Is There An All-In-One Spinning Reel For Inshore Anglers?
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on July 12, 2022
Is there an all-in-one spinning reel for inshore anglers?
Can ONE reel tackle all of the inshore fishing scenarios we may find ourselves in?
In this video, we will talk through the various spinning reels we have in our shop and if ONE of these reels truly does cover all the necessary bases.
Check it out!!
All-In-One Spinning Reel [VIDEO]
For anglers that are just looking at their first spinning reel or other anglers that are looking to add to their current arsenal, the common starting point is the $100 mark.
In the Daiwa Series of reels, there are two reels that fit the bill and that many anglers have used over the years.
The Daiwa BG is the first of these two reels.
“BG” stands for Black & Gold and this rendition of the reel has been around for about 7 years.
The second reel is the Daiwa Fuego.
Fuego and BG reels are both $100 and are built extremely well and with lots of attention to detail.
Background
Both of these reels do excellent jobs of handling most inshore game fish, but one of them excels with lighter tackle and the other excels with heavier tackle.
Inshore Artificial Lure Fishermen will gravitate towards the Daiwa Fuego.
This is due to its lightweight carbon-body frame.
Additionally, the Fuego comes equipped with Daiwa’s Magseal technology.
This provides extra defense against the harsh saltwater.
Anglers that have been fishing with and are familiar with the BG might have gravitated over towards using the Fuego in recent years.
Both of these reels will catch inshore game fish, but if you are fishing with light tackle on a grass flat, then you want to have the Daiwa Fuego set up and ready to go.
The Fuego is super lightweight and extremely smooth.
However, if you are throwing larger plugs and lures near docks and structure, you’re going to have to bump up the braided line you are using.
That is a major disadvantage to this lure’s carbon body design.
Carbon-framed reels are not as sturdy as reels made of stronger materials.
Other anglers prefer the rigidity and uncompromising strength of aluminum-bodied reels.
Reels Specs & Details
Don’t get hung up on the specs of a reel!
Many anglers allow the specs of a reel to be the determining factor in comparing reels to each other.
You want to know more about the on-the-water application of a spinning reel.
In the grand scheme of things, you won’t feel the immediate effects of a reel’s specs after a long day of fishing.
There are certain reels that are better suited for certain fishing applications.
Fishing Rod Choice & Options
Truthfully, your rod should be chosen first as it is the most important aspect of the entire outfit.
The TFO Professional Series rod or our Mudhole Custom Rod coming soon are perfect inshore fishing rods.
The Bottom Line
If you are throwing light tackle and have a strict $100 budget, the Fuego is the way to go.
It has Daiwa’s Magseal and all the bells and whistles needed for inshore fishing all for $100.
However, if you are going to encounter fish around heavier structure, you can go with a reel like the Daiwa BG.
The 2500-size gets the job done and holds plenty of line.
If you wanted to balance a BG with a rod that you’re going to fish around structure, we recommend a Medium-Heavy rod.
That extra bit of power in the rod will work in conjunction with the stronger spinning reel.
Yes, both of these reels can do everything, but it is more about the application than anything.
Focus on what you are fishing for and where you are fishing and those factors will tell you what outfit you need to use.
Daiwa BG MQ
There are reels that can do it all but that will come at a higher price point.
The Daiwa BG MQ is the next level up in terms of paring a lightweight, powerful spinning reel to a strong and sturdy spinning rod.
If you’re wanting 100% optimum performance, then take a closer look at the Daiwa BG MQ.
It is an aluminum-bodied reel but lighter than the BG while also maintaining the strength of the BG.
There are also NINE seals throughout the reel to protect it from the elements.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a reel in the $100 pricepoint, then either the Daiwa Fuego or the BG are the way to go.
The Daiwa BG MQ is a solid blend of both of these reels if you are not sparing expense!
You want to find the reel that fits the bill and will be able to handle the fishing situations you find yourself in most often.
Do you have any questions about an all-in-one spinning reel?
Let us know if you have any more questions, comments, or thoughts down in the comments section!
Do you want to see more spinning reel and rod reviews?
We would love to hear from you!!
If you know someone who wants to learn more about spinning reels, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Thanks for the great breakdown of these reels. Hello fellow SaltStrong members. I’ll share this: from an angler who lives 4hrs. from the nearest saltwater. I recently purchased a BG MQ 3000 . Had a small issue on the initial spooling but Justin talked me through it and have thoroughly enjoyed it since. Have only had a couple of saltwater excursions but had no problem pulling 22-26” trout out from under dock lights in the kayak. I also do a good deal of wade fishing and the light weight of the BG virtually eliminated the arm fatigue that I would sometimes experience with the Penns I have been using. (Don’t get me wrong, I love the battles) but I may have a new favorite inshore combo. 3000 BG MQ paired with 7’2” FX Xtreme Angler series MH fast. It has also become my go to for fishing shakey heads and wacky rigged finesse worms for bass when I’m not on the coast. Thanks again guys. Much peace everyone
Awesome testimonial, Paul! Happy to help out!!!
Awesome Breakdown!!
I recently purchased the Fuego 3000 series and the TFO 7′ MH. After watching this discussion I may purchase a lighter rod for the Fuego reel and a heavier reel for the TFO MH! I spooled with 10lb Spider Wire and 20lb Ande mono leader which is what I had on hand. Your thoughts? Great discussion, guys!
I would agree with that thought process, James! Matching the correct rod with the reel is very important in terms of targeting different species around various types of structure (i.e. “Light Duty” set-ups being a Fuego LT 2500 with a Medium Power Rod, and an Aluminum Reel like a BG matched with a MH Rod).
This was an excellent discussion and comparison. Great to see it discussed instead of thoughts only in my head space. Exactly the scenarios and situations that what was going through my head and type and locations of fishing I am most likely to go for. As great as the Fuego is and the BG for that matter, I stepped it up to the BG MQ. I am returning to Florida and will have an opportunity to live at the beach for up to a month. So, I will be seeing some surf conditions, splashing, spray, sand. So, the added seals of the MQ came into play. The TFO Pro was not available at time of order, and I may not have picked it anyway preferring the Tactical, but even this may not have been best for me. I went heavy with a 12’ TD Surf rod, M-H-F matched with a BG MQ 6000 for tossing/launching it out with stationary bait. I also got a Team Daiwa Sol In shore 7’6” M-H-F matched with the BG MQ 3000 for lures/soft/spoons for more active casting/sighting in the surf while waiting for the other rod to take a bite.
As I progress, the idea for me was to cover the most scenarios of rod/reel, to conditions I will face most frequently fish, surf to dragging fish off the docks and jetties on an initial budget purchase till I get a boat or yak.
Anyway, great coverage of these guys! And I think the importance, as you point out, is the situation and conditions (current, structure, open water, tight spaces) to overcome and not necessarily the targeted species. We can’t all be Matt in the Yak with 8 rods in the back, but if we properly maintain and use what we’ve got within budget it will last, do the job, and provide many great times on the water with tight lines!
Wow!!! Excellent detailed response, Joseph! I’m glad you can appreciate the importance of using the Right Tool for the Job!
How do you like the TD SOL? Did you get a chance to try a TFO Professional in 7’6” MHF? The St. Croix triumph inshore MF 7’6” is also a contender!!
I’ve got a handful of Feugos (and BG MQ) and love them both.
Can’t go wrong with those!
I know this is discussed for inshore anglers, but for an example I got my kids some cheap rod reel combos. They came with 6000 series reels with 20 lb and the rods 7’6’ med heavy. Slowly each reel has started to fail so I’m looking to replace. So question is what would you replace them with? I was thinking of going with a 4000 series reel but don’t want to spend but maybe 100$ what would you do?
Great question, Anthony. It all depends on what you’re targeting, and how you plan on using those Reels. Are you fishing from Land with big pieces of Cutbait or with Live Bait? If so, a 4000 offers you some extra line capacity. I think the Daiwa BG 3000 (because the 3000 is more like every other sized 4000 by Daiwa) is a great option if you want a reel designed for structure fishing with 20lb. braid. It will match well with 7’6″ Medium Heavy Rods.
*Side Note: If the rods you have are considered “Boat Rods”, as in they have a thick EVA Handle and feel like they are only designed for using Bait, then the BG 3000 might not be balanced properly with that type of rod. If that 7’6″ Medium Heavy Rod is a cork handle/Inshore type of rod, then the BG 3000 is perfect.
I just didn’t feel educated enough about this to make that call. There is a correction there 7 foot rods, but they are considered pier/ beach rods. We do normally fish the inlet with the jetty rocks, or bridges mostly with cut bait. I totally don’t need the amount of line the 6000 has for sure. I appreciate the info, so you’d say with that info the bg 3000 would be ideal? I’m sure there going to last I got 4 of them and 2 have failed ( I expected it to happen) but the rods are perfect so I want to replace all them for sure!
Shoot me an email of the picture of the rods so I can be certain of what you have and I’ll offer a recommendation after that 🙂 justin@saltstrong.com
Great info guys! My question is how does the Saltist MQ compare to the BG MQ? Is it worth the extra money to have Mag seal and the round knob? Otherwise they look like they re about the same spec wise.
I actually made a video about this very topic earlier this year! Check it out when you have a chance: https://www.saltstrong.com/fishing-tip/daiwa-bg-mq-vs-daiwa-saltist-mq/
Thanks Justin!
Sorry to ask again, but I guess what I meant to ask originally is that after you have personally used both do you think it’s worth it to get the Saltist? Like you, I too do mostly kayak fishing and already have a BG MQ
Personally, I enjoy the BG MQ. I think the extra $100 spent on the Handle, Zaion Rotor and Magseal Tech. is nice if you plan on fishing sloppy conditions all the time. But the BG MQ is sealed just as well, and I’ve enjoyed the wire bail over the Air Bail design on the Saltist MQ (I think that’s personal preference though).
That is great to know. Thanks Justin!
Great info. Loved Otis’ video bomb! I use mostly Daiwa Procyon 2500 reels paired with either the TFO 7’6″ Professional medium 6-12# rod or Bull Bay 7’6″ Sniper medium fast 6-12#. However, my favorite trout set up to throw soft plastics is a Shimano Vanford 3000xg(I found a deal around Christmas time at a local tackle shop for $179 that I could not resist) paired with a Bull Bay Banshee 7’10” medium xtra fast 6-12#. Very light and casts a mile!!!
Great info here, Michael! Have you tried out the Daiwa Ballistic MQ yet? It’s comparable to the Vanford, but with larger Gearing & Daiwa’s Magseal Tech in it. I’ll be making a video about that product next week.
I saw for the first time the new Salt Strong rod. The shop page doesn’t have the picture of the reel yet. I would like to see the pictures put up so I can see at a high level what the rod looks like. The price is listed – and it is rather high. What I would like to see is a very granular, detailed breakdown of the rod (along with the warranty information) so I can see if it is worth it. What is it made out of and what justifies the price?
Still working on that information, Steven. We will have plenty of Videos made explaining in detail the construction of the rod, what blank materials were used (and why), the strategic guide placement used, etc. This rod went through MANY Prototypes until we finally decided to go to Print. The Crew at Mud Hole has been phenomenal to work with along this journey, and they’ve helped us create what we feel is the Ultimate Inshore Fishing Rod (for most scenarios).
The price is high, but entirely justifiable when you compare this product to the rest of what’s on the Market for Inshore Anglers. We will have all of these details listed soon for that product, just finalizing some verbiage.
What I would like to see is Salt Strong develop and sell weedless spoons. What I pay for these on Amazon is a sin considering it isn’t a lot of raw material.
Hahaha. I know Luke has looked into doing a Custom Spoon before, and we will certainly try to revisit this at ICAST next week.
Correction in the first line – rod not reel.
Hey guys thanks for the info, I use the BG 3000, 2500, and the fuego 2500, I have the BG 3000’s on TFO MH, and the 2500’s on my TFO MED., I love the set up’s, I can fish all day with ease, however one of these days I’m gonna break down and buy a BG MQ . That would have my initial’s MQ on the reel haha. Thanks again guy’s, fish on brother’s.
I don’t blame ya, Michael! MQ rocking an MQ sounds kinda catchy 🙂