Shimano Stella SW C Reel

How well is it built?

Shimano's HAGANE Body is the foundation of the Stella SW C, and it's paired with HAGANE Gear and X-Ship so the drive system stays rigid, smooth and durable when the reel is under heavy load.

That's what you want from a reel that could be lifting heavy lures through tide or holding a strong fish away from rocks, and it's a big step up in build from mid-range sea reels like the Penn Spinfisher VII or the Daiwa 20 BG MQ.

Sealing is the other big part of the build. X-Protect and X-Shield are there to keep salt water out of the places where it does damage, although I'd still rinse and dry it after every trip, because normal care still matters on any reel used at sea.

The finish is pure flagship too, with a dark body, silver detailing, a gold spool and STELLA printed on the rotor, and to be fair it looks every bit as expensive as it is.

How well does it cast and retrieve?

Infinity Drive is the headline feature for winding.

It's designed to cut winding resistance and keep the reel turning when the pressure builds, which is exactly when cheaper reels start to feel heavy, whether you're working a big lure back against the tide or pumping a fish up from deep water.

Combined with the HAGANE Gear and X-Ship, it's the reason the Stella SW C is Shimano's strongest saltwater platform, and I think that's where most of the money goes on this reel.

Gear ratio, line capacity and weight all change with the size you pick, so it's worth choosing carefully rather than just going for the biggest model.

The smaller sizes are the ones I'd look at for bass and general lure fishing from the shore, while the bigger models make more sense for boat work and heavier saltwater species abroad, where you need the extra line and power.

How useful is the drag system?

The drag system changes with the size. Many of the Stella SW C models use Shimano's X-Tough Drag, while the larger sizes get Heatsink Drag, and those bigger reels are the ones built for powerful offshore fish that can run a long way.

For UK sea anglers, the smaller sizes with X-Tough Drag are the ones most people will use, and for bass on lures the thing that matters is how smoothly the drag gives line when a fish lunges close in.

That smoothness under pressure is what you're paying for on a flagship reel, and from a reel at this level I'd expect nothing less.

It's why I've rated the Stella's drag above the Penn Spinfisher VII and the Daiwa 20 BG MQ, which are both very good reels for the money but sit a long way below it in the range.

I've scored it level with the Daiwa 25 Saltiga, because both match their drag systems to the size of reel.

Is it good value for money?

There's no getting away from it, the Stella SW C is a big investment, costing several times as much as a Penn Spinfisher VII or a Daiwa 20 BG MQ.

Both of those are fine sea spinning reels, and for most UK shore anglers they'll do the job, but they can't match the Stella's HAGANE build, Infinity Drive or saltwater protection.

Against the Daiwa 25 Saltiga, its closest rival, the Stella SW C is the cheaper of the two by a fair margin, which is why I've given it a slightly higher value score, although I think the Saltiga's sealed monocoque build just edges it overall.

It suits serious sea anglers who fish hard for bass on lures, spin from rocks and boats, or travel for bigger saltwater species, and who want a flagship reel built to keep going for years rather than a cheaper one they'll end up replacing.