13 Fishing Concept A Gen II Baitcast Reel 5.6:1 RH

The 13 Fishing Concept A Gen II is a low-profile baitcaster for anglers who fish hard and don't want to baby their gear. Right-hand retrieve, a 5.6:1 gear ratio, and just 7.4 ounces sitting in your palm. It's the kind of reel you rig up in spring and still trust deep into fall.

That 5.6:1 ratio pulls about 22.2 inches of line per turn. It's not a burner, and that's the point. This is the ratio you want for jigs, Carolina rigs, deep crankbaits, and slow-rolling spinnerbaits, anything where you want torque and a controlled retrieve over raw speed. Pair it with a 7'0" to 7'3" medium-heavy rod and you've got a jig-and-worm setup that works all day.

The heart of the reel is the 25 lb Bulldog Carbon Drag system. That's real stopping power, enough to turn a trophy fish out of heavy cover before it buries you in the grass. Behind it sits the H.A.M. hardened brass main gear, cut with Japanese Hamai precision. Brass gears hold their tooth profile through years of hard use, and that's what keeps the retrieve smooth season after season.

Corrosion is what kills reels, so 13 Fishing built the Concept A Gen II on an HD aluminum frame with Ocean Armor 2 treatment and anti-electrolysis screw pads. Fish it in fresh water without a second thought. Take it inshore or into brackish water and it'll hold up too, as long as you rinse it with fresh water and oil the bearings after every salt trip. Skip that maintenance for a couple of seasons and the bearings can start to show corrosion, so a little care goes a long way here.

The Gen II updates are the details that matter on the water. There's a Low-Friction 6-Way Braking System that lets you make small, relevant adjustments for everything from light finesse baits to heavy swimbaits. The Arrowhead Line Guide and a Gen II hard-anodized worm shaft lay line evenly, which means fewer wind knots and better casts. The Beetle Wing Rapid Access side plate pops open for cleaning without fighting it, and the KeepR integrated hook keeper lets you park your bait without dinging the rod blank. Little things, but they add up over a long day. If you do a lot of boat-side pitching, take a minute to dial the brakes in a touch tighter at first, then back them off as you get a feel for the reel. That keeps overruns down while you learn the cast.

Inside you've got 7 bearings: two high-spin corrosion-resistant bearings for the cast, four stainless bearings for smoothness, and one Dead Stop anti-reverse bearing that kills back-play on the hookset. When a fish loads up, the handle doesn't budge before the hook drives home.

Who's this for? Bass anglers running jigs, worms, and moving baits who want a durable, no-drama reel that doesn't cost a fortune. It's a great everyday workhorse and a solid backup that earns its way into the rotation, and plenty of anglers have run these same reels for years with nothing more than routine cleaning. Who's it not for? If you're burning frogs across matted grass or fishing techniques that call for a high-speed 8:1 retrieve, you'll want a faster reel in the same lineup. And if you're chasing big pike or muskie and leaning on the drag hard for long fights, some anglers swap in upgraded drag washers, though for bass and inshore work the stock 25 lbs is plenty.

One thing to know up front: this is the right-hand retrieve model, A2-5.6-RH, so you crank with your right hand. 13 Fishing doesn't factory-support converting retrieve hands, and aftermarket kits void the warranty, so pick the hand you actually fish before you buy. Get that right and the Concept A Gen II delivers the performance, reliability, and features you need for day-after-day fishing.