Lew’s Mach Crush Reel

There’s a category of reel that exists purely to survive being fished hard by someone who doesn’t baby their gear, and the MACH Crush is built squarely for that angler. This isn’t the reel you keep wrapped in a sock in the cupboard – it’s the one that lives in the bottom of the boat, gets dropped on the deck more than once a season, and is expected to keep working through all of it. A one-piece graphite frame absorbs that kind of abuse better than you’d expect from something this light, and the 95mm bowed anodised aluminium handle gives you real leverage the instant a fish buries itself in cover and tries to stay there.

What we like about the Crush is that Lew’s didn’t cut corners on the parts that actually determine how a reel fishes just to hit a lower price point. Precision-cut solid brass Speed Gears, machined on the same Hamai CNC equipment used across the range, wear in more gracefully than stamped gears over a season of hard use, and a 10-bearing system with a Zero Reverse one-way clutch keeps hooksets positive rather than mushy. The Multi-Setting Brake system – external magnetic plus internal centrifugal – is genuinely more adjustable than you’d expect at this level, letting you tune for a heavy jig one session and a light crank the next without the reel fighting you either way. Winn Dri-Tac knobs stay grippy when your hands are wet or muddy, and a carbon fibre drag rated to 20lb means the reel has real teeth once a decent fish decides to test it, rather than folding the moment things get serious.

Detailed Specifications

• Retrieve: Left Hand
• Gear ratio: 7.5:1
• Line recovery: 30in per turn
• Bearings: Premium 10-bearing system with Zero Reverse one-way clutch
• Frame: One-piece graphite
• Gears: Solid brass Speed Gears, Hamai CNC cut
• Braking: Multi-Setting Brake (MSB) – magnetic and centrifugal
• Spool: Anodised aluminium U-shape, 32mm
• Drag: Carbon fibre, up to 20lb max
• Line capacity: 110yd/12lb mono, 50lb braid
• Handle: 95mm bowed anodised aluminium, Winn Dri-Tac knobs
• Line guide: Zirconia

Where to Use It

• Anglers who fish hard and want durability over delicate finesse detailing
• Pitching and flipping around cover where confident hooksets matter most
• Boat fishing where a reel needs to survive the occasional knock or drop
• Crankbait and swim jig work needing dependable, wear-resistant gearing

Gerry’s Pro Tip

Set your internal centrifugal brake once, for your most-used lure weight, and largely leave it – it’s designed to be a ‘set and forget’ baseline. Do your actual day-to-day adjusting on the external magnetic dial instead; it’s faster to reach and means you’re not opening the sideplate every time conditions change.

FAQs

Q: Is this reel tough enough for someone who’s hard on their gear?
A: That’s specifically what it’s built for – a one-piece graphite frame and solid brass gears designed to take repeated hard use, rather than a delicate reel that needs careful handling.

Q: How does the Multi-Setting Brake actually help compared to a single-brake system?
A: Magnetic and centrifugal braking work slightly differently through a cast – centrifugal is strongest early, magnetic stays consistent throughout – so combining them gives more controllable casting across a wider range of lure weights than either alone.

Q: What’s the maximum drag?
A: The carbon fibre drag system provides up to 20lb of max drag, plenty for typical bass and general predator work.

Q: Is this a step up or a step down from the Speed Spool RX?
A: They sit at a similar price point with different priorities – the Crush leans towards durability and gearing strength, the Speed Spool RX towards braking sophistication. Either is a solid choice depending on how you fish.