When the Lew’s Custom Pro Gen 3 Casting Reel debuted at ICAST 2024, there was so much hype around it you’d have thought KVD had been reincarnated as a fishing reel. While this reel has the half dozen bells and whistles other top tier reels also have, it was the new ParaMag ITB braking system that set this one apart in the eyes of its makers.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on this one soon after it was released and have fished it thoroughly since; here’s what I think about it.
Lew’s Custom Pro Gen 3 Casting Reel Specs and Features
- Retrieve: Right and left (7.5:1 only)
- Gear Ratio: 6.8:1, 7.5:1, 8.3:1
- Line Capacity: 12 pounds/90 yards
- Weight: 5.6 ounces
- Bearings: 11+2
Key Features
- ParaMag ITB braking system
- Recessed brake dial
- Pro Power Knobs and 95mm aluminum handle
- Speed Knot line attachment
- Aluminum frame/C45 carbon sideplates
- 11 bearings with double shielded stainless steel ball bearings
- Speed Dial line size indicator
- Speed Keeper bait keeper
First Impressions
Doing what I get to do for a living puts me in the catbird’s seat when it comes to fishing gear. I had no sooner heard of the new Custom Pro than it showed up on my doorstep. While others were twirling the handle of the reel on the ICAST showroom floor for the first time, I was paddling around in a kayak chucking and winding it on a local lake here in Alabama.
On that first fishing trip, I was immediately impressed. This reel had several features that I’ve come to love in Lew’s reels: like wide and flat handle knobs, an external brake control, and a line size indicator on the spool tension knob. These innovations, new and old, make Lew’s reels some of the most capable, intuitive and comfortable reels on the market.
But it was the new ParaMag ITB braking system that all the hype was about; we’ll get to the nuts and bolts of that in a minute. On that first outing, the braking system performed as advertised, making the reel capable of long casts with minimal backlashes.
My favorite cast of that day came right at the end of the trip, when I bombed a Whopper Plopper up near a patch of grass and a 4-pounder choked it. I don’t know if this reel actually makes me as good as KVD at catching fish, but it sure made me feel like I was — for that one cast anyway.
ParaMag ITB Braking System
The new ParaMag ITB braking system doesn’t use batteries, chips, brake shoes, or electronics like some other reels to regulate how fast the spool spins on the cast. Instead, there’s a magnetic system that releases and gradually retracts the brakes throughout the cast.
That makes for a silent braking system that auto adjusts throughout the cast, resulting in one of the smoothest casting reels on the market, as advertised. But what surprised me, and impressed me more than anything, was the smoothness of this reel on the retrieve. I have never turned the handle on a casting reel that was as smooth and resistance-free as this one.
Recessed Brake Control
The recessed brake control is a nice touch; I’ve been a big fan for years of how Lew’s does the external brake controls on their reels. I’m not a fan of internal brake controls, where you have to take the sideplate off to get to them. They work great, but taking the plate off and putting it back on over and over for minor adjustments is a pain, and in some cases, a hazard, since the sideplate can fall in the water and ruin a good day of fishing.
On the other hand, external brake controls, like the one on the Custom Pro Gen 3, are easy to adjust on the fly. What’s better is the brake control is recessed, tucked half under the shell of the sideplate. It’s still just as easy to give a quick twist, but there’s less of a chance of the reel bouncing around and getting knocked out of tune.
Speed Knot Quick Line Attachment
The Speed Knot quick line attachment on the spool of this reel is one of the best things anyone has ever incorporated into a fishing reel, in my opinion. Tie a simple overhand knot on the end of your line, slide it into a hole in the spool, and then slip the line up in a slit to cinch it down and connect it to the reel to start spooling it up.
No more worming your line into the reel and around the spool and then tying a slipknot and working it back and forth to cinch it down; this is much easier.
Speed Dial Line Size Indicator On Spool Tension Knob
The line size indicator on the spool tension knob is another really smart innovation of late from Lew’s, and it’s a simple fix for an age-old problem.
Without fail and with the best of intentions, I will forget what line size I have on my reels. I can tell the difference by feel between 12- and 17-pound fluorocarbon, but 15 and 17 are a little harder to tell apart, until you set the hook, break off a big one and second guess yourself all the way home. No longer with the Speed Dial. Just take a coin or the screwdriver on your multitool and give the dial a gentle twist to label the reel as having braid, mono, or fluoro from 8- to 80-pound line.
Speed Keeper Flip In/Out Bait Keeper
The Speed Keeper is another cool little deal. The Custom Pro Gen 3 has a bait keeper that can be flipped in and out on the top right side of the reel. I typically use the bait keeper on the rod to store my bait. But, if your rod doesn’t have a bait keeper (or if it has one down on the lower handle of the rod that’s more of a nuisance and a hazard than a help), then the Speed Keeper is a great option that allows you to store your bait without scruffing up the face of your reel with your hook.
Is the Lew’s Custom Pro Gen 3 the best reel ever? I would stop short of making that claim just yet. But, it is an awesome reel, and just the first of many that I believe we will see with the ParaMag braking system.
We’ll undoubtedly see this tech in more reels from Lew’s, and I believe other companies will do their best to duplicate it without infringing on patents. It’s that good and that revolutionary.
As fishing reels in general go, this is a heckuva deal for $280. I’ve been fishing with it for more than seven months now, and it’s a fantastic reel for power fishing.
I have no doubt it would work well with light baits, too, but I’ve had it spooled with 40-pound test braid since I got it, and it’s great for swim jigs, frogs, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and Whopper Ploppers. I think Lew’s has a real winner on their hands with this one.
