Round Baitcast Reels Vs Low Profile Fishing Reels- When to Use?

There was a time when the round reel had great dominance over the baitcasting reel. A Swedish man named Abu Garcia first introduced this design in the 1950s. And it gained a lot of popularity within a short period.

But in recent times, low profile popularity surpassed the classic choice of the 90s round baitcasting reels. The main reason behind this is the low-profile ergonomic design, so it fits in anyone’s hand perfectly, making the fishing process a lot easier for you. So, round baitcast reels vs low profile – who wins the race?

In this article, we will have a broad discussion on both reels. We will talk about their line capacity, gear ratios, IPT, and size comparison. Let’s get started.

Round Baitcast Reels Vs Low Profile Fishing Reels

Generally, you will find two kinds of baitcaster reels. One is the round design and the other the low-profile. People usually prefer the low-profile one when it comes to lighter fishing.

As there, casting accuracy and frequency plays an essential role. Also, when you are fishing close-quarter, you don’t have to cast a mile. And, when you are frequently casting, you will need a reel that’s comfortable to hold and use.

The main idea behind the low-profile design is to provide you comfort and ease of use during fishing. Its slim design allows you to have a farm and steady grip around the body of the reel. The design is comparatively small, so it holds less line.

On the other hand, round baitcaster reels come with a larger design compared to the low-profile so, you can guess they can accommodate more lines. When it comes to heavier fishing, you will need the round baitcaster reel. They are great at casting heavy baits out long distances and trolling big lures.

As they come with a heavier design, you won’t be able to hold by your palm a round baitcaster reel firmly. But you won’t need this for the type of fishing it was built for. They will give you a lot of power and a good drag system.

Line Capacity

You need to understand how many lines the baitcaster reel can clasp. If you are going to use them in long-range fishing, then you will have to make sure that the reel has enough capacity to reach that far.

Besides that, the size also matters, I mean the size of fish you want to catch. If you are planning on catching bigger fish, that might take comparatively more lines from your reel; then you gotta make sure you have enough lines to let go when the time comes.

In case if you are not confident, then it would be wise to keep it a little bigger rather than smaller. You know they say, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.”

Here’s a more vivid idea for you, when it comes to the low-profile baitcaster reels, you will have near about 150 meters at 15lbs mono capacity. And when it’s about the round baitcaster reels, you will be able to spool a lot more, starting approx. 220 meters of 12lb mono.

Gear Ratios

Gear ratio is also essential to understand, as a different type of fishing requires a different type of variations. The usual ratios in baitcaster reels are 5.4:1, 6.4:1, and 7.1:1. The gear ratio can tell you the speed of the reel meaning, how fast the reel can retrieve the line.

For instance, a 5.4:1 gear ratio explains that your spool is going to rotate 5.4 times with a single turn of the handle. And 7.1:1 means your spool will rotate 7.1 times with a single turn of the handle.

If you have to use the baitcaster reel only for throwing spinnerbaits then, you might want to go for a higher gear ratio. So, a 7.1:1 would be a wise choice. But if you are planning to fish crankbaits, then you need to go for a slower gear ratio, so in that case, a 5.1:1 would be the perfect choice for you.

Inches Per Turn (IPT)

For the same reason as gear ratio, it’s essential to know what the IPT of the reel is about. The IPT number can tell you how many meters of lines you will retrieve with a single turn of the handle.

Baitcaster Reel Size Comparison Chart

In this section, we will give you a clear idea about the low-profile and round baitcaster reel size.

Low-profile Baitcaster Reel Size

Generally, when it comes to baitcaster reel, people use the “10” or “100” sizes. The size starts from 100, the smallest to around 400 as the longest. But the low-profile reels don’t offer many variations in size.

The smaller reels don’t hold many lines and come with a lower IPT ratio. They are good for lighter lures and also close-quarter fishing.

If you need a lot of line capacity or need to use a heavier line, you should go for bigger sizes. Here’s a table of different reel sizes for low-profile reels:

Model	Gear Ratio	Handle Side	IPT	Line Capacity
LX-HD300H-P	6.3:1	Right	28.8″	0/120 mono | 30/240 braid
LX-HD300HS-P	7.4:1	Right	33.7″	20/120 mono | 30/240 braid
LX-HD300HSL-P	7.4:1	Left	33.7″	20/120 mono | 30/240 braid
LX-HD300XS-P	8.1:1	Right	37″	20/120 mono | 30/240 braid
LX-HD400H-P	6.3:1	Right	33.4″	20/190 mono | 40/300 braid
LX-HD400HS-P	7.1:1	Right	37.7″	20/190 mono | 40/300 braid
LX-HD400XS-P	8.1:1	Right	43″	20/190 mono | 40/300 braid

Round Baitcaster Reel Size

Most of them (not all) round baitcaster come with the “1000” naming size. The size starts from 1000 and can reach up to 12,000+ at times, so here you are getting a large number of options to choose from. Here’s a detailed list of different reel sizes for round baitcaster reels:

Model	Gear Ratio	Handle Side	IPT	Line Capacity
C3-4600	5.3:1	Right	26″	12/160 mono | 30/155 braid
C3-4601	5.3:1	Left	Left	12/160 mono | 30/155 braid
C3-5500	5.3:1	Right	26″	12/240 mono | 30/235 braid
C3-5501	5.3:1	Left	26″	12/240 mono | 30/235 braid
C3-6500	5.3:1	Right	26″	12/320 mono | 30/310 braid
C3-6501	5.3:1	Left	26″	12/320 mono | 30/310 braid

Final Words

Your fishing reel plays an essential role in fishing. And you already know that what type of fishing reel you need depends on the type of fish you are aiming for. So, in round baitcast reels vs low profile, among them, the round reels are used to catch larger fish.

They provide you heavier drag and put more pressure compared to the low-profile one. Therefore, using a round baitcasting reel will help you to handle bigger fishes with ease. And small reels will provide you better grip and control, so they are suitable for light fishing.