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How To Choose Your Van Staal Reel
A big question, which understandably comes up often for someone shopping Van Staal Fishing Reels is “what size reel should I get?” While this can sometimes be tough to answer definitively, these guidelines should help anglers decide which reel is ideal for them. We broke the reels down by size and touched on applications as well as highlight features for each size.
VS100: The baby. With the VS150 only being 0.8 ounces heavier, this one is almost the odd reel out. Its slow retrieve also sometimes makes people skip it for the VS150 which takes in 30 inches of line per turn versus the VS100’s 27 inches. Despite it’s specs, this reel is very popular on light weight rigs in the 7 to 8 foot range from both shore and the boat due to it’s compact size and very light weight of 11.2 ounces. With lighter braids such as 14# Fireline or 20# Power Pro, you can hold an almost pointless quantity of line. Even with mono, it’s rated for 225 yards of 10# test mono which is more then enough for any schoolie bass or small tuna you might encounter. Don’t be fooled by the small size of this reel, we’ve landed bluefin tuna over 50 pounds on it thanks to the great line capacity with braid and the potent drag offered by all Van Staal reels.
VS150: This is one of the most popular Van Staals, with both surf and boat anglers all over the world. This reel is ideal on rods from 6 to 9 feet. For surf anglers, this is the perfect reel for 8 foot rods and lighter 9 footers. For many Cape Cod anglers this is the reel of choice, offering enough capacity to deal with the largest of fish while still being very lightweight. This is Tony Stetzko’s favorite. Anglers who frequent the rocks, especially those who like mono, should definitely consider going up to the VS200 or even the VS250, but for anglers who want to put together a lighter rig and for those who fish the sand, this is often the one. Retrieve rate is perfect for surf most anglers. Potentially the 30 inches per turn is a little slow for anglers used to faster reels, but most will find it to be perfect. Good reel for light tackle fishing from the boat as well. Line capacity on this reel, like all Van Staals, is more then enough for almost any application you would use this reel for.
VS200: A favorite of many surf anglers, especially those that frequent the rocks along the Striper Coast. This is possibly the all purpose VS reel and is perfect for most 9 footers, all 10 footers and even 11 foot sticks. Still very light at 21.6 ounces, but capable of holding almost 400 yards of 15 pound test or over 250 yards of 50 pound braid with 100 yards of 15# mono backing. For anglers who like to fish 10 foot rods, the decision is often between this reel, the 250, and sometimes the 275. The 200 can hold more then enough 20 pound mono (approx 225 yards) so it’s capacity is enough for almost any striper, but many anglers do choose to go up to the 250 or even the 275 or 300. The 250 and 275, also feature faster retrieves of 36.5 and 40 inches, respectively, which may help guide you towards a reel. The VS200 is Steve McKenna’s reel of choice.
VS250: Using a larger rotor cup and spool but the same frame as the 200, the 250 is just .8 ounces heavier then the 200 but holds 350 yards of 20# mono and retrieves line a bit faster at 36.5 inches. Needless to say, it holds a LOT of 50 or 65 pound braid. Many feel this reel, more so the the 200, better matches heavier 10 footers such as the Lamiglas 1205 and 1201m. It’s at home on any 11 footer as well. It feels large on most 9 foot rods. It’s a light reel, but it’s a big reel. My (Peter Graeber) favorite reel, by far.
VS275: New to the line up, this reel was built to offer anglers a fast retrieve reel with the toughness and waterproof qualities the VS is known for. At 40 inches per turn this is the fastest reel in the line up by far. Even though it’s a big reel, it’s still light at 24 ounces. Surf anglers in the Canal often prefer a faster retrieve to deal with the current, and also the wide diameter spool helps with casting distance. Fans of the bucktail jig may find this to be their reel of choice as well. Many anglers also find a reel featuring a faster retrieve is better for Pencil Poppers. This reel still has plenty of cranking power, although anglers used to the very low retrieve rate of the VS300 may find it to be lacking. This is the choice for many offshore anglers chasing small BFT. The faster retrieve also makes it ideal for vertical jigging on offshore structure such as reefs and wrecks and also for ripping your lure in quickly to get another shot at fast moving tunas. Capacity is more then adequate, this reel can hold 425 yards of 25 pound test.
VS300: This powerhouse of a reel is the standard for anglers who fish big water, big sticks, or simply prefer the slow retrieve rate and cranking power this reel features. At 27.5 inches per turn, it’s a very different reel from the 275 which is similar in size but a bit lighter. At 28 ounces the 300 is a heavy reel, but only relative to its lighter counterparts in the VS line. Heavy 10 footers and 11 footers are the usual choice for anglers with this reel. Even with 30 pound test mono, this reel can still hold 350 yards of line.
VSB100 and 150: Due to constant requests for reels with bails, Van Staal came out with the manual bail equipped VSB series. Currently consisting of the 100 and 150, these reels are approximately 5 ounces heavier then their bail less counterparts. Toughness and tolerance of submersion remain the same. For anglers used to automatic bails, keep in mind this is a manual bail (for the highest durability) and after the cast you must close the bail by hand.
Gold, Silver, or Black? - Choosing Your Color
All Van Staal reels are anodized. Color choice is merely preference. If you want to get technical, black is the thickest anodizing, followed by gold, with silver coming in last. Silver reels will hide rock rash and wear the best, followed by gold and then black. Many anglers, especially those that sometimes fish during the day, like the stealth offered by the black reels. Nocturnal anglers only real concern is how the reel might match your fishing rod or how the reel looks hanging in the garage during the off-season. Have more questions? Feel free to send an email to info@saltwateredge.com or give us a call at 866-SWE-ORDER. Almost all employees at the Saltwater Edge who fish the surf fish Van Staal reels, and will be happy discuss this line of reels with you. Written by Peter Graeber and Steve McKenna |
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