Best Baitcaster For Beginner With Small Hands

[happy yaking]

I'm looking for suggestions for a first timer buying and learning a baitcaster. I am female with small hands. Keeping it under $100.00 is a must. Wouldn't mind spending more later once I get comfortable with one. Any suggestions and tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Mike2841]

Lews baitcasters are pretty small compared to most others, also a 50 size shimano

[happy yaking]

Thanks Mike

[bartdude186]

for under 100 i would go with a lews laser speed spool ( my walmart has them for around 55 bucks) and a berkley lightning rod or lightning rod shock. 

[coak]

Fwiw, if you can find an older BPS Prolite they are pretty small as well. This is the reel my wife uses and she's petite, like 5'1" and has small hands as well. As a plus the reel has a dual braking system too!

[lmbfisherman]

Well hrm, I guess the best bet would be to fine a Shimano size 50 reel.  However for the price it might be hard to find even used for under a buck.  A Curado G isn't bad either, they are on clearance so you might be able to land one for 100. 

[papajoe222]

Fwiw, if you can find an older BPS Prolite they are pretty small as well. This is the reel my wife uses and she's petite, like 5'1" and has small hands as well. As a plus the reel has a dual braking system too!

X2 I have two ProLite Specials, one for my wife and one for my 6yr. old grandson.  They're also great for fishing unweighted plastics. 

[rippin-lips]

The Lews speed spool is very compact and retail is $99 but you can find them cheaper online pretty easily. It'll last you for years and isn't hard to dial in. It's also an aluminum framed reel vs the lazer mg that was mentioned above. Better choice really.

[Kevin22]

If you want to go cheap, daiwa megaforce is pretty small. Lews is a better reel though. Watching online, you can find a lews laser mg for around $60. Retail on it is $79.99. 

[Tywithay]

I'd spend another $10 and get the T3 Ballistic from TW right now on sale. Very palmable form and one of the easiest baitcasters to cast that I have ever used. The Mag3d system gives a large number of adjustments to get it dialed in to make casting effortless.

[Fishes in trees]

Aren't you relatively close to a Bass Pro in Florida?  A place to start would be  to go there and see many different brands side by side.  Now for my sales pitch, for a bit more money, look at the 50 sized Shimano reels.   Look at the Curado 50 E or the Chronarch 50 E.  If you need a smaller reel, but like a round one that sits up on the rod a little bit more, look at a Calcutta 50 sized reel.  Several of my Shimano reels are going into their second decade of service and they are just broke in and are working great with minimal maintenance.

 

In that same period of time, I totally wore out a couple of Quantums and an older Ryobi that I got at the Walmart bargain counter.  I am sold on Shimano quality over the long term.

[happy yaking]

Thanks for all the great advice and is very helpful on where to start! Yes I do have a Bass Pro about 40 miles from me, have an Academy Sports and Gander Mountain. Heard good things about the Lew's reels but noticed bass pro doesn't sell them. Once I find one that feels comfortable in my hand, what else should I be looking for? I noticed some BC have 1 brake and some have 2 brakes? Whats the benefit of one over the other?

[Arv]

Lews Speed Spool would be a good option IMO. The BPS PQ is a little bigger, but may also be a good option in the price range.

[J Francho]

I have small hands, and haven't had any trouble with any lo pro casting reel. There really aren't too many that are "big" anymore. My girlfriend likes Daiwa Sols, and they are a great reel, but you'll have to search the used market.

[frantzracing0]

Also check out the revo s. Small profile, light, easy to use and very durable. Its a little over $100 dollars but worth every penny

[roadwarrior]

Shop around and try to find a Shimano Curado 50E.

This is one of the best reels I have and I bought it a

couple of years ago on our Flea Market for about $125.

I think $100 is doable.

[John G]

Just for future information, if you get good with a baitcaster and you want to get a sweet little reel, I highly recommend a Shimano Calcutta 50. There are real expensive versions called the Conquest 50 and some lower priced models. Ebay is a great place to look for older models in great used condition. They are also a very palmable little reel and for me, they palm just as good or better than the 50 size low profile Shimano's and they are excellent casters too!.

[new2BC4bass]

X2 I have two ProLite Specials, one for my wife and one for my 6yr. old grandson.  They're also great for fishing unweighted plastics. 

 

This was a reel I was going to suggest even though I have never seen one other than in pictures.  You didn't mention which hand you will be cranking with.  There are quite a few reels that should fit your hand.  As mentioned, the Shimano 50s are small.  I have a couple older gold Carbonlite reels.  These have dual controls....meaning centrifugal and magnetic brakes.  Magnetic brakes are adjustable with an external wheel.  Centrifugal brakes have to be adjusted by first removing or swinging the side cover out of the way.  The pins (normally 4 or 6) have little plastic hats on them.  Pull out on the plastic to turn a brake on.  Push it in to turn the brake off.  Often there are different color brakes that can be installed.  The reason for different color brakes is to give a different level of braking.  They can be used in any combination of colors (braking force).  This description isn't just for the Carbonlite reel.  Both kinds of brakes are adjusted with the same method regardless of manufacturer.....to the best of my knowledge.  I've only used reels from 6 or 7 manufacturers although I have several models of some brands.

 

The older gold Carbonlite I mentioned is a very good reel.  They cast light lures so well that both of mine are set up to primarily handle 1/4 oz. and less lures.  You should be able to find one in good to excellent shape for around $60-$65 shipped.

 

I wish you the best of luck finding a suitable reel.  I started using B/C reels in '09.  Like them so well I hardly ever use a spinning reel now.  Because I am such a fan, I enjoy seeing others getting started on them.  You didn't mention how much fishing experience you have.  Baitcast reels have a higher learning curve than spinning reels so don't give up on them.  Practice, practice, practice.  You will find that your release timing will be way off if you have been using spinning reels for any length of time.

 

I normally suggest a centrifugal or dual brake reel to learn on.  They tell me this type of reel is easier to learn on and gives fewer backlashes.  I wouldn't know as my first several reels were magnetic only.  I have no idea how well the Lews magnetic only reels are to learn on.  Daiwa is said to have the best magnetic brakes.  That is what I learned on.  Seems to me that a magnetic brake should be okay to start out casting with.  Especially for a female, because (unlike the typical male) women don't normally start out thinking they have to cast to the other side of the lake. 

 

EDIT:  Couple years ago I had a 6' MH rod made by DVT for my daughter.  Pink, of course!  Found a Chronarch 101A for $125 that I mounted on it.  She no longer ues her spinning rods.