Reel suggestion?

My very smart wife got me a G Loomis GLX 6’6″ medium fast split handle rod for Christmas. Suggestions as to a matching reel?

I assume spinning? Quantum Smoke SL15PTI

Thanks Randy, and you are correct its a spinning rod.

Shimano, and it doesn’t really matter what model, you can compare 4 models against each other on their website….They have a huge line suiting your price range. Of course the cats meow is the Stradic Ci4+. It’s an amazing reel, super light, strong, awesome drag, and incredible gears. If you’re reeling in a big fish, the tension on the reel is the same as if you were reeling in your lure (if that makes sense). Check them out, Shimano is my favorite reel brand but pflueger patriarch is also a very high quality reel. Just my thoughts.

Tonka and I share a similar preference. I’m a tackle/gear junky and in my experience, my two “go to” brands are Shimano and Pflueger. I feel like they hold up to the demands of a serious angler better than the others. I’ve had quirks pop up almost immediately with several Quantum, Diawa, Mitchell, Pinnacle, and Shakespeare offerings. Not all of them mind you but as far as model selection and dependability/durability per price point, I’m seldom disappointed by Shimano or Pflueger spinning reels. I’m currently a weekend warrior but I still put equipment through their paces and overall, it’s my Shimanos and Pfluegers that have yet to feel like it’s time to replace or retire them. Simple, seasonal maintenance has kept them as fresh as the day I bought them. Others may feel differently but you know how it goes when experience determines the results and yeah, a little bias sets in. Shimano and Pfluegers for me!

I like Shimano with the high end rod a Stradic would match up well, not that you have to spend that much to get a good Shimano reel. I been using them for greater than 10 years and have been very satisfied, dependable. I do a lot of jerk and pull baiting which is tough on a reel they hold up well.

What will this rod be used for, pitching, vertical, etc?

Balancing the rod at the angle of which it will be used most often optimizes it. No sense in having an expensive rod with a big expensive reel attached causing wrist fatigue.

Lots of Shimano guys on here, as well as Pflueger. For a reel under a hundred bucks the Purist is top notch. Carbon drag makes a big difference, I have a few, flawless so far and I use em year round, cats, carp, eyes, bass, everything.

Size of the reel also goes with presentation. Have no problem going with a 20 on a vertical rod making that rod feather light being parallel with the water, different though pitching. Heavier reel needed to get that tip in the air at balance, with a bigger spool allowing more distance on casts. Again my reels get used year long, you want to see if spool size has anything to do with distance take 8# mono in 20° with a cross wind and use a 25 and 30 side to side, its telling.

I prefer 30’s on my pitching rods. Tried 20,25, went back to the 30. More line per turn, which allows me to reel in quick if I need to, which fighting fish in current can come in real handy if need be.

Personal preference when it comes time to, I know all my rods have entered the stores and tried on at least a dozen reels each before any were chosen. Recommend the same for yourself.

FYI, careful with those smaller reels, they are knuckle biters if you have larger hands.

Pflueger Supreme XT for me in a 30 series, big hands. while the size of the real may have an impact on overall rod real combined weight, since the real is held at the fulcrum point, it does not really affect balance. On some of my rods I wrap flattened lead to the very butt end to obtain perfect balance.

castle-rock-clown wrote:

Pflueger Supreme XT for me in a 30 series, big hands. while the size of the real may have an impact on overall rod real combined weight, since the real is held at the fulcrum point, it does not really affect balance. On some of my rods I wrap flattened lead to the very butt end to obtain perfect balance.

While enjoying the sunshine in the garage decided to do simple experiment. Size 25 and 30 Purists, 610 mxf Rage, c clamp, boat, balance test. 25 is the first two pics, 30 second two.

Goal was to find the balance point in which it held parallel with the ground.

Hard to argue it doesn’t change the balance point. It seems minimal, but there’s more sensitivity and less elbow/wrist fatigue when balanced correctly.

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Let me throw a nuclear bomb into your balance theory. If you really want to reduce fatigue, balance for what your using and the average resistance, not and unloaded rod/reel. As an example, if you tend to pitch 1/4oz blade baits as a primary use of the rod, balance it with a 1/4 oz blade hanging from the tip. It may sound ridiculous, but try a rod out that was balanced that way. After 8, 10, 14, 20 hours of fishing, you’ll be blown away on the difference it makes.

Not to side track this, but it can influence a reel purchase. Why are guys so thrilled with reels that use carbon disc to carbon disc for drag systems?? I don’t understand the thought process in this. Carbon absorbs and retains heat much more than other materials. I fully agree and understand when it is used as a multi-layering of different materials to help control heat dissipating. But carbon to carbon would absorb heat much faster and potentially fail so much faster than other drag systems. Granted, when is the last time the average guy in the midwest had a walleye, pike, or musky burn off 75 yrds of scream’n drag? I care more about it because of all the fishing I do on Lake MI and tributaries where i do have fish rip’n out 100+yrd runs at a time.

Randy Wieland wrote:

Let me throw a nuclear bomb into your balance theory.

Its not a bomb at all Randy, I completely agree with you. Not many guys can afford to have a different combo for each presentation let alone different weights though, so that’s where myself I just balance it out to where my rod will be the majority of the time.

As to the carbon drag, it may just be to the specific reels I’ve had, but I always felt that the initial “pull” to engage the drag was much smoother than your typical drags. Not a big deal if you buried a treble, or a 1/0 hook in their face, but when you get a #4-6 octupus that initial “pull” can be critical, especially when braid is used, obviously rod power and line choice is key here to, but I feel the carbon drag adds that extra give that can make a difference of a few more fish to the boat every now and then, and that matters for me.

I’ll add to your bomb theory, how would one analyze current? Even pitching directly behind the boat to quartering it? Depending on season would have to compensate density of water coupled with the drag caused by line diameter and composition. And obviously you’d have to balance the combo when your 1/4 oz blade is not merely on the rod, but in the water since weight changes when suspended in liquid. I’ll let the analytic people deal with that my head hurts now…

Nic, wasn’t directed at you. Just most people will never think to add that into the equation.

I’ll let the analytic people deal with that my head hurts now… That wouldn’t be me. I have to finish my 2 ice rods at $229.99 each. I was getting a couple Falcon Cara T7 out of my car when I managed to introduce them to a door. Would have been a little cheaper to have John at TUCR build me a pair Well, I’m looking for a few Quantum Catalyst 10’s (2013 models)

This went rocket science pretty quick! Poor guy asks a simple question and essentially gets told nothing will cover it all and under certain circumstances, even a designed purpose set up will be wrong! ROFL!!!! I’m seriously laughing over this because it means I’m not alone in my geekness!

Hey buddy, don’t let us over analyze or complicate things for you. Develop your own mess and grow from your discoveries like the rest of us silly wabbits! Only YOU will know what makes you happy.

What about factoring in wind drag, barometric pressure, moon / sun gravitational pull, and what time of the month it is for the miss’s. If you read the technical papers on the Pfleuger Supreme XT these are all taken into account. Those other reels are just want to be’s. At least that’s what the kid at Gander Mountain told me.

Well after all that, the proof is in the pudding if what CRC says is true, Pfleuger Supremen XT for me…., now where was that shimano catalouge…
Just kidding, thanks everyone for the input. Not sure which way i will go, at least now i have a good start at putting on a quality reel.

One other thing that I can’t believe the others didn’t mention is the guilds on that rod. Make sure that the line is suited for optimal use with them. If in the end that rod doesn’t work for you, I can forward you my mailing address and be able to take it off your hands.

X2 on the Stradic CI4+. I have 4 of em. These work so well, sometimes I don’t even put any lure, hooks or bait on the end of the line. I just cast that naked line out there and the fish just jump in the boat.

But seriously, CI4 is a worthy contender.