Lew’s has a track record of pairing quality with affordably. This is what they’ve done once again with the Lew’s Speed Spool RX. The $180 reel isn’t cheap by any means, but it is one of the more affordable Lew’s reels to house their new ParaMag RX Braking System — an industry-leading advancement in the braking arena.
I was able to get my hands on one of these a few weeks before its official launch at the ICAST show, and a couple tanks fell victim to a frog rigged on it right out of the gate. Here’s what I know about the Lew’s Speed Spool RX and how it performed on the water.
First Impressions
When I first saw this reel, I was pleased to see that it had some of the standard fare that I’ve become accustomed to with Lew’s reels; the wide paddle handles and clean, low-profile housing. I was also excited to see that Lew’s had engineered the RX around their new ParaMag braking system, which was introduced last year for the first time in the $300 Lew’s Custom Pro Gen 3.
Eager to get out on the water with this one, I spooled it up with 40-pound Sufix 832 Braid, tied on a Toad Thumper Walkin’ Frog, and set out for my local lake. The bream were bedding big time, so I figured I might be able to catch a few bass around the beds and surrounding water willow.
I only got a few bites on that first trip, but two of them were studs for central Alabama in July — one over 4 pounds and one close to 5. Throughout that whole day (and the subsequent fishing trips since), the Speed Spool RX casts extremely smoothly and has proven itself to be very strong. It hauled both those big ones in with no problems and also skipped the frog really well.
I’ve fished a buzzbait and a plopper-style bait on this reel a good bit too, and it’s perfect for bomb casting these baits down the bank.
Lew’s Speed Spool RX Casting Reel Specs and Features
- Retrieve: Right and left (7.5:1 only)
- Gear Ratio: 5.6:1, 6.8:1, 7.5:1, and 8.3:1
- Line Capacity: 12 pounds/120 yards
- Weight: 6.8 ounces
- Bearings: 7+1
There’s a left-hand Speed Spool RX option available in a 7.5:1 gear ratio, and there are 4 right-hand options too: 5.6:1, 6.8:1, 7.5:1, and 8.3:1. All the reels weigh 6.8 ounces and sport the 95 mm handle. These reels also have 8 (7+1) reel bearings and again come priced at $179.99.
ParaMag RX
So, what is ParaMag? Well, most reels use friction to slow the spool at the end of the cast. ParaMag is a frictionless, noise-free braking system that applies even pressure across the whole spool using magnets, which adjust accordingly throughout the cast.
The result is a smooth casting reel with an easy-to-set braking system that produces minimal backlashes. Simply turn the exterior brake control on the side to set the brake like you would any other reel, then fire away. The side plate does come off if you want to take a peek under the hood, but you won’t find anything to manually adjust inside.
Other Notable Features
I love the overall simplicity of this reel. The Speed Spool platform is phenomenal across all the models, consisting of several workhorses like the Speed Spool Gen 3 and the BB1 Pro Speed Spool. The RX is another great addition to the lineup, and the only one currently with the ParaMag braking. Changing out the inner workings while keeping what works well on the outside was the right move.
The large paddles on the 95 mm handle felt right at home in my hand, as did the low-profile, one-piece aluminum frame. I really like the new Speed Knot feature too; this slit in the spool of the reel allows you to easily spool up line by tying a knot in the end of your line and inserting it into the Speed Knot slot.
This Speed Knot system is a really big deal when you consider how it eliminates the need to worm your line around the spool to tie it off or tape your line down to spool up a reel. And, with 20 pounds of drag, you’re not going to encounter anything in the bass fishing world that this one isn’t capable of handling.
Final Thoughts
For $180, you can still buy a pretty nice reel these days, even with the wild economy and unpredictable effects of tariffs day to day. I believe that’s what you’ll find in the Speed Spool RX — a solid reel for the money amidst an ever-changing landscape.
Is it the best reel at this price point stacked up against all other brands? I don’t know if I can confidently and unequivocally say that just yet. But the ParaMag RX system certainly does put the Speed Spool RX near the top of the heap. Pairing this leading-edge technology with the tried and true features of the Speed Spool lineup, I think Lew’s knocked it out of the park with this one.
