FAQs

All BSR reels are proudly manufactured in Australia, including pcb’s and motor control.

All external, and many internal parts are made from 6061 machined billet aluminium. Shafts and helix are made from 316 stainless steel. Motor driven gears are hardened steel in a permanent sealed oil bath. The motor housing on the 145 is solid carbon fibre. Hexadic drag stacks are carbon fibre.

For fishing this fully depends on your intended usage and preferred line class. Both will haul massive fish, both have long duty cycles, both are built for life. The 145 is a larger and heavier than the 115. If you prefer running a heavier braid such as 150- 200lb, go the 145. If you are happy with running up to 100lb braid or a shorter length in larger braid, and prefer the lighter overall weight and size go the 115.

For pulling dredges its all about weight. All WL reel models in all voltages will easily retrieve trailer boat sizes dredges with ease. If you are running game boat size dredges with big weights and/or multiple dredges per reel however, 24v will be your best option as 24v mitigates voltage drop with the long power supply runs required to get to your hard top better than 12v.

Handles are required in some areas by law (such as Australia) for all non-commercial fishing. So, if you are in an area that requires handles for fishing, get an H version. The handle is also good in case of a power issue on your boat, you will still be able to get everything back in. The handle version is also great in Charter situations; you can set the auto stop a little short and have the client crank in the last few feet rather than risk them attempting to retrieve up to the rod tip under power.

Having said that, the non-handle versions are a little cheaper and certainly are slick. If you live in an area that is not a nanny state and you stay up to date with electrical boat maintenance, go the non-handle version.

No, the handle is stationary and will only turn when you turn it manually.

No, the handle can be used when the reel is under power or stationary.

Yes, but its more expensive to do it this way. The H version has a different main shaft and a few other components in addition to the geared housing, so while it is possible it would be better to purchase the version you prefer initially.

The answer to this is both! All WL reel motors run through a sealed, geared pre-stage, then onto a belt for final reduction. Other mfg’s may run a lower speed motor onto a small reduction belt. This type of design relies heavily on the motor rather than gearing for performance. We are big believers in reduction and letting gearing do the heavy lifting over burning out motors.

Main drive & helix belts are German made and should last a lifetime but are also easily replaceable.

We don’t know that you should. If you only head offshore a couple times a year and target standard bottom fish, you probably don’t need one. There are plenty of products on the market that will serve you well at a significantly cheaper price. However, if you like the idea of pulling swordfish, high speed trolling for wahoo, run heavy dredges, or want the ability to bottom fish frequently with heavy leads, in current, & long duty cycles, this reel series is made for you.

No, WL reels are manufactured in dedicated 12v or 24v options. Neither will operate on the others power supply.

You certainly can but its not required. Most trailer boats are rigged in 12v. All WL reels models work  incredibly well for any application required on a trailer boat whether  fishing or kite & dredge retrieval.

24v WL145 is excellent (but not essential) for retrieving game boat size dredges and weights.

Our company (Lone Star Marine) has made its mark in part by manufacturing product that last in conditions where others fail.

Part of this secret is in overhead. Basically, the more torque a product has, the longer it will last. We opted to design our 24v versions for maximum longevity as we feel it is more important than a single ridiculously high-speed no-load rating.

Running a reel engineered for torque helps ensure during normal operation the drive is working at a lower percentage of its maximum, thereby ensuring maximum longevity.

The speeds on all WL reels are set for real world usage, and 400+ fpm is plenty fast for any application. You will also notice they don’t slow down much under load.

Tru Count is a proprietary algorithm developed for  the WL series. When spooling your new reel for the first time in spooling mode simply punch in the line diameter and the reel will take care of the rest. It automatically calculates wraps per layer and always knows how much line is on or off the spool.

When the line broke there will be a value on the reel which is your line out. Lets assume that value is 200m. Go into the menu section under spool, and whatever value is there (say 1800m), deduct the 200m from it and exit. Your reel now knows it is holding 1600m and will adjust the algorithm accordingly.

You are welcome to put any kind of braided line you like on your new reel and there are obviously plenty of good options on the market. However, we use and recommend Tasline as a factory option. Tasline is an uncoated Australian made braided line. It is smooth and has an incredibly small diameter for its size, even among the best braided lines. This means you’ll pack maximum length at the highest breaking strains.

We recommend 150-200lb on the WL145 and 100lb on the WL115. You can, of course, fit any size you like.

Its not a cheap product and shouldn’t be treated as such, however there is very little maintenance required to keep your reel in top shape for decades.

• Use the splash cover during on board transport if there is a possibility of getting hit with green waves.
• Keep the plug dry.
• Do not store the reel wet or in a wet cover.
• Lightly rinse with freshwater after use. Don’t be an idiot and hit it with a 6,000 psi gurney.
• Light spray with silicon based lubricant is a good idea after each use.
• Don’t use petrol based chemicals on the screen or buttons.
• Store dry with the drag backed off
• Use dielectric grease on the plugs regularly to prevent internal corrosion and replacement.