Reference guide
Fishing Reel Size Chart
Spinning reels are numbered 500 up to 10000, and the number tracks spool size and line capacity: a 1000 is for panfish and light trout, a 2500 to 3000 covers most bass and walleye fishing, and 5000 and up is for surf, big catfish and saltwater. Baitcasters use a separate scale where a 100 is the everyday bass size.
The number is a manufacturer's convention, not a standard. Compare the stated line capacity, not the badge.
Two spinning reels set up on a fishing pier.
Choose a spinning reel size by use
Practical starting ranges for spinning reels.
- 1000–2000 Ultralight panfish and small-stream trout
- 2500–3000 Versatile freshwater fishing
- 4000–5000 Heavier freshwater and inshore fishing
- Larger sizes Surf fishing and heavier work
One manufacturer's capacities, not a universal conversion
These current Shimano Twin Power FE figures show why a reel class is only a starting point. Even within one product family, a compact C3000 carries a different spool specification from a 2500 or 4000.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Exact model | Mono capacity | PowerPro capacity |
|---|---|---|
| TP2500FE | 8 lb / 140 yd; 10 lb / 120 yd | 10 lb / 150 yd; 15 lb / 145 yd; 30 lb / 100 yd |
| TPC3000XGFE | 6 lb / 230 yd; 8 lb / 170 yd; 10 lb / 140 yd | 10 lb / 200 yd; 20 lb / 140 yd; 40 lb / 105 yd |
| TP4000XGFE | 10 lb / 200 yd; 12 lb / 160 yd | 15 lb / 230 yd; 30 lb / 180 yd; 50 lb / 120 yd |
Manufacturer examples checked September 25, 2026. These figures describe these exact models, not every 2500-, 3000- or 4000-class reel.
Sources for this guidance
- Shimano Twin Power FE specifications Manufacturer example used below for model-specific mono and PowerPro capacities; it does not define a universal size standard.
Spinning reels
The common open-face reel, sized 500 up to 10000.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Size | Typical mono | Typical braid | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 2-4 lb | 4-8 lb | Ultralight trout and panfish on very short rods. |
| 1000 | 2-6 lb | 6-10 lb | Panfish, stream trout, ultralight and light finesse work. |
| 2000 | 4-8 lb | 8-15 lb | Trout, crappie and light finesse bass. |
| 2500 | 6-10 lb | 10-20 lb | All-round freshwater fishing: bass, walleye and trout. (C3000 bodies sit between 2500 and 3000.) |
| 3000 | 8-12 lb | 15-30 lb | All-round bass and walleye fishing, and light inshore saltwater. |
| 4000 | 10-14 lb | 20-40 lb | Pike, catfish, salmon and inshore saltwater. |
| 5000 | 12-20 lb | 30-50 lb | Big pike and musky, large catfish and inshore saltwater. |
| 6000 | 15-25 lb | 40-65 lb | Surf fishing, big catfish and nearshore saltwater. |
| 8000 | 20-30 lb | 50-80 lb | Surf and heavy inshore work with large baits. |
| 10000 | 25-40 lb | 65-100 lb | Heavy surf and nearshore casting with large baits. |
Baitcasting reels
Low-profile casting reels, usually sized 50 to 400. A 100-size reel covers most bass fishing; these numbers do not match spinning-reel sizes.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Size | Typical mono | Typical braid | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 6-10 lb | 10-20 lb | Compact finesse casting with light baits. |
| 70 | 8-12 lb | 15-30 lb | Light to medium bass presentations. |
| 100 | 10-17 lb | 20-50 lb | All-round bass fishing. Most low-profile reels sit in this class. |
| 150 | 12-20 lb | 30-65 lb | Bigger baits and heavier cover, with more line capacity. |
| 200 | 14-25 lb | 40-80 lb | Swimbaits, heavy cover, pike and musky. |
| 300 | 20-30 lb | 50-100 lb | Large baits, musky, catfish and heavier saltwater. |
| 400 | 25-40 lb | 65-130 lb | Very large baits and heavy inshore or trolling work. |
Conventional reels
Round or lever-drag reels sized by class, typically 10 to 50, for trolling and heavy bottom fishing. Their class numbers do not match spinning-reel sizes.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Size | Typical mono | Typical braid | Typically used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 12-20 lb | 30-50 lb | Light trolling and bottom fishing. |
| 20 | 15-30 lb | 40-65 lb | General trolling, drifting and pier fishing. |
| 30 | 20-40 lb | 50-80 lb | Heavier trolling and larger baits. |
| 40 | 30-50 lb | 65-100 lb | Big baits, heavy surf and nearshore trolling. |
| 50 | 40-80 lb | 80-130 lb | Heavy trolling and large-bait bottom fishing. |
Fly reels
Matched to the rod's fly-line weight rather than capacity class: a 5/6 reel is for a 5- or 6-weight line.
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| Size | Typically used for |
|---|---|
| 3/4 | 3 and 4 weight rods: small stream trout and panfish. |
| 5/6 | 5 and 6 weight rods: the all-round trout range. |
| 7/8 | 7 and 8 weight rods: bass, steelhead, light salt. |
| 9/10 | 9 and 10 weight rods: pike, salmon, saltwater. |
| 11/12 | 11 and 12 weight rods: large saltwater species. |
Spincast reels
Spincast reels, the closed-face reels with a thumb button, carry size numbers of their own, separate from spinning sizes. Those numbers do not line up between makers either. Zebco's 33 Micro, a size 10, is rated for 90 yd of 4 lb mono, while Pflueger's President spincast, also a size 10, is rated for 90 yd of 8 lb, 75 yd of 10 lb or 65 yd of 12 lb. Read the yards for the line you plan to use.
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| Reel | Size | Mono capacity | Gear ratio | Line per turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zebco 33 Micro 33MCN | 10 | 4 lb / 90 yd | 4.3:1 | 16 in. |
| Zebco 33 Gold 33NGOLD | 30 | 10 lb / 120 yd | 4.1:1 | 23 in. |
| Zebco 33 Max 33MXN | 60 | 20 lb / 100 yd | 2.6:1 | 16 in. |
| Zebco 202 202MBK | 30 | 10 lb / 110 yd | 2.8:1 | 15 in. |
| Pflueger President spincast PRES10SCX | 10 | 8 lb / 90 yd; 10 lb / 75 yd; 12 lb / 65 yd | 3.8:1 | Not listed |
Manufacturer figures checked October 5, 2026. Line per turn is the maker's "recovery per turn"; Pflueger does not list one for this reel.
Zebco's spincast manual says to fill the spool to within 1/8 inch of its top lip.
What a reel size number actually means
Reel classes describe roughly how much line the spool holds and how large the body is. They are not defined by any standard body, so each manufacturer numbers its own range.
- The same number is not the same reel. A 3000 from one brand can hold meaningfully more or less line than a 3000 from another, and the bodies differ in weight and gear size.
- Compact bodies muddy it further. Some manufacturers sell a compact size, often written with a C prefix, pairing a smaller body with a larger spool. It sits between two standard classes rather than matching either.
- Capacity is printed on the spool. Those are the figures that matter. Check them against the line you actually plan to use, especially with braid.
- Balance matters as much as capacity. A reel that makes the rod tip-heavy costs you more over a long day than one size class ever will.
Why one reel says 30 and another says 3000
Some manufacturers shorten a 3000-class spinning reel to 30. It is usually their label for the same general class, not a universal match between brands. Check the spool's stated capacity and the reel's body size before treating a 30 and a 3000 as equivalent.
How closely the makers' own figures agree depends on the size. Comparing the reels in the tables below on the line most of them list:
- 25 against 2500 on 6 lb mono: 90 yd (1 reel) against 195–255 yd (2 reels).
- 30 against 3000 on 8 lb mono: 110–175 yd (3 reels) against 170–200 yd (3 reels).
- 40 against 4000 on 10 lb mono: 190–230 yd (3 reels) against 200–230 yd (3 reels).
One maker's 30 can also hold far less than another's, so compare the yards printed for the line you will use rather than the size number.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Printed size | Reels listed | 6 lb mono | 8 lb mono | 10 lb mono | 10 lb braid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2500 | 4 | 195–255 yd (2 reels) | 140–240 yd (4 reels) | 120–210 yd (4 reels) | 150–250 yd (4 reels) |
| 25 | 1 | 90 yd (1 reel) | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 3000 | 4 | 210–230 yd (2 reels) | 170–200 yd (3 reels) | 140–280 yd (4 reels) | 200 yd (1 reel) |
| 30 | 3 | 140–225 yd (3 reels) | 110–175 yd (3 reels) | 140 yd (1 reel) | 160–180 yd (2 reels) |
| 35 | 1 | 230 yd (1 reel) | 185 yd (1 reel) | 155 yd (1 reel) | 220 yd (1 reel) |
| 4000 | 4 | Not published | 270–280 yd (2 reels) | 200–230 yd (3 reels) | Not published |
| 40 | 3 | Not published | 240–285 yd (3 reels) | 190–230 yd (3 reels) | 320 yd (1 reel) |
A reel counts only where its maker publishes that exact line, so the number of reels behind each range is shown. Shimano figures checked September 25, 2026, the rest October 5, 2026.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Reel | Size | Mono | Braid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shimano Twin Power FE TP2500FE | 2500 | 8 lb / 140 yd; 10 lb / 120 yd | PowerPro: 10 lb / 150 yd; 15 lb / 145 yd; 30 lb / 100 yd |
| Daiwa Legalis LT LEGLT2500D | 2500 | 8 lb / 240 yd; 10 lb / 210 yd | J-Braid: 10 lb / 250 yd; 15 lb / 185 yd |
| PENN Battle IV BTLIV2500 | 2500 | 6 lb / 255 yd; 8 lb / 175 yd; 10 lb / 140 yd | 10 lb / 240 yd; 15 lb / 220 yd; 20 lb / 160 yd |
| Okuma Ceymar A C-2500A | 2500 | 6 lb / 195 yd; 8 lb / 165 yd; 10 lb / 130 yd | 10 lb / 200 yd; 15 lb / 165 yd |
| Pflueger President PRES25X | 25 | 2 lb / 220 yd; 4 lb / 110 yd; 6 lb / 90 yd | 4 lb / 200 yd; 6 lb / 140 yd; 8 lb / 110 yd |
| Shimano Twin Power FE TPC3000XGFE | 3000 compact | 6 lb / 230 yd; 8 lb / 170 yd; 10 lb / 140 yd | PowerPro: 10 lb / 200 yd; 20 lb / 140 yd; 40 lb / 105 yd |
| Daiwa Legalis LT LEGLT3000D-C | 3000 compact | 10 lb / 280 yd; 12 lb / 220 yd | J-Braid: 15 lb / 250 yd; 20 lb / 220 yd |
| PENN Battle IV BTLIV3000 | 3000 | 8 lb / 200 yd; 10 lb / 165 yd; 12 lb / 120 yd | 15 lb / 250 yd; 20 lb / 180 yd; 30 lb / 130 yd |
| Okuma Ceymar A C-3000A | 3000 | 6 lb / 210 yd; 8 lb / 170 yd; 10 lb / 140 yd | 15 lb / 180 yd; 20 lb / 155 yd |
| Pflueger President PRES30X | 30 | 4 lb / 255 yd; 6 lb / 145 yd; 8 lb / 130 yd | 6 lb / 275 yd; 8 lb / 190 yd; 10 lb / 160 yd |
| Abu Garcia Revo SX REVO3 SX SP30 | 30 | 6 lb / 225 yd; 8 lb / 175 yd; 10 lb / 140 yd | 10 lb / 180 yd |
| Ugly Stik Ugly Tuff USTUFFSP30 | 30 | 4 lb / 190 yd; 6 lb / 140 yd; 8 lb / 110 yd | Not listed |
| Pflueger President PRES35X | 35 | 6 lb / 230 yd; 8 lb / 185 yd; 10 lb / 155 yd | 8 lb / 250 yd; 10 lb / 220 yd; 14 lb / 160 yd |
| Shimano Twin Power FE TP4000XGFE | 4000 | 10 lb / 200 yd; 12 lb / 160 yd | PowerPro: 15 lb / 230 yd; 30 lb / 180 yd; 50 lb / 120 yd |
| Daiwa Legalis LT LEGLT4000D-C | 4000 compact | 14 lb / 250 yd; 20 lb / 160 yd | J-Braid: 20 lb / 280 yd; 30 lb / 200 yd |
| PENN Battle IV BTLIV4000 | 4000 | 8 lb / 270 yd; 10 lb / 220 yd; 12 lb / 165 yd | 15 lb / 360 yd; 20 lb / 260 yd; 30 lb / 185 yd |
| Okuma Ceymar A C-4000A | 4000 | 8 lb / 280 yd; 10 lb / 230 yd; 12 lb / 190 yd | 30 lb / 215 yd; 40 lb / 150 yd |
| Pflueger President PRES40X | 40 | 8 lb / 285 yd; 10 lb / 230 yd; 12 lb / 195 yd | 10 lb / 320 yd; 14 lb / 280 yd; 20 lb / 200 yd |
| Abu Garcia Revo SX REVO3 SX SP40 | 40 | 8 lb / 240 yd; 10 lb / 190 yd; 12 lb / 135 yd | 14 lb / 190 yd |
| Ugly Stik Ugly Tuff USTUFFSP40 | 40 | 8 lb / 285 yd; 10 lb / 230 yd; 12 lb / 195 yd | Not listed |
Figures as each maker publishes them for these exact models. "Compact" marks a larger spool on a smaller body. Braid is the maker's own braid where it names one.
Matching reel size to rod
A reel should sit in roughly the same class as the rod's line rating. The table lines up each rod power's typical line rating from the rod size guide with the spinning classes above. A class is listed when the rod is rated for the heavier half of the class's typical mono range, from its middle to its top, so the heavier line that reel usually holds is still line the rod is rated for.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Rod power | Typical line rating | Spinning reel classes | Typical braid for those reels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultralight (UL) | 2-6 lb | 500, 1000 | 4–10 lb |
| Light (L) | 4-8 lb | 1000, 2000 | 6–15 lb |
| Medium Light (ML) | 6-12 lb | 2000, 2500, 3000 | 8–30 lb |
| Medium (M) | 8-15 lb | 2500, 3000, 4000 | 10–40 lb |
| Medium Heavy (MH) | 12-20 lb | 4000, 5000 | 20–50 lb |
| Heavy (H) | 15-30 lb | 5000, 6000, 8000 | 30–80 lb |
| Extra Heavy (XH) | 25-80 lb | 8000, 10000 | 50–100 lb |
Both columns of ranges come from this site's rod and reel tables. The braid column is what those reel classes typically hold, not part of the rod's rating.
The table only lines up typical ranges. Balance still decides the final pick: pairing a heavy reel with a light rod does not make the setup stronger, only unbalanced and tiring to fish. The Fishing Setup Builder sizes the reel from the fishing you describe, not from the rod it suggests, so a result can pair a rod with a reel class outside its row here. It pairs extra heavy rods with baitcasting reels only.
Use the rod size guide to match power and length to the technique. With braid, compare diameter rather than pound test. On the typical figures in the line size chart, 30 pound braid is about the diameter of 10 pound mono. That does not make the yards equal: the 5 reels in the tables above that list both lines are rated for 79 to 93 percent as many yards of 30 pound braid as of 10 pound mono. Braid diameters vary by product, so use the braid capacity printed on the spool where there is one. Compare line diameter and capacity before filling the spool.
How much of a different line fits
The capacity printed on a spool, such as 10 lb / 120 yd of mono, describes room on the spool. Another line fills the same room in proportion to its cross-section, so the yards change with the square of the diameter:
new yards = rated yards × (rated line diameter ÷ new line diameter)²
Use the diameter printed on the new line's box where it has one. Without it, the line size chart's typical diameters give a range rather than one number, because brands differ. To see how close the typical figures get, the table converts the 10 lb mono rating of the TP2500FE, from the Shimano table above, to every other line Shimano lists for that reel:
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Line | Typical diameter | Estimate | Middle estimate | Shimano's figure | Within the estimate? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 lb mono | .009"–.011" | 99–250 yd | 159 yd | 140 yd | Yes |
| 10 lb PowerPro | .005"–.008" | 188–811 yd | 376 yd | 150 yd | No, estimate too high |
| 15 lb PowerPro | .007"–.009" | 148–414 yd | 248 yd | 145 yd | No, estimate too high |
| 30 lb PowerPro | .010"–.012" | 83–203 yd | 131 yd | 100 yd | Yes |
Typical diameters from the line size chart; 10 lb mono is .010"–.013". The middle estimate uses the middle of each diameter range.
2 of Shimano's 4 figures fall inside the estimate. For 10 lb PowerPro and 15 lb PowerPro the whole estimate sits above Shimano's figure: the conversion promises more line than Shimano says fits. A braid capacity printed on the spool, or the diameter on your own line's box, is a better guide than any conversion from mono.
For braid over mono backing, the backing fills whatever room the braid leaves. When the spool is rated for the same mono you use as backing: backing yards = rated yards − braid yards × (braid diameter ÷ backing diameter)². With any other backing: backing yards = (rated yards × rated line diameter² − braid yards × braid diameter²) ÷ backing diameter².
Line capacity converter
Works in this page only; nothing is sent anywhere.
How full to fill the spool
Whatever the arithmetic says, stop at the fill line. Berkley says to fill a spinning reel's spool to within 1/8 to 3/16 inch of the edge, Lew's says a baitcaster is full when the line is about 1/8 inch from the top of the spool, and Zebco's manual gives 1/8 inch for spincast reels. Braid slips on a bare spool, so Berkley and Lew's both put a layer of mono under it.
Gear ratio and line per turn
A 6.2:1 gear ratio means the rotor of a spinning reel, or the spool of a baitcaster, turns 6.2 times for each turn of the handle. Each of those turns winds on one wrap of line, so the line brought back per handle turn is the gear ratio times the circumference of the line on the spool, that is π times its diameter.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Reel | Type | Gear ratio | Line per turn | Circumference it works out to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daiwa Legalis LT LEGLT2500D | Spinning | 5.2:1 | 29.6 in. | 5.7 in. |
| Daiwa Legalis LT LEGLT2500D-XH | Spinning | 6.2:1 | 34.5 in. | 5.6 in. |
| Daiwa Tatula 100 TATU100 | Baitcasting | 6.3:1 | 26.3 in. | 4.2 in. |
| Daiwa Tatula 100 TATU100H | Baitcasting | 7.1:1 | 29.8 in. | 4.2 in. |
| Daiwa Tatula 100 TATU100XH | Baitcasting | 8.1:1 | 33.9 in. | 4.2 in. |
Daiwa US figures checked October 5, 2026. The last column is the published figure divided by the gear ratio.
On the same spool, the higher ratio brings back proportionally more line: each reel's ratios work out to nearly the same circumference. The published figure also depends on how full the spool is. As line goes out, the line left on the spool is smaller across, so each turn brings back less; at half the diameter it is half the line. Lew's notes that underfilling a reel costs casting distance and cranking speed.
The Reel Size Finder suggests a size class, not a gear ratio.
Sources for the published figures and spooling advice
- Daiwa Legalis LT specifications Mono and J-Braid capacity and line per crank for the 2500D, 2500D-XH, 3000D-C and 4000D-C.
- PENN Battle IV spinning reel specifications Mono and braid capacity for the 2500, 3000 and 4000. Checked October 6, 2026.
- Okuma Ceymar A spinning reel specifications Mono and braid capacity for the C-2500A, C-3000A and C-4000A. Checked October 6, 2026.
- Pflueger President spinning reel specifications Mono and braid capacity for sizes 25, 30, 35 and 40.
- Abu Garcia Revo SX spinning reel specifications Mono and braid capacity for sizes 30 and 40.
- Ugly Stik Ugly Tuff spinning reel specifications Mono capacity for sizes 30 and 40; the page lists no braid capacity.
- Zebco 33 Micro spincast reel specifications Size, mono capacity, gear ratio and recovery per turn.
- Zebco 33 Gold spincast reel specifications Size, mono capacity, gear ratio and recovery per turn.
- Zebco 33 Max spincast reel specifications Size, mono capacity, gear ratio and recovery per turn.
- Zebco 202 spincast reel specifications Size, mono capacity, gear ratio and recovery per turn.
- Pflueger President spincast reel specifications Mono capacity and gear ratio for the size 10.
- Zebco spincast reel manual Fill the spool to within 1/8 in. of its top lip.
- Berkley: Spooling a spinning reel Fill to within 1/8 to 3/16 in. of the edge; a mono or fluorocarbon base stops braid slipping on the spool.
- Lew's: How to spool a baitcast reel Full is about 1/8 in. from the top of the spool; braid slips on a bare spool and mono backing stops it; underfilling costs casting distance and cranking speed.
- Daiwa Tatula 100 specifications Line per crank for the same spool at 6.3:1, 7.1:1 and 8.1:1.
Not sure which class you need?
Answer four questions and get a reel class range for your species, technique, water and line.
Related guides
- Fishing Hook Size ChartSelected common sizes from #28 to 12/0 with typical uses, and why the same number differs between brands.
- Fishing Line Size ChartPound test against typical diameter for mono, fluorocarbon and braid, and how to compare them fairly.
- Fishing Rod Size GuideWhat length, power and action each control, and how to read the specs printed on a blank.
- Split Shot and Sinker Size ChartUK split shot sizes in grams, the separate US size names, and published weights for common sinker shapes.