Spinning reel

[Noobfisher]

I'm looking to get a good micro spinning reel for small ponds and lakes, just wondering if anyone has a good one in mind?

 

[troutdude]

I'd suggest something larger, than a micro reel...unless to plan to only catch micro bass.

 

[Raincatcher]

I've seen bass reeled in using a Spiderman rod n reel set-up.

 

[Big3d]

Stick to at least a 1000 size. I have a shimano in a 500 and never have a good reason to use it.

 

[kimeun]

Stick to at least a 1000 size. I have a shimano in a 500 and never have a good reason to use it.

I second this. That being said, if you must, I trust my micro pflueger president 20 size for bluegill and trout. Drag even held up to a smaller steelhead (6lb-ish) and is still working fine. It is incredibly light and as long as you're ok with the slower retrieve, it's a fine reel. Their limited edition model looks really neat cosmetically, but I personally don't think it's worth the extra money.

I have it on a daiwa spinmatic and never get tired after a full day of casting it.

If money were no object, I dig the shimano stradic ci4 1000, but size/weight aside, it is so overkill for most fish a micro reel would target IMO.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[pinstriper]

I've seen bass reeled in using a Spiderman rod n reel set-up.

The Barbie Pole is a separate class of competition in some of the kayak tournaments.

Not kidding. Halibut. With a Barbie pole.

 

[Shaun Solomon]

"Micro" reels have a lot of things working against them. There is no room in the spool for decent sized drag washers, so wispy lines are not well protected. They have tiny arbor diameters, so casting distance is reduced due to friction. They don't weigh enough to balance rods more than five feet long or so, which further diminishes casting distance.

If you want to rig up "micro" for panfish, consider one of the shallow spool designs in a 1000 or 2000 sized reel. These are made to go with 2-6lb line, and balance nicely on regular length (6-7') rods. A lot of dedicated bluegill anglers custom wrap 2 or 3 weight fly rod blanks as spinning rods, then hang such a reel on it. With 2lb test, you can toss a 1/80th oz jig a useable distance. I've fished jigs down to 1/230th oz on a setup like that. When I moved from Texas to Colorado, I was disenchanted with how small the fish in Colorado were compared to what I was used to catching, so I downsized my gear. I eventually got over it, but it was fun for a while. Catching trout or panfish on such a setup is pretty fun.

 

[bass]

"Micro" reels have a lot of things working against them. There is no room in the spool for decent sized drag washers, so wispy lines are not well protected. They have tiny arbor diameters, so casting distance is reduced due to friction. They don't weigh enough to balance rods more than five feet long or so, which further diminishes casting distance.

If you want to rig up "micro" for panfish, consider one of the shallow spool designs in a 1000 or 2000 sized reel. These are made to go with 2-6lb line, and balance nicely on regular length (6-7') rods. A lot of dedicated bluegill anglers custom wrap 2 or 3 weight fly rod blanks as spinning rods, then hang such a reel on it. With 2lb test, you can toss a 1/80th oz jig a useable distance. I've fished jigs down to 1/230th oz on a setup like that. When I moved from Texas to Colorado, I was disenchanted with how small the fish in Colorado were compared to what I was used to catching, so I downsized my gear. I eventually got over it, but it was fun for a while. Catching trout or panfish on such a setup is pretty fun.

I have to disagree. I believe that there is plenty of surface area to protect 4lb test. I have had 500 sized reels and I have caught tons of carp over 10lbs on that thing with no problem. Drags have always been silky smooth. I think that increasing the surface area of the drag is more important when you are trying to have a smooth drag that is set pretty tightly, not the case with 4lb test.

However, I would only use that rod for bass in places where there is no cover. I often toss tiny minnow plugs and beetle spins with it in the Willamette and once again every 1lb fish feels like a giany.

If I could only have one ultralight rod I would probably buy a 7' light rod with a 2000-2500 to balance it. However, since I am not limited to one rod I always have a tiny ultralight in my arsenal. I caught a couple of dozen bluegill on my little rod yesterday at Hagg and it was a blast. They were decent sized and put my outfit to the test.

If I were buying a rod for bass I would buy a 4-12lb test 7' rod and couple it with 8lb test.

 

[Shaun Solomon]

Microlight tackle is targeted at 1-3lb class line, with 2 being by far most common. Ultralight tackle is the 2-6lb class. You can get away with a host of sins using four pound line that won't fly with two pound line. Of the many thousands of fish I caught over the years I used microlight gear exclusively, (using one kilogram test, or 2.3lb Tectan) quite a good number were carp, up to about 20 lbs, and several channel cats in about that same size class.

You are correct in identifying start-up inertia as the primary concern in drags used with light line. More surface area reduces PPSI on drag washers for any given static load, and minimizes the risk of jerky slippage. Additionally, having a somewhat larger spool capacity gives you at least a chance to hope a big fish will change direction before you get spooled. None of that really matters if we are talking about bluegill, but I always like to at least have a snowball's chance to land decent fish when they bite, and the deck is stacked in their favor with 2lb. test.

I will say, 500 sized reels are clearly superior in "cuteness."

SS

 

[Masin]

I have to disagree. I believe that there is plenty of surface area to protect 4lb test. I have had 500 sized reels and I have caught tons of carp over 10lbs on that thing with no problem. Drags have always been silky smooth. I think that increasing the surface area of the drag is more important when you are trying to have a smooth drag that is set pretty tightly, not the case with 4lb test.

However, I would only use that rod for bass in places where there is no cover. I often toss tiny minnow plugs and beetle spins with it in the Willamette and once again every 1lb fish feels like a giany.

If I could only have one ultralight rod I would probably buy a 7' light rod with a 2000-2500 to balance it. However, since I am not limited to one rod I always have a tiny ultralight in my arsenal. I caught a couple of dozen bluegill on my little rod yesterday at Hagg and it was a blast. They were decent sized and put my outfit to the test.

If I were buying a rod for bass I would buy a 4-12lb test 7' rod and couple it with 8lb test.

Any chance you could reveal your bluegill location at Hagg. My wife's been wanting to focus on them for a couple years.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[DrTheopolis]

The most important thing to remember with a spinning reel -- what goes up, must come down.

I've had a limited-edition Shimano TX 2-6 for well over 20 years (it was pretty freaking expensive, but was greatly reduced at some going-out-of-business sale, and still wasn't cheap. There was/is also a low-end TX series, as well). Couldn't even tell you how many steelhead I caught on it (a whole bunch), and even caught an early 20# fall chinook (loaded with 4# -- it took a while).

And the drag is still flawless. But a search failed to find even so much as a single one for sale on the interwebs... and mine isn't either.

 

[bass]

Microlight tackle is targeted at 1-3lb class line, with 2 being by far most common. Ultralight tackle is the 2-6lb class. You can get away with a host of sins using four pound line that won't fly with two pound line. Of the many thousands of fish I caught over the years I used microlight gear exclusively, (using one kilogram test, or 2.3lb Tectan) quite a good number were carp, up to about 20 lbs, and several channel cats in about that same size class.

You are correct in identifying start-up inertia as the primary concern in drags used with light line. More surface area reduces PPSI on drag washers for any given static load, and minimizes the risk of jerky slippage. Additionally, having a somewhat larger spool capacity gives you at least a chance to hope a big fish will change direction before you get spooled. None of that really matters if we are talking about bluegill, but I always like to at least have a snowball's chance to land decent fish when they bite, and the deck is stacked in their favor with 2lb. test.

I will say, 500 sized reels are clearly superior in "cuteness."

SS

It is all about matching the tackle to the situation. I think ultralight tackle has a limited place where it shines. I gave up trying to use 2lb test 30 years ago. I broke off too many fish and would even break the line on a cast if it caught on a callous on my finger. I use 4lb mono on my ultralight stuff. That is what I have on my 5' ultralight rod paired with a 500 reel and on my 7' ultralight rod paired with a 2500 reel. I love using that 5' rod throwing tiny stuff for panfish.

I will definitely do not use that little rod anywhere around cover where stopping a fish is important. I use my ultralight stuff for panfish, trout, carp and small bass. The biggest bass I caught on my ultralight was a 4 1/2 lb largemouth on a small minnow plug (in NC). That was a stressful fight but it worked out in the end. I do enjoy using that little rod for panfish though. The only time I got close to being spooled on my little reel was on one monstrous carp that I hooked on the Monongahela river in Pittsburgh. That fish took off across the river and never slowed down. Eventually I had to clamp down and break it off. My little reel holds about 100yds of 4lb test and that is the only time I had to worry about line capacity.

One last point on matching tackle to the situation is that I think it is more fun to fight good sized fish on somewhat heavier tackle because you can feel all their strength instead of the limited strength of the tackle. Usually for bass my lightweight rod is a 7' 4-12lb test rated spinning rod loaded with 14lb test braid (used to be 8lb mono). Mostly I use casting gear rated for about 12 lb test or so.

Overall I don't think we disagree. A tiny rod and reel are not ideal bass weapon, but they are great for panfish.

 

[troutdude]

If I were buying a rod for bass I would buy a 4-12lb test 7' rod and couple it with 8lb test.

X2; works well for smallies and for all but maybe, a 20 pound bucketmouth. And you won't find any bass nearly that large, in Oregon. The state record, for a largemouth, is just a whisker over 12 pounds.