it’s not just line weights that come into play; the delivery vehicle also plays a role. A handline is of little use for surf or wave-washed rock fishing. A long rod and beefy overhead reel are no use if you’re targeting trout with tiny lures in a stream. To be a consistently successful angler, it needs to be understood that every scenario has a rod, reel and line combination that is sweet for the job. It’s all about correct and balanced tackle.

So what is the secret to balancing tackle correctly? Firstly, you need to decide what style of fishing you want, and the species and their sizes you are most likely to encounter.

ROD LENGTHS

For rock, beach or other shore-based fishing that requires a line clear of waves and rocks, you will need some length in the rod (between 2.3 and 3.6m). Boat anglers will need rods of 1.8 to 2.2m for bream, snapper, flathead, whiting, and general estuary and offshore work. “Even a child will not get into too much trouble learning to cast and retrieve with a threadline” When chasing powerful and fast-running sport and gamefish, shorter, more powerful stump-pullers in the 1.5 to 1.7m range are appropriate. You will also need to decide whether you prefer threadline or overhead reels. The latter requires a greater number of line guides than threadlines.

With these basic decisions made, it is important to match the correct sized reel to the rod. Nowadays, most rod and reel combos state recommended line classes on them. So, to ensure that your rod and reel are correctly matched, all you need to do is marry a reel and rod with the same or similar line classes. This ensures your rod and reel are perfectly balanced.
Keep in mind that all of these decisions are based on a specific style of fishing. There is no such thing as one outfit that will do everything. Your local tackle store sales people are usually clued up to local fishing and should be an asset in helping choose the appropriate gear for your chosen style of fishing.

A mistake many newcomers make is to fill the spool with unsuitably heavy line or not enough. If the line is too heavy for the spool, casting distance and other performance is dramatically reduced — ditto for a spool only a half or ¾ full.
So, with your balanced rod and reel, fill the spool to about 1mm short of the lip with a line strength stated on the reel. Finally, you are fishing with mug’s gear no more, and your catches will reflect the difference!

By Scott Amon, as featured in Trailerboat issue 230