Spincast reel
Also called push-button reel, closed-face reel
What is a spincast reel?
The push-button reel with the line hidden under a nose cone. Press, swing, release. The easiest reel to learn on.
Spincast reel at a glance
- Cast by
- Pressing a button
- Best for
- Under-10s and first-ever casters
- Casting distance
- Shortest of the three
- Line drags on the nose cone
- Typical lifespan
- A season or two
- Before most anglers move to spinning
How does a spincast reel work?
A spincast is a spinning reel with a cover over it and a button where the bail would be. Press the button to hold the line, swing the rod, let go at the right moment. There is nothing to open, nothing to close, and nothing to tangle where you can see it. That is why every kids' combo on the shelf uses one.
What are the drawbacks of a spincast reel?
The cone that makes it simple is also what limits it. Line drags against the inside of the cover on every cast, so distance is short. The drag systems are usually a simple washer stack that goes jerky under load, the spools hold very little line, and the whole mechanism collects grit that you cannot easily clean out.
Who should buy a spincast reel?
For a child under about ten, a beginner who has never cast anything, or a dock rod that lives in a shed, that tradeoff is correct: the reel removes every way a first cast can go wrong.
Most anglers move to spinning within a season or two, and the tell is simple. Once someone can cast a spincast where they are aiming, the cone is costing them distance and control for a simplicity they no longer need.
Buy spincast for a kid or a first-ever caster. Anyone comfortably casting a spincast is ready for a spinning reel.
What this means when you’re choosing
- A metal rather than plastic nose cone if the reel will be used hard. It is the part that takes the abuse and the part that fails first.
- An oversized button that a cold or small hand can find without looking down.
- A combo rather than a separate reel. At this price the matched rod is nearly always the better value, and balance matters more than components.
Spincast reel vs Spinning reel
| Spincast reel | Spinning reel | |
|---|---|---|
| Casting | Press a button and release | Open the bail, hold line with a finger |
| Distance | Short; line drags on the cone | Considerably further |
| Drag quality | Simple stack, goes jerky | Smooth and adjustable |
| Line capacity | Low | Ample for freshwater |
| Who it suits | Children, absolute first-timers | Everyone else |
Which to pick: Spincast only for a young child or someone who has never cast a rod. Everyone else is better served by a 2500 spinning reel from day one.
The common mistake
Buying one for an adult beginner
The push button looks like the safe choice at any age, and for an adult it usually is not. Distance and drag quality are limiting enough that the reel gets blamed for the fishing, and a 2500 spinning reel is about ten minutes harder to learn. Save spincast for children and for people who have genuinely never cast a rod.
Common questions
Is a spincast reel good for adults?
Usually not. The short casting distance and basic drag hold an adult back within a few trips, and a 2500 spinning reel takes about ten minutes longer to learn. Spincast is best kept for children and absolute first-timers.
Where this comes up
The guides that use spincast reel and show it on real gear.
Last reviewed . Spincast reel is one of 222 terms in the fishing glossary.