A surfcasting reel is built for long casts from the beach and for heavy casting weights. In this group you will find long cast surf reels and baitrunner surf reels. They are used for bottom fishing from sandy and rocky beaches, where the bait has to reach beyond the surf line.
You can recognise a surf reel by its long, tapered spool. The long spool lets line flow off evenly and with little friction, which helps you cast a heavy lead and bait a long way. A slow oscillation lays the line in neat, even layers, so the next cast goes out just as well as the last.
A baitrunner surf reel has a freespool, so a fish can take line while the rod sits in the rest. This is handy for bottom fishing when several rods are waiting for a bite on the beach and the fish should not feel resistance too early.
On the beach, sand and salt water take their toll on a reel. Keep the reel off the sand, rinse it in fresh water after fishing and use a shock leader in front of the main line to absorb the strain of casting a heavy lead. A reel that is looked after this way stays smooth for many seasons.