What is the best casting reel in 2025? That's the question we wanted to ask ourselves. Of course, budget is an important factor, but not the only one. We can also talk about quality, choice of materials, the type of lure fishing you do or even the average size of predator you're after... That's why we wanted to share with you an article on the selection of the best casting reels for various fishing styles and for all budgets.
- How do you know which is the best casting reel for you?
- The best casting mill by weight: ZPI Alcance
- The best casting mill in terms of performance: Shimano Antares DC
- The best casting reel for its solidity: Calcutta Conquest 201
- The best value 2025 casting reel: Shimano Bantam
- Useful links to complete this article
How do you know which is the best casting reel for you?
We're going to start from the premise that we're looking for a versatile casting reel capable of handling a good proportion of the lures on the market. So we're going to focus on a power range between 10 and 60 grams.
The first factor is weight! It's important to have a good weight/performance ratio so that you're not exhausted at the end of the day, especially if you're fishing one day after another.
The second factor is performance! Having a reel is all very well, but if its performance is limited, you'll soon be disappointed.
The final factor is durability. To be the best casting reel, it's very important that it stands the test of time!
The best casting mill by weight: ZPI Alcance
For the Rodmaps team, one casting reel stands out for its weight. This is the ZPI Alcance!
ZPI is the world's number 1 manufacturer of customised parts for fishing reels. They therefore have unique expertise in optimising the characteristics of a casting reel. They have succeeded in making an 'SRV' reel weighing just 11.4g.
This reel weighs just 178g, although some parts are made of aluminium. The frame, on the other hand, is made of carbon composite.
| Model | Ratio | recovery | Crank length |
| ZPI Alcance NS (Normal Speed) | 6.6 | 70cm | 86mm |
| ZPI Alcance HS (High Speed) | 7.3 | 77cm | 86mm |
| ZPI Alcance XS (Extra Speed) | 8.1 | 86cm | 90mm |
The best casting mill in terms of performance: Shimano Antares DC
The best casting reel in the performance category is undoubtedly the Shimano Antares DC ! Quelque soit sa génération, il est toujours resté au top niveau. Indétrônable dans cette catégorie, l‘Antares DC est aussi sûrement le plus élégant des moulinets casting avec son bâti aluminium chromé et ses lignes épurées. Il est doté d’un système DC 9. Il n’est donc pas commercialisé en France car la réglementation n’autorise que jusqu’au système DC 5 dans l’hexagone. Allez savoir pourquoi!!!
| Model | ratio | weight | bearings | brake power | recovery | capacity |
| Shimano Antares DC Left | 5.6:1 | 220g | 11+1 | 5 kg | 65 cm | 0.28mm - 130m |
| Shimano Antares DC HG Left | 7.4:1 | 220g | 11+1 | 5 kg | 86 cm | 0.28mm - 130m |
| Shimano Antares DC XG Left | 7.8:1 | 225g | 11+1 | 5 kg | 91 cm | 0.28mm - 130m |
In this category, Shimano's DC (Digital Control) system is still unrivalled by its competitors. That said, you have to be careful, because the DC system varies depending on the Shimano reel range. For example, the DC system on a Curado DC is not as powerful as that on a Metanium DC.
The best casting reel for its solidity: Calcutta Conquest 201
Solid and robust, we are of course talking about Shimano's round profile, the Calcutta Conquest 201! It's a master in its class. This little gem also boasts an extremely light MGL spool and a micromodule system to increase smoothness during retrieve. It has a lot of the same qualities as the Antares DC, but the round profiles are not as easy to handle as the low-profiles. (see article on how to choose your casting reel))
| Reel code | Mono Line Capacity (#Test/yd) | Weight (oz) | Bearings | Gear Ratio | Retrieve Per Crank (in) | PowerPro Braid (lb/yds) | Max. brake (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTCNQ101HGA | 10/105, 12/85, 14/70 | 7.8 | 13+1 | 7.4:1 | 30 | 20/115, 30/105, 40/80 | 9 |
| CTCNQ200A | 8/180, 10/155, 14/110 | 8.3 | 13+1 | 4.8:1 | 22 | 30/190, 50/120, 65/80 | 13 |
| CTCNQ201A | 8/180, 10/155, 14/110 | 8.3 | 13+1 | 4.8:1 | 22 | 30/190, 50/120, 65/80 | 13 |
The best casting reel 2025 value for money: Shimano Bantam
And we've found a reel that combines all these features at a lower price!
This is the Shimano Bantam! It's solid thanks to its monoblock aluminium frame, super-light, compact and high-performance. All for under €300.
That's why we've appointed him, best casting reel 2025 for its value for money.
Here's a short video of an unboxing of this reel:
Useful links to complete this article
Braid or Nylon: which line to choose for lure fishing?
How to choose your casting reel?
Lure fishing: Which fishing rod to choose according to the lure used?
Casting or spinning: which choice to adopt?
