Thread: Lightest king reel?

I've been using a Penn Liveliner spin fisher for my king reel and a larger rod, has worked well but it is super heavy. This past trip I caught some large Spanish and a small king (26") on a Shimano 4000 with 12 lb line on a Bass Pro MH redfish extreme rod. Worked pretty well though I'm not sure it would do great against larger kings. I used the larger setup when specifically targeting kings but kept wishing I had a lighter setup for kings. Which, finally, brings me to my question, what is the lightest reel that will hold about 300 yards of 15 lb line. Everything I have seen that holds close to that is in the 22-26oz range, would love something closer to 15-17oz. Anyone know if it exist?

I use that 7' 6" BPS Redfish Extreme rod with 20# braid on a BPS Inshore Extreme reel for throwing plugs from the pier and love it.
I believe you could step down to 15# braid (300 yard spool) and catch the same fish. as with 20# mono or braid (it is that strong).

That being said, I have in the past kings up to 20# on 6# mono (on Mitchell 410) and Daiwa 2600 with 8# mono.
As long as you have 250-300 yards the test shouldn't really matter.

Along with the small reel question, how much drag does it take to tame a king? Is the smoothness more important than max drag? How much horsing can they take before the hook pulls? Is it the running or the drag that gets them under control?

For reference most of my fishing is freshwater cats , 50+ lbs in current. I am use to putting the pressure to keeps them out of the rocks. With cats, it's hook/line strength that's the fuse not the fish.

You definitely want a smooth drag, and you don't want to horse them too much. Sometimes you have too around the pillings or if a larger predator is around trying to eat you fish.

Yeah, just a few pounds of drag on the initial run.
Most free roaming mackerel (king or bi spanish) can easily outrun a shark in distance (that's why some guys yell "free spool" when a shark gets after a mackerel), but if hindered by a tight drag they often can not.
Some folks tighten up a little once the long run stops, but I prefer to extend my index finger nail against the side of the spool to add pressure. That pressure can be instantly relaxed if (when) the fish takes another run.

A king that just sprinted a 200+ yard dash is typically tuckered out and won't give you near the issue leading to the gaff that a 'green' one will which has been tightlined to the pier.

What he said.
I cant remember ever not having enough drag for a king.
A good 4000 series spooled with 15# braid (gasp, did I say that??) will have plenty of line & drag for 90% of the kings you hook on the pier.

Sounds like I will have to adjust my reflexes and drag to be up to the challenge. Now to get a trip on books to give it a try. By the sounds of it any reel that can hold 300 yards of line and have a smooth drag should be adequate. Weight wise the lighter the better for the long shifts at the rail. I have outfits that fit that bill.

Thanks for the input.

Don't forget that you can load up a smaller reel, say, a 500 or 600, with at least a half a spool of braid---15#, 20# test---with 100 yds or so of mono. That can give you best of both worlds.

I've had the same experience that CarlF described with his 400 reel. Fought one sure 'nuff big jack to a standstill with that rig and would have caught a nice king yesterday with it if the sharks hadn't eaten it.

Ultimately, you can get a VanStahl 150 and put 400 yards of 20# braid on it and have a really light setup---I will get one someday.

The Penn battle 4000 on a 7'6" rod spooled with 10# braid throwing a #10 xrap will get a nice king back to the pier. And eaten by sharks if you miss the gaff on the first shot. I don't like braid for bait fishing myself, live or dead.

I prefer not to use braid for live bait also but maybe half mono with braid backing is a good idea. Braid tangles are no fun, especially when a school of kings is running through and braid will cut other people's lines with a fish on.