Depending on manufacturer and model, spinning reels are usually sized smallest to largest from 1000 up to 10000 or more. The smallest of reels sized 1000 or less are designed for light tackle, most suitable for panfish or ice fishing. Reels sized 3000 to 5000 are considered the best all-around sizes for most fish species such as bass and other medium sized inshore saltwater fish. The larger sizes are designed for bigger fish, pelagic offshore species, or surf fishing for species that can take drag and spool lots of line.
Not every manufacturer or model will make a reel in every size. Some models may only be offered in a small range of sizes. For example, a spinning reel designed and marketed for surf fishing may only be offered in a handful of larger sizes, because you would never use a 1000-sized spinning reel for surf fishing.
These numbers are not standardized, meaning that a spinning reel from one manufacturer won't be exactly the same size as a spinning reel from another manufacturer, but they should be similarly sized. The numbers are a good indication of the capabilities and line capacity of a reel.
As reel sizes get larger, available drag weight will increase. It's common for a 1000 size reel to have 10lbs or less of drag available, because the target species of a reel that size should not be able to pull with 10lbs of force. A larger spinning reel will sometimes have 20-30lbs of drag, because a larger fish will pull on the line with more power.
Another consideration of reel size is line capacity. On small reels, large line capacities aren't necessary because panfish don't pull drag for hundreds of yards. Small spools of thin diameter line are sufficient for the task at hand. If you're trolling for pelagic fish in deep saltwater, or surf fishing for large sharks, you will need more capacity of a larger diameter line because those fish will be more likely to max out your drag and take hundreds of yards of line off your spool.
What size spinning reel do I need?
This depends entirely on the type of fishing you plan on doing, and the species you plan on targeting.
A 1000 size spinning reel is perfect for ice fishing, or targeting panfish in shallow water with an ultralight rod.
A 2000-4000 size reel is a great all-around option for freshwater fishing with medium tackle. These reels are more than capable of handling most freshwater species of fish you'll encounter as an angler, and they will be able to reel in an impressive personal best if you know how to fight it.
Spinning reels sized 5000 and higher are for heavy fish, long casting, and holding enough line to keep a large fighting fish from unwinding it all from your spool. Bigger stronger fish will require a bigger reel with more drag and line capacity. But you don't want to choose a reel that's so large that its drag and capacity capabilities are wasted. Then you're just carrying around extra size and weight that's unnecessary.
To determine what size spinning reel you need, ask yourself:
- What species will I be targeting, and how large and strong are they?
- What weight, diameter, and type of fishing line will I be using?
- How much line will I need to fight the average fish?