Best Big-Pit Reels 2023: 7 Reasonably Priced Reels

Big-pit fishing reels tend to be expensive these days, they’re specialist pieces of equipment, designed for fishing at long distances for monster carp.

However they’re also really expensive, some Big-pits will set you back an arm and a leg, so if you want to get your hands on one, you must have deep pockets. Fortunately, some manufacturers are able to provide nearly the same amount of performance from the top-of-the-range reels for only a fraction of the price.

What to look for in a Big-pit reel:

• Slow Oscillations: Allows for better line lay
• Large Spools: Allows the line will fly off smoother during a cast
• Lightweight Body: Makes casting and fighting much easier
• A Strong Line Clip: Allows for accurate casting repeatedly 

These reels aren’t the highest-end premium carp fishing reels but they are all very solid big pits that are capable of fulfilling all the requirements for most anglers. If money is no object and you want the best that the industry has to offer, we’d point you in the direction of a Daiwa Basia! But that’s not exactly realistic for most people, so here are some amazing big-pit reels that offer high-end performance but won’t break the bank:

Fishing Reel	Price
Daiwa Windcast	Check Current Price
Fox EOS 12000/Fox EOS 12000 FS	Check Current Price
Shimano Ulteraga XTD	Check Current Price
Shimano Baitrunner XT-B LC	Check Current Price
Okuma CB-60	Check Current Price
Wychwood Riot 65S	Check Current Price
Diawa Tournament S 5000T	Check Current Price

Diawa Windcast BR

Performance

The Diawa Windcast is another example of a nearly perfect Big-pit reel. It’s fully kitted out with the most premium materials and technology which results in a reel that is uncompromised in strength and capability. The cranking power on this reel is massive, it can retrieve line incredibly quickly which is very useful, especially as the Windcast comes in a Spod/Marker version. Every function on the reel is calculated, and precise and allows the angler maximum control and flexibility when playing a fish.

Value

There’s no way around the fact that the Diawa Windcast is an expensive reel and for most people, I don’t think it’s the best value for money. However, if you’re after a top-performing reel your initial investment will likely prevent you from continuously having to switch or upgrade reels. The Windcast is built to last, it’s a purchase that will only be made once and will then hopefully last several years.

Quality

As we’ve mentioned many times before, Diawa always comes through with quality. The materials are premium which results in a large but lightweight reel which helps when casting large distances.

Fox EOS 12000 / Fox EOS 12000 FS

Performance

The performance on the Fox EOS 12000 is also astonishing, this reel is a workhorse with some serious cranking power that holds up in the toughest of situations. Although it’s not the lightest Big-pit we’ve tested, it is probably one of the toughest and is built of high-quality graphite that is designed to last. The retrieval on the Fox EOS 12000 is very smooth and fast and the line lay is almost perfect because of Fox’s Mesh-Tec gearing system, this reel is a joy to cast and play fish with.

The Fox EOS 12000 however also comes in a free-spool version, the Fox EOS 12000 FS. The “FS” stands for free-spool which is a multi-drag system. A free-spool system allows you to have two drag settings, take for example you can use a very slack drag setting when you’re rods are on the bank so they don’t get pulled in and when you are fighting the fish you can change the drag by the flick of a switch to your fighting drag setting which will make it harder for the fish to strip line. However, having the free-spool version of this reel does mean that it is also heavier, the standard version is just 744 grams.

Value

To be honest we’ve been looking at this reel from a number of aspects now and we just can’t figure out why this thing is so cheap! It’s actually unbelievable how well-built and equipped it is and it only costs shy of one hundred pounds which really isn’t much for a reel of this caliber.

Quality

The Fox EOS 12000 and 12000FS are both incredibly well-built reels, the components are all very solid yet the reel still remains surprisingly light for its size. Overall, very robust, reliable, and nicely finished.

Shimano Ulterga XTD

Performance

One of the main reasons we have the Shimano Ulterga XTD near the top of our list is the perfect line due to the incredibly slow oscillations in this reel. We’ve compared it to reels double its price and we seriously can’t tell much, if any difference. It is perfect for casting long distances and targeting those larger fish.

Fights are also incredibly exciting on Shimano Ulterga XTD (which is important). It still is very fun when fighting fish but it also provides plenty of control and it performs excellently in most circumstances, you have a great sense of maneuverability with this reel (this does also depend on what rod you’re using).

Value

The Shimano is one of the more expensive reels on this list but for good reason, it is equipped top to bottom with high-quality features. We think at this price range, the Shimano Ulteraga XTD is the best big pit reel in the world, if there is a better big pit at this price bracket, we are yet to try it!

Quality

As always from Shimano, the quality is on point for a reel of this price point, with premium materials and an immaculate finish. Another feature we love about this reel is the design, we love where Shimano has taken this reel. It comes with a stunning matt black finish with a very simple and minimalistic design. It’s quite subtle but also stylish, we don’t think are many reels out there that can match it for looks.

Shimano Baitrunner XT-B LC

Performance

We love Shimano’s baitrunner line-up as they cater to nearly every fishing situation. Models like the 4000FB are perfect for commercial fisheries and monsters like the XT-B LC (Long-Cast) and brilliant for, as the name suggests, distance casting. The large AR-C spool brings super slow oscillations to the XT-B LC which allows you to cast longer and to help to bring that line in quickly, the reel has massive cranking power. As well as this the spool ensures immaculate line lay which keeps the line uniform and in good condition.

Value

We’d say with the XT-B, you get what you pay for. The reel isn’t priced particularly low but it doesn’t need to be because it offers enough features and technology to make it a justifiable purchase if you’re going to make use of its ability.

Quality

Shimano’s been producing quality carp reels for many years and we’ve never seen or experienced any difficulties with quality. Everything always seems to be simple, functional, and robust. The XT-B is no different from the rest.

Okuma CB-60

Performance

We first started using Okuma reels around seven or eight years ago and we’ve been in love with them since. Every Okuma we’ve used and tested has been robust, reliable, and excellent out on the lake and the CB-60 is no exception. The drag is incredibly smooth as are all the parts on this reel and it feels much more expensive than it really is, we find it hard to believe that these things are so cheap!

Value

You’d expect at such a low price that the reel has some sort of trade-off, but that’s not the case with the CB-60, it has good cranking power and once you pick it up, it’s easy to tell that it’s built to last. The CB-60 is also quite compact and therefore making it relatively light compared to other big pits, it only weighs 570 grams!

Quality

Another one of the main reasons we love this reel is because of its gorgeous aesthetics, Big-pits don’t come much better looking than this. It has an awesome retro look, finished with classy matt black paint and a beautiful dark wooden handle. Out of all the big pits we’ve used over the years, this has to be one of the best looking.

Wychwood Riot 65S

Performance

Like a lot of Big-pit reels, the Wychwood Riot 65S doesn’t feature a frees-pool system, however, it does feature a very good clutch system that allows you to maintain control of the carp in fights. It’s also a very enjoyable reel to play fish with, a lot of reels we’ve tested work brilliantly but feel dull, this, however, feels alive and very real in fights.

Value

Compact Big-pits have become very fashionable among anglers recently because of their amazing capabilities and they are also often cheaper than full-sized big-pits. The Wychwood Riot 65S is a perfect example of this, it’s everything you’d want your compact big-pit reel to be, it has an amazing casting capability, beautiful line, and gorgeous aesthetics (which matters a lot!)

Quality

It’s not something that everyone’s accustomed to, but we personally really have these “compact reels”. They look slightly strange at first but they’re actually put together very well and show no signs of compromise from a standard carp fishing reel. The Wychwood 65S is built with the same premium components as standard reels, the only difference being the size.

Diawa Tournament S 5000T

Performance

The Tournament S 5000T is really expensive and it shows, it’s a classic reel that has been re-designed for the modern angler. This reel is a powerhouse, with super slow oscillations, unbelievable cranking power, and a very large spool so that it can push rigs out to astonishing distancing with ease. It simply doesn’t get much better than the Tournament S 5000T.

Value

Its difficult to argue the value of something when it starts to become really expensive, the Tournament S 5000T is specialist gear and for a select group of carp anglers, it will be a worthwhile purchase. But for most people, spending nearly 800 pounds on a few fishing reels isn’t good value and probably won’t significantly impact your fishing. Its like trying to justify buying a sports car, its amazing but most people don’t have the pockets for it and they won’t maximize its capabilities.

Quality

At this price, you get what you deserve in terms of quality, impeccable finishing, and attention to detail. The line lay on the reel is excellent, the spool is perfectly designed to hold large amounts of line, and there isn’t much else to say. We can’t criticize the quality because there’s nothing to criticize.