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Lews Mach Crush Baitcaster Review

The Mach Crush is a great baitcasting reel with a large handle, smooth operation and excellent casting capabilities, but with a few downsides. Read our full review below.

Mach Crush Baitcasting Reel Overview

The Mach Crush from Lew’s is an all-graphite body, lightweight reel with a great feel and performance. It’s built on a composite graphite frame with graphite sideplates.

It has a very small profile, but it has a large 95 mm handle with oversized Winn Dri-Tac knobs. It’s very comfortable to hold, and the knobs are large and easy to grab.

The reel has a smooth, solid feel and lots of great features.

The line guide is one of the best we’ve seen in this price range, and the reel comes with a lube port for easy oil application to keep the gears spinning without issue.

With 20 pounds of drag and 10 ball bearings, the Mach Crush is as strong as it is smooth. It can easily cast and retrieve an array of different lures and give you the performance needed to fight big bass.

Plus, for us at least, the unique orange color scheme is an added benefit of this reel, as it really stands out in the sea of black and gray that make up most of the market.

Our overall impressions of the Mach Crush were quite positive. Let’s go ahead and dive into more of the specifics of Lew’s Mach Crush.

Shop Online for the Lew's Mach Crush SLP

Mach Crush Caster's Specs:

  • Ball Bearings: 10 (9+1)
  • Anti-Reverse: Yes
  • Drag: 20 lbs
  • Handle: 95 mm
  • Gear Ratio: 7.5:1
  • Max Drag: 20 lbs
  • Spool Width: 32 mm
  • Weight: 7.3 oz
  • Warranty: 1 year
  • Brake Type: Multi Setting Brake (MSB)
  • Line Capacity: 12 lbs / 110 yd mono
  • Spool: Aluminum
  • Body: Graphite
  • Drag Adjustment: External

David's Thoughts:

First and foremost, this reel is smooth. It feels good in the hand and on the rod. It’s super light. And it casts effortlessly.

The reel has two braking systems, the magnetic brake and the centrifugal brake. The reel comes set with the centrifugal brake dialed in, and the magnetic brake dialed back 50%, so that you have a smooth cast, with a little distance.

Once you dial the reel in, and set the drag, this reel is a dream. It’s smooth, powerful, and easy to use.

I also appreciate the adjustable handle. It’s super easy to grab hold of. And the grips are very comfortable. The grips are also nice and tacky, so they don’t feel slippery, even when they’re wet.

So far, I really like this reel. It’s a great deal for the price Lew’s is asking. I highly recommend it as a good, solid, all-arounder to add to your arsenal.

The only thing I would change is to make it available in a lower gear ratio instead of just the 7.5:1. I really like fishing with large oversized swimbaits and I don’t prefer a 7.5:1 gear ratio for that. That’s a minor complaint though. Overall, I really like the Mach Crush reel.

Man fishing with the Mach Crush reel

Features:

The Lew’s Mach Crush is a great all-around baitcasting reel that offers a smooth and reliable performance. It has a good feel to it and a lot of great features.

High Performance Gear and Crank

The main gear and crankshaft are machined from high strength solid brass to withstand the punishment from catching large fish. The gear ratio is 7.5:1 with a 32 mm aluminum spool.

Multi-Setting Brake (MSB) System

As part of Lew’s multi-setting brake system (MSB), the Mach Crush applies braking pressure to both ends of the cast using a magnetic and centrifugal system to keep the spool from over spinning and causing backlash and birds nests.

Reliable Drag System

The Mach Crush offers an impressive 20lb. of max drag pressure. This is a lot of pressure for a reel at this price point. Drag is controlled internally and offers a great deal of adjustability.

Full Metal Body

Based on a composite graphite frame, the Mach Crush also features graphite side plates.

Bearing System

10 ball bearings are used in the Mach Crush and are shielded to reduce friction and all of the bearings are double shielded with stainless steel for durability.

Anti-Reverse

Through the inclusion of a one-way clutch bearing, the Zero Reverse system stops the spool from spinning to help prevent backlash. It is to engage and disengage the ZeroReverse. Just a flick of the lever and you’re ready to go. It’s smooth and easy to use.

Line Guide

The Mach Crush features a line guide made of Zirconia. This reduces friction and helps keep the line in the right place to avoid tangles even when reeling in a big fish.

Speed Lube Port

The reel features a lube port which allows easy oil application to help keep the speed gears running smoothly.

Mach Crush and fishing rod laying on boat deck.

What We Liked About The Mach Crush

The Mach Crush, while not a perfect reel, has a whole lot going for it. From the light feel to the large easy to hold handle. Lews has made a standout reel with a surprising casting distance on it. Check out some of the highlights of the Mach Crush.

Small Profile, Big Handle

The Mach Crush features a small profile but has a large 95 mm handle. The handle profile is rounded, and the overall weight is low enough to make it comfortable to use. The handle knob is larger than previous Lew’s reels and features Winn Dri-Tac that allows a good grip, even when wet.

Due to the small size, we could easily palm the reel in our hand and maintain excellent control over the reel.

The handle is strong and sturdy and doesn’t flex during a fight. The handle knobs are large, and the rubber helps maintain an excellent grip. Even during some intense fights, we never had any issues with the handle.

Powerful Brakes

The Mach Crush features a 3-setting magnetic MSB, multi-setting brake system. This is comprised of two different braking systems.

The first is the magnetic brake, which is controlled by the star-wheel knob. The second is the centrifugal, which is controlled by the pins.

These two systems work well together and are quite effective. It did take quite a bit of work and a phone call to Lews before we were able to get the system full figured out, but once we did, we felt like we had great control.

Fantastic Casting Distance

We were surprised with the distance the Mach Crush casts. It feels like it’s in another league compared to other reels. We were able to hit targets more than 50 yards away, and it had pretty decent accuracy when we got the target lined up.

The key to getting the best casts out of the Mach Crush is to make sure the centrifugal and magnetic brake are set correctly for the line and lure you’re using. This may take some adjusting to get it set just right, but once you do, this thing can really fly.

Awesome Look and Design

The Mach Crush has a great looking design and color scheme. The orange is the perfect tone of orange and is not too bold, but it still looks great. The reel is built on a graphite frame and side plates.

The frame is not as rigid as aluminum, but the frame is extremely durable and has held up well. The reel is not as heavy as other graphite reels, but it has a very sturdy feel.

Stephen's Thoughts

The Lew’s Mach Crush baitcaster is a fantastic reel. It’s solid. It’s smooth. I think it’s awesome.

After the initial adjustment period, I can now fish it all day long and not have any trouble with it at all.

The price is a bit higher than some of the other comparable competition, but personally, I think it’s worth it, especially when you consider the quality of the reel.

If you like to fish with the same rod/reel and lure setup all the time, then you’ll really like this reel. Once you get it tweaked, it’s a blast to fish with.

If you’re like me though, and want to use a lot of different lures with your same rod/reel setup, the Mach Crush can work great, but you'll want to take notes once you've tweaked your brake settings for each of your lures. Otherwise, you may end up a little frustrated with the line backlash.

If you’re looking for a solid, high-quality, all-purpose bass fishing reel that you can use for everything from pitching to flipping, to sight-fishing, you’ll be happy with the Lew’s Mach Crush Baitcaster. It will serve you well.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • The internal centrifugal brake and magnetic brake provide smooth and reliable braking.
  • The star drag adjustment knob provides an easy and precise way to adjust the drag.
  • The balance of the reel is great, making it easy to pitch, cast and fight fish.
  • The reel has a solid feel to it, and it’s attractive.
  • The reel simply performs.

Cons:

  • Can take some initial work to get the braking system working correctly
  • Small line capacity
  • Only available in 1 gear ratio

FAQs

It can be used for inshore fishing, but you should clean it well with fresh water after each use and add lubrication.

Yes, there are two different models. Make sure you purchase the correct model for your hand preference.

Sadly, the Mach Crush is only available in a 7.5:1 gear ratio.

The best rod really comes down to your fishing preference and lure/bait presentation. If you’re looking for a little guidance on the best rod to get, we’d recommend checking out our list of the best 9 baitcasting rods, by clicking here.

We provide our top selections along with detailed information on different rod types, action, power, length, etc.

Mike's Thoughts:

The Lew’s Mach Crush reel offers a lot of performance in a very attractive package. Yes, the reel is an all graphite body and that may turn some people off, but it’s also extremely light weight.

I’m a big fan of graphite and the Mach Crush features a nice design and build with a great look. The reel has a lot of power and a strong drag system with a large range. What really impressed me the most was how far this reel casts. I was able to reach targets that I would have a hard time reaching with my other reels.

The reel is smooth to cast, retrieve and operate. The machined brass and stainless steel hardware really add to the performance of this reel. It’s also very easy to set up and get the drag and braking adjusted to your liking.

The MSB system offers a lot of adjustability and makes it a lot easier to get the most out of the reel. I have not had the reel long enough to comment on the long-term durability. But the reel has held up well in the first 6 months, and I’m looking forward to using it for a lot more fishing over the next year.

The Mach Crush is a lot of reel for $160. If you are looking for a graphite reel at a good price, this is a great option. If you are looking for a reel that will give you distance, this is also a great option.

Reel Score:

We’ve given the Lew’s Mach Crush Baitcasting Fishing Reel ratings in four categories. They are as follows:

  • Price: A
  • Build: A
  • Feature Set: A
  • Design: A-

The Lew’s Mach Crush earns an overall score of: A-

Up close shot of Lew's Mach Crush mounted on a fishing pole.

Conclusion:

The Lew’s Mach Crush Baitcast reel is an awesome all-around reel with a large handle, smooth operation and excellent casting capabilities.

Despite the all graphite body and the slightly higher price tag, we thought this was a great baitcasting reel that has a lot going for it.

While we may have some other reels we like a little better, I don’t think we have a reel that is able to consistently cast as far as the Mach Crush. Once you get your brake settings locked in, this thing really flies.

If you’re in the market for a 7.5:1 that casts a mile, you should definitely check out Lew’s Mach Crush.

Shop Online for the Lew's Mach Crush SLP

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