Lew’s SuperDuty 300 Speed Spool 7.1:1 Left Hand Baitcast Reel

This is the left-hand mirror of the Super Duty 300 – the same big bait, heavy line, big fish brief, built around an oversized 39mm double-anodized spool that holds a genuine 190 yards of 14lb mono or 150 yards of 65lb braid. If you fish left-hand retrieve and you’ve been eyeing the Super Duty 300 for big swimbait or heavy-braid work, this is that reel without you having to switch hands to get it.

Worth noting for anyone comparing the two: this version is listed at a 7.1:1 gear ratio rather than the 7.2:1 of the right-hand model, marginally slower but with correspondingly more torque on the retrieve – a fair trade for a reel whose job is winning fights, not winning speed contests. Everything else that makes the 300 a serious heavy-tackle reel carries over unchanged: the ZRXtra anti-reverse system backing up the Zero Reverse clutch, the 24lb carbon fibre drag, the 100mm bowed handle for real cranking leverage, and the Combat Grip thumb bar for a secure hold when a big fish is putting real pressure through the rod.

Detailed Specifications

• Retrieve: Left Hand
• Gear ratio: 7.1:1
• Bearings: Premium 7-bearing system with ZRXtra (Zero Reverse plus multi-stop back-up)
• Frame: One-piece aluminium with drain ports
• Spool: 39mm U-shape, double anodised, braid-ready, oversized
• Braking: Multi-Setting Brake (MSB) – magnetic and centrifugal
• Drag: Carbon fibre, up to 24lb max
• Line capacity: 190yd/14lb mono, 150yd/65lb braid
• Handle: 100mm bowed anodised aluminium, Winn Dri-Tac oversized knob
• Extras: Combat Grip thumb bar, Speed Keeper hook keeper

Where to Use It

• Left-hand anglers working big glidebaits and swimbaits for pike-class predators
• Heavy braid setups for catfish and other big freshwater species
• Flipping heavy jigs and umbrella rigs with drag headroom in reserve
• Big-bait, heavy-line techniques that outgrow a standard bass reel

Gerry’s Pro Tip

With 150 yards of 65lb braid capacity on a spool this size, don’t feel obliged to fill it to the rim if you’re not regularly casting into that much open water – a slightly under-filled big-capacity spool still casts cleanly, and it’s easier to manage on the bank than fumbling with a full spool’s worth of heavy braid when you re-line.

FAQs

Q: How does this differ from the right-hand SD3SH?
A: Beyond the obvious retrieve-hand difference, this version carries a 7.1:1 gear ratio versus the right-hand model’s 7.2:1 – a small, deliberate difference, with everything else on the heavy-duty 300 platform shared between them.

Q: Is 24lb drag enough for genuinely big catfish?
A: It’s plenty for pike, big bass and most UK freshwater predator work. Anglers specifically targeting the largest catfish species may still prefer purpose-built saltwater-style tackle, but for big-bait freshwater predator fishing this drag is a real asset.

Q: Does the slightly slower 7.1:1 ratio make much practical difference?
A: Barely, day to day – it’s a marginal trade of retrieve speed for torque, and on a reel built for fighting big fish rather than fast presentations, that trade works in your favour.

Q: Why is the handle 100mm rather than the usual 95mm?
A: The extra length adds real leverage when you’re cranking against sustained heavy drag pressure, which matters far more on this reel than on Lew’s standard bass-weight models.