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The top ultralight spinning reels for trout and other smaller species depends on your budget, because there are great choices at every price point. Part of the fun of fishing for smaller species is using lightweight, appropriate-sized gear. This list features examples of well-designed, well-built ultralight spinning reels that are suited to fishing streams, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, and even saltwater bays and estuaries.
We’re talking here about spinning reels usually categorized as size 1000 models, the smallest most manufacturers produce, designed for line from 2- to 8-pound test. They all weigh less than 10 ounces, some of them much less, for which your casting wrist will thank you. Ultralight spinning is mostly a freshwater pursuit, so resistance to corrosion from saltwater isn’t emphasized as much as it would be with larger saltwater reels. If you do need a reel for small salt species, you’ll want to be extra careful to rinse it thoroughly after each use, and reapplying grease every so often is a good idea.
This list includes reels ranging in price from about $60 to $500. The best ultralight spinning reels fall somewhere in this range, and with proper care and maintenance should provide years of good fishing.
Best Overall: Shimano Sedona FI 1000
Best Under $100: Penn Fierce III 1000
Best for Trout: Daiwa Tatula LT 1000
Best Premium: Shimano Stella FK 1000
Best Budget: Pflueger President 20
Best Micro: Abu Garcia Zenon SP20
Best Overall: Shimano Sedona FI 1000
Specs
Weight: 7.6 ounces
Gear Ratio: 5.0:1, 26” of line retrieved per turn
Line Capacity: 270/2 to 110/6 mono (yards/pound test)
Maximum Drag: 7 pounds
Bearings: 3+1
Maximum Drag: 7 pounds
Bearings: 3+1
Pros
Hagane cold-forged gears
Higher center of gravity for less fatigue
Plenty of drag for an ultralight
Cons
Slow gear ratio
No anti-reverse switch
The Sedona FI has fewer bearings and a lower gear ratio than more expensive, metal-bodied Shimanos. But, it costs less than half as much and can still handle the species you’re after with an ultralight. One place it doesn’t skimp, offering signature high-end Shimano features, is in the gears. The Hagane gears are cold-forged instead of molded or machined. As with other cold-forged gears, the result—skipping on some science—is that a gear can be expected to have sharp teeth for years to come, resulting in a product that keeps its out of the box smooth reeling. The Sedona FL 1000 weighs 7.6 ounces but is also designed with Shimano’s G-Free body, in which the center of gravity is closer to the rod, so it feels lighter than it actually is.
Best Under $100: Penn Fierce III 1000
Specs
Weight: 7.8 oz
Gear Ratio: 5.2:1, 22” of line retrieved per turn
Line Capacity: 160/6 to 110/10 mono (yards/pound test)
Maximum Drag: 9 pounds
Bearings: 4+1
Pros:
Sturdy metal build
Four stainless steel ball bearings can handle rugged environments
Impressive drag power
Cons:
Low gear ratio
Expect the Fierce III to hold up well when battling good-sized trout, panfish, bass or small salt species. That durability comes thanks to its metal construction—full body and side plates—and Penn’s proprietary HT-100 carbon fiber drag washers. The 1000 size is a true ultralight, comfortable for long use at 7.8 ounces. The 4+1 stainless steel bearing system includes instant anti-reverse to assure solid hooksets.
Best for Trout: Daiwa Tatula LT 1000
Specs
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Gear Ratio: 6.2:1, 30.5” of line retrieved per turn
Line Capacity: 250/4 to 110/8 mono (yards/pound test)
Maximum Drag: 11 pounds
Bearings: 6+1
Pros:
Lightweight
Six ball bearings plus roller for super smooth operation
Digigear technology
Cons:
Complaints of bail slipping open
This not-so-cheap reel is part of Daiwa’s LT line. The “Light and Tough” concept pares down design and focuses on construction, using state of the art materials for lighter weight components that don’t compromise a reel’s strength. The Daiwa Tatula LT sticks to that LT concept with a strong but lightweight high-density carbon material body, what Daiwa calls Zaion. The reel also offers a high-tech drive train, with the company’s DigiGear digital machining—ensuring gears fit together exactly—and a cold-forged aluminum main gear for silky smooth reeling. The components turn within a generous set of six stainless steel ball bearings, including one with corrosion resistant coating. A high gear ratio gets fish to hand quickly and can affect a speedy retreat from snaggy structure. The result is a reel with the finesse needed to land the smallest native, but with enough horsepower to tame the largest steelhead.
Best Premium: Shimano Stella FK 1000
Specs
Weight: 5.8 ounces
Gear Ratio: 5.1:1, 25” of line retrieved per turn
Line Capacity: 270/2 to 110/6 mono (yards/pound test)
Maximum Drag: 7 pounds
Bearings: 12+1
Pros
Metal body, coatings, and sealed drag
Smooth cross carbon drag
Twelve sealed ball bearings offer exceptionally smooth performance
Surprisingly light weight
Cons
Slow gear ratio
An expensive investment
Shimano’s Stella series reels represent a long-term investment in high-quality gear for serious anglers. The cold-forged metal body is fully rigid, immune to flexing under stress, and a suite of internal and external coatings help prevent corrosion, even in saltwater use. The smooth, sealed drag affords complete control of your fish. The long-stroke spool and one-piece bail fight tangles and promote orderly line lay on the retrieve.
A lot of thought has gone into the engineering of the Stella’s Propulsion Line Management System, including a spool lip designed for maximum casting distance. Cold-forged Hagane metal gears are part of a specially designed drive train, dubbed Micromodule Gear II, for effortless, smooth performance. The range of technological advances built into the Stella FJ have inspired fierce loyalty among ultralight anglers, and it’s easy to see why.
Best Budget: Pflueger President 20
Specs
Weight: 6.2 ounces
Gear Ratio: 5.2:1 Gear Ratio, 20.2” line retrieved per turn
Line Capacity: 200/2 to 80/6 mono (yards/pound test)
Maximum Drag: 6 pounds
Bearings: 6+1
Pros
Lightweight and compact
Runs smoothly on six ball bearings
Aluminum handle and bail
Cons
Some reports of line twist
Pflueger’s President 20 is a great value daily reel, and it’s the one I use to fish spinners for small bass and panfish in my local pond. The drag is more than adequate for smaller species, and the feel is effortless on a light 6-foot rod. The drag is sealed, and the aluminum spool is braid-ready; Pflueger lists the capacity as 180 yards of 4-pound test braid. The body and rotor are graphite for a lightweight construction, while the bail and handle are sturdy solid aluminum.
Best Micro: Abu Garcia Zenon
Specs
Weight: 4.9 ounces
Gear Ratio: 6.2:1, 33” line retrieved per turn
Line Capacity: 185/6 to 110/10 mono (yards/pound test)
Maximum Drag: 11 pounds
Bearings: 10+1
Pros
Amazingly light
Ten bearings assure smoothness and durability
Fast gear ratio
Cons
Price
No reverse switch
Built as a finesse fishing reel for the quality-obsessed Japanese domestic market, Abu Garcia’s Zenon is packed with the manufacturer’s best tech. Abu Garcia calls the Zenon “the lightest spinning reel ever produced." The reel achieves its remarkably low weight with a one-piece magnesium body that eliminates unnecessary material, a heavily vented spool, and carbon fiber rotor. In addition to being lightweight, the C6 V-Rotor provides ultra-low start up inertia. Ten HPCR ball bearings keep the “aircraft grade” aluminum main shaft turning smoothly. The fast 6.2:1 retrieve will bring in 33” of line with each turn, and the 11-pound carbon fiber drag is strong enough to turn fish that are usually played on bigger reels.
How We Tested Ultralight Spinning Reels
I compared spinning reels in the ultralight category from established manufacturers, looking for the features and characteristics that most impact day-to-day use – weight, build quality, thoughtful design, manufacturer reputation, and user reviews. Price was a consideration, and I found a number of good options for under $100. If you use these reels in the manner they were designed for, they will all provide a lifetime of service.
What To Look for in an Ultralight Spinning Reel
Spinning reels have a lot of specifications, and ultralights are no exception. The different components of a reel will determine how well it performs on the water, and how well it holds up season after season. You’ll want a reel that doesn’t feel heavy in the hand, cranks smoothly, can vary how hard it is for a fish to pull line from the spool, and resists corrosion and grit.
Materials
Metal is widely seen as the best material for your reel’s body because of its sheer strength and rigidity. However, carbon fiber can a perfectly acceptable substitute and is used for bodies and rotors on the some of the top models. Carbon fiber is usually lighter than metal, can generally handle the stress of fighting larger fish, and will never rust.
Drag
You’ll rely on your reel’s drag to put the brakes on hard-charging fish before they get too far away to control, or dart into heavy cover that might break your line. The rule of thumb says drag should amount to one-quarter of your line’s pound test rating. All the reels listed here can easily exceed that level of drag, but a stronger drag is better because it requires less fiddling with the knob while playing your fish.
Bearings
Reels use bearings to keep gear shafts turning smoothly. The more, the better, although having a few high-quality bearings is preferable to numerous low-quality ones. Reel specs generally list the number of ball bearings plus one roller bearing for the anti-reverse clutch.
Gear Ratio
The higher the first number in the gear ratio, the more line your reel will retrieve per turn of the handle. If the ratio is 5.1:1, the rotor turns 5.1 times for each crank of the handle. A slower retrieve is good for deep-running crankbaits or spinnerbaits, but a high ratio also enables you to pull a buzzbait or lipless crankbait with appropriate speed. The gear ratio combined with the size of the spool yields in the “inches per turn” figure – how much line comes back onto the reel with a full turn of the handle.
FAQs
Q: Who makes the best ultralight spinning reel?
All reel brands have expensive and inexpensive models, and as with most things, you get what you pay for. Some brands, such as Penn and Van Staal, are better known for larger freshwater and saltwater spinning reels. The best ultralight spinning reels probably come from Shimano, which has a number of very popular models, including the Stradic, the Stella, and the Vanford.
Q: Can you catch big fish on an ultralight rod?
You certainly can catch big fish on an ultralight rod. The next question is, can you land them? This is when a reel with a smooth drag is most important. A good-quality drag can apply enough pressure to control the fish, but not tighten so hard that the fish can break the line.
Q: What is the lightest spinning reel on the market?
The lightest spinning wheel I found for this roundup is the Abu Garcia Zenon SP20, at 4.9 ounces. The Zenon SP30, which has a larger spool, weighs just 5.4 ounces. Despite the light weight, these are both competent reels.
Final Thoughts
An ultralight spinning reel is a remarkably versatile fishing tool, one that’s useful on the shore of a large reservoir and on a small upland trout stream. Paying close attention to features and characteristics—like materials, drag, bearings and gear ratio—makes it easier to select a reel that will give you few problems and much pleasure for seasons to come. Any of the above will serve you well in your light-tackle angling pursuits.
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