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Reel Suggestions for Fox Horizon x4 2.75lb and 1.75/2.25lb rods

E

Eddie Bray

Senior Member & Supporter
Hi All,

Getting my stuff together for when we are allowed out again, having just bought the 2 rods above I was thinking of pairing them with my Shimano GT3500 reels (circa early 1990s), but reading various comments its suggested that these will be too small for Barbel fishing on rivers, (I have had Carp on them up to 28lb though).

Could you give me ideas of medium priced baitrunner type reels (£50-£80) and the recommended size (was thinking 4500 -5000) which would be suitable for use with the above rods.

They don't have to be Shimano, but I would just like to get a set of quality reels that will last me (hopefully) as long as my GT3500s have (which would take me up to about 90 years old).

Would be used on Wye, Wark Avon and Severn.

TIA, Eddie
 
I use shimmy 10000xte's on my 2.25lb daiwas. Before I put them on I thought they might have been too big but I find them pretty much ideal.
 
Eddie,
The season is still several weeks away. My advice would be to watch the classified ads on here as good second hand reels are regularly on offer. Much safer than ebay because the seller's will answer all your questions before you buy. Any good 5000 size reel or above would suit.
 
Eddie Bray said:
Shimano GT3500 reels (circa early 1990s), but reading various comments its suggested that these will be too small for Barbel fishing on rivers,
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What???
people are obviously quite confused then as these are from my knowledge just slightly older 5010’s.
granted they may be a touch on the light side for the 2.75 rod but only from a balanced tackle perspective.
personally I don’t see any reason why the reels you have already ain’t up to the job.
 
Hi Richard, I was quite surprised when reading that they were a bit too small for river fishing. I have had carp on them to 28lb and my mate who I used to Carp fish with in the mid 90s had many carp to just shy of 36lb on his GT3500s.

I think that it may be that they are looking at the numbers of current reels and equating the GT3500 to smaller than a 4000 series reel.
 
4000/6000 OC or on cheaper end Okuma Pulzar PZB-6000 which is what I use and I really like them.
 
I use 3500”s on my old 2.75 tc Foxes fishing the Wye and occasionally the Trent with no problems at all.

David
 
Terry Harman said:
Daiwa ss2600...... who needs a bait runner when you can use a quality reel with a QD cap 😉
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Couldn't get on with these, didn't like the wobble, but I understand they have a certain romantic quality which might just outweigh everything else. Think I am right in saying they are a very early design that was reintroduced, after 30 odd years. Nice looking bit of kit though.
 
I thought the tournament 5000 and ss3000 were remade ...pretty sure the 2600 has always been manufactured... but I stand to be corrected they also do the smaller ss1600 if you can find them
 
ss2600 - there is a bit of wobble, but the clutch is very good indeed, almost as good, but not quite as good as a Shimmy 3500b. The line lay is top notch, unlike the 3500b!
 
Terry Harman said:
I thought the tournament 5000 and ss3000 were remade ...pretty sure the 2600 has always been manufactured... but I stand to be corrected they also do the smaller ss1600 if you can find them
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I've got an ss1600 which I use for floater fishing for carp...great little reel
 
Eddie Bray said:
Hi Richard, I was quite surprised when reading that they were a bit too small for river fishing. I have had carp on them to 28lb and my mate who I used to Carp fish with in the mid 90s had many carp to just shy of 36lb on his GT3500s.

I think that it may be that they are looking at the numbers of current reels and equating the GT3500 to smaller than a 4000 series reel.
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I think as you say people tend to assume (wrongly) that the number has the slightest reference to the reels size. And that’s really only true when comparing models of the same reel family ie 5010/6010/8010 etc.
as you know the 3500Gt is a fully blooded bomb proof 90’s bait runner equivalent in size to the 5010/5000RE etc. It will sit beautifully balanced on a 12 foot rod of 2lb-2.5lb tc and it’s certainly not gonna feel out of place on a beast like a 2.75 flood rod. Keep the rear drag backed off when not using them and a drop of lube once a year and I see no reason it won’t go another 30 years
 
Joe Winstanley said:
ss2600 - there is a bit of wobble, but the clutch is very good indeed, almost as good, but not quite as good as a Shimmy 3500b. The line lay is top notch, unlike the 3500b!
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I use 3500B,s on the Trent ...bulletproof reels but like you say you could get better line lay if you wound it on with your hand
 
I have just bought some Daiwa SS2600, for my 1.75 Infinity's. I'm really impressed by them, seeing one in a tackle shop is the wrong place to see them, fully loaded and on a rod, gives this cult reel justice. 20200402_135114.jpg
 
Wayne Pevy said:
If you've paid nearly £300 for those rods thought cheaper reels wouldn't be a problem?
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Well, I was told many years ago that the rod and line counted more than the reel as the reel was only a method of retrieving the line, and as long as you had a reliable, reasonable quality reel that you could cast with without issue and had the features you wanted it didn't have to be a Rolls Royce as a nice Vauxhall or Ford would usually do.
 
As it happens, I have put my name against a nice pair of Shimano Aero GTE 5000B Baitrunners so am now sorted.

Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread, and all being well I will be able to get out on the banks to try them sooner rather than later.
 
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