Recommendation for drop-shot Casting Reel

[FryDog62]

Looking for recommendations for a -casting- reel to pair with my new Majorcraft Don Iovino Signature Series finesse rod for drop-shotting.  

 

I’m thinking the reel needs to be light, small and very palmable.  Would like recommendations for options in the $100-200 range.  I like the specs on the Lews Team Lite Speed Spool but it’s $240 and a little more than I want to spend... Thx

[Jig Man]

I have Shimano XG 70s that I use for everything from cranking to Ned rigging.  I really like them.  I bought 2 of them used on this site.

[fishwizzard]

A Daiwa sv105 or any Alphas series reel.  Cheap, compact, and a ton of spool options.  

 

But make sure you secure your weight with an overhand knot and check it often, if it flies off during the cast you end up with this.  

 

[optimator]

2 minutes ago, fishwizzard said:

A Daiwa sv105 or any Alphas series reel.  Cheap, compact, and a ton of spool options.  

 

But make sure you secure your weight with an overhand knot and check it often, if it flies off during the cast you end up with this.  

 

YIKES!

[new2BC4bass]

Nice fishwizard! 

 

OP, I am partial to Diawas.  Love the Alphas platform.  A Pixy would also be nice.  Prices have come down to within your budget.  However, there are a lot of reels that should work.  The Tournament MB is an option.

 

I know I am in the minority here, but I like my Okuma Helios.  Even better (and lighter, 5.8 oz.) is a used Helios Air.  Since I am mentioning unpopular reels, I'd also recommend the Patriarch or a used Patriarch XT.  Love my Primmus Xi HS....5.9 oz.  Bet no one else will recommend any of these reels. 

[Tywithay]

Curado 70 with a DIY honeycomb spool. You can buy the combo for around $200.

[OnthePotomac]

Zona was drop shot smallie fishing this morning with a 7'2" Diawa with a really soft tip and kept repeating  how important the soft tip is for drop shot.

[islandbass]

On 4/6/2018 at 8:56 AM, fishwizzard said:

A Daiwa sv105 or any Alphas series reel.  Cheap, compact, and a ton of spool options.  

 

But make sure you secure your weight with an overhand knot and check it often, if it flies off during the cast you end up with this.  

 

Aw, come on, I can make a better one than that, lol. Yours is respectable. 

The time I hate that the most is when it happens on my last cast, and I’ve done with a decent cast with the weight falling off during the cast.  

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, OnthePotomac said:

Zona was drop shot smallie fishing this morning with a 7'2" Diawa with a really soft tip and kept repeating  how important the soft tip is for drop shot.

Was he using casting gear, curious what reel he was using too? Thx

[Mjmj]

I have the Majorcraft Don Iovino Signature Series finesse rod teamed up with a Diawa sv105. I LOVE THIS SETUP.  I have let 2 friends use this setup. They each have the same setup now. It's well ballanced and casts extremely far. Buy this reel, you won't be disappointed. I have a curado 70 I tried on this rod, the Diawa is better suited

[JustJames]

What weight you plan to use with your dropshot? I don't have problem casting dropshot weight down to 3/16 with any of my baitcaster. Just like you with my dropshot I care more about light weight of reel/rod and comfort when palm. My dropshot rod is not as soft as other (crucial dropshot gen2) I used Calcutta 50b, curado 100d 50e curado 70 SV105 and aldebaran mg7.

[burrows]

Casitas with an mgl spool.

[papajoe222]

X2 on the lightweight spool making a difference. Be sure you match whatever reel you choose to a rod with a lot of flex in the top 1/3. You’ll need it to load up fairly easy for casting. Rod choice, IMO, is more important than the reel. I built a drop-shot casting rod on a spinning blank for that very reason. 

 

[OnthePotomac]

Keeper, Zona was using a Diawa spinning reel as was his co angler.  They both were using a little bait called Strike KIng KVD drop shot plastic 3.5" Half Shell in bright chartreuse. 

[FryDog62]

22 hours ago, Mjmj said:

I have the Majorcraft Don Iovino Signature Series finesse rod teamed up with a Diawa sv105. I LOVE THIS SETUP.  I have let 2 friends use this setup. They each have the same setup now. It's well ballanced and casts extremely far. Buy this reel, you won't be disappointed. I have a curado 70 I tried on this rod, the Diawa is better suited

Wondering if you have the 6’-8” rod or 6’-10” ?  If I could find an SV105 for a decent price and the right gear ratio I might do the same set up.

[WRB]

Don Iovino finesse rods are for finesse fishing and he personally designed the tip action to optimize drop shot, split shot and doddle/shaky heads. The reel should a light weight that handles 6 lb test mono/Fluoro line. I use my original Daiwa Fuego reels and they balance perfectly.

Tom

[FryDog62]

30 minutes ago, WRB said:

Don Iovino finesse rods are for finesse fishing and he personally designed the tip action to optimize drop shot, split shot and doddle/shaky heads. The reel should a light weight that handles 6 lb test mono/Fluoro line. I use my original Daiwa Fuego reels and they balance perfectly.

Tom

Do you see a preference for the 6-8 or 6-10 rod?  I typically drop shot 12-24 fow, 3/8-1/2 oz weight, 7 lb Sunline Sniper..

[WRB]

I prefer his 6'8" Splash-It rod.

Tom

[Mjmj]

2 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Wondering if you have the 6’-8” rod or 6’-10” ?  If I could find an SV105 for a decent price and the right gear ratio I might do the same set up.

6' 10"

[Brad in Texas]

I can't even imagine using casting reels for a light drop shot presentation. I like to "pitch" mine since I am almost always fishing from a kayak. I can pitch them a very long way and doing so, at least for say < 50', keeps the weight from orbiting around the hook as much as an overhanded cast.

 

But, if I was going to use a casting reel, I'd recommend something light and small. A Shimano Casitas handles light lines and small presentations really well for around $99. I'd go ML for a rod for such circumstances if it rated for the lure weight you'd be using most of the time.

 

Brad

[FryDog62]

15 hours ago, Mjmj said:

6' 10"

With one vote for the 6-8 and one for 6-10, out of curiosity I sent an email to Majorcraft. They said either of rod could be used for drop-shotting but the 6-10 more so, and the 6-8 action was more designed for topwater.  

[WRB]

Did you mention using 1/2 weights?

Call Don; 818/848.6180

Tom

[FryDog62]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

Did you mention using 1/2 weights?

Call Don; 818/848.6180

Tom

Yes, I said I typically use 3/8-1/2 oz weights in 12-24 Fow.  Here was their response:

 

Thank you for contacting us.

 

If you want to use for drop shot, we recommend NAC-BF6101M/DI.  This model was developed for such a finesse fishing.  The rod action is faster than normal NAC-BF6101M.  

NAC-T681M/SI is Top water rod.  The action is totally different.

 

Best regards,

Hamano

Major Craft America corp.

[fishwizzard]

This season I am trying a Megabass xxx Black Themis casting rod for dropshotting and general finesse plastics.  For casting and pitching ease and accuracy, it blows my previous DS rod, the Orochi XX spinning rod, out of the water.  It will get the rig much much further so I can cover water faster and cast way closer to cover then I would dare with the spinning rod.  

 

I am not sure it can match the XX in sensitivity though, but it has been such a cold spring that I need to fish it more now when my freezing hands are not the limiting factor before I can get a real sense of it.