The pursuit of fishing can become an “overwhelming” advocation when it comes to the list of essential gear required. Whenever possible I try to recommend places where a reel or rod can provide “double duty” on a fishing boat, providing the owner more value for their money. In some cases, this just isn’t that practical. Some special purpose reels are so unique, owning them is justified by the fact they are going to help anglers catch lots more fish. End of story.

LINE COUNTER REELS

     Actually the story is just beginning and a good place to kick off the conversation of special purpose reels is with line counters. The market is literally flooded with line counter style trolling reels ranging in price from under $40.00 to upwards of $1,000.00 each. Obviously the more expensive reels provide more quality, longevity and creature comforts. Not every angler however needs or would get value from a top of the line “line counter” reel.

     Line counter reels are available in two types including gear driven mechanical counters and electronic counters. Gear driven counters function by using a set of brass gears that are engaged when the reel spool is rotating. Each rotation of the spool causes the mechanical counter to click away, providing the angler with a relatively accurate assessment of how much line is actually being deployed behind the boat.

     Mechanical line counters are accurate, trustworthy and for the most part affordable. A few high end mechanical line counter reels cost upwards of $200.00, but the majority are retailed for $120.00 or less.

     Electronic line counter reels have actually be around a long time, yet you rarely see these reels in use. Never have these reels became popular in part because of the overwhelming cost of these reels. Only the most serious troller is going to outfit a boat with reels that can range in price from $200.00 to over $1,000.00 each!

     What makes the electronic line counter a viable option is the accuracy they provide. Because the counter is recorded with a digital readout not a mechanical set of gears, electronic reels can take into consideration variables an ordinary line counter reel can’t.

     Say for example you’re trolling with 200 feet of line out behind the boat. Each rotation of the reel spool, the amount of line on the reel decreases and the amount of line that plays off with each rotation decreases. In other words, if you’re letting out 200 clicks on a mechanical line counter reel, you’re not actually letting out 200 feet of line. Mechanical line counters tend to underestimate the amount of line played out when long lead lengths are required.

     Lead length is a critical factor to how deep fishing lures dive and it’s nice to have the lead length as accurate as possible. Still, the question becomes is the cost of an electronic line counter worth the benefits? 

     The short answer for most anglers and angling situations is NO. Electronic line counters are probably more expensive than can be easily justified. Additional advice is to invest in a mechanical line counter that’s in the middle of the road in terms of price. The less expensive reels are not designed to stand up to day in and day out use. Spending $80.00 to $120.00 each on line counter reels will pretty much guarantee those reels will last for many, many years.

GETTING THE MOST FROM LINE COUNTERS

     Most anglers buy their line counter reels as they can afford them. The problem is when one brand goes on sale, the temptation to mix brands becomes overwhelming. 

     Mixing brands and or sizes of line counter reels is a bad habit to get into. The problem is each reel brand and the different reel sizes don’t calibrate the same. What that means is if you have four different reels on your boat, the numbers that the respective counters indicate will be different on each reel, even if the same amount of line is played out! That defeats the whole purpose of having line counter reels in the first place!

     To get the most accuracy from line counter reels it’s very important to use all the same brand and size reels. Mixing and matching will lead to significant problems in that the lead lengths will vary making it tougher to put together a solid trolling pattern.

     It’s also important to load each reel with exactly the same diameter fishing line. If one reel has 10# test and another has 17# test, the thicker 17# test will take up more space on the reel spool. As line is played off, the diameter of the spool will shrink more quickly with thicker 17# line than thinner 10# line that allows more line to be stored on the spool.

     If all the reels are loaded with the same diameter fishing line and the same amount of line is put on each reel, the line counter functions will be as accurate as possible.

CALIBRATING LINE COUNTERS

     It is possible to calibrate different size line counter reels or reels with different line diameters so the counters match. To do so, measure off a set distance -- say 100 feet -- and mark the distance with two stakes. Tie the fishing line to one stake, zero out the line counter and walk to the second stake letting line play off the reel.

     If you get to the second stake which is exactly 100 feet away and the line counter says you have let out 105 feet of line, the reel is loaded with a little too much line. Cut off 20 feet of line and try the same test again. This time the counter will say 103 or 104, indicating you still need to cut a little more line off the reel and try again. When the reel says 100 and you’re standing at the 100’ marker, the reel is perfectly calibrated.

     This process of calibrating a line counter reel can be done with any brand, size or line diameter. Still, it’s easier to simply buy all your reels from the same manufacturer, choose the same size reels and put the same diameter line on them. This way the reel will naturally be accurate without having to calibrate them every time the line needs changing.

SUMMING IT UP

     Line counter reels are for sure a special purpose fishing product. Anyone who trolls will find the investment helps them catch more fish. Those who doubt this nugget of advice are going to have a hard time figuring out the trolling game.