spinning reel selection

[adam11]

I'm dipping my toe into a bit of spinning / lure fishing and to be frank I know nothing about it, one. I've got myself a cheap (ish) rod( Daiwa Sweepfire 9 ft 15-40 grms) to get started and see if its for me, the reels I already have are a Shimano Stradic 3000, Shimano super x 3000, both 7. something retrieve rates off the top of my head, and a Shimano Aero 5010 baitrunner, which of these would you recommend I use (and why) until I decide if spinnings for me.
If I do take to the game a bit more seriously then I would look into buying a reel dedicated to the job but what features should I look for in such a reel? I.E retrieve speed, double / single handle ( personally I have a preference for double handle reels) but is there an up / down side to either? On the drag front I know a lot of you are going to say front drag but I simply cant get on with them (and I have tried) finding a rear drag a lot more natural for myself so that would be a no compromise area for me.
Any other things to take into account in a spinning reel selection (this is where someones going to bring up mini multiplier type reels and totally fry my mind) but come on lets have it .
Now onto some more deciding factors that your going to need to give me answers i.e venue's, target species etc, well obviously pike, perch, chub, are on the list, but I will make the odd trip to the Trent so zander may also come into the frame, as for venues, I live close to the Aire and river Went so theres a couple of frequent haunts and of cause potentially a bit of still water fishing when the rivers are shut. so lets be honest im looking for a suitable allrounder, if you feel the need to mention brands / models, feel free, as you probably can tell I do have a liking for Shimano reels but don't want to be closed minded in my choice.
i'm sure the mega serious lure anglers out there are going to say I need different reels for such a broad venue/ species range (and I would like to hear your reasoning) but im sure there are many people successfully using just one reel and covering the same sort of areas im looking to cover.
Cheers chaps
Adam

 

[cal_sutt]

I wouldn't bother buying a baitrunner if I were you, you'll never face a situation while lure fishing when you'll need it and they also tend to be quite heavy, not sure about ideal retrieve rate but 30 to 40 size is probably fine, again larger reels are heavier and you're going to want something relatively lightweight as you're going to be casting every minute or so all day and lure fishing will always include a lot of walking about, so a compact and lightweight set up is the best to get.

I'm also looking for a reel to go on my lure rod so I want to hear some of the suggestions...

Tight lines - Cal

 

[symonh2000]

I use an 040 size for most of my Lure fishing, going up to an 050 for heavier stuff. If you use a longer rod use a bigger reel etc.

I like a fairly quick retrieve also, say around 5.0:1 or a bit higher.

A baitrunner isn't nessesary, but if funds are tight a baitrunner will allow the reel to be used for other forms of fishing as well.

 

[adam11]

Cheers for the reply Cal, I don't have any intention of a baitrunner other than a stopgap if deemed the best of my existing reels due to the lower retrieve rate or some other reason for the job mate as I realise it would have no part to play and only unbalance spinning tackle.
your a lucky chap living out that area, rivers, Idle, ryton and handy for the Trent too

Adam

 

[pointngo]

the stradic is a good lure fishing reel and out of the three you list that's the one to go for imho. Perhaps more important is that the reel needs to be balanced with the rod otherwise you'll start getting fatigue in your wrist/arm.

try them and see which feels right.

 

[chrissh]

I have two spinning outfits

setup 1 is a fox trek 8ft spin 20-50g rod with a shimano Exage 3000 SRCDH reel loaded with 10 lb line I use this for pike on rivers and bigger lakes

setup 2 is a shimano 7ft Dia flash 10-30g with okuma 30s Trio reel loaded with 6lb line is used for jacks and perch rivers and canals

the okuma is a nice reel and round the same price as shimano

 

[keora]

I would buy either a small to medium sized fixed spool reel, or a small baitcasting reel.

The advantage of a fixed spool reel is that you can cast very light lures, as light as a few grammes. Fixed spools tend to have a fairly fast retreive ratio, perhaps 5:1 or even 6:1, which can be a disadvantage. I would use braided line on the reel, as it's half the diameter of nylon for the same breaking strain.

Although you can now buy mini baitrunners, they are still heavier than conventional fixed spools. But they are quite good if you want to both lure fish and bait fish with the same reel.

The alternative is to buy a small baitcasting reel. I've had a Shimano Curado bait caster for over 10 years, lightweight, casting is easy, it's got a lowish gear ratio so you can retrieve slowly. One disadvantage is that it can't easily cast lures less than about 10 grammes - the energy you put into a small lure on the cast can't get the spool spinning fast enough. Curados cost over £100, although there may be cheaper brands which are suitable.

I use the Curado with a Drennan E-sox spinning rod.

 

[cal_sutt]

Cheers for the reply Cal, I don't have any intention of a baitrunner other than a stopgap if deemed the best of my existing reels due to the lower retrieve rate or some other reason for the job mate as I realise it would have no part to play and only unbalance spinning tackle.
your a lucky chap living out that area, rivers, Idle, ryton and handy for the Trent too

Adam

Yes I've practically lived by the Idle this summer! And don't forget the Chesterfield Canal, plus the rivers Don and Dearne are close by!

 

[pointngo]

I've had a Shimano Curado bait caster .... One disadvantage is that it can't easily cast lures less than about 10 grammes - the energy you put into a small lure on the cast can't get the spool spinning fast enough.

Hi mate,

there are a few people who cast lures as light as 1g on baitcasters but it is quite specialist. They have to fine tune the reels a lot to allow them to do it.

I can put you in touch with someone who may be able to help you if you want to go that way.

personally I prefer fixed spool for light lure fishing but I don't do much of it tbh.

 

[mick b]

Start with the World experts....the Japanese Luring headcases.....mg:

These guys have dictated the development of all things lure fishing over the past 15 years.
Spinning reels that provide perfect line lay and never snag when casting braided line, retrieve 1m per turn, unbreakable corrosion proof bodies, super smooth (start-up) greased drags, mini-ballbearing line rollers, proper none slip handles AND Baitcasters that WILL cast even a 2gm lure.

Rods.....featherweight, zero epoxy, welded fibres, high compression almost unbreakable and ultra slim blanks that cast a lure like a bullet and hook a fish on every strike....amazing!

...and lures so precise and original they defy description without a tank test video.

The Japanese lurers regularly sell off their 'outdated' mg: lures, rods and reels at bargain prices through specialist online shops....its all out there on the net, just go alooking..

And don't ever think the reels sold in this country are designed for us, they are not, they are are just low cost spin-offs of the reels designed and made for the Japanese home market.


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[adam11]

thanks for the replys chaps, I think I will be sticking with fixed spool based on whats been said here and what I've since read elsewhere.
Mick B please could you point me in the direction of some of the online shops you refer to please, I have has a search round and found some but id hate to think I was missing out on the better companys
cheers
adam

 

[mick b]

Mick B please could you point me in the direction of some of the online shops you refer to please.
cheers
adam

You have a PM.

 

[pointngo]

Blimey that was quick Mick! You've turned him into a lure fishing tackle tart before he's even got started! mg:

nothing wrong with the stradic to get you started Adam... lots of lure anglers use them.

 

[adam11]

Ccheers pointngo it will do to see how I take to the game.
Mick well what can I say, that's not a PM more of a novel all I can say is thank you for all that advice, it looks like I've got a lot of reading to do when I get up off my night shift, hats off to you for taking the time to type two pages of PMs to point me in the right direction. Thanks again
Adam

 

[guest61]

Stradics for me, not the ideal retrieve rate but they crank well all day long. 2500 size in the spring, summer and autumn and 4000 in the winter. I figure 3000 would be ideal if I owned one.

As for rods, depends on your budget. you can spend a lot of money on cheap Chinese stuff masquerading as high end products so be wary, also a lot of outdated rods out there. can forward details of decent stuff if PM

 

[adam11]

Cheers SBC 1974 but as stated in my original post I'm sorted for a rod, for the time being anyway I know its nothing sopecial but will be good enough to give me a taster and see if its for me if its not my game I've not lost a great deal but if I do decide to stick with it I'll bear you in mind when upgrade time comes.
What are peoples views on the perfect retrieve speed for a spinning reel for general use.
Cheers


Adam

 

[mick b]

What are peoples views on the perfect retrieve speed for a spinning reel for general use. Cheers Adam

Retrieve speed......


For me it has to be 1yard of line on the spool for one full turn of the handle.


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[pointngo]

The ideal retrieve ratio is dependant on what lures and how you fish to an extent.

With the lighter side of lure fishing them it's not that critical and a slower ratio of 4.6-5.1:1 is about right for most applications. Too fast and it can be tricky to retrieve slow enough in winter. Too slow and you'll be cranking like an idiot in summer, especially if you're fishing a weirpool or something and might need to get the lure back before it swings round a snag or tree.

The ratio becomes very critical when you get to larger lures and baitcasters (very few fixed spool reels are up to the job of casting big 6oz+ lures (and only a few multi's/baitcasters)). For jerkbaiting you want a fairly fast retrieve to pick the slack line up between jerks but a reel for big, or high resistance, baits needs a low ratio with some grunt. You'll knacker a fast baitcaster if you use too big a bait, or something like a big spinnerbait.

A lot of lure anglers have several set-ups to cover any eventuality but it can take years, and buying/selling a lot of gear, to get a system you're happy with but that's a mute point until you know whether you're going to stick with it.

One thing I would say is when you start lure fishing it takes a bit of time to get retrieves etc right, so don't feel too disappointed if your catches aren't great to start with.

 

[greenie62]

For me it has to be 1yard of line on the spool for one full turn of the handle.

Good guideline Mick,
But it leads to the following constraints concerning the min. width of loaded spool and retrieve ratios:

4 cm - 7.5:1
5 cm - 6:1
6 cm - 5:1​

each of which should produce a 1yd retrieve for a handle turn. That should help when checking out reel specs.
Tight Lines!

 

[mick b]

Good guideline Mick,
But it leads to the following constraints concerning the min. width of loaded spool and retrieve ratios:

4 cm - 7.5:1
5 cm - 6:1
6 cm - 5:1​

each of which should produce a 1yd retrieve for a handle turn. That should help when checking out reel specs.
Tight Lines!

Thanks for the info.
However I now use JDM X designation reels which come with the 36-39" per handle turn that they generally favour for spinning/jigging.

Historically....
I started spinning with an Omnia, progressing to a gold Ambidex, then onto two rods and Mitchell 300/306 which worked for me for over twenty years and caught me shedloads of fish.

Nowadays I use a Caldia 3500/4000X and Saltiga Z4500, almost the last word in mid/high end spinning reels.

However I have recently succumbed to the call of the mega pike/lures and will begin a new spinning episode of my life using a mid-sized Abu multiplier,.
..................but I do like the look of the Curado 300 J type (Sea model) mg:


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