I have tried many reels through the years for small stream trout. My prerequisite of a reel is they must have a back bone and they must be durable. I need a big handle because I have huge hands. I like my drags on the top of the spool so they aren’t hard to get at when fight a big trout and also aren’t laying in the dirt picking up dirt and grit. The back reeling function needs to be out of the way. “I never use the back reeling function.” It needs to be simplistic also. No triggers or helicopter gadgets. The bail must be smooth and all parts needs to be able to stand up to eight pound power pro. The drag needs to be able to handle a 25 inch small stream trout when its “Tail Is On Fire.”
I don’t want to break the bank on the purchase. I am also not a cheap skate. The reel needs to have a good warranty and a good turn around time when out on warranty work. I typically buy my reels at Cabelas in Prairie Du Chien. I always keep my receipts because they have a wonderful return policy.
With that all being said the Shimano Stradic ST2500FI fits all of my specifications. I have had many of the stradics through the years and this is by far my favorite version.
