Spinning reel for jigging (mainly).

If the rod & reel is balanced then the weight of the reel doesn't matter. It's the reeling motion that affects the carpal tunnel the most.

 

I’m big on balanced rods except for fishing the DR. Balance gets thrown way off by the weight of the jig anyway and I’m almost always in direct contact with it.

As for reels, anything that isn’t junk will do. I caught a 49” sturgeon this summer with a President and 8# leader. Took a little patience was all.

 

Got mine on Otsego lake if it makes you fe any better.

 

hey skinner if you still want shimano i think they still make the sienna with rear drag. i bought four of the syncopate 1000 a few years back and havent had any issues.

 

Lol !....I landed a 54" years ago, 20 years younger too, my only....on an older Shimano ? & a cheap Fenwick glass rod, after that fight I did not want another the same day, lol....

I picked up a Pflueger President 30 couple years ago & really like it, so much so I got a 2nd....I actually really like the "cork" like handle, not slippery like hard plastic !....still use a Old Stradic and a Sienna too....

Check with tincannary here about getting your old reels fixed up !....he will tackle more than just Garcia's !....

 

Ditto that. Jigged the D for 40 years, never hooked a sturgeon. Weird thing though - I've probably jigged the St. Clair river 30 times total, and have hooked probably 5 sturgeon there, landing 2 of them.

 

I landed a 65" with a $15 Mitchell 308 on 8# PP.

What matters the most in a reel for walleye jigging is a smooth drag. The rod is more important than the reel for jigging but a guy that can control the boat & keep everyone vertical is by far the most important. When you are staying vertical anyone on the boat can catch a walleye no matter what rod, reel, line, jig or bait you are using.

 

I use a diawa bait caster when running the boat with my hand remote it’s tuff to use a spinning reel! But if some one else it driving I have two rods running have a Stradic on the spinning rod and a bait caster

 

Pflueger president is by far the best bang for the buck reel, and especially now they're 20% off on Tackle Warehouse. I also really like the Shimano Nasci, but I'm a bass guy so I appreciate the more sensitive drag for drop shotting and ned rigging on light line. It has very similar gearing and drag system to the Stradic for a much more affordable price.

 

I like the rear drag reels too, but they are a dying breed, mostly because they weigh more (not an issue for some) and usually have inferior drags. Last year I bought a pair of Okuma Alumina size 20 (non US market reels). Both drags got trashed on sturgeon. The smaller one was 61” and I landed it solo without a net in 75 minutes and the other broke off after 90 minutes when it rolled in the line at the surface when it was finally getting tired. I did a decent job keeping the fish off the bottom to tire them out, but was giving 8 pound power pro all it could stand for the entire fights.

I may move up to a Sahara rear drag for next year or just throw in the towel and get front drag reels.