The Truth About Inshore Spinning Reel Sizes (Are They All The Same?)
- By: Justin Ritchey
- on
What size reel should you be using to catch different species of fish?
Is there a ‘best’ size to go with that checks off all of the boxes?
The truth is there is a lot more to choosing the right spinning reel for you!!
Check out more here!
The Truth About Inshore Spinning Reel Sizes [VIDEO]
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A 2500 reel covers all of the bases an inshore angler is looking for in a spinning reel.
However, not all 2500 spinning reels are actually the same size.
The same goes for 3000 reels and 4000 reels.
2500 Size Reels
The spool and rotor of the reels are about the same size just by looking at them.
Just because they appear to be the same, this does not mean the specs of the reel will be as well.
The Fuego is going to be much lighter in weight because of the carbon-composite material it is made out of.
The BG 2500 is 9.3 ounces while the Fuego is 7.4 ounces in weight.
By having a solid aluminum body, the BG is slightly heavier than the Fuego.
Further, the gear ratios of the two reels are different.
You can put more line on the reel as well as heavier line on the BG 2500 because it is a bit wider than the Fuego.
There are slight differences between the reels, but they will have about the same number of inches per turn while reeling.
The 2500 reels are very similar to each other with just some minor adjustments here and there.
In the Fuego series, the 2500 and 3000 body styles are the exact same which makes it hard to visually see the size difference between the two.
The main thing that separates the Fuego 3000 from the 2500 is the gear ratio and line capacity.
There is only a 0.3 ounce difference in weight between the two Fuego reels.
This difference in sizing also applies to other Daiwa reels such as the Procyon, BG MQ, Saltist MQ, and Ballistic.
The Daiwa LT and MQ style reels are very compact.
2500 reels are excellent choices for avid inshore anglers looking to get the most out of their spinning reels.
These reels match up really well with a 7 ft 6 in medium-fast action rod setup which is ideal for inshore fishing.
The BG is excellent for topwater action or targeting snook up in the mangroves.
There are different perks to each reel and each provides their own set of unique applications and advantages the other reel may not have.
3000 Size Reels
At first glance, the BG 3000 is visibly larger and chunkier than the Fuego 3000.
As a result, the BG is a heavier reel.
When comparing the BG 3000 to the 2500, there is over an ounce difference in weight.
The main point is that the BG 3000 and the Fuego 3000 are far from the same reel.
In the case of Daiwa reels, BG and Eliminator reels are their own mold of reel.
Daiwa Fuegos, Legalis, BG MQ, Saltist MQ, Certate and more are all about the same size in the 2500 and 3000 molds.
In turn, the specs of these reels will be about the same.
4000 Size Reels
The Fuego 4000 is a lot smaller than you would think.
Fuego 4000 reels provide a nice cross-over option for anglers looking to use live or cut-bait against mangroves or fish near docks.
The BG 3500 is without a doubt larger than the Fuego 4000.
This almost places the BG 3500 into its own, different category of reel.
Both the BG 3500 and BG 4000 are the same body size.
The only difference between the two is the size of the spool and the distance of the line roller to the spool itself.
The BG 4000 will have a larger line capacity compared to the other reels.
There are only slight variants between the BG 3500 and BG 4000.
Even though the size numbers on the reel are the same, this does not mean the specifics of the reels will align and be the same.
Conclusion
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There are all sorts of reel sizes and versions of the same reel with their own unique designs and attributes.
You want to find the right reel for the type of fishing you want to do and find one that can handle the fish you are targeting.
The key is not to be focused on the reel sizes and look into the specifics to see the facts about each reel size.
If you have any more questions about reel sizes and reel specifications, please leave a comment down below!
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So, what is the body size difference between the Diawa Ballistic 3000 MQ LT and the 4000 size….or are they the same body size……..want to pair it with a ODM DNA 8’0 for light surf fishing in the Fall………….thanks.
The 3000 and 4000 series MQ Reel bodies are different in sizing, but not by much. Given how light the Ballistic MQ already is, I’d say go with the 4000 size for a slightly larger gear & more line capacity for that application.
I mainly fish piers and jetties. Do you think the fuego 4000 can handle King Mackerel and Reds in those situations?Or maybe a smaller BG?
Can you post a picture of the PROCYON 2500D-XH and 3000D side by side?
Thanks Tom
Hey Tom! We unfortunately do not have anymore of the Procyon AL 2500D-XH in stock, and we will not be carrying the Procyon AL series in the near future. But the sizing between the 2 is virtually identical, with the difference being the 3000 has a slightly larger spool. The body style is built the same as the Fuego series of reels, so the visual example where we compare the Fuego 2500 to the 3000 is the same for the Procyon AL series as well.
Great run down on the reels Justin. Growing up for me it was all about Penn. As a young adult I drifted over to Diawa and that was a mistake because their quality went down hill. Now they are back and have been with great products. In the interim, I reloaded the arsenal with Shimano. That appears to be a mistake as well because their parts support goes away about three years in and you have to find them on the secondary market. That was a huge disappointment because I always can find Penn parts many years later.
So given this analysis that you have put together so well, please consider as others have asked to include Penn even though they are not in the “store.” It would be nice just to see the comparison. Also, anglers need to consider gear ratio as the number of inches retrieved with one turn of the handle will vary reel to reel. So the speed of a lure being retrieved can be too fast even though the cranking cadence feels like it is the same to the angler from one set up to another. Thanks and keep up the great work.
Fantastic intel & suggestions, Scott. Thank you for the candid feedback. I’ll be sure to take into consideration other competitor products on the market in future assessments.
Hi iam a spin fisherman for about 28 years and no al spinning reels are not equal there are a lot of variables line capacities retrieve rates and cranking power and of course the gears themselves thanks
Question 1: Justin says “The BG is excellent for topwater action or targeting snook up in the mangroves.” Why? I use my Fuego LT 4000 for that and it is lighter and has stronger drag so it is easier to cast to mangroves and easier on my wrist for walk the dog action and can handle a stronger fish (although the rod plays a bigger role in landing the fish).
Question 2: Justin says “Fuego 4000 reels provide a nice cross-over option for anglers looking to use live or cut-bait against mangroves or fish near docks.” Why? What about it makes it a “nice cross-over”; from what? I would have thought a heavier BG would be more suitable for casting bait that would be heavier than lures.
Question 3: Justin says “You want to find the right reel for the type of fishing you want to do and find one that can handle the fish you are targeting.” So, the type of fishing I want to do is Inshore Saltwater, targeting snook, reds, and spotted sea trout (and mangrove snapper). What specifics should I be looking for and why? Should I be looking for a different reel for reds? Different for trout? Different for snook? I still don’t understand why I might pick a BG over a Fuego when the Fuego is lighter and stronger drag. Is there a quality difference between the composite reels and the aluminum and is that a reason to pick the BG over the Fuego? So, teach me how to “…find the right reel [or reels] for the type of fishing” I want to do. And thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Jim—all excellent questions. Hopefully I can answer everything in its entirety here:
Question 1: Whether it’s a Fuego 4000, Legalis 4000 or any other model reel made out of carbon composite material, they are inevitably prone to “flexing” at the reel seat. Now that doesn’t mean the Fuego and Legalis 4000 won’t land a big snook! It simply means that an Aluminum Body Product, like the BG, will offer you more rigidity than a body made from a Carbon based material. In the big scheme of things, we honestly do not apply more than 6-8lbs. of pressure on any of these inshore fish during a fight. The rod is what applies the majority of the pressure/power during the fight, but having a reel appropriately matched for the style of fishing (Open Water Vs. Heavy Structure) will help balance better with the rods intended application.
Question 2: The BG is better suited for fishing around heavier structure, period. However, a 4000 BG is an absolute MONSTER of a reel when you look at it’s overall size compared to other 4000 sized reels (hence this video). The Fuego 4000 LT can be viewed as a “cross-over” for those anglers that fish around moderate structure, but still want a lightweight product to throw artificial lures all day long. If you simply compare “weight” of a reel, and the overall enjoyment of using it for artificial lure fishing, I think the Fuego LT wins, no contest. But if you hook into a large 35″+ fish against structure with a Fuego, you may think twice about not having a BG in that scenario. This reference to “cross-over” application makes sense for those that fish a myriad of situations—grass flats, mangroves, docks, troughs, marsh edges, creeks, oysters. To answer your question here, the BG is better suited for fishing live/dead/cut bait around heavier structure because of the material it is made from.
Question 3: Look at it like this…let’s say you wanted to purchase a car. Some cars are better suited for long distance travel, and others are better suited for rugged terrain. But all cars fulfil the same purpose, and that is to get us from Point A to Point B. In the case of Inshore Fishing, it’s not always as simple as fishing for Redfish, Snook, Trout, as the types of structure that you fish in each respective area can change. For me, I tend to prefer lighter carbon-based products like the Tatula LT 2500D-XH and Ballistic LT 2500D-XH when fishing open water scenarios for Redfish & Trout (knowing I will not need to combat fish around heavier structure). But during the trips that I choose to target Snook/Redfish underneath Docks, I reach for my BG MQ 3000 and a Medium-Heavy rod, knowing I will need to “gear up” appropriately for the situation ahead. It’s about having the Right Tool for the Job, thus clarifying when you would prefer to fish with a Fuego over a BG, and vice-versa.
In my humble opinion, an Aluminum product is stronger than a carbon based product, so my faith lies with products like the BG and newer BG MQ when fishing around heavier structure. But when fishing out in the open for all of our favorite inshore gamefish, a Carbon-based product is much more enjoyable for throwing artificial lures all day long.
Justin, You’re getting to be the expert on reels. 🙂 Thanks for a good video on the specs.
Lots of time on the water (and tinkering at the desk) helps! 🙂 I’m no expert by any means, but I do feel there is a lot to share with anglers that have an interest in educating themselves on the products they purchase. There’s always something new to learn!
Don’t forget the smaller Penns.
Life gets particularly difficult when trying to pick a neoprene slip.
The type that protects a reel already mounted to your butt of choice.
Almost all my butts may be interchanged with different blades.
Thanks Malcolm. When I travel internationally I should consider getting some of these neoprene cases. I know finding one that’s the right size can be tough nowadays.
Excellent discussion with very important info on the specs of the different size
Daiwa Fuego & BG spinning reels. Justin knows his stuff!🎣
Thank you Shelly!!!
Any idea when the BLSMQLT2500 will arrive?
No update as of yet, Bill. I’m sure Daiwa has a goal to release the New Ballistic MQ before end of the year, and my hopes are that we can see them before Thanksgiving. But we have not received an ETA yet. I can’t wait for them to arrive!