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As spring arrives across the country, those of us who love to fish for trout are getting ready to hit our favorite streams, lakes, and ponds to chase rainbows, browns, and brookies. Many of us also need to upgrade gear that has seen better days. Or, just as likely, we want to add more tools to our arsenal.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been putting a handful of trout-sized spinning reels to the test on my local waters. The collection was diverse, covering a wide range of price points and features. At the same time, I've been going through some of my older gear, culling out and donating rods and reels I wasn’t using. While the older reels I passed along were all functional, I was struck by just how good modern spinning reels are. Even today’s budget-priced reels offer great performance and durability. Here are a few of the top performers from my recent testing.
Best Overall: Daiwa Ballistic MQ LT
Best Value: Pflueger Supreme XT
Best for Bait Fishing: Okuma Ceymar Baitfeeder “A”
Best Combo: Ugly Stik GX-2 Combo
Best Overall: Daiwa Ballistic MQ LT
Specs
Weight: 6 ounces (1000 model)
Drag: 11 pounds
Line Capacity: 6/160 (mono); 8/200 (braid)
MSRP: $229.99
Pros
Compact size
Lightweight
Strong drag
Cons
Chrome back plate might be a little “blingy” for some tastes
Lightweight, smooth, well built, the Daiwa Ballistic MQ LT in its smaller sizes has the qualities you need in an all-purpose trout spinning reel that, while not cheap, isn’t a bank-breaker. I tested the 1000 size, which tipped my digital scales at just 6.2 ounces with a full spool of Daiwa’s XBraid X8 line. The light reel balanced perfectly with one of my favorite trout rods, a 6-foot 9-inch long Fenwick Tecna model. It’s easy to make 40-foot casts with light lures. You need to be careful not to overfill the spool, which will lead to loop tangles.
The Ballistic MQ LT’s monocoque body adds strength by eliminating the need for a side cover plate. This feature also improves the reel’s water resistance and allows for larger internal gears. The chrome finish on the back plate is a style choice that some might not love.
The reel features eight bearings through the 4000 size. Even in the diminutive 1000 size, the drag max is a stout 11 pounds, more than you’ll ever need for a reel in this size class. With an MSRP of $229.99, the Daiwa Ballistic MQ LT is not inexpensive, but it’s a great reel that is at home on a small native brook trout stream or chasing huge browns on the White River.
Best Value: Pflueger Supreme XT
Specs
Weight: 6.7 ounces (Size 30)
Drag: 10 pounds
Line Capacity: 8/130; 10/160
MSRP: $199.95
Pros
Proven performer
Excellent sealed carbon drag
Smooth
Solid build quality
Cons
Big foam reel handle knob is a bit bulky
With a magnesium frame and carbon fiber handle, the Pflueger Supreme XT is built to offer lightweight performance in a strong package. The size 30 reel I've been testing weighs just 6.7 ounces with a full spool of 15-pound-test Power Pro braid. Although I have been testing the latest model for only a couple of months, I have a history with the Supreme XT as I bought a size 25 Supreme XT five or six years ago, and it’s been one of my go-to trout reels ever since.
So, how can a $200 reel be considered a great value? The Supreme XT comes with a feature set that you typically don’t see on reels under $300. It’s butter smooth and casts great, and with its machined aluminum main gear and sealed carbon drag, it is built for performance and to withstand years of abuse. Carbon touches, like the reel handle, add strength without a weight penalty. The latest model of the Supreme XT features a large, hard foam knob on the reel handle. It felt bulky for a reel of this size, but it grew on me the more I used it.
Best for Bait Fishing: Okuma Ceymar Baitfeeder “A”
Specs
Weight: 8.3 ounces (Size 1000)
Drag max: 7 pounds
Line capacity: 10/180 (braid); 6/110 (mono)
MSRP: $84.99
Pros
Rare baitfeeder function in a trout-sized reel
Easy manual or reel-triggered baitfeeder lever operation
Relatively economical
Cons
A bit heavy
Casting lures for trout is fun, but sometimes fishing with live bait is more effective. This can be especially true in still waters where trout are constantly on the move. In those cases, it’s often best to soak bait near the bottom and wait. Trout can be fickle when feeling resistance. If you’re using a standard spinning reel, that means either loosening the drag so a trout that picks up a bait can move freely or leaving the bail open. Neither approach is ideal. The Okuma Ceymar Baitfeeder A is a much better option. Like larger baitfeeder reels popular for saltwater applications or catfishing, a switch disengages the reel so a fish can run, and re-engages manually or with a turn of the reel handle.
The baitfeeder system on the Ceymar Baitfeeder A worked flawlessly. The “drag” is light enough that even smaller fish can run, but it provides just enough tension to keep the line from overrunning. The 1000 size I tested is heavy at 8.4 ounces, but that’s not surprising given the extra mechanics needed. With seven ball bearings and one roller bearing, it’s plenty smooth, too. In addition to working well for trout, the smaller size would also be great for targeting panfish such as bottom-feeding redear sunfish.
Best Combo: Ugly Stik GX-2 Combo
Specs
Weight: 6 ounces (Size 20l)
Drag max: 11 pounds
Line capacity: 4/110 (mono)
MSRP: $79.95
Pros
Tough as nails
Compact
Good price for a quality combo
Cons
Won’t set any casting distance records
Rod is relatively heavy
It’s a joy to fish with precision, high-end gear, but it doesn’t always make sense, like when busting through thick streamside brush or when you need to loan a rod to a clumsy fishing partner. In these situations, utility and durability are more important. The GX-2 combo from Ugly Stik is the fishing equivalent of a base model vintage Toyota 4X4 pickup or Jeep Wrangler. It might not be the prettiest or most sophisticated piece of equipment, but it works hard and doesn’t break.
At 6.1 ounces spooled with 4-pound-test mono, the 20-size Shakespeare reel (equivalent to other brands’ 1000 size) is surprisingly light given its no-frills design. With four bearings, it is reasonably smooth, especially for the price point. The combo option for that reel is the 4-foot 8-inch single-piece GX-2 ultralight rod. In typical Ugly Stik fashion, the tip is very flexible. That short length does limit casting distance, but it comes in handy when bush-whacking or fishing canopy-choked creeks. And on the off chance you figure out a way to break the rod, it has a 7-year warranty.
Abu Garcia Zenon X
Specs
Weight: 6.7 ounces (2500 size)
Drag max: 11 pounds
Line capacity: 8/110 (mono); 8/150 (braid)
MSRP: $329.99
Pros
Ultralight weight
Bomber build quality
Super smooth
Striking appearance
Cons
Expensive
The Abu Garcia Zenon X is a strong, lightweight, and beautifully styled reel with smooth performance and an excellent drag. The heart of this reel’s performance comes from its 10 ball bearings—nine internal and one roller bearing. From the aircraft-grade aluminum main shaft to the Air-Fin spool to the carbon fiber handle, this reel is all about a high strength-to-weight ratio.
The Zenon X comes in sizes from 2000 to 3500. I tested the 2500, which weighed in at a scant 6.7 ounces with a full spool of 15-pound Power Pro (equivalent to 4-pound test mono). That light weight means you can put a larger reel—and enjoy the casting advantage of a larger-diameter spool—on a lighter rod. I paired the reel with a 7-foot-long medium-light action rod. The combo was great for casting small- to medium-sized jerkbaits targeting bigger tailwater trout. In its largest size, the Zenon X would be a super Great Lakes steelhead bobber dogging reel.
While this reel can cast a mile, its high-speed 6.2:1 gear ratio made it excel when fishing upstream with spinners in pocket water. The drag on every model tops out at 11 pounds. To cap it off, the matte black, silver, and carbon color scheme is striking. The reel is durable enough to take a beating, but you may find yourself babying it to keep it pretty. You can certainly pay more for a trout reel, but you won’t get much better performance at any price.
FAQs
Q: Why spinning reels rather than baitcasters?
While baitcasting reels can do a lot, they simply aren't designed to throw light lures required for trout fishing. They function off an internal braking system that works best with heavier lures, while spinning reels have no braking system. The weight of the lure pulls the line off the spool when you cast a spinning reel. When set up with a light line, you can throw light lures surprisingly far. Spinning reels also allow you to keep the bail open and drift live baits to waiting trout.
Q: How do you size a spinning reel?
Spinning reels vary widely in size but for trout, a 500 or 1000 size is usually best. These reels are lightweight and small so they fit well on shorter ultralight rods. However, sizing varies between companies, and some companies size their reels in 500 and 1000 sizes, while others size them in 50 and 100 for the same size reels. I find it best to look at the reel in person and even bring the rod you plan on putting it on to make sure it balances well.
Q: What size spinning reel is best for trout?
Trout vary widely in size, so finding the right size spinning reel for your fishery is essential. Anglers targeting average-size trout in smaller streams can comfortably fish reels ranging between 1000 and 2000 in size. These sizes have adequate line capacity, respectable drag systems, and balance small rods. For larger trout, such as lake run fish, reels in the 3000 to 4000 sizes are preferred. These reels have stronger drag systems and increased line capacity. Lake run fish are known for long and powerful runs, so these large reels paired with longer rods are necessary.
Q: How much drag does a trout reel need?
While some trout reels have more than 10 lbs of drag, a good trout reel doesn’t need more than 5 lbs of drag. Trout fishing calls for a light line which can break easily if you use too much drag. I never find myself using the full drag on a reel so buying it based on max-drag is unwise. Look more at the construction and feel of the reel and you’ll be much happier with your purchase.
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