Carp fishing is a challenging hobby that you can ace with the right tools. Many carp anglers owe their success in fishing to big pit carp reels, like the Wychwood Carp Unisex’s Riot Big Pit, for example. This is because you can use a much longer fishing line to catch carp since those reels have large spools.
| Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Best OverallWychwood – Carp Unisex’s Riot |
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 | Runner UpDaiwa Basia Custom Twilight Edition DCR |
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 | Best AccessoriesShimano Ultegra 14000 XTD |
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 | Most VersatileNash BP-6 Fast Drag Baby (T2021) |
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 | Best FeaturesDaiwa Windcast QDA |
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 | Best for Long Distance CastingShimano Big Baitrunner XT-B Long Cast |
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The Top 6 Best Big Pit Carp Reels in 2024
Here are our detailed reviews of the best big pit reels for you.
1. Wychwood – Carp Unisex’s Riot
Best Overall
Rating: 4.8
Products Highlights:
- Strong casting power
- Anti-twist line roller
- Five ball bearings
- Spare spool
The Wychwood Carp Unisex’s Riot Big Pit Reel dominates the market with its superb features and excellent performance. It has an unprecedented casting power that’ll make your life easier. Also, it provides strong cranking power and smooth line retrieval due to its five ball bearings. All of those features come at a reasonable price that won’t dent your wallet.
When using the Wychwood big pit reel, you’ll have less chance of damaging your line because of the top-notch anti-twist line roller that comes with it.
More so, the Wychwood reel has a durable line clip. This, combined with the multi-disc drag, can guarantee that you’ll go home with a big catch. If you purchase this big pit reel, you’ll get to choose between two sizes, 75S and 65S. And lucky for you, each model comes with a spare graphite spool.
Pros
- Two sizes available
- Elegant design
- Strong cranking power
- Smooth line retrieval
Cons
- Might be heavy for some people
Final Verdict
If you’re on the lookout for the best big pit reel on the market, look no further than the Wychwood Carp Unisex’s Riot Big Pit Reel. It comes with superb features that’ll guarantee you a big carp catch.
2. Daiwa Basia Custom Twilight Edition DCR
Runner Up
Rating: 4.8
Product Highlights:
- 45-millimetre long spool
- Magnesium alloy body
- Seven ball bearings
- 240 meters line capacity
If you love fishing at a distance, then you’ll love what the Daiwa Basia Big Pit Reel has to offer. First of all, it comes with a superb line lay and a 45-millimetre long spool to increase your chances of catching carp. The spool also has small holes that allow you to see any light coming from a bite indicator and know which reel is moving.
As a bonus point, the reel weighs about 17 oz so you won’t face a challenge carrying it around. In terms of appearance, the Daiwa Basia reel is compact and pretty elegant with a magnesium alloy body that comes in many colours. You can buy it in black, grey, red, or silver.
Moreover, the Daiwa bit pit reel has an astonishing line capacity of 240 meters. It also has a custom-made line clip and seven ball bearings to ensure smooth line retrieval.
Pros
- Lightweight reel
- Smooth line retrieval
- Custom-made line clip
- The spool has holes for bite indicator lights
Cons
- On the pricey side of the market
Final Verdict
The Daiwa Basia Custom Twilight Edition Big Pit Reel comes close second on our list for the features it packs. If you don’t mind getting a luxurious reel and denting your wallet a bit, we recommend you go for it.
3. Shimano Ultegra 14000 XTD
Best Accessories
Rating: 4.7
Product Highlights:
- Extra spool and four-line reducers
- Super slow oscillation
- High-speed drag
- Free-spool mode
The Shimano Ultegra 14000 XTD Reel features a large-capacity spool along with a top-notch line lay. Together, they ought to make your fishing time much more enjoyable. It also features quick drag and five ball bearings to ensure smooth retrieval of the line.
The Shimano big pit reel won’t give you a hard time moving it around since it has a compact, small body that you can fit anywhere. It also won’t dent your wallet since it comes at a pretty reasonable price.
For the best part, this big pit reel comes with four-line reducers and an extra spool to give carp anglers the time of their lives. This means that they can fish using various mainline types and line capacities. So whatever angling situation you prefer, you’ll ace it with this big pit reel.
Other unique features that the Shimano Ultegra offers are super slow oscillation and high-speed drag. Finally, the Shimano big pit reel has a free-spool mode that you can instantly engage by giving the handle a swift half a turn.
Pros
- Compact design
- Top-notch line lay
- Reasonable pricing
- Works with many angling situations
Cons
- Line running may cause noise
Final Verdict
The Shimano Ultegra 14000 XTD Reel offers versatility like no other because of its accessories. It works with many angling situations and guarantees you an enjoyable time and a big catch.
4. Nash BP-6 Fast Drag Baby (T2021)
Most Versatile
Rating: 4.5
Product Highlights:
- Oversized anti-twist line roller
- Dual-line clips
- Fast drag
- Line guard spool system
If paired with the Nash scope carp rods, the Nash BP-6 Fast Drag Baby Big Pit Reel will perform like no other. It has a line guard and an oversized line roller to prevent the line from twisting and tangling too much, especially if you’re casting at a distance.
As for the drag, the Nash BP-6 comes with a quick system that’ll ensure smooth and fast line retrieval. Also, the line lay on this big pit reel is stunning because of the level-wind system that it features.
In terms of appearance, it has a modern black matte finish that’ll impress your fellow anglers. It also comes with an ergonomic handle that adds to the reel’s aesthetic while ensuring comfort during use.
The best part about this big pit reel is that you can use it for many types of fish, not only carp. For instance, you can use it to catch bream or tench.
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Elegant black matte finish
- Ergonomic handle
- No line twisting and tangling
Cons
- The body is too small for some users
Final Verdict
If you want one big pit reel to use in all your fishing adventures, then we recommend the ever-versatile Nash BP-6 Fast Drag Baby Big Pit Reel.
5. Daiwa Windcast QDA
Best Features
Rating: 4.5
Product Highlights:
- Gear mashing accuracy
- Manual bail closure
- QD drag system
- High-impact line clip
The Daiwa Windcast Big Pit Reel takes a proud stance among other choices on our list because of its exceptional performance. It proudly features unprecedented gear meshing accuracy, smooth line retrieval, and a considerable cranking power that ought to impress you.
Not only that, but it also offers an advanced Bail technology that guarantees smooth and strong retrieving and casting of the line. Moreover, it has a high-impact line clip that ensures a tight grip on the reel. This comes in handy for people who like a long casting distance.
The Daiwa reel uniquely introduces an exclusive drag system called QD drag. It gives carp anglers the chance to pull fish and control the free-spool feature simultaneously. Finally, it comes with a spare spool.
To sum it up, the Daiwa Windcast big pit reel has all the features any carp angler needs. And while it might be pricey for some people, there’s no denying it’s worth every penny.
Pros
- Exceptional performance
- Comes with a spare spool
- High cranking power
- Tight grip line
Cons
- Too pricey for some people
Final Verdict
If you want a feature-packed big pit reel and don’t mind denting your wallet a bit, you should opt for the Daiwa Windcast Big Pit Fishing Reel.
6. Shimano Big Baitrunner XT-B Long Cast
Best for Long Distance Casting
Rating: 4.4
Product Highlights:
- Aero Wrap II system
- Slow oscillation
- X-Ship system
- Four ball bearings
The Shimano Big Baitrunner XTB Reel comes packing many of the most advanced Shimano technologies. It’ll work perfectly with you if you love long casting distances because it’s equipped with a massive spool along with an Aero Wrap II line lay system and slow oscillation.
The Shimano baitrunner fishing reel features an X-Ship system and four ball bearings with two-point support to ensure that the gears stay stable. In addition, the gears enjoy an intelligent design that decreases friction to a minimum while increasing power transfer. This gives you better control while playing fish.
This big pit reel comes in two sizes that you can choose from, with the bigger size working best for fishing in large carp waters.
As for the reel’s drag, you can lock the reel with only a quarter turn. All in all, you should put the Shimano baitrunner big pit reel at the top of the list of your choices if you prefer casting at a considerable distance.
Pros
- Comes in two sizes
- Excellent drag
- Ideal for distance-casting
- Innovative gears designed to eliminate friction
Cons
- The handle is relatively small
Final Verdict
If you love casting long distances and need a big pit reel with excellent features, look no further than the Shimano Big Baitrunner XTB Reel.
How to Choose Big Pit Carp Reels
After telling you all about the best carp reels, it’s time to tell you how to choose your perfect match. Here are the features you should consider before making your purchase.
Handle
When fishing for carp, it’s crucial to be quick and accurate. You don’t want to miss a catch because the handle slipped from your hand. Accordingly, it’d be best if you look for big pit reels with large, easy-to-grip handles. This will give you more control over the reel, and you’ll be able to pull the line in time to catch a large carp fish.
Front Drag System
If you cast your line at a large distance, you’ll need an adjustable front drag system to gain accurate sensory information about the line. This is essential to prevent your line from breaking while also having high fighting power. As a result, you should always check the drag system on your reel before purchasing it.
Gear Ratio
Carp anglers who prefer casting at a distance will have a much longer line out there in the water. Unfortunately, this means that they’ll take longer to pull the rope back with the fish at the end of it. To prevent this, it’d help if you look for a big pit carp reel with a quick gear ratio.
The gear ratio will be written in this format, X.X:X, and you should look at the first two numbers to decide whether this carp reel is appropriate for you. To elaborate, when you turn the handle one complete turn, the spool makes revolutions. Those two numbers will show you how many revolutions you’ll get then.
For example, if the number you see is 4.1:1, this means that each time you turn your handle a complete turn, your spool will turn 4.1 times. As a result, the bigger number you see, the better the carp reel is.
To Wrap Up
Buying an excellent big pit reel will help you catch fish more efficiently. We recommend the Wychwood Carp Unisex’s Riot Big Pit Reel if you want an all-in-all carp reel that performs exceptionally well. Another superb choice is the Daiwa Basia Big Pit Reel, which comes with a staggering line capacity. No matter what you’ll choose, you’ll have an enjoyable fishing experience.
