reels - front or rear drag

Pros and cons for all size reels please

More specific a shimano for float size 2500 and 4000 for quiver work

Well I was all set to spend some inheritance money on various things, reels included. In my head it was to be a front drag. What have I got - Stradic 4000 with fighting drag, rear drag obv but AWESOME in operation. I've used them tenching with the drag 'off' to make a baitrunner style operation. Amazing retrieve speed, great line lay, amazing 'solidity' and super smooth drag when playing fish... which can be adjusted thru the fight. Money well spent!!!!

Paul Morley said:

Well I was all set to spend some inheritance money on various things, reels included. In my head it was to be a front drag. What have I got - Stradic 4000 with fighting drag, rear drag obv but AWESOME in operation. I've used them tenching with the drag 'off' to make a baitrunner style operation. Amazing retrieve speed, great line lay, amazing 'solidity' and super smooth drag when playing fish... which can be adjusted thru the fight. Money well spent!!!!

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I have the same reels and they are the best that I have ever used. I bought them when they first came out and apart from putting some thicker lube in them they have been faultless.

The Shimano Exage in both sizes is a fine reel. I have a 2500 rear drag, which also has the very usefull 'Fightin' Drag' ( stupid Americans) I thought it would be a gimmick, but it's great. It's also a great reel in front drag, lighter and less to go wrong.
My only criticism is that now my reel is run in, it sometimes turns with the weight of its single handle when I don't want it to..which has resulted in a lot of tangles. I believe the later reels have twin handles.

Every now and then I use another reel for a few months, and each time I go back to the Exage I am suprised how good it is.


I'm told the new Preston reels are of a similar quality, which is no suprise...they look very similar to me


I think front drag reels are by their nature a little lighter, and so feel better on a float rod. I had always thought they would be more difficult to adjust the clutch whilst playing a fish, but in truth, I don't think they really are.


If you want to spend a bit less, I've also been using a Mitchell 308x for a year or two and they are almost as good. I wouldn't say stiffer, but it doesn't turn and give me those tangles.

The new Drennan reels seem to have been well recieved, too.

In the past I had always used my Abu 501's and 506's for both stick float and waggler fishing. For the lead or feeder I was totally sold on the Daiwa 1650's, so much so that I bought 6 of them as they were being discontinued!

Then, one weekend with Mark Wintle and Graham Marsden they showed me the Stradic 2500 which, at first I thought to be just another gaudy, flashy Yankee import.
After using one for about an hour I was absolutely besotted with the thing.

I now have 4 of the 2500's and 3 of the 4000's and rarely use anything else these days, except for 'proper' fishing with a centrepin that is . . . . (ducking to avoid the obvious flak from those who have probably never used one)

The Fightin' Drag is an exceptional system and I've landed Carp to virtually double figures on a Daiwa Whisker 13' rod, with a Stradic 2500 reel loaded with 5lb mainline and a 4lb hook length. (Clattercote last year)

I am still not 100% happy with the colour scheme to be honest as I would far prefer to have had them in plain black.

b.t.w. the Spools are interchangeable between the Stradic and the Exage.

Rear drag. I have Shimanos and got them with twin handles, Exage 3000s and Stradics with twin handles. Single handle hard work when spinning back when trying to set feeder, also dragged the float back. Don't like using the anti reverse.

I'm a bit of a front drag fan, but in the Daiwa range. In fact all but one of the front drags is a Daiwa (Team Daiwa although Andy Nellist likes the Airity - fine if you can afford it). One I really like is a small American, the Caprice 2500, it's a little beauty for lines up to 8lbs.

On the other hand, all my Shimano's bar one are the rear drag type including Exage and Stradic, Aeros and baitrunners etc. The Stradic works really well as a stillwater reel, but I find it too heavy and awkward to hold for trotting, for which I like the TD2508 (or better still the Abu 704).

I have some Abu suveran reels which are centredrag...and it really is the dogs (centredrag that is, but then again so are the reels ) ! I can't understand why there arn't lots of other reels with centredrag on the market. It's in just the perfect spot to alter your drag during the playing of a fish.

Whilst your on the subject, what do you think of the reel in this link? AG3000 Spinning Reel Alumium Spool Fishing Reels 11+BB on eBay (end time 26-Aug-10 20:10:19 BST)

Been looking at buying one, I'm looking for a good little reel on a small budget.

Nick Lynch said:

Whilst your on the subject, what do you think of the reel in this link? AG3000 Spinning Reel Alumium Spool Fishing Reels 11+BB on eBay (end time 26-Aug-10 20:10:19 BST)

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NOT recommended!

It comes from Hong Kong. pricey shipping PLUS you may face import duty + VAT when it comes into UK. Plus it could be weeks before it arrives and you're on pins worrying. What do you do if it's faulty? Send it back to Hong Kong?

You have to ask yourself why they sell these for pennies... It's largely because no one here wants to bother with them.

Caveat emptor - buyer beware.

Jeff, you've convinced me, I'll stick to U.K sellers. I'll pay a bit more and get a decent reel I think.