Smallest Baitcasting Reel, In Your Opinion

[ghost]

Seems like baitcast reels are getting smaller and lighter with all the new types of metals or carbon being used. So which reel do you think is the smallest? What I mean is to palm it. I have a Shimano Curado 71 and Curado 51 E. They may not be the lightest but they sure feel small in my hand when palmed. 

 

I remember back in the 80's, Ryobi had a V Mag reel that was quite small for its time.

[Catt]

I'm looking hard at the Curado 70 because it's so palmable.

 

In my opinion anything over a "100" size reel is a waste so I'll be watching this thread.

[Oregon Native]

Really loved my little Shimano Magnumlites....now I'm using one of the Kastkings Assissin's.  Should look at the numbers but believe it's lighter??

Well...just looked up....mag lite was 6.5 and Assissin is 5.7.  Oh...my.  

Should the reel last half as long as the Shimano I will be smiling.  So far so good. 

[FryDog62]

Pretty much a tie for me between the Curado 70 and a Steez for palmability... gets to splitting hairs.  Although I’ve never had a Pixi..?

[The Bassman]

Have to think that the Aldebarans are the smallest, under 5 oz. I have an Ald 50 and it feels almost too small. Guys are using them for heavier apps, though.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, The Bassman said:

feels almost too small.

This is how I feel about most of the newer high end reels. I prefer something a tad larger.

[Jelvas]

 The Lews reels from the LFS series are tiny, the Abu Revo ALX (same frame as the MGX and the MGXtreme i believe) and the 50 sized Shimanos are also very compact... i really like them and have a few but i think they are in the border line of being maybe a bit to small... i kinda feel more confortable using reels a bit bigger.

[WRB]

The smallest baitcasting reels are the miniature sizes. The smallest practical size for bass fishing needs a spool width equal to your thumb with a spool capacity of 50 yards of 8 lb line.

The Daiwa Pixy is probably the most popular of the small size bass baitcasting reels today along with the original Zillion.

Ambassaduer 1500C & 2500C in the mid 70's were small, original Shimano 100  and Ryobi are small size reels. We forget there were some small light weight baitcasting reels in the 50's. My 1st baitcasting reels were Langley Lure a Cast 330 and Target reels that were small with light weight aluminum reels with perforated aluminum spools that held 50 yards of line.

Shimano Cuardo 70 looks like a good choice today.

Will be interesting to see what the reel experts come up with.

Tom

[JustJames]

If you have those two you might not be able to find anything smaller in modern reel, not even pixy/Alphas or Abu gen4 reel (all oem reel). I’ve tried them all.

Now smaller and lighter that another quest, both 70 and 50e are 6oz or more. Aldebaran MG7 and Core 50MG which is samebody as 50e but under 6oz. Pixy same as Alphas also come in below 5oz.

[JustJames]

5 hours ago, Catt said:

I'm looking hard at the Curado 70 because it's so palmable.

 

In my opinion anything over a "100" size reel is a waste so I'll be watching this thread.

Why so, line capacity? 70s only got 85yds of 12lb while bantam mgl got 110yds. The size of course bantam mgl is bigger but not by much, I think it might even suit you better both physically and how you fish.

[Catt]

25 minutes ago, JustJames said:

Why so, line capacity? 70s only got 85yds of 12lb while bantam mgl got 110yds. The size of course bantam mgl is bigger but not by much, I think it might even suit you better both physically and how you fish.

 

7.6 oz vs 6.5 oz ?

 

Aint a bass that swims that can spool 85 yds!

[deadadrift89]

Got a Curado70 this Summer, liked it so much picked up another one during black Friday sales. Using both with #14 Sunline Sniper one on a jig rod and other on a T rig rod. Hope to pick up another for my medium crankbait rod soon.  

[Catt]

Another reel I'm looking closely at is H2O XPRESS TAC-40.

 

It reminds me of the older Curado but smaller at 6.2 ozs & 100 yds of 12#.

 

[ghost]

Isn't the Pixi and Sol from Daiwa the same platform frame? Just that the Sol is for the U.S. market? I have a Sol in left hand. It feels taller than my Curado 71

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

 

7.6 oz vs 6.5 oz ?

 

Aint a bass that swims that can spool 85 yds!

FIFY

[Brendan Roll]

14 hours ago, Oregon Native said:

Really loved my little Shimano Magnumlites....now I'm using one of the Kastkings Assissin's.  Should look at the numbers but believe it's lighter??

Well...just looked up....mag lite was 6.5 and Assissin is 5.7.  Oh...my.  

Should the reel last half as long as the Shimano I will be smiling.  So far so good. 

How much did you get for it? And what gear ratio?

[new2BC4bass]

8 hours ago, Catt said:

 

7.6 oz vs 6.5 oz ?

 

Aint a bass that swims that can spool 85 yds!

You are missing the point entirely.  85 yards isn't nearly enough when you are making 100 yard casts. 

[JustJames]

8 hours ago, Catt said:

 

7.6 oz vs 6.5 oz ?

 

Aint a bass that swims that can spool 85 yds!

You ain’t that old, Catt.

[FishDewd]

I'm hardly an expert on this, but the Tatula R 100 HS I just got is really small and fits perfectly in my smaller hand. Is one reason I fell in love with it.

[Catt]

46 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

You are missing the point entirely.  85 yards isn't nearly enough when you are making 100 yard casts. 

 

LMAO!

 

I have been using a Calcutta 50 for 25+ yrs 

[JustJames]

19 hours ago, ghost said:

Isn't the Pixi and Sol from Daiwa the same platform frame? Just that the Sol is for the U.S. market? I have a Sol in left hand. It feels taller than my Curado 71

They are almost the same, as @BaitFinessementioned sideplate may fit each other as well as maingear, the spool also same length only Alphas/sol wider 33mm vs 31mm on pixy. As you can see from your sol compare to curado 70, Alphas/Pixy platform still wider and sit a tad higher. Even new Tatula 100 which base from old steez platform still larger than Alphas platform.

 

To me 50s is the most comfortable to palm but some how it hurt my palm when fishing with jerkbait. The 70s is second and Alphas is not too far behind. I like Alphas/Pixy when fishing Finesse weightless worm since I do a lot of one hand fishing.

[Maico1]

For me in the round Conquest 50 and 50 DC in low profile Aldebaran 50 HG and BFS Limited XG......

[new2BC4bass]

9 hours ago, FishDewd said:

I'm hardly an expert on this, but the Tatula R 100 HS I just got is really small and fits perfectly in my smaller hand. Is one reason I fell in love with it.

CT?  Because the original Tatulas (including Type R) are a bit larger than the CT.  So everyone says.  I have never handled a CT.  Size of the originals doesn't bother me.

[Oregon Native]

11 hours ago, Brendan Roll said:

How much did you get for it? And what gear ratio?

I've had it now for bout six months and paid around 50 threw Amazon with free shipping.  Seems there prices vary...just looking and it's not free shipping right now.  Believe it's the 6:3:1 ....not sure without looking again but right in there.  Holds a ton of line too.  Hoping to get another for Christmas....fits in the hand awesome.

[deadadrift89]

4 hours ago, Oregon Native said:

I've had it now for bout six months and paid around 50 threw Amazon with free shipping.  Seems there prices vary...just looking and it's not free shipping right now.  Believe it's the 6:3:1 ....not sure without looking again but right in there.  Holds a ton of line too.  Hoping to get another for Christmas....fits in the hand awesome.

What's your opinion on how it cast lighter lures , 1/4oz Bandit 200 crankbaits ?

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