When I first started fishing in the 1980s, baitcasting reels were mysterious and a little bit daunting. The old-timers told us tales of monstrous “bird’s nests” and “backlashes,” which they euphemized ...

A baitcasting reel combines the precision of a Swiss watch and the power of a hydraulic winch. That's why a casting reel requires precision bearings, a high-speed spool and responsive brakes to cast a ...