More the better. Thanks Bob!
That's not necessarily true. Unfortunately it's a trap that many people looking to buy a new reel fall into. And the marketing and sales people know it.
More important than the
number of ball bearings in a reel is the
quality and
placement of the bearings. There are many instances where you would be better off choosing a reel with 4 bearings over a reel with 10. Why? Because, knowing that potential buyers are so intently focused on the number of ball bearings, many manufacturers try to cram a reel with as many as they can, just so they can put that high number on the package.
The problem is, quality ball bearings are not cheap. So, a lot of these reels are packed with inferior bearings. These inferior bearings make the reel feel super smooth in the store. However, once exposed to saltwater, salt air, and heavy loads of reeling in big saltwater fish, these bearings can quickly corrode and fail, leaving the user with an either crunchy sounding, not so smooth reel, or one that's seized up completely.
Rule of thumb: If you see a cheap reel with double digit bearings, chances are the bearings are cheap a well.
There are other things to consider when buying a new reel, but a big number of ball bearings is not always better. And, can often be worse.
My Saragosas have 5 ball bearings. Penn Captivas have 11. Saragosa = one of the best saltwater reels made. Captiva = one of the all time worst.
