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The Best Spinning Reels

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

Most “best reel” lists cover lure fishing or coarse fishing, rarely both, and a fair few still push reels that UK tackle shops can’t currently supply.

For most anglers, the best spinning reel is a 2500 to 3000 size with a smooth front drag and an aluminium spool. The Daiwa 23 Ninja LT is the all-round pick, the Shimano Sienna FG is the budget pick, and a sealed Penn is the one for the sea.

Size and drag smoothness change your fishing. Extra bearings and spec-sheet extras rarely do. Size numbers are brand labels, not a standard, so compare spool capacity. On Windermere I’ve found a small, light reel balances a soft drop-shot rod for perch far better than a bigger one, while pike lures need the extra spool and drag of a larger size.

Below are nine picks across lure, coarse and inshore sea fishing, each listed at a UK retailer when checked. If you’re new to reels, start with how a spinning reel differs from other reel types.

Pick Best for Sizes to look at Price at Angling Direct, 23 Oct 2026
1. Daiwa 23 Ninja LT All-round, one-reel buyers 2500, 3000-C, 4000-C £67.99 (list £84.99)
2. Shimano Sienna FG Budget, first reel, juniors 1000 FG, 2500 £24.99 (was £39.99)
3. Shimano Nasci FD Drop-shot perch to pike 1000, 4000 £124.99 to £139.99
4. Daiwa Prorex X LT Mid-range pike lures 3000-C, 4000-C £74.99 to £84.99
5. Daiwa 25 Caldia LT Premium sealed lure reel 2500, 4000-CXH £177.95 to £199.99
6. Daiwa 26 Crossfire LT Lure fishing under £40 Check range £39.99
7. Shimano Nexave FJ Light feeder, float, mixed Check range £69.99
8. Penn Spinfisher VII Inshore sea spinning 3500, 4500 £115.95 to £139.99
9. Penn Slammer IV Heavy-duty sea, small sealed reel 2500, 3500 £161.95 to £199.99

Picks come from UK retailer listings and published reviews, not hands-on tests. Prices are Angling Direct’s on 23 October 2026, and sales move them by 10 to 40 per cent, so check before you buy.

Some well-known reels are left out on purpose: the Shimano Stradic FM and Okuma Azaki were out of stock when checked, and no UK listing turned up for the Daiwa 24 Certate G LT or Shimano Ultegra FC.

This guide may contain affiliate links. They never change the picks.

For rods, lines and the rest of the kit, see all our tackle guides.

1. Best All-Round Spinning Reel: Daiwa 23 Ninja LT

Buy one reel in the right size and it will cover canal perch, river pike and a bass trip to the coast. That’s the case for the Ninja LT.

It suits a first proper reel or a do-everything spare. Daiwa builds it with an AIRDRIVE rotor, Tough Digigear and an ATD drag, and it comes in 2000, 2500, 2500-XH, 3000-C, 4000-C, 5000-C and 6000 sizes.

Pick the size for your main fishing:

  • 2500: general lure work and light float fishing
  • 3000-C to 4000-C: pike lures and heavier line
  • 5000-C and 6000: heavier work where you need more line on the spool

An Angling Times reviewer used the Ninja LT everywhere from canal pike to saltwater trips for bass and pollock without it seizing, and the magazine names it the best multi-use spinning reel in its test.

Price: £67.99 on sale (list £84.99) at Angling Direct, in stock on 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • Seven sizes, from 2000 to 6000
  • Used in fresh and salt water by an independent reviewer
  • £17 off list at the time of checking

Cons

  • Smaller sizes don’t suit mono thicker than 0.16mm, so load the 2000 and 2500 with braid or fine mono

Pair it with a 7 to 9ft lure rod from our spinning rods guide.

Best for: anglers buying one reel to do several jobs.

Skip if: you fish mostly in salt (see the Penn picks below) or want a sealed body (see the Caldia LT at number 5).

2. Best Budget Spinning Reel: Shimano Sienna FG

A Shimano with an aluminium spool for £24.99. That was the Angling Direct price on 23 October 2026, down from £39.99, and it makes the Sienna FG the cheapest pick in this guide by £15.

This is the reel for a first set-up, a junior rod, a spare, or light float and lure fishing where you don’t want to spend £70 before you know you’ll stick with it. Shimano fits it with an AR-C aluminium spool.

Sizes run 1000 FG, 2000 FG, 2500, 2500 HG, C3000 and 4000. The 2500 is the sensible default. Go for the 1000 or 2000 if you’re matching it to a light drop-shot rod for perch.

Angling Times names the Sienna FG its best budget spinning reel. Its criticism is that the front drag isn’t as precise as on dearer reels, and a less refined drag can jerk rather than slip smoothly when a fish lunges. Work around that:

  • Set the drag well below your line’s breaking strain.
  • Pull line off the spool by hand before your first cast to check it gives steadily.

Price: £24.99 at Angling Direct, in stock on 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • Very low price for a branded reel
  • Aluminium spool
  • A 1000 size for light drop-shot work

Cons

  • Drag less refined than the dearer reels here

Quick comparison: the Daiwa 26 Crossfire LT at number 6 costs £15 more and adds Daiwa’s ATD drag. If pike are your main target, that upgrade is worth paying for.

3. Best for Drop-Shotting Perch Through to Pike: Shimano Nasci FD

One model that runs from 1000 to C5000 XG means your drop-shot reel and your pike reel can share the same handle, drag layout and feel.

The full range covers 1000, 2500, C3000, C3000 HG, 4000, 4000 XG and C5000 XG. Shimano fits it with HAGANE gearing, Silent Drive and a CoreProtect water-repellent treatment.

The letters after the size matter. HG and XG mean a higher gear ratio, so each turn of the handle brings in more line. That suits lures you want to fish fast or pick up quickly. A lower ratio gives more torque for winding in bigger lures or heavier fish.

For sizing, Angling Times advises:

  • 1000: lighter rods and finer lines for drop-shotting
  • 2000 class: the usual drop-shot size
  • 2500 to C3000: pike on larger venues

The Nasci has no 2000, so drop-shotters choose between the 1000 for the finest lines and the 2500 for a little more spool. Balance decides it. You hold a lure rod all session, and a reel that’s too big makes a soft drop-shot rod tip-heavy.

Price: £124.99 to £139.99 at Angling Direct, 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • Size spread from fine drop-shot to heavy pike lures
  • Water-repellent CoreProtect treatment
  • HG and XG options for faster retrieves

Cons

  • Nearly double the Ninja LT’s sale price
  • CoreProtect repels water but isn’t a sealed body, so don’t treat it like one

Our recommendation: if you drop-shot perch in summer and throw lures for pike in winter, buy the 1000 and the 4000.

4. Best Mid-Range Pike Lure Reel: Daiwa Prorex X LT

Hours of casting and retrieving lures put twist into your line. Then the braid starts throwing loops, and a wind knot costs you a lure on the next cast.

The Prorex X LT is built as a lure reel first. It’s described as covering light to medium-heavy lure work, and comes with an AIRDRIVE rotor, five ball bearings, Tough Digigear and Twist Buster III, a line-lay feature designed to cut down the twist that builds up when you cast all day.

Sizes are 2500, 3000-C, 3000-CXH and 4000-C. Angling Times suggests 2000 to 3000 for pike on larger venues and 4000 or bigger for big pike on heavy line, which maps onto this range like this:

  • 3000-C: pike lures on larger venues
  • 3000-CXH: the same size with a faster retrieve, for lures that need speed
  • 4000-C: big pike on big waters with heavier line

The listing makes no sealing claim for this reel, so rinse it after any session in brackish water.

Price: £74.99 to £84.99 at Angling Direct, in stock on 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • Designed around lure fishing
  • Twist Buster III helps with braid loops
  • Five bearings and a fast-retrieve CXH option

Cons

  • No sealing claim found
  • Costs more than the Ninja LT on sale

If you want a matched set rather than building your own, see our pike rods and reels guide.

The verdict: this is the reel to buy when pike become your main target and the budget stops short of a sealed Caldia.

5. Best Premium Sealed Lure Reel: Daiwa 25 Caldia LT

The Caldia LT costs about £110 to £130 more than the Ninja LT on sale. That money buys sealing and a stiffer body, not more fish.

The Caldia LT has a MagSealed body, which resists water and grit getting into the workings. Its ZAION V monocoque construction means the body and gear housing are one piece, for rigidity. Sizes up to 4000 get an ATD Type-L drag, and the 5000 gets ATD Tough Drag with carbon discs. Sizes are 2500, 3000-XH, 4000-CXH and 5000-C.

In practice, sealing pays off in wet, gritty or salty conditions, where an unsealed reel picks up grit and loses its smoothness. If you fish dry banks on fresh water, the Ninja LT at number 1 will serve you just as well.

The Shimano Stradic FM deserves a mention. Angling Times rates it highly as a pike spinning reel, but it showed out of stock at Angling Direct (£209.99) on 23 October 2026, so it isn’t a numbered pick here. If you prefer Shimano, check stock before you decide.

Price: £177.95 to £199.99 depending on size at Angling Direct, in stock on 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • MagSealed body for wet and salty use
  • One-piece monocoque body
  • Carbon-disc drag on the 5000

Cons

  • Nearly £200 for the larger sizes
  • No catch-rate advantage over cheaper reels

Quick comparison: against the Ninja LT, buy the Caldia if you fish in rain, wade, or take your lure rod to the coast. Otherwise, spend the difference on line and lures.

6. Best Under £40 for Perch and Pike Lures: Daiwa 26 Crossfire LT

Under £40 and you still get an ATD drag. That’s the part that matters when a pike turns and takes line.

The Crossfire LT shares feature names with the dearer Daiwas in this list: AIRDRIVE rotor, Tough Digigear, ATD Type-L drag and an aluminium spool. It has three ball bearings to the Prorex X LT’s five. That matters less than it looks, because drag and spool quality do more for your fishing than a bearing count.

The full size range couldn’t be confirmed, so check the sizes at the retailer before you order. As a guide, pick a 2500 for perch and small lures, and a 3000 to 4000 for pike.

Price: £39.99 at Angling Direct, 23 October 2026.

Step-up alternative: the Daiwa 23 Revros LT costs £51.95 to £74.99 by size at Angling Direct, in 2500, 3000 C, 4000 C and 6000. The retailer pitches it for trout, perch, zander, pike and bass. No independent review of it turned up, so treat it as a sensible option rather than a proven one.

Also consider: the Okuma Scorpio, £44.99 (was £56.99) at Angling Direct, comes with a spare graphite spool. Pick it if a second spool matters more to you than the badge.

Pros

  • ATD drag at a budget price
  • Aluminium spool

Cons

  • Three bearings
  • Size range not confirmed

Best for: a first lure set-up on a tight budget.

Skip if: you plan to throw heavy pike lures or fish the sea regularly.

7. Best for Light Feeder, Float and Mixed Fishing: Shimano Nexave FJ

Lure-only lists leave out the angler who spends Saturday on the feeder and Sunday spinning for perch. If you want the best fishing reels to cover both, this is where to look.

Shimano markets the Nexave FJ across freshwater lures, inshore salt and coarse and feeder fishing. It has a G-Free body, HAGANE gearing, an AR-C aluminium spool and Varispeed II oscillation. Varispeed II is a line-lay system that spools line on more evenly, which helps it come off cleanly on the cast.

Check the size range at the retailer. As a guide:

  • 2500 class: float fishing and light lures
  • 3000 to 4000 class: light feeder and float work, the range Angling Times suggests

The alternative, the Daiwa 23 Ninja Match and Feeder, comes with a spare spool. That lets you keep mono on one spool for the float and braid or heavier mono on the other for the feeder. Angling Times puts it under £70, but no UK retailer listing confirmed a current price, so check before you buy.

Independent reviews of the Nexave FJ are thin, so this pick rests on its features and price.

Price: £69.99 at Angling Direct, 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • Marketed for coarse, lure and inshore use
  • Varispeed II line lay
  • Aluminium spool

Cons

  • Limited independent reviews
  • Size range not confirmed

Our recommendation: if most of your sessions are on commercial fisheries with a feeder, start here. If they’re on a river with lures, go back to number 1 or 4.

8. Best Spinning Reel for Inshore Sea Fishing: Penn Spinfisher VII

Spray and sand get into unsealed reels. Within a season the handle can turn gritty and rough, and on a freshwater reel taken to the coast, that damage is hard to undo.

The Spinfisher VII has an IPX5-sealed body and spool, and brass CNC gearing. IPX5 is a rating for resisting jets of water, such as spray and splashes. It isn’t a rating for being dunked, so don’t drop it in a rock pool and expect it to shrug that off. Sizes are 3500, 4500, 6500, 7500 and 10500. There’s no 2500.

As a general guide:

  • 3500: light spinning for bass and mackerel from rocks and beaches
  • 4500 to 6500: heavier lures or heavier line

The cheaper Penn option is the Fierce IV, at £105.99 to £109.99 at Angling Direct. It has a full metal body and is marketed to saltwater anglers, but it doesn’t carry the IPX sealing claim. From around £10 more, the Spinfisher’s sealing is the better buy for regular salt use.

Sealed or not, rinse any reel in fresh water after every sea session and let it dry before you put it away.

Price: £115.95 to £139.99 at Angling Direct, 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • IPX5-sealed body and spool
  • Brass gearing
  • Under £140 for a sealed sea reel

Cons

  • Smallest size is 3500
  • Not rated for full immersion

The verdict: the first proper sea spinning reel to buy for bass, pollock and mackerel.

9. Best Heavy-Duty Sea Spinning Reel: Penn Slammer IV

The reel with the highest water-resistance rating in this list also comes in a 2500, the size this guide suggests as an all-round default.

The Slammer IV has an IPX6-sealed body and spool. That’s one step up from the Spinfisher VII’s IPX5: IPX6 covers powerful jets of water, not just splashes. It has a full metal body, 8+1 stainless bearings, HT-100 drag washers on the 2500, and a spare EVA handle knob on sizes 3500 to 10500. Sizes run from 2500 to 10500.

It suits three kinds of angler:

  • those who spin in the sea most weeks
  • those who fish heavier lures over rough ground or in big tides
  • those who want one sealed reel for the coast and for pike lures on big waters, in the 2500 or 3500 size

The drawback is cost. At up to £199.99, it’s overkill for a few summer mackerel trips, and the Spinfisher VII at number 8 does that job for less.

Price: £161.95 to £199.99 at Angling Direct, 23 October 2026.

Pros

  • IPX6-sealed body and spool
  • Full metal body
  • Available in a small 2500 size

Cons

  • Expensive
  • More reel than an occasional sea angler needs

Best for: regular sea spinning and anglers who want a small sealed reel.

Skip if: you only fish the coast a couple of times a year.

Spinning Reel Sizes at a Glance

Size numbers are brand labels rather than a standard, so treat this table as a starting point and compare spool capacity between makers before you buy. For the detail behind each size, see our full fishing reel sizes guide.

Use Reel size Line
Drop-shot perch on canals and small rivers 1000 to 2000 Light braid or fine mono
General lure and light float 2500 Braid or mono
Pike on larger venues 2000 to 3000 Braid
Big pike with heavy line 4000+ Heavier braid
Light feeder 3000 to 4000 Mono
Inshore sea spinning Sealed 2500 to 4500 class (Slammer IV 2500, Spinfisher VII from 3500) Braid or mono

A baitcaster suits heavier lures and repeated accurate casting once you’ve learnt to control it. If that sounds like your fishing, see our best baitcaster reels guide.

Frequently asked questions

What size spinning reel do I need?

A 2500 suits general lure and light float fishing, a 1000 to 2000 suits drop-shotting, and a 4000 or larger suits big pike on heavy line. Size numbers are brand labels rather than a standard, so compare spool capacity between makers before you buy. The size table above and our fishing reel sizes guide go into more detail.

Should I put braid or mono on a spinning reel?

Braid suits most lure fishing because it transmits lure movement and is stronger for its diameter. It chafes and breaks more easily when rubbed over a snag, though, so many lure anglers add a short mono or fluorocarbon leader. Mono is more forgiving and a good choice for beginners and float fishing. Whatever your main line, use a wire trace for pike, because their teeth cut through braid and mono.

How full should I fill a spinning reel spool?

Fill it so the line sits just beneath the lip of the spool. Too little line cuts your casting distance, and too much causes tangles. On a deep spool, put cheap backing on first so braid doesn't slip on the bare spool and you don't waste expensive line. Angling Times flags the Shimano Ultegra FC spool as deep enough for braid to need backing or a reducer, and the same applies to any deep spool.

How do I stop line twist on a spinning reel?

Close the bail arm by hand after each cast rather than by turning the handle. Never wind while the drag is slipping, because every turn adds twist. Use a swivel above spinners that rotate, and look for a reel with a twist-reducing line lay, such as Daiwa's Twist Buster III on the Prorex X LT at number 4.

Can I use a freshwater spinning reel in the sea?

Yes, occasionally, but salt and sand get into unsealed reels and shorten their life. Rinse the reel in fresh water after every trip and dry it before storage. For regular sea fishing, buy a sealed reel such as the Penn Spinfisher VII or Slammer IV (numbers 8 and 9), or the MagSealed Daiwa Caldia LT at number 5.

Is a spinning reel or a baitcaster better for lure fishing?

A spinning reel is better for most anglers. It's easier to use, casts light lures better and suits beginners. A baitcaster suits heavier lures and repeated accurate casting once you've learnt to control it, and takes practice to cast without tangles. If you're weighing that up, see our best baitcaster reels guide.

Sources

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