Frequently asked questions about electric fishing reels
How many amps does an electric reel need?
Electric reels will draw between 2 & 30 amps depending on how much power is applied during load. For example if the reel is at a stall the reel will draw 2-3 amps while at maximum power the reel will draw 30 amps.How long does an electric reel battery last?
There are a few factors at play here depending on the size of the battery used and the load being applied to the reel. As a general rule, a standard 12v battery will last around 4 hours. When factoring in battery life we would suggest considering options such as connecting to your boat battery or installing 12v sockets in your boat. This is a great way to ensure batteries are recharged and increase your fishing time.When should I use an electric reel?
Electric reels are incredibly convenient and are now being used in many different forms of fishing. We normally recommend using an electric reel in over 200m of water when targeting bottom-dwelling fish such as Hakupa, Bass, Kingfish, Snapper, Gemfish, Bluenose & more. Smaller electric reels like the Daiwa Leobritz 300 are now a great way to keep the older generation fishing when reeling in larger fish is becoming harder.What are the best brands of electric reels?
Considering the nature of electronics & the fast-developing technology in the battery & engine space the best reels generally come from the brands with the ability to invest in extensive R&D. Leading the race are the likes of Daiwa, Shimano & Penn.How do I match my electric fishing reel with the right rod?
Great question; your rod is an important piece to the puzzle. We have pulled together a full range of specifically selected deep-drop rods. Our team have also written a full buying guide for selecting the perfect fishing rod in NZ.Can I use an electric reel for jigging?
The short answer is yes. Most modern electric reels include a jigging feature or setting whereby you can effectively target pelagic species such as Yellowtail Kingfish. This method of fishing has become increasingly popular as technology improves. It’s something else to see an electric reel mechanical jig for Kingfish whilst resting in the gunnel.What is the best braid or line for my electric reel?
When it comes to spooling your electric reel with a braid, we suggest an 8-strand multi-colour braid such as the X8 J-Braid from Daiwa. This high-quality Japanese braid ensures optimal performance while ensuring you know exactly how much braid you have out during your drift. The most common breaking strain is 80lb which allows plenty of braid to be packed on your spool.How do I know what weight braid to choose for my electric reel?
Always match your braid with the manufacturer's suggestion. This is generally found on the provided reel box or manual. Alternatively, we provide full product details on all of our product pages for your reference. Expert Tip – always ensure your rod is also matched to the weight of the braid you choose to use. This will ensure all your gear retains its manufacturer's warranty and performs as it should.
Electric Fishing Reels
As NZ’s best
online fishing store, we stock a massive range of the latest electric fishing reels from the world’s most trusted fishing brands. Electric reels is a space that has taken off in recent years off the back of extensive research & development by the manufacturers. This fast-moving category offers modern conveniences that are quickly changing the way we fish.
When choosing the perfect electric reel for you there are a few things we encourage you to consider:
- Depth of water: Having a good understanding of the grounds you intend to fish is important for a few reasons; primarily spool capacity & overall reel size. For example, if you intend to target inshore species in under 150m then we would suggest a Daiwa Leobritz S500JP which provides 400m of PE5 braided line. If you intended to target Hapuka or Bass in 300m + we would then suggest the Daiwa Seapower 1200 Electric Reel.
- Target Species: Target species plays a big role in more than just line capacity. More factors such as ‘max drag’ & ‘Retrieval Speed’ start to become key features of any electric reel. As a general rule, if you are fishing for large deep water species such as Hapuka, Bass or Bluenose seek a reel with over 25kg of max drag & at least 750m of line capacity.
- Price Budget: There are now electric reels for everyone & every price bracket. Like everything, you do get what you pay for however nowadays even entry-level reels such as the Daiwa Tanacom 1000 provide incredible reliability.
You’re going to need more than just the reel. Once you have the above sorted we are going to need to hatch a plan for the following:
- Deep Drop Rods: Now that you have selected the perfect electric reel, it’s important to match it with the correct rod. We offer a wide variety of deep drop rods including bent butt & straight butt options along with all appropriate PE rating or weight options. Explore our buying guide – An Epic Guide to the Best Fishing Rods for all the information you need.
- Braided Line: Braided line has evolved quickly over the last several years. As technology improves we can increase spool capacity with a thinner braided line whilst increasing the strength of the line altogether. Although we mostly spool electric reels with 8 – 10 strand braided lines it is becoming increasingly popular to use hollow core lines for deep sea fishing.
- Premade Deep Drop Rigs: Building your own Deep Drop Rigs is still a great activity for a rainy day however it’s becoming increasingly popular to kit up with premade rigs from trusted manufacturers. View the full range of high-quality rigs here.
Fishing Accessories
Now there are a few things we would strongly suggest to make your deep-dropping more enjoyable but the options are endless. To name a few key ingredients; we suggest considering accessories such as the following.
Power for when you really need it
Back to the reason you’re here; selecting the perfect electric reel for you. When it comes to electric reels the nature of some of the technology can be overwhelming. To simplify this for you, we have broken down the key aspects of the reels so you can better understand their real-world benefits.
- Gear Ratio: The gear ratio of a fishing reel is a measurement of how many times the spool turns during one full turn of the handle. This is important because it will directly effect the performance of the reel specifically to the style of fishing. For example; a lower gear ratio such as 3:1:1 has more torque than a high gear ratio such as 6:2:1
- Max Drag: Understanding your max drag is important to ensure you also select the correct fishing line & appropriate fishing rod to pair with your reel. Drag is a set of friction plates inside the fishing reel designed to apply pressure to the fish to a designed strength. If the fish pulls harder than the drag setting the line will leave the reel, ensuring your line does not break.
- Line Capacity: Line capacity is simply the amount of line your reel can hold on it’s spool. Generally measured in Yards (yds) or Meters (m), it’s important to match your spool capacity with the style of fishing. For deep drop fishing, we suggest 750m plus.
- Bearings: Bearings are situated throughout a fishing reel, generally where there are moving or rotating parts to the reel such as gears, spools, handles or level winds. Bearings ensure the components of a fishing reel operate smoothly & as a general rule of thumb higher-end reels tend to have more bearings resulting in a smoother experience.
- LED Screen: LED Screens are drastically improving within the category of electric reels. Once a feature that simply showcased your depth, now a fully-fledged fish finder screen connected via Bluetooth.
For those who are interested in more than just deep-drop fishing & electric reels, we have some great buying guides to check out. Here are a list we have pulled together for you:
The big reasons why to shop at Land & Sea
Land & Sea stocks the best range of electric reels in NZ. World-renowned brands such as
Daiwa &
Shimano provide fishermen & women with the latest technology and product development. Not only do we stock the best gear but we are experts who share our knowledge with the community. We provide the best buying guides & articles to ensure you are well-equipped to adventure with freedom.
Check out our buying guides here.
