Hi all, I need your expert advice here on a new bait caster reel. I bought a new Musky/pike rod that is 7’, power is a medium heavy, action fast. My 20 year old reel is too small for this rod so I need another one. I’m primarily going to be using it for casting 1- 2 Oz lures and maybe trolling too. I’m primarily targeting big Pike. I need a reel that has a pretty fast retrieve and a carbon disk drag and anti-kickback feature too. I like To spool it with Spectra Power Pro braided 20# line.

Please give me some current production reels to look at that you would recommend to me, thanks for your advice.

Hey Savage,

Depending on your rod, I would recommend a Daiwa Lexa 300, or Tatula. If the rod is a medium heavy musky rod, meaning you can throw up to say 4 oz lures, then the Lexa 300 for sure, if it’s a bass/walleye/pike rod with a 1-3 Oz lure weight rating then the tatula. Both are great reels, the Lexa is the more powerful. I’m guessing your rod is more the later type, so prob a tatula 200 would be about perfect. Other considerations okuma Komodo. You could also go down to the Daiwa Fuego. They only come in 100 size, but very smooth and light. If only casting 1.5-2 Oz lures it would be fine but it’s sweet spot is really .5-1 Oz...I have all of these reels but my fav is the Lexa 300. So much power, massive drag, and not too heavy.

Moonman

It depends what your budget is. I'd recommend a Tranx 300HG for muskie fishing though I don't have experience with muskie fishing yet. I'd also highly recommend upsizing your line to AT LEAST 40lb if not 65lb or 80lb braid. Some folks use 100lb braid. A Tranx 300 with 65lb braid would be the ideal pike/muskie reel IMO. I know Daiwa has some good offerings in this realm too, I just don't know much about them. The Tranx won't break the bank and is pretty small for what it's capable of.

Moon man, it is a rod rated for 1/2oz to 2oz lures.

JD, I’d like to keep it around $300.

I would head down to basspro or similar and look and how they balance on your rod (assuming your rod is sold there as well). For that class of rod I think the 200 size tatula is perfect...the tatula has some neat features for laying down your line but then opening up the line guide for longer casts...id also up the braid size but only to 30 or 40 pound. The 20 is plenty strong enough but with braid bring so thin, I find the extra thickness if 30-40 lb aids in handling on a baitcaster. I run 80 lb power pro on dedicated musky set ups and it’s way too heavy for that rod. 40lb braid would be max if it was me. Tranx are awesome reels but overkill for that class rod, plus the Lexa is way cheaper and still has 25lbs of drag pressure if you are thinking of going up to a 300 size reel.

Moonman.

Savage Voyageur: "JD, I’d like to keep it around $300. "

Sounds like a Tranx is right in your range then. Slap some 40lb PowerPro on it and you'd be good to go. Since you're not using a bigger dedicated muskie rod, a 200 would probably pair better than a 300. You can still fit a load of 40lb on a 200 size reel for bombing 1-2oz baits but you'll probably come close to spooling it when bombing smaller baits. Still I like the way 40lb handles on baitcasters and think it'd mate better with a large leader. It also provides more headroom for abrasion resistance and shock to the line if you accidentally stop the lure too soon (if the handle engages accidentally or if you backlash) and possibly prevent your lure from breaking off and sailing off into the next lake.

I'll echo others and suggest bumping up the line. I run 30 lb on my bass rigs and my true big fish rig has 65 lb.

Another couple reels to check out would be Shimano Curado and the d Abu Revo series.

Moonman.

Thanks for all your advice guys. I bought a Abu Garcia Revo Toro Beast 60. I really like the fast retrieve. 6.2:1 with a 34” per crank retrieve. It has a great drag and it casts a mile with no backlash. I caught a nice pike yesterday and it handled it great.

Side note, I’m going to use this setup off my dock for Channel Cats. The neighbor just posted a couple of 15# fish. He caught them on spinning gear and fought them for 1/2 an hour. Sounds like fun to me.

I have 8 Muskie rigs. They all have Garcia reels. The revo toro beast is my newest and favorite. It’s pricey though. Pick a lower ratio like the revo toro winch if you wanna pull big baits like double 10 bucktails. Your wrists will thank you.

Spool up with 65 or 80 power pro.

MuskyMike: "I have 8 Muskie rigs. They all have Garcia reels. The revo toro beast is my newest and favorite. It’s pricey though. Pick a lower ratio like the revo toro winch if you wanna pull big baits like double 10 bucktails. Your wrists will thank you. "

Thanks a Mike. I have a couple of double 10s, but I think I will be using a mostly single 8s, and Mepps#5 for spinners. My 6.2 ratio pulls a double 10 marabou like butter through the water. I removed the 20#, and spooled it up with 50# Powerpro line, attached to a 80# fluorocarbon leader.

Yeah, the Toro winch is a really low ratio reel that I love for those situations. I've got an Revo NaCl that is sweet and a faster ratio...that's my favorite so far.

Moonman: "Hey Savage,


Depending on your rod, I would recommend a Daiwa Lexa 300, or Tatula. If the rod is a medium heavy musky rod, meaning you can throw up to say 4 oz lures, then the Lexa 300 for sure, if it’s a bass/walleye/pike rod with a 1-3 Oz lure weight rating then the tatula. Both are great reels, the Lexa is the more powerful. I’m guessing your rod is more the later type, so prob a tatula 200 would be about perfect. Other considerations okuma Komodo. You could also go down to the Daiwa Fuego. They only come in 100 size, but very smooth and light. If only casting 1.5-2 Oz lures it would be fine but it’s sweet spot is really .5-1 Oz...I have all of these reels but my fav is the Lexa 300. So much power, massive drag, and not too heavy.


Moonman"

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