Getting set up in bowfishing requires that you buy special equipment. Luckily, the sport doesn’t require too much special gear, but you will need to buy a bowfishing reel on top of having the bow. This equipment will let you crank in the fish after you put them on the end of your arrow. I put together this list of the 9 best bowfishing reels so that you can choose the best options.
Let’s take a look at the best reels for the money. Also, as a side note, if you’d like to get a package deal on a reel and get the bow with the reel, you might just choose to go with a bowfishing bow. You can take a look at them here.
1. Cajun Winch Pro Bowfishing Reel
| Material | Aluminum |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
| Adjustment | Vertical or horizontal |
| Reel Type | Bottle |
Product Information
The Cajun Bowfishing brand stands out as one of the best in the industry, and you can’t go wrong with this choice. It features stainless steel hardware, which makes it easier to clean and less prone to rusting. Because of the revolutionary design of the winch pro, you can brake and reel easily. That matters especially once you put a carp on the end of your arrow.
Cajun made this bottle reel as a heavy-duty bowfishing product made to handle the biggest applications, so you could use it out on saltwater. This might be a bottle reel, but the design and the trigger mechanism feel right at home with the best reels. On the regular compound bow, it will fit onto it easily enough.
Who I Recommend It For
I would recommend this bowfishing reel for those who like bottle reels. Because it has a crank on it, you can use this for bowfishing tournaments without much for problems. If you’ve never tried a product from Cajun, they have some of the best bowfishing products. It may not be the choice for everyone, but it would be worth checking out.
Don’t buy this reel for a left-handed bow since it works exclusively with right-handed bows. This reel would make for a good choice if you want a good overall reel.
This reel may not work as well in tournaments because of it being a bottle reel, but I did notice how they have a crank on this one, which will let you reel it in faster than where most of them force you to do it by hand.
2. AMS Bowfishing Retriever Pro Reel
| Material | Stainless steel, aluminum |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
| Color | Pink and black |
| Reel Type | Bottle |
Product Information
You will learn to love AMS because it was made in the good ol’ USA—many companies are giving the work to China nowadays, instead. Anyone feeling patriotic who wants to support America over other countries should consider buying from AMS Bowfishing. This heavy-duty reel features the AMS-patented EverGlide Safety Slide to keep you safe. You don’t have to buy it separately, which is a big plus. Without it, bowfishing can be a bit dangerous if the line hooks into the bowstring and shoots the arrow back at your face.
The ease of use is a definite highlight of the AMS Bowfishing Retriever Pro Reel, making it a good reel for a beginner. Especially for the price, you can’t beat this one on its value. This reel holds up to some abuse that commonly happens when bumping it around in the boat or cranking in the fish.
You can install it easily. It doesn’t take a long time to get started playing with it. Overall, this is a well-designed and thoughtful bowfishing product that most people will appreciate the value of. The reel has plenty of lines on it to ensure that you can shoot it for the maximum distance. The pinch pressure drag system will help you to bring in more fish.
Who I Recommend It For
I would recommend this bowfishing reel for anyone who wants a bottle reel with a crank on it. Keep in mind that they only made this one for right-handed bows, so it won’t work on a left-handed bow. In general, this bowfishing reel receives some of the highest ratings as far as a reel goes. It’s a great choice for someone who wants a product made in the USA.
For individuals new to bowfishing, you won’t struggle to set this one up either, which makes it a product if you don’t have much technical knowledge.
3. Muzzy 1097 XD Bowfishing Reel
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Right or Left |
| Color | Silver |
| Reel Type | Baitcast |
Product Information
Another one of the legacy bowfishing brands, the Muzzy 1097 XD was made in the USA, and because they founded the company in 1984, you can trust in the quality of an established bowfishing brand. You can use this reel either for the left hand or the right. I’m a left-handed bowfisherman, so this product can especially come in handy for me. If you want to make it left-handed, switch the reel to the other side.
Muzzy continues on as a pioneer that keeps generating new opportunities in the sport and keeps expanding them. Their bowfishing equipment is known as durable and user-friendly.
Who Would I Recommend It For
Especially if you would like to bowfish on saltwater, this reel can hold up against it since it was designed to handle those demands. For those who don’t know, saltwater corrodes everything it touches, which means that you have to exercise even more caution. Freshwater can rust your bowfishing gear over time, but it won’t come even close to the damage that saltwater can do.
The other people I would recommend this reel for are those who want to support America. Since this reel was made in the United States, it supports hard-working Americans rather than China. You can put this bowfishing reel on a bow or a crossbow, depending on what you have. This bowfishing line has a 150-pound test, so it makes sense as a reel for someone who will target big saltwater fish like sharks and stingrays.
4. SOPOGER Bowfishing Reel
| Material | Aluminum Alloy and Plastic Shell |
| Hand Orientation | Right-Handed |
| Color | Neon Green |
| Reel Type | Bottle |
Product Information
Coming from a lesser-known brand, this reel offers you an overall simple design in made-for-free-spool mode. All you have to do with a bow that has this reel is draw and shoot. You don’t need to push special buttons, and the reel has a large capacity that can hold up to 40 meters of line. This should be more than enough to meet your needs.
You don’t need to worry about resistance or jamming with this reel. Just remember to always use it with a safety slide. Safety slides are a must when bowfishing to stay safe.
What I like about this reel is the ease of installing it. You don’t need much to get started. Screw it onto the sight and remove the sight for recurve bows.
Who Would I Recommend It For
I would recommend this bowfishing reel for someone who wants a simpler reel on a tight budget. Just keep in mind that you get what you pay for. I wouldn’t advise this choice for a beginner because it isn’t as well-known of a brand in the bowfishing realm. The biggest bowfishing brands include Muzzy, Cajun Bowfishing and AMS. Stick with those if you’re new to bowfishing and want to ensure a great bowfishing product.
If you’re looking to experiment with a cheaper bowfishing reel, this might be a fine choice. It does cost much less than many of the other choices. Still, if you wanted a cheaper choice, I would say to go with the Muzzy 1097 instead. It hails from a better brand.
5. Muzzy Bowfishing Tournament Reel
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Right-Handed |
| Color | Gray |
| Reel Type | Spin Reel |
Product Information
Made for bowfishing tournaments, this bowfishing reel can hold up well to the abuses out on the water. Bowfishing in general is a sport that is hard on your gear. That’s why getting gear made specifically for bowfishing can help it to hold up better. Coming from a well-known brand in the industry, the Muzzy Bowfishing Tournament Reel was built to handle the big action.
You will see increased durability and performance from this reel. It has fast retrieval, which makes it perfect for tournaments where you want to target the numbers.
Who I Recommend It For
I would recommend this choice for someone who wants to bowfish in tournaments with a dependable reel, so you don’t risk losing to a lesser bowfisherman than yourself. In terms of cost, it’s about a middle-ground reel. The one complaint that you did see with this reel was that it doesn’t hold up as well as some of the other reels. I wouldn’t recommend this choice if you want one that you buy one time and don’t need to buy it again later. You could also go a little higher price and get a higher quality reel.
6. BALLISTA BL25 Spincast Reel
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Left or Right |
| Color | Silver |
| Reel Type | Spincast |
Product Information
This is a cheaper bowfishing reel made for someone on a budget who would like to get started in bowfishing. The BALLISTA BL25 is a good choice for a left-handed person since looking at this list, you may find your choices more limited. The BL25 is rust-resistant, and it has an overall smooth feel when in use. When you go to grip it, it’s easy to grip.
You have about 40 yards of line on this reel, and while that may not sound like a lot, you rarely take shots of more than 25 yards out in bowfishing. Most of your shots will be right next to the boat, so you don’t need as much fishing line.
Who I Recommend It For
I would recommend this bowfishing reel for younger children getting started in the sport. It isn’t a bulky reel, which makes it easier for a child to use. Spincast reels in general tend to be a bit easier for younger children to use over the bottle reels due to the size.
When you go to use this reel, I like that the material feels made from strong metal. On the inside, it is made from plastic, but you can’t expect top-notch quality for the lower price. It’s a budget reel that they made differently from the other choices.
7. AMS Bowfishing Retriever TNT
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Right or Left |
| Color | White |
| Reel Type | Bottle |
Product Information
AMS bowfishing products come from the USA, which in itself makes them worth the support, but you have other reasons to go with the AMS Bowfishing Retriever TNT, too. They created this reel for greater speed out on the water. They based this one off the original Retriever Pro bowfishing reel. It retrieves up to 27 inches of line for each crank, reducing the risk that the fish will fall off the line. Because they made this with a bottle, you don’t have to worry about the drag on it because the line freely spools out of the bottle. This is different from a drum or a spool. Without the drag, a bottle reel gives you greater accuracy out on the water.
Who I Recommend It For
It’s all about finding the right reel for the right person, and this brand would fit patriotic Americans who want to support their country. The AMS Bowfishing Retriever TNT offers good quality and smoothness when you go to crank in the fish, making for a better night out on the water. If you don’t want to buy a reel with weak line, this one will come with good line on the reel right from the get-go.
I’d recommend this choice for bowfishermen who just started in the sport or someone who would use the reel every weekend. The reel offers you a simple design, and it install easily making it a great choice for those less technical individuals.
8. Muzzy Pro Bowfishing Reel Silver
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Right |
| Color | Silver |
| Reel Type | Spincast with extended hood |
Product Information
This reel weighs 0.7 pounds, and that matters because over a night of bowfishing, you will find that it tires you out less. Now, the weight of the bow will matter just as much, but a lighter reel is a bonus. The only danger would be that a lighter reel breaks easier than a heavier one. It uses a push-button activation for when you go to take your shots.
As a spincast reel, the extended hood on the reel lets you take smoother and more accurate shots out on the water. This reel has received a rating for saltwater, so you can take it out on the water whether freshwater or saltwater. Keep in mind when we say it is saltwater, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for freshwater. Freshwater just tends to be easier on the reel. With saltwater, you’ll still want to wash off the reel at the end of every bowfishing session to prevent rusting.
Who I Recommend It For
I would recommend this bowfishing reel for bowfishermen who live in Texas, Louisiana, Florida or California where you might wish to bowfish in saltwater. It can be a blast. Just stay aware of the regulations and how they differ for each state. If you want to use your reel for freshwater, no problem since this reel can handle freshwater just as easily.
You can adjust this reel either for right-handed or left-handed bowfishing. That makes this reel a great choice if you have a family member or buddy who has a different dominant hand from yourself. You can switch this one out easier than the other reels mentioned above.
9. RPM Bowfishing M1-x Trigger Reel Black
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Hand Orientation | Right or left |
| Color | Black |
| Reel Type | Spincast with extended hood |
Product Information
Many have praised this reel for its ease of use, and at the same time, it offers a faster retrieval, so you can crank into the boat faster with less chance of losing them off the arrow. The reel comes with monkey wire, which you with either love or love to hate. To avoid any problems, you can just switch out the line if you don’t want it.
When you shoot a bigger fish, the reel handle can feel a bit wonky, but overall, you shouldn’t experience too much for problems. When you compare the price to others, this one still offers you a good value.
Who I Recommend It For
I would recommend this choice for someone on a budget who still wants a spincast reel. Spincast reels do impact accuracy slightly, but the extended hood on this one will help to improve it. This reel feel solid in the hands, but because it comes with no instructions, I can’t recommend this choice for beginners. You could probably figure it out, but it would go easier to just buy one of the other reels.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this outlines some of the best bowfishing reels on the market today. Especially if you bought a bow and you didn’t like the reel on it, this could help you to buy a higher quality reel. The reel on your bow is one of the most important components because it will help you to crank in the fish. If you don’t have a good one, I’ve known people who have lost fish. Don’t let that become you. Check out some of the products above to see which one would help you the most.
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