Whether you call them levelwind, revolving spool or bait-casting reels, what began primarily as freshwater bass-fishing tools now occupy an important niche in the saltwater fishing market. Thanks to the hawg hunters' demands for higher quality, manufacturers began producing more durable reels that, to our benefit, also withstand the punishment of light-tackle saltwater duty. Now many bait-caster models specifically target inshore fishing for species such as bluefish and stripers on the East Coast, snook and redfish in the Southeast, and calico bass and salmon on the West Coast. But along with these reels, prices, too, have become salty. Bob Bagby, product manager at Quantum, explains that saltwater levelwinds "represent a high-end market in which consumers are willing to pay for the best quality." Reels that once included reinforced plastic parts are now fine-tuned instruments consisting of machined aluminum, stainless steel and other costly but high-strength, corrosion-resistant materials. Prices ranging from $70 to over $200 may seem stiff until one considers how many years of reliable service these reels deliver. "The precision work in today's reels results in tighter tolerances," says Bagby. Because the gears mesh cleanly and smoothly, "there's less wear on moving parts, and they last much longer." Recognizing growing demand for scaled-down, high-quality saltwater levelwinds, Penn -- a leading manufacturer of heavy saltwater trolling reels -- recently added two inshore bait-casting models to its International series. Penn's public relations director Ed Mesunas admits spinning reels perform better for "constantly casting and retrieving light lures," but on the other hand, "levelwinds provide an inherently stronger system for fighting fish because line is wound directly onto the spool." When live-baiting, Mesunas prefers the thumb-on-spool control and "feel" of a levelwind. Sarasota, Florida, Capt. Mark Schindel loves using his Shakespeare bait-casters for tossing plugs to snook in the mangroves. "I can cast more accurately and control lures better with bait-casters, especially when I use surface lures," he says. In Schindel's opinion, "bait-casting reels have become more user-friendly in recent years. They're lighter, smoother and less prone to backlash due to centrifugal brakes." The search for an ideal levelwind has led Fred Contaoi of Rod and Reel Adventures in Copperopolis, California, to amass a collection of over 100 reels. "I still haven't found the perfect levelwind, but the Shimano Calcuttas come close. Abu Garcia Ambassadeurs are also very reliable," he says. Contaoi, who guides extensively in California and Alaska, names two advantages bait-casters offer over spinning reels: better drag systems and lack of line twist. Mesunas, however, maintains that both types of reels possess equally effective drags. Choose Your Weapon With so many high-quality models from so many manufacturers to choose from, shopping for a bait-caster can quickly become confusing. Narrow your search by focusing on "round" rather than "low-profile" reels. The deeper spools and larger drag areas of round-framed reels tend to perform better against hard-fighting, fast-running saltwater fish. "One-piece aluminum frames won't flex under the strain of fish pulling against the drag," says Contaoi. Shimano spokesman John Mazurkiewicz of Catalyst Marketing agrees, adding, "One-piece frames tend to provide more corrosion resistance than multi-piece reels." Yet another advantage of one-piece frames: They allow more exact tolerances for cutting and matching spools and gears, which translates into years of smooth operation. "Drag systems present a major challenge to reel manufacturers," says Bagby. Companies like Penn, Shimano and Quantum each use proprietary materials in drag components; most consist of Teflon composites, but no manufacturer is revealing its secrets. Bagby adds that although substances from the aerospace and automotive industries have been incorporated, "Nobody has found the perfect material yet because drags must provide smoothness as well as lock-down capability." In other words, a super-slick drag has no value if it can't be tightened when needed to stop fish from darting into structure. Schindel recommends testing drags before buying any reels. "Wind on some line, which is also a good chance to check the smoothness of the spool and handle, then have someone pull out line against the drag." Line should pay out steadily, not in erratic starts and stops. During the mid-'90s, manufacturers seemed engaged in a competition to see who could squeeze the most ball bearings into their reels. Although ball bearings aid casting and retrieving by letting spools and handles spin more freely, this is definitely a case of "more is not always better." As Mesunas explains, "Ball bearings add weight to a reel. Too many bearings make a reel heavier without noticeably improving smoothness." The trick is to find a happy medium in the smoothness vs. weight formula; most manufacturers have settled on three or four ball bearings for bait-casting reels. Retrieve ratio -- a reel's "speed" -- specifies how many times the spool turns with one full turn of the handle. Low ratios provide more power for cranking in fish, while high ratios let you recover line quickly. Offshore anglers frequently resort to low-speed, high-power reels to bully fish up from the depths; however, shallow-water anglers rely on the rod more than the reel to work and tire fish. Thus, anglers using bait-casters have no real need for low-ratio, high-power reels. Retrieve ratios in the neighborhood of 5:1 suffice for most inshore fishing, but Contaoi uses reels with better than 6:1 ratios when he targets species like salmon or tarpon that often make fast runs back toward the boat. Faster line recovery then helps him control fish. Contaoi also points out that spool size affects reel speed: "If two reels holding the same amount of line have the same retrieve ratio, but different-size spools, the larger-diameter spool will actually pick up line faster." An Educated Thumb "When I first started using bait-casting reels a few years ago, I spent a lot of time picking out bird nests. Heck, I still get backlashes," confesses Schindel. Those messy snarls of line resulting from spool overrun remain the greatest disadvantage of levelwind reels. One second of distraction can lead to 10 minutes of frustration, trying to sort out hopeless tangles of line bunched up in the spool. For years, reel makers have been experimenting with anti-backlash mechanisms -- tiny "brake pads" on the spool to reduce overruns while casting. Once-popular magnetic pads have given way to devices activated by centrifugal force which "work like disc brakes on a car," according to Mesunas. "But," he adds, "there's no such thing as a backlash-proof levelwind." Schindel preaches practice: "Casting is a physical skill, like shooting a basketball. You won't improve -- and avoid backlashes -- unless you practice as much as possible." When teaching beginners bait-casting technique, Schindel pulls out a bit more than one cast-length of line and places electrical tape across the rest of the line on the spool. He then winds the line back on the reel for his student to begin casting. The electrical tape prevents extra line from spinning into a backlash, allowing the beginner to develop confidence as well as his skill. If a fish should hit and pull out more line, "the tape pops right off and the fight continues," says Schindel. Contaoi believes accurate, backlash-free casts depend on swinging the rod smoothly. Mesunas advises using long-butt rods that allow a two-handed grip, freeing one hand to concentrate on thumbing the spool and ending the cast perfectly. All levelwind users, novices and veterans alike, agree that despite the efforts of modern engineering, the only sure way to prevent backlashes is still an educated casting thumb.