Light Lure Casting Reel, NoT BFS

[1984isNOW]

What is your favorite casting reel for weightless plastics, maybe a small weight (but think weightless)?

 

I feel like I like magnetic breaking for that, or in general really, but I feel like my Tatula CT handles them well.

[BayouSlide]

Shimano Curado 70 MGL works for me ??

[islandbass]

What is your definition of light weight? 1/4oz? Any quality reel worth its salt should be able to cast 1/4oz without breaking a sweat. 
 

As for me, I think of light weight from 3/16oz and below, even though 3/16 is only 1/8 less than 1/4 ?.

 

Unfortunately, I don’t know if there is already an established definition of what is light so I look forward to see the responses too. 
 

Lastly, I’ve realized the term weightless can be a bit misleading. I’ve learned it does not always mean light. A “weightless” 5” senko is 3/8oz without the hook ?

[GreenPig]

- Curado 70 MGL  - weightless 4" Stick worm/ 4" Fluke 

- Aldebaran MGL 50 - lighter than those

- Evidence below?

[T-Billy]

I'm happy with my Curado and Scorpion 70's for this type of stuff.

[Catt]

I throw Zoom's Trick Worms weightless with my Calcutta 100A. Ya gotta get the rod a little bit of credit. 

[BayouSlide]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

I throw Zoom's Trick Worms weightless with my Calcutta 100A. Ya gotta get the rod a little bit of credit. 

 

Definitely, the pairing is key. I like either my Falcon Lowrider Weightless Worm or Dobyns Champion XP 702.

 

Anything lighter than 1/4 oz. needs to go on a Phenix Feather Light Fast/Curado BFS. Lighter than 1/8 oz. is ML spinning territory.

[scbassin]

I am with the members that use the Curado or Scorpion 70 series. I use a Scorpion 71 xg. I also agree with Catt about the rod, but maybe a tad more than a little bit.

[Tatulatard]

Shimano mgl reels, daiwa sv anything, tatula elite, tatula 80 and many more from other brands with light weight spools are all excellent.  Lews lfs tp centrifugal, that new okuma reel, non mgl shimanos with a light weight spool like the regular slx.  There are also cheap upgrades like a light weight sv spool from China that drops into a tatula ct and fuego ct that runs about $35.  Really anything with a light weight spool and good braking system and you are set.  Magnetic if you do a lot of target casting bank beating and skipping.  Centrifugal if you primarily long cast or have no interest in skipping.  Try to avoid the super deep spools.  The addition of line really weighs them down.

[shackman]

Curado 70 or Ch 50mg on 6’ 10 med Expride 

[FishTank]

I have a few favorites..... Daiwa Steez CT or the SV, old Shimano Chronarch 51e, Shimano Core 101, and finally a Shimano Antares 70A.  

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Cuardo 70 neds to whopper ploppers

[LonnieP]

Daiwa Alphas SV TW 800

[warefisher]

33 minutes ago, LonnieP said:

Daiwa Alphas SV TW 800

Just looked at the specs on some JDM sites.  Do you have one?  If so, what rod and how light can you cast well?  1/16 oz on 6 lb line?

[FrnkNsteen]

I'm pretty impressed with the smooth casting of both my SLX MGL 71's and my Curado 71's.

 

I have alao enjoyed the Alphas 800, but I think the Shimano MGL 70 series are better for casting. Alphas has better control though.

[LonnieP]

14 minutes ago, warefisher said:

Just looked at the specs on some JDM sites.  Do you have one?  If so, what rod and how light can you cast well?  1/16 oz on 6 lb line?

I have mine on a Tatula Elite 7’ Med/MH. I use 12lb FC and I haven’t tried 1/16 yet, but with a 1/8 weight and a power worm I get noticeably more casting distance with the Alphas than I did when I had a 20 Tatula SV on that rod. 1/16 with 6 lb line is BFS, while the Alphas handles light weights well, I wouldn’t recommend it for BFS.

[Tatulatard]

If you want to do crazy ultralight stuff with the alphas 800 then you have to get a chinease shallow spool for it.  They call them diy spools.

[DaveT63]

I like old school style.  

 

Daiwa TD-Z 103ML

Daiwa Sol

Daiwa Alphas

Daiwa Pixy

[ska4fun]

16 hours ago, PUTitinYOURmouthFISH said:

What is your favorite casting reel for weightless plastics, maybe a small weight (but think weightless)?

 

I feel like I like magnetic breaking for that, or in general really, but I feel like my Tatula CT handles them well.

 

Around which  weight?

[new2BC4bass]

I'm bummed that I can't cast a light weight as well as many on here can.  I learned to cast #5 Shad Raps (3/16 oz.) using 2 brands: Daiwa TD-Z 105H and BPS Carbonlites.

 

I have a stock Curado 51E and an upgraded, and tuned, by DVT Curado 51E, but still reach for a Daiwa for lighter lures (or a Carbonlite).  I haven't used my 16 Scorpion 71HG enough to know what weight is its lower limit (for me).

 

For light, non-BFS, I like my Alphas, Patriarch XT, Pixy, TD-Zs, Carbonlites.  Haven't tried very light on my SV reels yet, but from everything I've read, they should do quite well.

 

islandbass, I think you meant 3/16 is only 1/16 less than 1/4.  I can cast those #5 Shad Raps quite well, but suck at 1/8 oz.  A mere 1/16 oz. less.

[Blaine Donders]

Tatula SV’s, an Okuma Hakai, and a Piscifun Alloy M. 
 

The Hakai with 10# Tatsu will throw as light as I care to, as will the Alloy M with 20# braid. This is usually a 1/10oz Ned with a TRD or a 1/16oz jig with a ned size Rage Bug for a trailer.

 

Medium Kistler KLX and a Veritas Tourney Pro ML.

[Phil77]

If you know how to use your thumb the reel doesn't matter, a rod with a soft tip helps but can be done with a MH.

[jitterbug127]

So funny this thread pops up. I was just considering this. The one complaint I’ve got about my curado k reels is they’re not great with lures under 1/4 ounce. 

[Tatulatard]

1 hour ago, jitterbug127 said:

So funny this thread pops up. I was just considering this. The one complaint I’ve got about my curado k reels is they’re not great with lures under 1/4 ounce. 

Consider the 70 mgl or bfs curados. 

[bulldog1935]

Super Duty always amazes me here - uncanny ability to distance 1/8 oz. 

Heavy reel, though. 

 

ZPI Alcance wins hands down - great linear mag brake. 

Magnesium spool, titanium spindle,

Overall light reel.