Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
edwelch1
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Re: Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Post by edwelch1 » Fri Jun 14, 2019 11:15 am

LgMouthGambler wrote:
Fri Jun 14, 2019 8:19 am
70 series reels arent fast for their ratios. Look at the IPT, dont look at the ratio.
Good point, definitely slipped my mind on that. I'll have to do some more research and consideration now.
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Slazmo
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Re: Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Post by Slazmo » Fri Jun 14, 2019 4:18 pm

We don't really worry about the IPT (as we're metric so it's CMPT :roll: ) - but the ratio of the gearing is key to us.

edwelch1
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Re: Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Post by edwelch1 » Mon Jun 17, 2019 12:46 pm

So, I finally got out to one of my local shops that has a decent selection of the major brands (Daiwa, Shimano, Abu, Lew's, Quantum, 13, and a couple others/store brands). They surprisingly didn't have a Shimano SLX, which I was initially a little displeased to see, because I really wanted to check that one out for the price point.

The one that stood out to me was the Lew's Speed Spool LFS. Some of the other suggestions in this thread felt pretty nice, but I liked the way that the Lew's fit my hand best, and that's probably the most important factor, because after looking at the options in store, there is a plethora of options in the same size range, all of which are much smaller and lighter than what I have been using. Some other minor things were pluses over some other options, like the matte finish, and I actually liked the knobs more than I expected. Looking into Lew's after visiting the store, I also see the Tournament Pro LFS looks like the same thing with some refinements here and there, and I think I would like the knobs even better, so I think I might just save up, wait for a deal, and splurge on that instead.

Seems that Lew's stuff gets decent reviews around here and elsewhere, anything in particular that I should be aware of before buying? It'll still be a while until I do, seeing as my yearly trip is in February, but regardless I appreciate all of the help and suggestions.
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poisonokie
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Re: Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Post by poisonokie » Mon Jun 17, 2019 1:10 pm

I've never fished one, but those Lew's do feel great in hand. They are super compact and that finish seems bulletproof.
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Re: Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Post by hoohoorjoo » Mon Jun 17, 2019 1:18 pm

I can't speak for longevity, but I had a Lew's LFS for a little while that I got in a bulk buy. It was a competent caster and seemed very solid for the month or so that I used it before selling it off locally. For the $75 or so that you can get it on that auction site, I think its actually a pretty nice reel.
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LgMouthGambler
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Re: Looking for small casting reel suggestions

Post by LgMouthGambler » Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:59 pm

If you like the Lews in the hand, then you will love the SLX in the hand. It's more compact feeling in the hand than the Lews, and better quality.
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