Rods and Reels

Predator rods and reels at Charlie's Fishing: spinning reels, baitcasting reels and a spinning rod for zander

A lure only works as well as the rod and reel behind it. The rod decides which lure weights you can cast and how well you feel the bottom, the reel decides how much line you hold, how fast you pick up slack and how smoothly the drag gives line to a big fish. On this page you find our predator rods and reels: spinning reels from Okuma in sizes 1000 to 5000, low profile baitcasting reels from Okuma, Abu Garcia and 13 Fishing, and the 13 Fishing Omen Black Spin 15-40g spinning rod. Everything here is chosen for lure fishing for pike, zander, perch, asp and sea bass. Below we explain when you pick a spinning rod and when a baitcaster, which casting weight and rod length suit each technique and species, which reel size and gear ratio you need, and which braid and leader to spool up with.

Spinning or baitcasting: which setup do you need?

A spinning setup is a lure rod with a fixed spool reel hanging under the handle. It casts light lures without effort, rarely tangles and covers most predator fishing: jigging softbaits for zander, drop shot and finesse rigs for perch, small crankbaits and spinners, and long casts with metal jigs for sea bass and asp. If you buy one setup, make it a spinning setup. A baitcasting setup uses a casting rod with a low profile reel on top of the handle. The spool turns during the cast, so you control the cast with your thumb, which gives accurate casts to structure and direct contact with the lure. It comes into its own with heavier lures and thicker braid: jerkbaits, swimbaits, big shads, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits for pike, where a fixed spool reel twists the line and a baitcaster winds a heavy lure in without effort. A baitcaster takes some practice, and a modern brake makes that much easier. Many predator anglers end up with one of each: a spinning rod of about 10 to 40 g for zander and perch, and a baitcasting rod for the big pike lures from Jerkbaits and Swimbaits & Glidebaits.

Spinning reels for perch and finesse fishing: sizes 1000 to 2500

For perch, trout and finesse rigs you want a light reel that balances a short, light rod and holds thin braid. The Okuma Ceymar CHD 1000A (196 g, 68 cm per turn, 5 kg drag) is the smallest reel in our range, with HDG-II gearing and 7BB+1RB bearings, made for light perch, trout and finesse work. The Okuma Zyros Spin C2000A (169 g, 5.2:1, 69 cm per turn, 5 kg drag) is the lightest spinning reel we stock, with a rigid C-40X carbon body, and the Okuma Inspira 2000A (202 g, 68 cm per turn, 5 kg drag) has an aluminium body and 8BB+1RB bearings for a refined, stable retrieve. One size up, the Okuma Ceymar 2500A (236 g, 5.0:1, 68 cm per turn, 7 kg drag) is a smooth, practical reel for perch, trout, zander and finesse predator work with softbaits, small crankbaits and spinners. The Okuma ITX CB 2500HA (224 g, 85 cm per turn, 8 kg drag) is a high speed reel with a Quick-Set anti-reverse for a direct strike, made for softbaits, small crankbaits, twitchbaits and finesse rigs. Pair these reels with a light spinning rod of about 2 to 15 g for drop shot and Ned rig, or up to 20 to 25 g for small shads on jig heads. The lures are in Perch.

Spinning reels for zander and all-round lure fishing: sizes 2500 and 3000

The 2500 and 3000 sizes are the all-rounders: big enough for zander and light pike, light enough to fish all day. The Okuma Zyros Spin 2500A and 3000A (199 g, 5.3:1, 77 cm per turn, 8 kg drag) and the Okuma Zyros Spin High Speed 2500HA and 3000HA (199 g, 6.0:1, 88 cm per turn, 8 kg drag) share the light C-40X carbon body and Carbonite drag. The High Speed version picks up slack faster, which helps when you jig softbaits for zander or work twitchbaits. The Okuma Inspira 2500A High Speed and 3000A High Speed (226 and 243 g, 88 cm per turn, 8 kg drag) do the same job in an aluminium body. The Okuma Ceymar CHD 3000A (235 g, 78 cm per turn, 6 kg drag) gives more cranking power for zander, bigger perch and light pike, and the Okuma Ceymar 3000A (236 g, 5.0:1, 68 cm per turn, 7 kg drag) is a smooth 3000 with a little more line on the spool than the 2500A. On these reels a spinning rod of about 10 to 40 g covers jig heads of about 7 to 28 g with shads of 7 to 12 cm, the classic zander setup. The 13 Fishing Omen Black Spin 15-40g (216 cm, 2 parts, 15 to 40 g) is the spinning rod we stock for this: a 36 ton Toray PVG graphite blank with Fuji Alconite K-frame guides and a split cork grip, light and sensitive enough to feel a zander tap on the drop. Read Zander Fishing for Beginners: the guide for catching zander for the technique and River Fishing: 9 Lures We Always Bring for Perch, Zander and Pike for fishing in current, and find the lures in Zander, Softbaits and Jigheads.

Spinning reels for pike, asp and sea bass: sizes 4000 and 5000

For pike on spinning tackle, for asp in current and for sea bass from the shore you want a 4000 or 5000 reel: more line, a stronger drag and a bigger spool that casts further. The Okuma Zyros Spin 4000A (235 g, 5.2:1, 83 cm per turn, 11 kg drag) and C5000A (248 g, 5.2:1, 88 cm per turn, 11 kg drag) are built for heavier predator fishing and light inshore use. The Okuma Zyros Spin Extra High Speed 4000XA (235 g, 6.2:1, 99 cm per turn, 11 kg drag) and 5000XA (248 g, 6.2:1, 105 cm per turn, 11 kg drag) take in about a metre of line per turn: the reel for fast retrieves for asp and sea bass, for pike lures that are worked hard, and for shore jigging. The Okuma Ceymar SW-X Extra High Speed 4000XA (283 g, 6.2:1, 99 cm per turn, 9 kg drag) is the saltwater build, with a corrosion resistant body, Hydro Block seals around the spool and handle and saltwater resistant bearings, for sea bass, asp, zander and pike with metal jigs, softbaits, jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits. Rinse any reel with fresh water after a session in the salt. With these reels you fish a heavier spinning rod: about 20 to 60 g or more for pike softbaits and spinnerbaits, and a longer rod of about 2.40 to 2.70 m with 10 to 40 g casting weight for sea bass and asp from the bank, where casting distance decides how much water you cover. Pike flies also fish on this kind of spinning tackle, see Dobb Daddy Spin Fly: How to Fish Pike Flies on Spinning Tackle. For sea bass from the boat, read Night Fishing for Seabass in the Netherlands: 100 Seabass in One Night. The lures are in Pike, Seabass, Asp and Metal Jigs and Spoons.

Baitcasting reels for pike, jerkbaits and swimbaits

All four baitcasting reels we stock are low profile reels. The Okuma Hakai DT Left Hand (167 g, 6.2:1, 64 cm per turn, 9 kg drag, left hand) is the lightest, with a magnesium alloy frame and an oversized hardened brass main gear, a precise reel for crankbaits, twitchbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and softbait rigs for perch, zander and light to medium pike. The 13 Fishing Concept A2 Left Hand (211 g, 6.8:1, 68.4 cm per turn, 11 kg drag, left hand) is a compact baitcaster with an aluminium frame, hardened brass gearing and a Bulldog Carbon Drag, for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jerkbaits and medium softbaits. The Abu Garcia Revo VoltiQ X Low Profile Reel (215 g, 6.7:1, 69 cm per turn, 9.1 kg drag, left or right hand) has the VoltiQ electronic casting system: it reads the spool speed during the cast and adjusts the braking itself, with ten settings on a dial and no battery or charger. That makes it a good first baitcaster for anglers moving over from a fixed spool reel, and it keeps working when you swap from a 15 g crankbait to a 40 g swimbait or when the wind picks up. The Okuma Komodo SS Left Hand (310 g, 6.4:1, 79 cm per turn, 11 kg drag, left hand) is the heavy one: a diecast aluminium frame, stainless steel gearing and room for 250 m of 0.33 mm line, for swimbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and big softbaits for pike and heavy zander fishing. Fish these reels on a casting rod with a casting weight that covers your lures: about 15 to 50 g for crankbaits, chatterbaits and medium softbaits, and a short, stiff rod of about 1.80 to 2.10 m for heavy jerkbaits. The lures are in Crankbaits & Twitchbaits, Chatterbaits & Spinnerbaits, Jerkbaits and Swimbaits & Glidebaits.

Casting weight and rod length per technique and species

Pick the rod by the lures you fish most, not by the heaviest lure in your box. A lure well below the casting weight does not load the rod and casts short, a lure above it overloads the blank and can break it. As a guide: for perch with drop shot, Ned rig and small softbaits a light rod of about 2 to 15 g and 1.80 to 2.10 m; for zander and all-round jigging a rod of about 10 to 40 g and 2.10 to 2.40 m; for pike with softbaits, spinnerbaits and medium hardbaits a rod of about 20 to 60 g or more; for jerkbaits and swimbaits a stiff baitcasting rod that matches the lure weight; and for sea bass and asp from the bank a longer rod of 2.40 to 2.70 m for distance. A shorter rod is more accurate and easier to work with the wrist, from a boat or for jerkbaits. A longer rod casts further and keeps more line off the water from the bank or a high wall. A fast action, where the rod bends mainly in the top section, gives a sharp strike with braid and good feel for bottom contact. Store your rods safely between sessions: the Rapala Lock 'n Hold Rod Rack from Rapala holds them with a locking system and non marking inserts and mounts to a wall, and the Rod Crab clip keeps the sections of a two part rod together in transport, explained in Meet the Rod Crab: Keep Your Fishing Rods Tangle-Free and Protected. More handy kit is in Essentials.

Reel size, gear ratio and retrieve per turn

Reel size follows the line class and the rod. As a rule: 1000 to 2000 for perch and finesse rigs on braid of about 0.10 mm, 2500 to 3000 for zander, perch and light pike on braid of about 0.13 to 0.15 mm, and 4000 to 5000 for pike, asp and sea bass on braid of about 0.13 to 0.24 mm, where the bigger spool also casts further. Fill the spool to just below the rim: an underfilled spool casts short, an overfilled spool throws loops. The gear ratio tells you how often the rotor or spool turns per turn of the handle, but the number that matters on the water is the retrieve per turn in centimetres, which also depends on the spool diameter. A standard ratio of 5.0 to 5.3:1 (Ceymar, Zyros) gives more cranking power and a calm, even retrieve for crankbaits, spinners and slow softbaits. The high speed reels take in 85 to 105 cm per turn: the Zyros High Speed (6.0:1), the Zyros Extra High Speed and Ceymar SW-X (6.2:1), the ITX CB and the Inspira High Speed. They pick up slack quickly, which helps when jigging, twitching, fishing fast for asp and sea bass, and striking at distance. Our baitcasting reels run from 6.2 to 6.8:1, the all-round range for pike lures. Check the drag too: a drag of 5 kg is plenty for perch, 8 kg covers zander and light pike, and 9 to 11 kg gives reserve for big pike and sea bass in current.

Matching line: braid, fluorocarbon and wire

For lure fishing, spool up with braid: it has almost no stretch, so you feel every touch of the bottom and every bite, and you can strike at distance. The Sufix x8 braid is a round, smooth 8 carrier braid on 150 m spools that works on spinning and baitcasting reels. Its product page recommends 0.104 mm for perch and trout, 0.128 mm for zander and sea bass, 0.205 mm for pike with light to medium lures and 0.235 mm for big pike, heavy lures or a heavy baitcaster setup. Between the braid and the lure you add a leader. For zander and perch that is fluorocarbon, such as the Sufix Invisiline Fluorocarbon, which its product page recommends in 0.27 mm for perch and 0.33 mm for zander. Wherever pike can take the lure, always fish a wire or titanium trace, such as the VMC Titanium Pike Leader (1x7 titanium, 30 or 50 cm, 18 kg). Everything about line and leaders is in Lines and Leaders, and the brand pages are Sufix and VMC.

Which rod and reel for which situation

• Perch with drop shot, Ned rig and small softbaits: Okuma Ceymar CHD 1000A, Zyros C2000A or Inspira 2000A on a light spinning rod.
• Zander jigging with shads on jig heads: 13 Fishing Omen Black Spin 15-40g with an Okuma Zyros Spin High Speed 3000HA or Inspira 3000A High Speed.
• All-round reel for zander, perch and light pike: Okuma Zyros Spin 3000A, Ceymar 3000A or Ceymar CHD 3000A.
• Finesse rigs and twitchbaits with fast slack pick-up: Okuma ITX CB 2500HA.
• Pike with softbaits and spinnerbaits on spinning tackle: Okuma Zyros Spin 4000A or C5000A.
• Sea bass and asp from the bank, with metal jigs and fast retrieves: Okuma Zyros Spin Extra High Speed 4000XA or Ceymar SW-X 4000XA on a longer rod.
• First baitcaster: Abu Garcia Revo VoltiQ X with its electronic brake.
• Crankbaits, chatterbaits and jerkbaits on a baitcaster: Okuma Hakai DT or 13 Fishing Concept A2.
• Swimbaits and big pike lures: Okuma Komodo SS.
See also Pike, Zander, Perch and Seabass.

Why buy rods and reels at Charlie's Fishing

We stock a compact range of spinning reels and baitcasting reels from Okuma, Abu Garcia and 13 Fishing, picked for lure fishing for predators, together with the braid, leaders and lures to fish them: Sufix, VMC, Softbaits and Hardbaits. Everything ships from our own stock in the Netherlands with fast delivery across Europe. Tell us which rod you have, which lures you want to fish and for which species, and we are happy to help you pick the reel size, gear ratio and line that fit.

Which reel size do I need for pike, zander and perch?

For perch and finesse rigs a 1000 to 2000 size, for zander and all-round lure fishing a 2500 or 3000, and for pike, asp and sea bass a 4000 or 5000. For heavy pike lures such as jerkbaits and swimbaits a low profile baitcasting reel, such as the Okuma Komodo SS or the Abu Garcia Revo VoltiQ X, is often the better choice.

Spinning rod or baitcasting rod: which is better for predator fishing?

A spinning rod with a fixed spool reel is easier to learn and covers most predator fishing, from drop shot for perch to jigging for zander. A baitcasting rod with a baitcaster is better for heavy lures, thick braid and accurate casts, so it is the choice for jerkbaits, swimbaits and big pike lures. Many anglers use one of each.

Which casting weight do I need for zander fishing?

For zander with shads on jig heads a spinning rod of about 10 to 40 g is the most versatile choice, such as the 13 Fishing Omen Black Spin 15-40g (216 cm). Pair it with a 2500 or 3000 reel, braid of about 0.13 mm and a fluorocarbon leader of about 0.33 mm.