The Speed Spool returns – Lew’s Tournament Pro baitcaster (continued)

We went back to the lab to investigate and found that the drag doesn’t shudder throughout the range but it does seem to hesitate for a split second during the initial pull under max pressure settings. Some other reel manufacturers overcome this with a wet drag design and we decided to try and grease a few of the washers, after of which this issue completely disappeared. We didn’t find this to be a major issue as most anglers will never see this observation as the majority of applications don’t require the drag to be totally buckled down.

The main gearing is also constructed from duralumin for durability and corrosion resistance

Ergonomics: All of the Lew’s reels currently available feature the same compact profile which is a very easy to palm. The reel is so small that it basically disappears in your hands. The external cast control is easy to use and makes adjustments on the fly effortless. Overall the Lew’s Tournament Pro has outstanding ergonomics, not only does the reel have a small overall footprint it also weighs in at only 6.7oz. making it among the lighter reels on the market. It is able to achieve this light overall weight with a rigid aluminum frame and two graphite sideplates.

The reel features a multi-disk carbon composite drag system

These graphite sideplates actually look and feel like aluminum and do a surprisingly good job keeping the reel’s master gearing in tight tolerance, and when palming the reel and cranking aggressively it is hard to tell that the sideplates are made out of graphite.

Small and compact the reel is extremely comfortable to palm

When I first started fishing with the Lew's Tournament Pro I wasn’t sure if I would be fond of the flat knobs. At first these knobs looked more like paddles and felt a little thin between my fingertips, but after just a few casts I started to appreciate the large amount of surface area these paddles provided. These rubber paddles proved to be comfortable and able to provide plenty of grip for winding back both lures and bass.

Superlines are no problem with the titanium coated zirconia line guide

Durability: In keeping with Lew’s tradition the Tournament Pro is built to last and the reel held up well throughout our tests. Our Amazon test reel survived the ordeal of both travel across the globe and battles with Peacock Bass. The second reel has held up equally as well and taken on many largemouth and smallmouth with absolutely no signs of wear or damage, in fact the reel’s finish looks brand new and has no boat rash at all.

The external cast control system can be adjusted in fine increments

The external lube port makes adding oil to the reel’s main gearing very quick and easy but we found that after a season of use both reels did not require any additional gear oil, and still feel smooth and friction free when cranked.

Unscrew the sideplate and twist up...