Wychwood - Carp Riot 65S Reel, Matt Black

Product Information

One of the main reasons we have the Shimano Ultegra 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. Like most reels on the market today Shimano baitrunner ranges in sizes as well, from 2500-10000, personally, we prefer the Shimano baitrunner ST4000FB which is on the smaller end of the spectrum as we fish a lot on small commercials. Put simply the bigger the reel, the better it will cast and the stronger it will be, the trade-off, however, is the price! 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 Basia is arguably the best carp fishing reel ever made. There have been countless iterations of the Basia, making it among the most popular premium carp fishing reels. Nearly all of them are next to perfect but if money truly is no object and you want the best reel available, then the Daiwa 20 Tournament Basia 45 SCW QD is the reel for you. 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 Wychwood recommends that this reel is coupled with any of the top end rods the company have manufactured. This paring ensures that the Riot Big Pit Reel balances perfectly, and offers improved performance during casting. If you enjoy playing fish, then this reel is the perfect one for you. We have been reviewing some items by Wychwood and have found some hidden gems. We first looked at their luggage range then looked at their rods, which I have to say are built perfectly, but it’s the reels that really shine when it comes to build quality. We had a look at three different Wychwood reels, The Wychwood Riot Big Pit Reel 75, Wychwood Solace Big Pit 65RDS and the Wychwood Solace Compact Big Pit 55QD which happens to be the same reel but it’s slightly smaller and more compact, ideal for lighter test curve rods.As you’d expect with a lot of products, quality is a very important factor for choosing products in the “Fishing” category. But it’s even more important to consider and get a feel for quality when you’re buying online because you aren’t given the benefit of being able to see and try the item for yourself. Price: It probably sounds obvious, but there are links to the price you pay and the quality of a product. Try and set your expectations for the quality based on your budget. You wouldn’t expect a Rolls-Royce for the price of a Fiesta so bear this in mind when shopping. These reels are awesomely priced for the build quality. They will definitely out perform any reel in this price range but are still up there with the big boys. It’s a timeless reel so it will not only last years but it will still be a good contender in years to come. Other pros are mentioned above. The Riot Big Pit 75 has a considerable amount more capacity at 420m again with 15lb line. Last Thoughts A lot of people use these just for their Spod and marker setups and they say the riot big pit reels cast much further than 100 yards. Personally I think these reels are too good to use for that alone. I would buy the 75 model for marking and Spod setups and the 65RDS Reel

For most anglers, the reel is usually the most expensive bit of gear that you’ll buy and arguably the most important. With a vast array of options in the market, it’s a hard choice to decide which reel to invest in, which is why we’ve compiled a thoroughly researched list of our favourite carp fishing reels in 2023. I had the old riot 65, had a set of 3, 2 broke and the front drag messed up on them both, the last one for relegated to a spod reel but that'll be going in the bin soon. I hope they'd have sorted this issue in the new models but I can't comment. Like a lot of Big-pit reels, the Wychwood Riot 65S doesn’t feature a freespool 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. ValueFor those who will be casting long-range, it may be worth considering the larger 4500A and the 5000A. The larger spool will also mean that you have a better line lay in retrieval due to the slower oscillations. Value The Vader X RS does everything you’d want a carp fishing reel to ever do and it does feel good for a reel at this price point. That being said it doesn’t feel particularly premium or special but its a reel most anglers would happily use without any problem. Shimano has been pumping out great quality reels for a long time now and we have no hesitation in recommending their products, everything we find on any Shimano reel is always practical and precise, their attention to detail is superb, and in our opinion, the Baitrunner one of the best carp reels in this budget.