10 Best Closed Face Fishing Reels 2022 [Top Reviews And Buying Guide]

Closed face reels have been the favourites for children or beginners who are just learning how to fish. They are also called spin-casting reels. One nice thing about closed face reel is that they are so easy to use that even a beginner can easily figure out how to use them.

Trying to pick any closed face reel that comes your way may ruin your fun. Since there are so many models and brands to choose from, it is better to narrow down your search to what you need exactly. In this article, we have list down the top 10 best closed face fishing reels in the market today. We have also included a buying guide below to help you with your decision.

Why Get a closed face reel?

A closed face reel will be ideal if you intend to learn fishing as a beginner. It is also useful if you want to teach your kids basic fishing skills.

Apart from being so easy to use, closed face reels are quite cheap compared to the regular spinning reels. This means you don't need to spend much to start your hobby.

8 best closed face fishing reels Reviewed

1. Zebco Omega Pro Spincast Fishing Reel – Top Pick

Zebco Omega Pro is a very promising closed face reel. Its exterior is made of corrosion-resistant die-cast aluminum. It comes with a very strong worm gear which is made of brass. When casting with reel, the anti-reverse feature remains operational.

It also offers good drag capacity due to its multi-disc drag system. The power handle is positioned such that both left-handed and right-handed anglers can easily use it. 

The spool system is highly responsive and can be easily adjusted during line retrievals to ensure smoother action on the reel. Each Zebco Omega Pro model comes with a free extra spool to make line retrievals more effective, making it one of the best spincast reel in the market today.

2. Pflueger President Spincast Fishing Reel – Best Value

Pflueger PRES6USCX spin reel is an ideal closed face reel for beginners. It is extremely easy to handle and packs important features for improved efficiency. Its exterior is built with a corrosion-resistant aluminum frame. It also comes with two titanium pins to improve fishing performance.

The reel can easily be mounted on the fishing rod as it fits easily on most fishing rods. The effective bearing system makes retrievals on the reel very easy and fast. There is also an anti-reverse feature, which helps to keep the line intact when casting or retrieving. The rubber knob on the handle offers users a good grip and a pleasurable fishing experience.

3. Zebco ZB310BX3 Bullet Spincast Fishing Reel – Premium Pick

The exterior of the ZB310BX3 Bullet closed face reel is made of anodized silver while the body is built with blue aluminum. Both combinations of material give an extremely durable fishing reel. Having nine bearings means higher efficiency for faster casting and retrievals. It also features a fast response anti-reverse clutch. 

The handle on the reel is positioned for use by both right-handed and left-handed persons. Apart from its smooth and steady operation, this best spincast reel also offers a good drag capacity that makes it suitable for angling some good-sized fish.

4. KastKing Brutus Spincast Fishing Reel

Kastking reels are notable for packing in full features yet selling for lower prices. The Brutus spin cast comes with a tough and stress-resistant graphite frame.

Its gear ratio is quite higher when compared with other reels of similar category and price range. This makes it perform faster line casting and retrievals than many other spin-casting reels.

Anglers can also take advantage of its Dual Pickup feature to keep their line in position as they get ready for another cast or set the hook. The length of the monoline that comes with Kastking Brutus reel is about 33% longer than those of most spin-casting reels. This means anglers can reach more depths to get the fish on the line.

5. Daiwa Underspin-XD Series, Trigger-Control Closed-Face Reel

This class of Daiwa spincast reels is aimed at making it extremely easy for newbies to land their first catch. The reels come with pre-wound monoline so users can choose to use it straight away or extend the line to suit their fishing environment.

It features rotating pickups made of titanium nitride to make casting easier and prevent lines from wearing out too soon. The 21.8" crank per turn means faster casting and retrievals for the spincast reels.

Users can turn the handles both ways during retrievals, making it suitable for the left-handed and right-handed persons. This best spincast reel offer smooth drag and can be easily adjusted at the rear to enhance performance.

6. Zebco 33 Gold Micro Triggerspin

This reel is designed for the use of both beginners and professionals for fishing in freshwater. It combines its graphite frame with stainless steel cover to give a sturdy and corrosion-resistant reel. It also comes with well-protected three ball bearings for smoother drag. This reel is suitable for catching small fish.

It also has the anti-reverse feature so anglers can maintain their positions and make their catch without scaring away the fish with unnecessary movements. The knob on the handle gives good grip and can be used effectively by both right-handed and left-handed persons.

7. Daiwa Goldcast Spincast Reel, GC80

Daiwa Goldcast Spincast Reel is built to give powerful angling performance. The body is made of high quality and corrosion-resistant metals. It comes with pickups made of tungsten carbide to keep your line properly on the spincast reels.

It also comes with the oscillating pool to give smooth casting and retrievals. The large aperture allows you to increase efficiency.

Its multi-disc drag system helps anglers to make necessary adjustments. The reel also comes with a pre-wound monoline that is of premium quality. The handle on the reel can be used effectively by both left-handed and right-handed anglers.

8. Pflueger Trion Spincast Fishing Reel

Trion spin-casting reel has its body made of graphite and aluminum. It is one of the most durable spincast reels, according to many users. The ball bearings are well protected against corrosion and sand. It is ideal for angling small freshwater fish such as bass.

Its handle is made of light and durable aluminum alloy. This makes it easy to grip and gives smooth drag. Two titanium pins hold the handle in place.

You can turn the handles both ways. So whether you are right-handed or not, turning the handle will be easy. You can expect to get a good fishing experience when you take Pflueger Trion on a long fishing trip.

9. Daiwa Silvercast-A Series Spincast Reel

This spin caster may not be the best overall in terms of performance, but it delivers good results. Many users state that beginners may need to use this reel many times over before they can get used to it. However, professionals can easily figure it out.

The frame is made of a durable and corrosion-resistant aluminum frame. It also comes with two Titanium Nitride pickups to keep the line in alignment with the spincast reels. This reel can be used to cast longer distances. The drag system is awesome when properly adjusted to suit prevailing fishing conditions.

10. Abu Garcia Abumatic 170

Abumatic 170 Spin is all about giving anglers control over the reel. The spin casting reel comes with Carbon Matrix Drag technology, which enables anglers to adjust the drag system to suit the prevailing fishing conditions. This is to help increase the efficiency of the reel regardless of the situation. 

The four-ball bearings are specially aligned to give silk smooth retrievals. Its responsive anti-reverse feature also prevents backlashes. The reel also comes pre-wound with 170 yards of premium monoline.

The body is made of die-cast aluminum, so you can trust that it will last longer and stay resistant against corrosion.

Buying Guide

Before you purchase a closed face reel, you need to be aware of what you exactly need to consider. We have compiled a list of things to consider if you want to choose the best model for your needs.

1. Ball Bearings

When it comes to the efficiency of a closed reel, the nature of the ball bearing is very important. These bearings mostly come in stainless steel material. Some are made of ceramic. The ceramic bearings are considered better than the steel bearings.

As steel bearings also offer excellent performance and are relatively cheaper, most closed face reels have stainless types.

The main function of these bearings is to reduce friction between the rope and the line. The efficiency depends partly on the number. Most closed face reels come with 4 to 8 ball bearings. The more the number of bearings, the easier it is to retrieve the line.

2. Gear Ratio

Gear ratio is another accurate determiner of how efficient a reel will be. If you want a reel that will be smooth to use, you need to go for those with high gear ratios. Often the spincast reels with higher gear ratio require less effort from the user when retrieving the catch.

3. Drag Capacity

When your line hooks a fish, you may need to overcome some resistance from the fish before you can retrieve the fish from the water. If the drag capacity on the reel is not sufficient to secure your catch, you may end up having a snapped line and still lose the fish.

It is better to use a closed face reel, which has higher drag capacity as it will be less likely to disappoint when you are in for a big catch.

4. Drag System Adjustability

Not all closed face reels have an adjustable drag system. This system offers the angler the flexibility to suit the prevailing fishing condition.

For instance, if you hook a troublesome fish that may be too strong for your reel, you can adjust the drag system to give you an extra drag advantage over the fish. This will help save your line and secure your big catch.

5. Pickups

When you are securing your catch, pickup increases your chances of getting the fish in your basket. It is common to find two or three pickups on most reels. Some spincast reels may have more than three pickups, which is still acceptable.

The pickups help to align the line to your reel so that when retrieving your line, it doesn't fall out of position and make you lose your catch. The best types must have some pickups.

6. Smoothness

The ease at which one secures a catch can make fishing so much fun. One may be discouraged if one has to put up an exhausting fight just to get an average-sized fish into the bag. Most closed face reels that are so smooth have more ball bearings, longer handles, and a bigger knob.

They may also cost more than those that perform less on the smoothness scale. Differences in the smoothness of spincast reels may not be so obvious; however, they count sometimes.

7. Longevity

Almost everyone likes to have a highly effective device functioning for as long as possible. The same applies to spincast reels. The longevity of these reels depends mostly on the material it is made of. Some spincast reels have their exterior made of the graphite-alloy mixture, while some are made of metals.

It has been observed that reels made of metal exterior tend to last longer than those made of other materials. The ones made with metals are coated to prevent corrosion and give enduring strength to the reel. Spincast reels made of graphite are usually lighter than those made of metals.

However, lightweight reels also tend to have relatively lower drag capacity when compared to the metal equivalents.

8. Handles

9. Pre-wound lines

Some closed face reels come with lines from their manufacturers. The lines may vary in length from model to model. If the line is sufficient to serve you, you don’t need to spend extra cash getting more line. If the line is less than you require, you can get more lines.

Both ways you get to save money. Some users have testified that the pre-wound lines in some spincast reels are of superior quality to many lines found in the market. Before purchasing a model, you can check if it offers a pre-wound line and how long the line is.