Best ultralight spinning reel

[pstmacteae]

I'm looking for an ultralight spinning reel, mostly for panfish. What is everyone using out there? Any input would be really helpful.

 

[GeneBeam]

Mostly fly reels.

 

[McSneek]

I'm looking for an ultralight spinning reel, mostly for panfish. What is everyone using out there? Any input would be really helpful.

This is a fly fishing website

 

[caddisflyer]

I have mostly all Stradic reels on my spinning rods. They work well for me.

 

[Mike]

I have Okumas.

 

[kbobb]

Check out a you tube guy named "i_fish" - he seems to do ultralight stuff.
Also any reel from Daiwa or Shimano between $50 - $80 would be great. I just looked them all over and ended up with a Shimano Sahara - it's the best and most expensive reel I've ever owned at $85.

 

[Swattie87]

The hardcore UL spincasters seem to push Shimano as being the in fashion brand of choice. I had one mid range Shimano and found its bail clunky and difficult to close, even manually the way you should. Personal preference probably.

I’m a Pflueger guy. President XT being my preferred model currently.

In UL spin fishing, especially with lures, the reel is far more important than the rod. Generally the opposite of FFing. Spend your money accordingly. No matter which brand you go with, skip their $20-$40 entry line reels and get into the mid-range stuff. $60-$100 or so. That should get you something good quality and reliable. I haven’t found the need to go for the $200 type reels.

Also because spool size affects the retrieval rate, which can effect how fast you can run a lure, and a larger spool creates less line twist, especially with light mono, stay away from the really tiny reels. Get one size bigger than you think you need, and you’ll be happy you did performance wise when fishing it.

Edit: OP - “panfish” 😜, riiiiiiiiiiight. Brook Trout fit very nicely in most pans.

 

[Bamboozle]

I'm looking for an ultralight spinning reel, mostly for panfish. What is everyone using out there? Any input would be really helpful.

No fly snobbery here...

I'm a hard core Shimano guy for everything conventional but when I ultralight fish I actually prefer my vintage ultralight reels (Garcia Mitchell 408 and Orvis 50A) because they "click" on retrieve (which puts a smile on my face) and I HATE skirted spools.

If you can handle a casting reel you might want to look into BFS (Bait Finesse Fishing). I took the plunge earlier this year because I much prefer casting reels to spinning and BFS allows me to throw stuff down to 1 gram!!

The biggest problem with BFS is a general lack of available tackle retailers in the US. However, buying from dealers in Japan in the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) is as easy as buying from Amazon. I purchased a rod and reel earlier this year from a dealer in Japan and it was on my doorstep in three days!!

Buying through the JDM also gives you access to all of those desirable Shimano, Daiwa and Okuma reels you can't get here in the States.

Good luck & have fun fishing!!

 

[DomR]

My spinning reels are a Mitchell 308 and some sort of Shimano from the early '80's, both do the job for the limited spin stuff I do (pan fish, ponds, and lakes). Pretty much any decent quality spin reel should do just fine for pan fish. I'd scour the internet reviews and then try to find one in Cabelas Bargain Cave.

 

[RLeep2]

I think the advice to do your shopping in the mid-price point range is good. Once you get above say, $50 or so, reliability and durability improve quite a bit pretty much regardless of brand. I'm partial to Shimano, Okuma and Penn in mid-price reels. But any of the brands mentioned are good. If you anticipate doing mostly lure fishing with the attendant high use of the bail mechanism, it is probably a good idea to get a couple extra bail springs, whether coil or bar type from one of the parts suppliers (there are many). Bail springs wear out, but they're easy to change.

That's all I know and having offered it, I now need to rest for a while...

 

[TimMurphy]

I'm older and like older stuff, especially when it has been in my possession for over 45 years. I've got Mitchell 308's and 408's along with a Penn 716 greenie that still get used. They just feel right to me.

But you can't buy them new anymore and to that end I've purchased Okuma, Lew's, and Plueger UL and Light spinning reels for use with 4 to 6# test line. Any reel in those lines in 100 or 200 size will work fine and give years of service with proper care. I like the Plueger President reels a lot and all of the reels I mentioned are under $ 100.00 each, some are half that on sale.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Quantum Reels. GG

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Shimano C14. I thought that was the best UL spinning reel I had ever used. Liked it so much I bought it again after it fell off the back of my kayak along along with a G. Loomis TSR 802 6'8" spinning rod.

 

[kbobb]

Shimano C14. I thought that was the best UL spinning reel I had ever used. Liked it so much I bought it again after it fell off the back of my kayak along along with a G. Loomis TSR 802 6'8" spinning rod.

Ouch! I got these this past spring out of fear of losing a rod overboard: https://www.amazon.com/Shoreline-Ma...wicXNhIjoiMy43MiIsInFzcCI6IjMuMzcifQ==&sr=8-6

They actually work and I use them on spin and fly rods. They slide around but not too bad and the velcro tabs need to be re-glued sometimes but these inconveniences are worth putting up with to not lose a rod to Davy Jones locker.

 

[wildtrout2]

This is a fly fishing website.

Not everyone is a purist.

 

[Swattie87]

Forgive me mods for I have sinned.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

+2 on the Pflueger President XT SP20. I also have an Okuma Ceymar C-10 and C-20. Both are excellent reels and very reasonably priced- especially if you look on Amazon. I still do a fair amount of ultralight spinning for trout and panfish.

 

[Canoetripper]

I have an older Shimano reel/St. Croix rod ultralight that has served me well.

On the few canoe trips where I could fish for trout, this was much more practical that fly fishing.

 

[ryansheehan]

At least he's not looking for a dirty pinner reel, it could be worse. Twenty years ago, before I became God's gift and started fly fishing I loved the Shimano ultralight reels, great drag, smooth and light weight.

 

[Kyle]

if your looking for a spinning reel. you cant go wrong with shimano.

which brings me to my next thought. i wonder why shimano never got into the fly reel business. they would make money.