The best surf fishing reels hold up to any saltwater angling situation. Our expert narrowed down his favorite reels, from spinning to conventional, from Penn, Shimano, and more.

I’m often asked to recommend a reasonably priced spinning reel for surf applications. For me, the answer is obvious. The Penn Spinfisher VI reel is the best spinning reel choice, and some version of ...

What This Fishing Reel Does Worst. This is not a good choice for a reel that will see a lot of saltwater from either surf waves or frequent splashing on the gunwales of a boat. I would describe the ...

Penn wasn't the first to make saltwater fishing reels. The category itself dates to 19th century England where coastal fishing was a popular pasttime.