shopping for a new R&R

[Hoot]

I'm going to be shopping for a new rod & reel after Christmas.

I was hoping to get some opinions on the type that may be good for general purposes.

I've got jig poles and an ultra light R&R I use for crappie specifically. I was thinking about a spinning outfit that is sensitive enough for crappie but I can use for shoreline bass as well. Something that I set up with 8+ lb line and casts well.

Thanks!
Hoot

[PIGINTHEPIGPEN]

If you have the money. You can't go wrong with Shimano. I have nothing but good things to say about there rods and reels

[chaunc]

I use a 6'6" lightning rod with an Okuma AV-20 spinning reel. The setup costs around $75. I use this for crappie, bass, and walleye. The reel comes with 2 spools, so i can put 8# on one and 4 or 6# on the other and keep one in my pocket to change.

[duane]

I'm going to be shopping for a new rod & reel after Christmas.

I was hoping to get some opinions on the type that may be good for general purposes.

I've got jig poles and an ultra light R&R I use for crappie specifically. I was thinking about a spinning outfit that is sensitive enough for crappie but I can use for shoreline bass as well. Something that I set up with 8+ lb line and casts well.

Thanks!
Hoot

Hoot,
Wait till Bass Pro has there spring fishing specials. I do. You can get good deals then on most BPS rods. I got the Wally Marshall Pro Series Rod that list for 49.99 for 29.99 last year. I also bought the Shimano Spirex Spinning Reel with the rear fighting drag on sale plus I took an old reel in for the trade and got an extra $15-20.00 off that sale price. Now for myself I like this reel with this rear fighting drag, I would like another one of these reels this year.

Does anyone else have this reel with the rear fighting drag? Do you like it?

[Hoot]

Hoot,
Wait till Bass Pro has there spring fishing specials. I do. You can get good deals then on most BPS rods. I got the Wally Marshall Pro Series Rod that list for 49.99 for 29.99 last year. I also bought the Shimano Spirex Spinning Reel with the rear fighting drag on sale plus I took an old reel in for the trade and got an extra $15-20.00 off that sale price. Now for myself I like this reel with this rear fighting drag, I would like another one of these reels this year.

Does anyone else have this reel with the rear fighting drag? Do you like it?

Thanks Duane. Yeah I can hold off till then. I did'nt know they take trades on reels. That's even better.

[duane]

Thanks Duane. Yeah I can hold off till then. I did'nt know they take trades on reels. That's even better.

What the trade in is.... you bring in a working reel for BPS to give away for the Kids fishing day later in the year and they give you $15.00- 20.00 off a reel priced over $50.00.

[Roberta]

I love my Mitchell 300 X combo. I got it at WalMart for about $70.00. It's my all around combo and have caught everything from crappie to good sized cats and bass on it. - Roberta

[Hoot]

What the trade in is.... you bring in a working reel for BPS to give away for the Kids fishing day later in the year and they give you $15.00- 20.00 off a reel priced over $50.00.

That sounds like a good deal for everyone. I've got a couple of old ones that work fine but I don't use much.

I've got all the crappie rigs I need I think. What I want is a good general r&r for some casting.

[CrappiePappy]

I have two SS2000 reels - one is rear drag, the other is front drag. I use them both, and like them both equally. I've heard that front drags are more reliable, or work better longer than rear drags ... but, I've had no problems out of my rear drag reel - and I tend to set'em and forget'em after each line change.
I have had to use the "fighting drag" ... and it performed flawlessly. In my years of Bass fishing and Hybrid Striper fishing, I've also learned the value of switching off the anti-reverse/drag system, and backwinding the reel to play bigger fish. Doing this has enabled me to hook and land some fairly large fish on some very light line/outfits - for instance: 6lb LMB on 4lb test/5ft Quantum UL rod/Shakespeare Ultralite reel ... 12lb Tiger Muskie on 4lb line/plastic reel & 6ft fiberglass rod combo ... and a 10lb Striper on one of my Crappie "minnow" poles.
I always used to think that rear drags were more "convenient" to get to, while fighting a fish ... and that putting my big 'ol paws on the front of the reel to set the drag, was asking for trouble ...LOL!! But, since learning the value of setting the drag properly, and a little loose - and learning how to "backwind" ... I haven't had to worry much about drag problems.
If weight was an issue - I'd probably buy the Spirex 1000's ... but since I already had a 2000, and bought the second one "used" (about 1/2 price), I haven't seen the necessity to downsize.
I also love the dual handle and flat grips on Spirex reels ... I don't care for the "barrel" type grips that most spinning reels have. In fact, none of my spinning reels have barrel grips - regardless of brand. I've just found that my fingers tend not to slip off the flat grips, as easily as they did on barrel grips. But, that's just me ... I'm a firm believer in "use what feels good and works for YOU" !! .........luck2ya ........cp

[PIGINTHEPIGPEN]

Hoot,
Wait till Bass Pro has there spring fishing specials. I do. You can get good deals then on most BPS rods. I got the Wally Marshall Pro Series Rod that list for 49.99 for 29.99 last year. I also bought the Shimano Spirex Spinning Reel with the rear fighting drag on sale plus I took an old reel in for the trade and got an extra $15-20.00 off that sale price. Now for myself I like this reel with this rear fighting drag, I would like another one of these reels this year.

Does anyone else have this reel with the rear fighting drag? Do you like it?

Duane, my brother has a Shimano Spirex Spinning Reel with rear drag and he Swears by it. He absolultly love his.