Recommended spinning reel for "skipping"

[FryDog62]

I've heard that spinning reels with larger spool size are best for skipping plastics, lures, etc under docks, overhangs, etc.  Obviously I could opt for a large 4000 or 5000 sized reel, but many of those are quite heavy/cumbersome too especially on a shorter skipping' rod.  

I know of a couple reels that advertise larger spool size (Lew's, Pflueger Arbor) where you can get maybe a 2500 or 3500 sized reel that weighs around 8 ounces but has the spool size of a 4000 or 5000.  

Am I over-thinking this, or does this type of reel make sense?  I'm in the market to buy a reel - looking for recommendations to pair with:

St. Croix Legend Bass Spinning - 5'-10" Medium, Extra Fast, Skippin' rod?   Thx!  

 

[iabass8]

you're over thinking this. I can skip lures /w no issue and quite a distance /w a 1000 size shimano. Pick the size that balances best /w your rod and/or feels better in hand. 

[Darren.]

53 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

you're over thinking this. I can skip lures /w no issue and quite a distance /w a 1000 size shimano. Pick the size that balances best /w your rod and/or feels better in hand. 

Spot on.

My primary spinning reels are 1000 Shimanos, 
too, and they skip perfectly fine.

[FryDog62]

Thanks for the replies.  So if I'm in the market to buy a reel - looking for recommendations to pair with:

St. Croix Legend Bass Spinning - 5'-10" Medium, Extra Fast, Skippin' rod? 

 

[bigfruits]

as long as line comes off the reel, you could use a $20 reel. I might use my finger to slow down the bait on a cast or pitch but with skipping on spinning, i dont.

I would highly recommend the Stradic Ci4+ or the JDM Rarenium Ci4+. Im thinking about getting the 2000HGS for a ML/XF St. Croix LE.

[flyfisher]

Agreed on everyone else's posts saying it doesn't matter.  As far as my favorite spinning reels i am going with the stradic series.  I have some of the standard and one CI4 and they are all i will buy from here on out.  Durable and great reels.  You can also find them used or on sale when new models come out and save a good bit of money.  

[Darren.]

4 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

Agreed on everyone else's posts saying it doesn't matter.  As far as my favorite spinning reels i am going with the stradic series.  I have some of the standard and one CI4 and they are all i will buy from here on out.  Durable and great reels.  You can also find them used or on sale when new models come out and save a good bit of money.  

Ditto.

I've got Stradic FI, FJ reels and the FJ is so much
smoother thanks to X-Ship. So these would be my
recommendation to pair with your Legends.

I've got one of my FJs on a Croix Legend Tourney
Walleye rod and it is spectacular.

[iabass8]

2 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Thanks for the replies.  So if I'm in the market to buy a reel - looking for recommendations to pair with:

St. Croix Legend Bass Spinning - 5'-10" Medium, Extra Fast, Skippin' rod? 

 

I've got 1000 Stradic's on my 69mlxf and 68mxf legend xtremes. 

I've never used a 5'10 spinning rod but I would imagine any non ci4 spinning reel over 2500 in size would be cumbersome. 

I should say that I do use very small lines on my spinning reels. I use both straight 7# Sunline FC sniper and 10# braid /w 6# leader /w no issues. I've never had an issue /w line capacity. My reels usually last 1 1/2 -2 years w/o a respool but if you are the type to use straight 8#+ fluoro that isn't Tatsu or 20#+ braid on a spinning reel, I would opt for the 2500 size. 

[Darren.]

3 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Thanks for the replies.  So if I'm in the market to buy a reel - looking for recommendations to pair with:

St. Croix Legend Bass Spinning - 5'-10" Medium, Extra Fast, Skippin' rod? 

 

I have the 6'3" LT and put my 2500 FJ on it and
it balances perfectly. I normally prefer 1000 size,
and have a 1000 FJ but the combo felt tip-heavy,
as opposed to the 1000 FJ on my 6'6" Carbonlite
which is tip-light.

So if you want, or if you can, take your rod into a
local BPS, Cabelas, etc., and put different reels on
it to see how they balance out.

[FryDog62]

Ha!  I just dvr'd the Lindner's show and it was on dock skipping for largemouth.. Watched it last night late.  Didn't know they had switched to St Croix rods this year, but they did (a good choice IMO).  They apparently stayed with Quantum reels though. 

I smiled because in the show they were using the 5'-10" Legend Bass MXF Skippin' rod that I just purchased.  Seemed to work well for them.  They had it paired with a Quantum Speed Freak reel.  Not sure that's what I would choose but it was interesting to see anyway ...

[Jake the Cake]

I have both a Shimano 4000 and 2000 and they can both skip just fine but the 2000 is easier to handle while doing so.  I believe it's more the rod length that makes the biggest difference.

[WIGuide]

I think the only thing the bigger spool does better is helps with line management. I don't think one casts any better than the other, and on a rod like the LTB the bigger reel might make it more difficult to cast. The rod is designed to be used with normal size bass reels and and not only would it most likely feel cumbersome, I would bet there'd be line slap on the blank as well. 

[smallie.mike]

Just get a 2500 size shimano or daiwa and quit thinking about it. 

 

A larger dismeter spool does help wit casting distance and line management.