The Fastest Baitcasting Reels -- Feeding the Need for Speed (Updated 2025)
Some of you may not be old enough to remember the time when 5:1 was a pretty standard retrieve speed for a baitcasting reel. People scoffed when Daiwa introduced one that was faster than 7:1, but a few decades later just about all of us regularly use reels that are 7:1 or faster.
Then came the true speed demons. They seemed custom-made for techniques like flipping and Carolina rigging – where you manipulate the lure with your rod and often need to reel in quickly to fire out the next cast – but the first 7.9:1 I recall just didn’t have the torque necessary to winch in the bigs. At least among the top tier reels, those problems seem to be in the past, even at higher speeds.
Here are some of the fastest options available – while just about every manufacturer has breached the 8:1 barrier, we’re limiting this inquiry to reels that are 9:1 and faster: In other words, at least nine revolutions of the spool every time you turn the handle.
If you’re just buying your first all-purpose baitcaster, these are likely NOT the reels for you, but they’re all high-quality instruments that will help you in very specfic situations. They’re also exceptional for peacock bass, assuming they have the proper line capacity and drag capabilities.
UPDATE: Since we originally published this piece, Tackle Warehouse has added some new super-speedy baitcasters. Specifically, they’re from Penn. That’s a brand best-known for their saltwater expertise, but these two options can also be used in freshwater for bass, musky, exotics and big lures like glide baits:
