What spinning reel to pair with an Avid X?

[kdot]

Hey everyone, new poster here. I have decided to purchase a 6'9" ML-XF Avid X spinning rod, and I am looking for a nice reel to pair it with. I would like the reel to balance well with the rod. I fish mainly for smallmouth bass.

 

Appreciate any help y'all can provide.

[Armtx77]

12 minutes ago, kdot said:

Hey everyone, new poster here. I have decided to purchase a 6'9" ML-XF Avid X spinning rod, and I am looking for a nice reel to pair it with. I would like the reel to balance well with the rod. I fish mainly for smallmouth bass.

 

Appreciate any help y'all can provide.

Do you have price point or range you are looking at? How about a specific technique you might use it for?

 

I have bought a couple of Diawa BG 1500's in the past 10 months and I am happy with them.

[Log Catcher]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[HookRz]

Love that rod! Because it's so light With the shot split grip you want a "regular" reel like a Stradic 2500FK. Stay away from the super light reels like the Ci4.

[kdot]

51 minutes ago, Armtx77 said:

Do you have price point or range you are looking at? How about a specific technique you might use it for?

 

I have bought a couple of Diawa BG 1500's in the past 10 months and I am happy with them.

I would keep the price of the rod and the reel similar. So, around $200 for the reel. I will be throwing plastics and jigs, mainly. Also doing some dropshotting.

24 minutes ago, HookRz said:

Love that rod! Because it's so light With the shot split grip you want a "regular" reel like a Stradic 2500FK. Stay away from the super light reels like the Ci4.

Appreciate this, Ill try to find a heavier reel to balance it out. The 2500FK looks like a nice reel. Never fished Shimano before, I have always used Pflueger. 

[Jig Man]

I have 2 6.5' Avids.  One has a Shimano Stradic 2500 and the other has a Shimano Symmetry 2500.  The balance seems good to me.

[Brad in Texas]

10 hours ago, Jig Man said:

I have 2 6.5' Avids.  One has a Shimano Stradic 2500 and the other has a Shimano Symmetry 2500.  The balance seems good to me.

I use Stradic Ci4+ reels, and I also have a few less expensive Nasci reels in 1000s. Nasci reels are great for around $100 but they aren't as good (nor are they as expensive!) as Ci4+ reels, also from Shimano. But, both are exceptional for their price points.

 

For a ML rod, especially the way you are intending to use it, like Jig Man, I think the balance from pairing it with a Stradic Ci4+ 2500 would be optimal.

 

Lighter is always better as long as the power is there for intended presentations. A 2500 series will give you the power.

 

The whole idea of balancing a rod and reel is good, except at what point do you want to consider it balanced? For me, it is when the line is out, held a bit taut or being slowly retrieved as it is in most finesse presentations . . . meaning the rod tip is being tugged down by being fished.

 

I don't consider "balance" as being a reel mounted on a rod and balanced so that it teeters at some magical point on an extended finger. I want the feel and balance to be optimal for the position where it'll spend the most time: lure and line out in the water looking for a fish. In that position, there is most often some tug down on the rod tip which, at the farthest distance, means the lever creates a different balance point.

 

Brad

[Armtx77]

At $200.00 for your "upper" range on a reel. You have a world of selections at your disposal.

You made the comment that you were looking for balance and IMO, the only way to that, is to walk into your local tackle shop or big box store with your rod and start test driving reels.

The sales associates will be more than willing to help a guy who walks in a rod, looking for the perfect reel.

 

Rod, tackle shop/box store, test drive aka "nuke them from space, it is the only way to know for sure".

 

REREAD THIS FROM BRAD!!!!

 

"I don't consider "balance" as being a reel mounted on a rod and balanced so that it teeters at some magical point on an extended finger. I want the feel and balance to be optimal for the position where it'll spend the most time: lure and line out in the water looking for a fish. In that position, there is most often some tug down on the rod tip which, at the farthest distance, means the lever creates a different balance point."

 

THIS should be GOSPEL and is one of the reasons, I went with heavier Diawa BG spinning reels, for my ML HMG's.

The weight if the reel makes the whole set up just a touch heel heavy and it balances perfectly with line in the water.

 

Thank you for posting it up.

[new2BC4bass]

Maybe a Tatula LT if you are looking at a light reel.  I put a BG1500 on my 6'7" Light and have a Procyon 2000 for my 6'10" ML.  Pflueger has an excellent reputation.  The Patriarch meets your budget.  Or the Supreme XT for less.  I have an older Stradic that is pretty nice.  The Stradic FK is right at $200.

[The Kangler]

X2 on the Stradic Ci4.  I have the 3000 paired with a regular Avid and it is outstanding. 

[PatrickKnight]

I was a Shimano fanboy for years. I have one 3000 FK left to off load then I will be all Daiwa. Tatula LT is the best 180 dollar reel ever imo. 

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Since you're keeping rod/reel prices same, I'd also recommend

a Shimano Stradic CI4+, and if you want to balance better, I'd

probably look at the 3000 range. Personally I'm a 1000 Stradic

user, but I also like shorter rods...

[kdot]

Thank you to everyone who offered input on this. I went to my local cabelas yesterday and tried out both the stradic CI4+ and FK in the 2500 size. While the FK did offer a bit better balance, I ended up going with the CI4+. It just felt better in the hand and on the rod.

 

Excited to get out on the water with it.

[Fishing_FF]

Nice!

 

I have an Avid X MF that I tried both the Stradic FK and Ci4+ on. I went with the Ci4+ because like you said, it felt better on the rod. 

 

I loved the combo so much that I took the winnings from a tournament and got an Avid X MHF with a Ci4+on it. LOL

 

Good luck and enjoy!!!

[burrows]

Stradic ci4

[Boomstick]

I have a 6'9" ML/XF Avid X that I paired with a Daiwa BG 2000.

 

The BG is a heavier reel but otherwise comparable to much more expensive reels and I will likely be able to will it to my kids someday, and let me spend more on the rod, and I haven't actually used this rod yet but I can tell you that the heavier reel balances very nicely with the Avid X. I have heard some people complain the Avid X feels tip heavy with lighter reels, and I believe it.

 

The BG also has a nice large spool so it should help reduce any issues with line loops popping off.

 

If you do opt for a lighter reel, I would go with the Pflueger Patriarch over the Stradic ci4+ because the bail of the stradic leaves little room for my thumb. The Patriarch might actually be a little bit lighter as well, but they're otherwise fairly similar reels.