Updated: January 19, 2026
When mooching or trolling for salmon in Puget Sound, your reel is more than a line holder. Smooth free-spool, predictable startup, and drag you can trust matter when you’re fishing tide changes, controlling depth, and reacting to subtle bites. This is a curated list of reels that feel right for West Coast salmon fishing, without turning into a giant spec sheet.
If you’re building a full setup and want to understand why mooching-style downrigger rods are such a big deal up here, read this next: Why Everyone in Puget Sound is Talking About Mooching Style Downrigger Rods.
Coast Reels: Modern, Practical, Built to Fish
Why Coast is at the top
Coast reels are made in Victoria, BC by people who fish, for people who fish. They’re clean, purposeful, and built for real saltwater days. Nothing flashy, just confidence.
My favorite part
The hydrophobic finish inside and out. It helps shed water and grime so you can clean your reels less and depend on them more.
A couple quick details I like without getting too deep: the large arbor helps you keep the line tight when fish run toward you, and the clutch is designed to stay secure under tension at depth so you can fish with less second-guessing.
View Coast reels available at Prolite Rods:
https://proliterods.com/collections/coast-reels
Peetz Outdoors: West Coast Tradition That Still Works
Peetz reels are classic West Coast salmon gear. Built in Victoria, BC, they’ve been part of the culture for a long time, and they still fish the way a lot of us learned.
My favorite part
The wood reels and the traditional feel. There’s something about that look, that weight, and that vibe that just feels right when you’re mooching the tides.
Peetz is for the angler who appreciates simple, serviceable, and familiar. It’s not about chasing trends, it’s about enjoying the process.
R3ef Reels: Newer, Modern, and Interesting
R3ef reels are newer to this conversation for a lot of anglers, and that’s part of why they’re fun. Modern look, modern feel, and it’s something different than the usual path.
My favorite part
I’ll be straight with you: I don’t know much about them yet, but I like that they’re new and modern. Sometimes that alone is reason enough to take a closer look and see what you think on the water.
Availability Context: Legacy & Limited-Access Reel Brands
Some well-known West Coast reel brands are still frequently searched by Puget Sound anglers, but are no longer practical options for purchasing new gear in the United States. These are included for context and search relevance, not as primary buying recommendations.
Islander Reels (Availability Note)
Islander Reels are well known for precision machining and West Coast design heritage.
U.S. availability note:
Islander is not currently serving U.S. distributors or dealers, which means new Islander reels are generally unavailable through U.S. retail channels. Used or private-sale reels can still pop up, but they’re not a reliable option for most anglers shopping new today.
Amundson Reels (Availability Note)
Amundson reels come up a lot in online searches and discussions, but they were intentionally removed from the primary list here.
U.S. availability note:
Amundson states on their website that they will not ship to the United States, and their reels are not supported through U.S. distributors, so they’re not a practical recommendation for most Puget Sound buyers.
Which Reel Is Right for You?
- Choose Coast if you want modern, no-nonsense performance and you like gear that stays cleaner and easier to trust in wet, salty conditions.
- Choose Peetz if you love the wood reels, the traditional feel, and the heritage vibe of West Coast salmon fishing.
- Choose R3ef if you’re intrigued by newer, modern gear and you enjoy trying something fresh.
- Consider Islander for context or if you find one used, but not as a go-to new purchase option in the U.S. right now.
Designed to Work Together: Reels and Prolite Rods
At Prolite Rods, these reels aren’t an afterthought, they’re part of the system. Our Northwest-style mooching rods are designed to fit these reel styles with the right balance, grip feel, and on-the-water control for Puget Sound salmon fishing.
Explore Prolite Northwest-Style Mooching Rods:
https://proliterods.com/collections/nw-style-moooching-rods
The goal with linking like this is simple: keep you moving through the Prolite site so you can go from learning, to choosing, to building a setup that actually fits how you fish.