A new fixed spool reel....

I have several rods in the Drennan Matchpro Ultralight range which I use with a centrepin for very close-in roach fishing, and on most days this set up is absolutely fine. Occasionally however, I do see some good roach topping beyond the range of the reel and often enough to want to try for them....
Therefore I'm looking for a decent reel with a nice smooth action to match the shorter rods, and for something generally thought of as exceptional I don't mind paying top dollar. Most of my existing fixed spool reels are Shimano but I don't mind moving away from this make for the right reel.

I don't need super fast retrieve speeds but I do need two spools with maximum line strength of 4lbs or so, and generally a lot less than this.
I'm not casting to the moon either....

I do like quality, though!

Any recommendations/help with this appreciated..

Thanks

From my own limited experience depending on budget.
Value for money rover ceratec outstanding for the price.
Shimano exage or dawa tdr.
Some of the top end front drag shimano do not have anti reverse these days so keep this in mind .

There's little point in suggesting the reels I use, they were discontinued a while back. However, I could point you in the direction of reels that I would buy if I actually needed one. The first pick would be the Shimano Super GT RD. It's not unnecessarily fast and it doesn't have the delicately thin bail arm of the top line reels. It's also about half the price of the top line direct equivalent. The downside is that it doesn't have the top spec bearings.

If you can cope with the thin bail, extra cost, a faster retrieve and much higher price, the Stradic Ci4+ RA is available. From my point of view, I don't really value the weight reduction highly enough to pay the premium. However, that might be different if I were using ultra lightweight rods of less than 13'.

With both of the above reels, it's the large diameter, and relatively shallow spool, that I particularly value. The higher diameter casts so much better than lower diameter equivalents.

If I were to go for a front drag reel, I'd be looking at the Aero FA Match or Aero FA Feeder. Both have the large diameter spools I value. However, these also both come with spool reducers that drastically alter the spool capacities. The downside is that they are relatively weighty reels. They shouldn't be too portly for fishing techniques where the rods spend the majority of their time sitting in rests. I'm also not convinced that they've got the handles right. I would prefer a double on the feeder reel and single on the float reel.

Unlike most older Shimano models, all four of these reels have decent metal line clips.

Should you decide to look at alternative front drag Shimanos, be wary. They've done away with the anti-reverse switch on some of the top end models. I know that many UK coarse anglers couldn't cope with that.

This one is superb and reel bargain (see what I did there?) https://www.fishingrepublic.net/coa...nHcPbjlOevc_JUwJByU8l-bb3QmzdMe35OxoCrUTw_wcB

Saga, Have a look at the Drennan series 7 float reel. Comes with 3 spools.
Nice and small capacities. Fits in the hand beautifully so your finger is in the right place for casting. Good clutch. Solid feel. Fold away handle.
I love it.

John, I ain't looking, I was recommending to Tee Cee. Having had several makes of reels I am firmly in the get what you pay for camp, and from personal experience I am in the Shimano and Daiwa camp (not camp in a camp way but camp in a manly butch sort of way)

sagalout said:

John, I ain't looking, I was recommending to Tee Cee. Having had several makes of reels I am firmly in the get what you pay for camp, and from personal experience I am in the Shimano and Daiwa camp (not camp in a camp way but camp in a manly butch sort of way)

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Yes sorry. Elderly moment.mg:

john step said:

Elderly moment.mg:

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I wouldn't know about them :wh

Harefield have a large selection of top end reels Tony, worth a visit...

Boring though it might be.
Shimano Stradic 300. New about £70.
Jap 2nd hand about the same.

Many thanks to all for taking the time to respond......

Obviously I will need to have a look at some of the suggested reels at a shop (if I can find one that stocks any of them) or read up on them online. Failing that I may have to take a punt on what sound right based on what is written above, but I do hate buying without trying!
Simon....I will talk to Harefield and see what they have to offer.

Thanks again!

Look no further than a Daiwa TDX or TDR QD, and since when has £70
been top dollar for a top of the range reel.

ATB Macko

I use the Drennan FD300 and 400 reels. They are very well made with a great smooth drag. With them, you also get 2 spare alloy spools and some little rubber buttons that you can attach to remind yourself what line is on the spool. The cost £56 ago.
I use them with my 13/14ft Acolyte plus rods. These rods being light you need a little reel to balance them correctly which the FD's do perfectly. I have also used the 400 for feeder fishing on my clubs water. Hauling in a 15.7lb Mirror was no problem for the clutch.
Do not compare them with any other Drennan reel as these ooze quality. If they were doble the price i would still buy them.

macko said:

Look no further than a Daiwa TDX or TDR QD

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I haven't used the reels already mentioned so can't comment but I would endorse the TDX 2508 in its own right, a fantastic little reel.

The front drag is sublime, well worth considering along with the others.

Quality is beyond question too, I'm still running several of its predecessors from the late 90's and I reckon they'd stack up well against many of todays top end reels.

Another endorsement for Daiwa TDX2508 .

binka said:

I haven't used the reels already mentioned so can't comment but I would endorse the TDX 2508 in its own right, a fantastic little reel.

The front drag is sublime, well worth considering along with the others.

Quality is beyond question too, I'm still running several of its predecessors from the late 90's and I reckon they'd stack up well against many of todays top end reels.

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Not a weed in sight and all blades of grass at a uniform height. How do you do it Steve?

Another vote for the TDX, though having had a quick search the shop with the best prices have conveniently sold out!
I've also got a Shimano Ci4 reel so Sam's recommendation of the Stradic 3000 is worth considering

The small shimano 2500 is a very nice little reel. I have one but can't remember all the letters and stuff

Spro red arc....

I have used most shimanos and found some good and some not so...

the red arc is a fantastic reel, used mainly by continental anglers, it has a niche following with some of the uk match fraternity...

I have them in 2000 and 4000 size and my first one which is 6 years old is still as smooth as the day i bought it

solid, cracking clutch, if you dont like the red colour, the do other colors now..

as good a reel as a tdr or the higher spec shimmys

For float fishing with lines to 4Ib i still find a closed faced reel the most enjoyable to use for the one-handed operation and absence of line tangles around the reel, especially in windy conditions. Unfortunately in terms of drag and bearings they do not get anywhere near as good as the open face modern options described above. However, for pleasure of use i still prefer to use an old ABU506M or similar and make do with backwinding - so long as we talking lines to 4Ib or so and target fish not much bigger than that. I would prefer a modern drag but I am not familiar with newer closed face models which may offer this and work better and most reviews i read are not very encouraging.