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So what does a reel do really?  At a basic level, a reel does three things.  It lets line out during a cast, it retrieves line when you turn the handle and it pays out drag under pressure.  Reels do other things but those are the key features in any reel.  Swimbaits are heavy lures, much heavier than was ever intended to be cast and retrieved with a standard bass reel.  Standard low profile type bass reels are stressed by casting and retrieving lures that weigh half a pound, and the drag systems are not typically designed to perform smoothly when set near the breaking point of 25lb test. 

Because of the limitations of standard bass reels , almost everyone has gravitated toward round, saltwater style reels.  Saltwater reels cast, retrieve, and let out drag much more reliably and effectively than the standard bass reel on heavy lures.  You will hear from time to time about guys using low profile bass reels for swimbaits, usually with 17 or 20lb test and small/medium swimbaits.  Does it work?  Can you catch a fish on it?  Sure you can, but it is not ideal.  The only low profile reel I would consider for swimbaits right now is the Shimano Calais 200 series because they have the gears and the drag systems to handle it.  You can throw a big bait on a Curado but it will cause you little problems, little problems that will sooner or later cost you a good fish.  Bottom line, stick with round reels with large drags and high line capacities.

Among the round reels, are only two reel sizes I would consider for swimbaits, Shimano 400/Okuma 400/Abu 6500/Penn 965 size or the Shimano 300/Okuma 250/Abu 5500 size.  I would not ever recommend a Shimano 250 sized reel or an Abu 4600 sized reel.  The reason you don't want a smaller reel is because toward the end of a long cast, the spool has to spin faster and faster to let out line.  This will cost you distance and probably burn your thumb or even screw up your line from the friction.  Most of the smaller reels have equivalently smaller drag washers which is also a limiting factor.

My straightforward advice regarding your reel purchasing decision is this: 

If you can get a Shimano Conquest 300 or 400 (Japan version of the Calcutta TE), it is simply the best swimbait reel made.  The next best is a Shimano Calcutta TE (CTE) 300 or 400.  After that, the regular Shimano Calcutta 400.  After that, the Cardiff Series A 300 or 400.  All of these reels have awesome drag systems, cast well and have good quality gears espcially the TE reels which have phenomenal gearing.

If you can't afford the above reels, options to consider would be:

Abu Garcia 6500 and 5500's
Diawa Millionaire series
Penn 965 series
Okuma Induron 250 and 400 series
Shimano's Corvalus 300 or 400. 

I'm not sponsored by any reel company, I'm just detailing exactly what I think about reel quality and quite frankly Shimano makes the best swimbait reels on the market.

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