Recomendations for a Spinning reel
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Any cheap front/rear drag reel will do the trick - look for one with a decent line capacity. Avoid multipliers and baitcasters unless you like birdnests and knots. I wouldn't spend more than 30 quid on one.
dragon carp direct have loads of quality cheap reels
www.dragoncarpdirect.com
and
http://www.mullarkeys.co.uk/
www.dragoncarpdirect.com
and
http://www.mullarkeys.co.uk/
If you want a reel specifically for spinning or something you intend to use and/or keep for a bit go for a reputable brand. The only good thing about the market being flooded with cheap and nasty chinese shizzle is that some of the better companies do entry level stuff which is pretty outstanding.
Check out the cheaper Shimano ones, notably the exage and wherever possible get front drag (better all round-smoother more direct drag and more reliable & less to go wrong)
If trout sized fish are your quarry get a 1000 size, Pike & saltwater then a 4000 or a compramise 2500 size.
Hope that helps.
I use Stradics and Abu Sorons FS reels and Revos and classics for Multis which I rate but they're mucho dollar!
Check out the cheaper Shimano ones, notably the exage and wherever possible get front drag (better all round-smoother more direct drag and more reliable & less to go wrong)
If trout sized fish are your quarry get a 1000 size, Pike & saltwater then a 4000 or a compramise 2500 size.
Hope that helps.
I use Stradics and Abu Sorons FS reels and Revos and classics for Multis which I rate but they're mucho dollar!
forestwalker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
The old classic Abumatics are bombproof, but can't -- or so I'm told -- handle the newer high strenght lines.
is it just for freshwater or do you plan doing a bit of sea spinning too? if you plan on using it in the sea get a dedicated salt water spinning reel because the minute you forget to rinse a cheap freshwater reel it will be curtains. As mentioned above it neednt cost the earth just needs to be built of corrosion resistant materials.
The Penn Captivia is the best for the ££ for this. Quite a decent reel actually
I have used my Shims without an issue and I have been pretty slack! The omly reels that I have struggled with after saltwater are my large arbour fly reels
Love them, can't tell you why, I just think they're cool!
Their performance is carp though and are pretty pointless and ANY line on most of them ends up being badly behaved with loads of memory with the narrow spool and non exsistant line lay!
Hi there
The best reels for the price at the moment at made either by Shimano or Daiwa. I have sets of both and have used them for many years. If you don't want to stretch to their prices, as the better ones anen't cheap, check out the Okuma range. They are the biggest budget seller in Europe.
For my carp fishing I've been using Shimano Biomaster GT8000's and Daiwa Emblem 5000's but for run of the mill spinning I like the Shimano 8000 series, with rear drag and free spool device.
cheers
Gareth
The best reels for the price at the moment at made either by Shimano or Daiwa. I have sets of both and have used them for many years. If you don't want to stretch to their prices, as the better ones anen't cheap, check out the Okuma range. They are the biggest budget seller in Europe.
For my carp fishing I've been using Shimano Biomaster GT8000's and Daiwa Emblem 5000's but for run of the mill spinning I like the Shimano 8000 series, with rear drag and free spool device.
cheers
Gareth
Cheers for the info,
Is we're by the coast it would be handy to use it on the sea. I take the point saltwater can kill a reel as i have found that myself. Think i will have a look at the ones recommended and see if i can get a decent deal. I do think that you should get the best you can afford as you get better value in the long run.
Is we're by the coast it would be handy to use it on the sea. I take the point saltwater can kill a reel as i have found that myself. Think i will have a look at the ones recommended and see if i can get a decent deal. I do think that you should get the best you can afford as you get better value in the long run.
Managed to find what looks like a reasonable reel shimano catana, unfortunately its in a deal with an exage rod......oh well what a pity i will just have to get both 
Not what I was originally intending but after reading the reviews and having a few Xmas pennies what the hey.
Not what I was originally intending but after reading the reviews and having a few Xmas pennies what the hey.
Something not mentioned yet is the gear ratio.
You want something fairly high - 5:1 or more (4:1 absolute minimum) so that you can do a fast retrieve without your hand going round like a hamster on a wheel.
You want something fairly high - 5:1 or more (4:1 absolute minimum) so that you can do a fast retrieve without your hand going round like a hamster on a wheel.
Shimano, Daiwa, Penn... Only used Shimano's myself. You can pick up a 4000 series for around £30-40 and if that sounds top end of your budget, my little 4000 is several years old and as-new.
I'll probably be passing it to my daughter one-day with the odd service.
If you are using it in saltwater, please remove the spool (just a simple click or unwinding of the drag knob) and rinse the salt off the line. spray the reel body very lightly with GT85 and wipe with a dry rag. Allow the spool to dry somewhere before putting back on the reel.
Please dont be tempted to rinse the whole reel in fresh water, you will simply be allowing the salt captured in the line to travel firther into the reel/mechanism!
Looks like you grabbed a good deal, shimano rods punch well above their weigh... One of the guys i know has taken a 9lb smoothy on the spinning rod ledgering... which was as he described 'the best fishing moment in his life'
Tight Lines, al.
I'll probably be passing it to my daughter one-day with the odd service.
If you are using it in saltwater, please remove the spool (just a simple click or unwinding of the drag knob) and rinse the salt off the line. spray the reel body very lightly with GT85 and wipe with a dry rag. Allow the spool to dry somewhere before putting back on the reel.
Please dont be tempted to rinse the whole reel in fresh water, you will simply be allowing the salt captured in the line to travel firther into the reel/mechanism!
Looks like you grabbed a good deal, shimano rods punch well above their weigh... One of the guys i know has taken a 9lb smoothy on the spinning rod ledgering... which was as he described 'the best fishing moment in his life'
Tight Lines, al.
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Good point about the ratio (didn't think of that) will have to check
A 9lb smoothy would give a bit of a scrap. Even a doggie would give a good fight on light tackle.
Probably going to do most of the fishing after brown trout in the more inaccesable tarns in the lakes. Always fancied the look of these when out walking.
The tips for reel care are spot on. Pobably best to do this anyway whether salt or fresh water, i always used to rinse the fly gear just to keep it in good nick.
Is braid any good for spinning or i take it bog standard mono will be fine.
A 9lb smoothy would give a bit of a scrap. Even a doggie would give a good fight on light tackle.
Probably going to do most of the fishing after brown trout in the more inaccesable tarns in the lakes. Always fancied the look of these when out walking.
The tips for reel care are spot on. Pobably best to do this anyway whether salt or fresh water, i always used to rinse the fly gear just to keep it in good nick.
Is braid any good for spinning or i take it bog standard mono will be fine.
Braid wise... It can be very tricky spinning if the wind picks up and you end up with wind knots, not the easiest to pick out with the finer stuff.
It was designed primarliy for spinning and gives amazing feel straight through from the lure... strikes are picked up pretty much instantly. Floating braid is also very good for float fishing (traditional bubble or larger corks) you just have to keep it tight and remeber to strike with around half the effort, or you can pull the hook. Its easily done during the moment but if you strike gently its very effective.
If the reel comes with a spare spool, it would be worth considering filling one with 10lb braid, which will be stupidly thin so you should get a very full spool! If its very clear freshwater i would go with flurocarbon, again around the 8-10lb mark but its personal choice really, saltwater and daiwa sensor is superb, cheap as chips and lasts for ages.
Hope this was of some help and enjoy the kit!
al.
It was designed primarliy for spinning and gives amazing feel straight through from the lure... strikes are picked up pretty much instantly. Floating braid is also very good for float fishing (traditional bubble or larger corks) you just have to keep it tight and remeber to strike with around half the effort, or you can pull the hook. Its easily done during the moment but if you strike gently its very effective.
If the reel comes with a spare spool, it would be worth considering filling one with 10lb braid, which will be stupidly thin so you should get a very full spool! If its very clear freshwater i would go with flurocarbon, again around the 8-10lb mark but its personal choice really, saltwater and daiwa sensor is superb, cheap as chips and lasts for ages.
Hope this was of some help and enjoy the kit!
al.
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Spare spools are a must have with spinning. I've got 2 matching reels so I get 4 spools. They're daiwa reels used mostly in saltwater for the last 15-ish years and are only starting to show wear now.
With a long spinning session eventually the line will get knackered (either kinked or maybe snagged and snapped) and swapping to a fresh spool is a lot easier than reloading the line. I like to have a lighter line on there in case it's one of those days when there's only tiddlers about and you have to use tiny spinners, or if you're after small trout in a lake or something. I usually have 2 spools with 10lb line, one with 5 and maybe one with a light braid.
With a long spinning session eventually the line will get knackered (either kinked or maybe snagged and snapped) and swapping to a fresh spool is a lot easier than reloading the line. I like to have a lighter line on there in case it's one of those days when there's only tiddlers about and you have to use tiny spinners, or if you're after small trout in a lake or something. I usually have 2 spools with 10lb line, one with 5 and maybe one with a light braid.
