reel question/advice

[RiverSlabber]

Ive been thinking of changing up one of my rod reel setups. Right now i have a Pflueger President 6925 reel on a BnM 8ft BGJP. I like the combo, and I love how smooth the reel is. But, Im thinking that a bigger reel might help cast a little better.

I was thinking of getting a 5ft ultralight for gill fishing and putting the 6925 on that rod. That means Ill need a new reel dory main crappie rod.

I mostly cast jigs or float fish from the bank. I want another pflueger but Im not sure if i should get the 6930, 6935 or the biggest 6940 reel. I know bigger spools means longer casts. What do you guys think? My first thought was the 6930 but now im not sure.

[BuckeyeKdog]

Bigger reel = more weight.
wide spools give longer casts as do the long spool reels
Pflueger 6930 is a good choice.

[skeetbum]

Not sure which one would be the same size as most of the 2000 series reels but that would be my choice. Better drag and less memory in the line, or maybe I should say the loops are bigger and cast better.

[Crestliner08]

If you are mainly casting jigs, why would need a bigger reel? What size line are you using? What size are the jigs you're throwing? Is the area you are fishing "snaggly" or more open water? Clear or heavily stained water? I use three B n' M rods; one 9' SHSS & two 7' SHSS. One 7' rod is fitted with a Shimano Symetre 750 (no longer made as I understand it). The next two rods, the 7 footer and the 9 footer, are matched with Pfueger Pflueger President 2520. All of these reels are smaller than what you are using.

I do very well casting with these 3 rigs. Of course, I'm using light line - 2# Fireline Crystal main lines with 4' leaders of 4# test fluorocarbon. If you've had a chance to see my "Reports" in the New England forum here, you will see that I catch a lot of crappie each time out. And I'm casting some pretty good distances, as well as driting with these rigs, especially with the 9' rig.

I think you may have a line rating issue here and not necessarily a reel size issue. If you do "need" to go to line heavier than 4# test, then nothing I've said here would make any sense to you, nor would it be value added. Which is why I was asking so many questions in the beginning of this reply. And if the need is there to go heavier, then some folks here are much more qualified to give you options than I could.

[Greenwing]

I have 3 rods with 6930 reels using 8# and 6# line, they cast very well with minimal line twist. For me these are the perfect size reel, I also use the same size on a shakey head and drop shot rod and reel.

[trypman1]

I have 11 Pflueger reels 6525 & 6530, for my spinning and trolling poles 12'. They are great for all my rods and poles, with 4# Stren on them. Maybe your line is to heavy for distance? My wife uses the Pflueger trigger spin reels and they throw a mile. If you go larger then, the weight issue comes to play. Also consider adding a small Split shot to your line.

[RiverSlabber]

Well I went out fishing over lunch today and maybe I need to rethink a little.

First to answer the questions, Crestliner08 I fish kind ofall over, clear open water, snaggy water, rivers and creeks.I typically throw between 1/32 and 1/8 ozjigs with most of them being 1/16 oz. So far all I fish with is mono, haven’t made the jump to super-lines yet. For crappie fishing its all 6 # test rightnow but I may re-spool next time with 4 #.

First thing I noticed was that the line was pretty loose on my spool so I walked off about 100ft or so of line and reeled it back in niceat tight on the spool. Then I started fishing a small area of the lake I was at with a beetle spin with a 1/16 oz jig on it. I would say I probably averaged40-45ft on a cast, mostly on purpose as I was trying to fish close to a downed tree but I don't think I could have gotten out much further. Then I changed to a 1/16 oz straight jig head with a little bulkier body on it and was maybe getting 60-65ft per cast. The last jig I tried was an 1/8 oz (I think) roadrunner and I was easily getting 75ft or longer on my casts.

So looking at that I would say I guess I am getting pretty good distance on my casts right? So if I upgraded to a 6930 would it make much difference?

And looking at the future short ultralight I want to get I’m guessing a6925 is as big as I’d want but a 6920 may be better suited for that anyway?

Oh by the way, unfortunately I didn’t get any crappie but I did manage two small (6” or so) largemouth and had one that I didn’t get a good hook-set on and he managed to shake off really quickly. That one may have been a crappie by the glimpse I got of it though.

[Crestliner08]

Well I went out fishing over lunch today and maybe I need to rethink a little.

First to answer the questions, Crestliner08 I fish kind ofall over, clear open water, snaggy water, rivers and creeks.I typically throw between 1/32 and 1/8 ozjigs with most of them being 1/16 oz. So far all I fish with is mono, haven’t made the jump to super-lines yet. For crappie fishing its all 6 # test rightnow but I may re-spool next time with 4 #.

First thing I noticed was that the line was pretty loose on my spool so I walked off about 100ft or so of line and reeled it back in niceat tight on the spool. Then I started fishing a small area of the lake I was at with a beetle spin with a 1/16 oz jig on it. I would say I probably averaged40-45ft on a cast, mostly on purpose as I was trying to fish close to a downed tree but I don't think I could have gotten out much further. Then I changed to a 1/16 oz straight jig head with a little bulkier body on it and was maybe getting 60-65ft per cast. The last jig I tried was an 1/8 oz (I think) roadrunner and I was easily getting 75ft or longer on my casts.

So looking at that I would say I guess I am getting pretty good distance on my casts right? So if I upgraded to a 6930 would it make much difference?

And looking at the future short ultralight I want to get I’m guessing a6925 is as big as I’d want but a 6920 may be better suited for that anyway?

Oh by the way, unfortunately I didn’t get any crappie but I did manage two small (6” or so) largemouth and had one that I didn’t get a good hook-set on and he managed to shake off really quickly. That one may have been a crappie by the glimpse I got of it though.

Not sure of the rating of the rod you are using, but being a BGJP, I'm assuming it's designed for panfishing. Before "up-grading" to a larger reel, I would check out the reel specs on each model you are considering. Check how much each weighs and compare. If you put too heavy a reel on your rod, you may find that it is not comfortable to handle and the balance will be way off.

My recommendation would be that you at least give a light pound test rated braid line (i.e.: 2# or 4# test) a shot, with a fluorocarbon leader. I think you will be impressed with the performance. I've landed some pretty big fish with this line rating.

[CrappiePappy]

Well I went out fishing over lunch today and maybe I need to rethink a little.

First to answer the questions, Crestliner08 I fish kind ofall over, clear open water, snaggy water, rivers and creeks.I typically throw between 1/32 and 1/8 ozjigs with most of them being 1/16 oz. So far all I fish with is mono, haven’t made the jump to super-lines yet. For crappie fishing its all 6 # test rightnow but I may re-spool next time with 4 #.

First thing I noticed was that the line was pretty loose on my spool so I walked off about 100ft or so of line and reeled it back in niceat tight on the spool. Then I started fishing a small area of the lake I was at with a beetle spin with a 1/16 oz jig on it. I would say I probably averaged40-45ft on a cast, mostly on purpose as I was trying to fish close to a downed tree but I don't think I could have gotten out much further. Then I changed to a 1/16 oz straight jig head with a little bulkier body on it and was maybe getting 60-65ft per cast. The last jig I tried was an 1/8 oz (I think) roadrunner and I was easily getting 75ft or longer on my casts.

So looking at that I would say I guess I am getting pretty good distance on my casts right? So if I upgraded to a 6930 would it make much difference?

And looking at the future short ultralight I want to get I’m guessing a6925 is as big as I’d want but a 6920 may be better suited for that anyway?

Oh by the way, unfortunately I didn’t get any crappie but I did manage two small (6” or so) largemouth and had one that I didn’t get a good hook-set on and he managed to shake off really quickly. That one may have been a crappie by the glimpse I got of it though.

IMHO -
Your "distances" are more likely the result of heavier bait weights &/or more streamlined baits (more aerodynamic), than the "size" of the reel. The line size and spool size would make a bigger difference than the overall size of the reel. Rod length and action also contributes to distance, among other factors.

Case in point : I went from a 5'6" UL to a 7' parabolic bend rod [bends like a C ] to a 6'6" fast action rod [bends like a J ] and from a UL reel to a 1000 series Shimano Aero on the 6'6" fast action rod ... and 4lb test mono to 6lb test copoly .... and can cast farther, now, plus set the hook solidly with less arm movement. Reels were chosen more for balance of the outfit, than for distance. The fast action tip of the shorter rod gave me greater distance.

I also walk off a length of line 2x the distance of a normal cast & tie off the tag end, then stretch the line & hold it for a few seconds (a minimum of two times) ... then cut the tag end loose and reel the line back on the reel under heavy tension (finger/thumb pressure). This removes some twists, relaxes the coils in the line that occur, and lays the line more uniformly on the spool (which allows it to come off the spool more easily).

I don't know your particular situation, or reason for needing to cast such long distances ... but, I rarely have the need to cast more than ~45ft. I don't know the exact distance of my average cast, but I wouldn't think it would be much over 30ft (with a 1/16oz jighead/plastics) as I'm usually not much farther away from the cover I'm fishing, than that.

... cp

[Shmang]

I was looking at the President 6925 but decided on a Cardinal S5 and I love it. It was half the price and is just as smooth. I paired that up with a 6ft ML Berkley Lightning rod and it casts like a dream and is very sensitive. You could go with an S10 size for the larger rods.

Another great little reel is the Shimano Sienna 500 front drag -- butter smooth, casts great, minimal line twist- and under $30

Just wanted to offer another option or two to save you some $$$$$.