Drop Shot Spinning Reel 2025

NashLouie reply :

Hello everyone! I'm looking for a good spinning reel for drop shotting without paying for a Stella.

What would be the best spinning reel in your opinion below a Stella for drop shotting? I assume drag, weight, and balance are all important here.

I am looking at pairing it with a Nrx 822DSR or an Addermine. So if you want to add your comments to the rod as well please feel free.

new2BC4bass reply :

Well....Shimano has the Sustain if you want to stick with that brand. You are talking reels way above my budget. I can only dream. I am more a Daiwa guy and would love to try a few of their higher end reels. Heck, I would love to try a Tatula LT. I also like my Pflueger and the Patriarch XT looks pretty nice.

I anxiously await to see what others suggest so I can expand my dreaming.

J Francho reply :

Also consider retrieve rate. When a smallie shoots straight up from 30 FOW, you want to be able to keep up. I like the Stradic CI4 line. I have four, 3x2500, and a 3000.

NashLouie reply :

On 3/21/2018 at 9:00 PM, J Francho said:

Also consider retrieve rate. When a smallie shoots straight up from 30 FOW, you want to be able to keep up. I like the Stradic CI4 line. I have four, 3x2500, and a 3000.

I have a CI4 2500 on my weightless worm setup. Was wondering if where is anything else out there that outperfoms it, or better fits the drop shot application. AND if there is anything new like the Tatula spinner that I think weighs less.

Good info on retrieve rate. I appreciate it.

J Francho reply :

The next higher light weight frame reel is going to be the Exsence at 7.1 for the 3000 or the Stella 2500 at 7.2. The CI4+ is still lighter than both, though at 6.7.

I personally appreciate that lighter weight. Mine are on either a Avid AVS63MLXF or AVS63MXF. I have two copies of each, I like the rigs so much.

portiabrat reply :

On 3/21/2018 at 9:00 PM, J Francho said:

Also consider retrieve rate. When a smallie shoots straight up from 30 FOW, you want to be able to keep up. I like the Stradic CI4 line. I have four, 3x2500, and a 3000.

I've had several instances where I couldn't keep up with smallies when they do this. You reel as fast as you can, and you can't get your line tight. Then the fish jumps out of the water (sometimes on the opposite side of the boat) and shakes your lure.

I use a Stradic CI4 with the NRX 822S, and it's my favorite spinning combo.

J Francho reply :

I had a brown trout on, and he shot back at me under the boat, to the other side. I had to reel up the slack, and get line under the motor and reel up more slack. The dang thing was still on! I thought for sure I'd lost it. Turned out to be a nice fish, 8-9 lbs.

Chance_Taker4 reply :

I use the Ballistic LT reel for DS. It is great but I think I would go with the Tatula LT if I did it again. I handled one and like it a bit better and its cheaper.

Angry John reply :

You could get a certate high speed. I like the 2000 size reels due to weight and size. I run braid with a top shot or leader.

OkobojiEagle reply :

As light as possible WHILE STILL BALANCING THE ROD SLIGHTLY TIP UP and I wouldn't accept a spinning reel without a backreel switch... especially for drop shotting.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I use and Okuma RTX 25 for dropshotting. Only 6.6 ounces and a nice retrieve rate of 6:1. It has a very nice, smooth drag, but I'm in the same boat as OkobojiEagle in that I backreel instead of using the drag a majority of the time.

WRB reply :

You asking is what high end reel to use with my high end rod!

IMO Loomis spinning rods are a waste of money unless they can be purchased 1/2 price. Each to his or her own madness.

Shimano Stractic spinning reels are excellent on any rod you choose to pair them with.

Tom

PatrickKnight reply :

The Exsence is imo the king of light weight spinners when money is no factor.

That being said anything from the Tatula up on the Daiwa side and anything from the Stradic up on the Shimano side will work well.

Weight wise for me anything around 8oz or less is fine but I dont vertical fish I wade a river 95% of the time.

S Hovanec reply :

Exsence, Twinpower and Vanquish are all between the Stella and Sustain. The smallest size a Exsence is made in is 3000, which is the same frame as a 2500, but a deeper spool.

My#1 DS rod has a Twinpower 2500HGS. S denotes shallow spool. It holds 10 yards of backer and 50 yards of 20# braid. Any more than that and it's just a waste of line.

PatrickKnight reply :

On 3/22/2018 at 7:37 PM, S Hovanec said:

Exsence, Twinpower and Vanquish are all between the Stella and Sustain. The smallest size a Exsence is made in is 3000, which is the same frame as a 2500, but a deeper spool.

My#1 DS rod has a Twinpower 2500HGS. S denotes shallow spool. It holds 10 yards of backer and 50 yards of 20# braid. Any more than that and it's just a waste of line.

The Exsence 3000 spool only holds 95 yards of 20 lb braid. Its a shallow spool reel as well.

NashLouie reply :

On 3/22/2018 at 2:40 PM, WRB said:

You asking is what high end reel to use with my high end rod!

IMO Loomis spinning rods are a waste of money unless they can be purchased 1/2 price. Each to his or her own madness.

Shimano Stractic spinning reels are excellent on any rod you choose to pair them with.

Tom

So you are saying it's a good rod, but overpriced correct? I was shopping it based on reviews and having 25% off. Would you have any recommendations outside of the two rods I have my eye on?

Boomstick reply :

When shopping reels earlier this year, I found that I personally prefer the Pflueger reels over the CI4+ because I have larger hands and the bail comes so close to my thumb that I feel like I have to do hand gymnastics to avoid it. I didn't have that problem with the more expensive Pflueger reels though, and they felt otherwise comparable. Otherwise the CI4+ should be a good option.

NashLouie reply :

I think I am going with the Tatula LT. There is a really neat Limited Edition Sterling Silver version. Only 800 made. Thought it was a cool variant and could always use on another rod if I don't like it.

Also right now of you buy a Tatula you get a free Daiwa/Huk shirt.

The rod choice will be the NRX. I decided to go with a medium power based off a lot of research.

Will do 12 lb braid to 8lb flouro.

Any thoughts are appreciated, and thanks for all the info everyone provided.

Yudo1 reply :

On 3/23/2018 at 8:44 PM, NashLouie said:

I think I am going with the Tatula LT. There is a really neat Limited Edition Sterling Silver version. Only 800 made. Thought it was a cool variant and could always use on another rod if I don't like it.

Also right now of you buy a Tatula you get a free Daiwa/Huk shirt.

The rod choice will be the NRX. I decided to go with a medium power based off a lot of research.

Will do 12 lb braid to 8lb flouro.

Any thoughts are appreciated, and thanks for all the info everyone provided.

I have the ss tatula lt and so far really think you've made a great choice. As far as the NRX, if you are strictly going to drop shot then the 822dsr is the way to go. If you plan to use the rod for other applications, consider the 872s because it still has a nice tip for ds as well as things like shaky head, tubes, etc. The 852s is an amazing rod, but some people don't like it for ds.

new2BC4bass reply :

I get that it is easy today to buy technique specific rods that are great. Get Online or walk into a store and plop the money down. Done. However, I think I would be very tempted to buy a custom built rod when spending $500 or more and knowing exactly what I wanted it to do for me.

NashLouie reply :

On 3/23/2018 at 8:52 PM, Yudo1 said:

I have the ss tatula lt and so far really think you've made a great choice. As far as the NRX, if you are strictly going to drop shot then the 822dsr is the way to go. If you plan to use the rod for other applications, consider the 872s because it still has a nice tip for ds as well as things like shaky head, tubes, etc. The 852s is an amazing rod, but some people don't like it for ds.

Great feedback. Thank you. Went with the 822DSR. I have an Enigma spinning rod I use for tubes, senkos, shaky head, etc. with a CI4+. Picked up an NRX 853C casting rod last year with a Curado on it for the other plastics.

On 3/23/2018 at 10:52 PM, new2BC4bass said:

I get that it is easy today to buy technique specific rods that are great. Get Online or walk into a store and plop the money down. Done. However, I think I would be very tempted to buy a custom built rod when spending $500 or more and knowing exactly what I wanted it to do for me.

I don't know much about custom equipment. I feel like technique specific rods are somewhat the same as asking for exactly what you want. There are so many to review that there is little between. For me it's that I don't know enough to know exactly what I want. Like buying a new car, or a custom. I know how to drive, and what I want it to do. Not exactly how all of that happens.

new2BC4bass reply :

On 3/25/2018 at 3:21 AM, NashLouie said:

I don't know much about custom equipment. I feel like technique specific rods are somewhat the same as asking for exactly what you want. There are so many to review that there is little between. For me it's that I don't know enough to know exactly what I want. Like buying a new car, or a custom. I know how to drive, and what I want it to do. Not exactly how all of that happens.

I understand that. Kind of in the same boat myself which is why I have always bought factory rods that get good reviews. My customs are rods that someone else had built and then sold. They are nice, tho.

Dwight Hottle reply :

Take a look at the Certate. It will scratch a lot of itches.

http://japantackle.com/spinning-reels/daiwa/daiwa-16certate.html

NHBull reply :

I have 2 ci4’s and am very happy

WRB reply :

Lets try to seperate what a custom built rod is and isn't.

A good custom biult rod should be made from a rod blank that meets all your needs, the exact length, power, action, weight, handle, guide train and be perfectly balanced with the reel you use. No compromises.

Adding bells and whistles with fancy wraps and handle colors doesn't improve performance, however some folks prefer bling over performance and that is a personal choice. My custom ALX rods are understated with functionality no bling. The rod components are highest end available, the guides set to optimize casting distance with the reels I use and power/action to my requirements.

You can have all this within the price of a highend off the shelf rod and life time warranty and satisfaction guarantee.

I simply don't need a state of the art spinning rod and there are good off the shelf choices. Each to own, me my money goes into casting rods.

Tom

Angry John reply :

http://tackletrap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1066_2694_2696&products_id=12666

This is going to be my next dsr and i dont think the loomis will have anything that this rod does not except the bigger price. It has a lot more style and the handle looks a lot better. I have no idea why i like it so much but the looms does not have the character for me. Match that up with daiwa certate 2004ch and call it a day

http://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/product_info/language/en/products_id/27935/cPath/21_39_40_3285/certate/daiwa-2016-certate-2004ch-free-shipping.html

PatrickKnight reply :

On 3/25/2018 at 5:57 AM, WRB said:

Lets try to seperate what a custom built rod is and isn't.

A good custom biult rod should be made from a rod blank that all your needs, the exact length, power, action, weight, handle, guide train and be perfectly balanced with the reel you use. No compromises.

Adding bells and whistles with fancy wraps and handle colors doesn't improve performance, however some folks prefer bling over performance and that is a personal choice. My custom ALX rods are understated with functionality no bling. The rod components are highest end available, the guides set to optimize casting distance with the reels I use and power/action to my requirements.

You can all this within the price of a highend off the shelf rod and life time warranty and satisfaction guarantee.

I simply don't need a state of the art spinning rod and there are good off the shelf choices. Each to own, me my money goes into casting rods.

Tom

I am going to talk to Alex about building me a rod for my new Daiwa Luvias. All I use is spinning tackle and your praise has me looking into a custom ALX.

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Drop Shot Spinning Reel 2025

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