Many kayak fishermen prefer a baitcasting reel because it allows them to cast one handed. For those who are proficient at casting one, a baitcaster is probably one of the best overall reels for kayak fishing in freshwater, due to its accuracy.  However, over the years I have reluctantly learned that I do not have the the necessary gene that allows a person to learn to cast a baitcasting reel more than a few dozen times without having a bird’s nest.  I’m sorry, but I’ve tried to learn to use a baitcaster for more than 30 years now, and more than one fishing trip has ended in frustration from dealing with a web of tangled mono-filament line. As a result, I’ve become a very good spinning reel fisherman, and use one for both saltwater and  freshwater. The simple design of the spinning reel and the lack of bird’s nest’s makes it my choice as the best reel for kayak fishing. The drawback to spinning reels is that you must reach over with your other hand and flip the bail. When kayak fishing you need all the hands you can get, and this becomes a bit of a pain in the neck. The solution to this would be some kind of spinning reel with a trigger type bail release mechanism, which allows you to cast one handed with a spinning reel. There are only a few of these quick release, trigger type spinning reel bail release systems on the market. One such bail quick release mechanism can be found in the Quantum Snapshot. These are lower end reels, made for casual fishing, and not for heavy duty use such as in saltwater. Another spinning reel bail trigger system is found in some of the mid-range Shimano reels. The QuickFire II system by Shimano can be found on the Syncopate FG and Spirex RG and Spirex FG models.  For kayak fishing in both freshwater and saltwater, I use a Spirex 2500 FG spooled with PowerPro braided line on a Cabellas Tourney Trail IM7   for throwing plastics at bass, flounder,  redfish and trout. For larger fish such as “bull reds”, use  and a Spirex 4000RG on a 7 1/2′ St Croix rod.

I’m not sure why the Quickfire II bail release trigger system is not used on other high end Shimano reels such as the Symetre or Stradic, but I wish it was.  The first time that I cast one handed using a spinning reel with the trigger system, I was hooked. For kayak fishing you can’t beat them. Apparently it was available on some of the more expensive Shimano reels, but was discontinued. I bought a couple of the Spirex 2500′s, just in case they quit making them.

Below are some photos of my Shimano Spirex 2500 FG (Front Drag). The first photo shows the index finger under the trigger and line. In the second photo, the trigger has flipped and my finger now rests on the line, ready to cast.

To trip the bail you place your finger under the release trigger and line. The trigger falls away as the bail opens, leaving your finger holding the line, ready to cast one handed.

Downsides of Shimano’s QuickFire II?

The Spirex series is one of Shimano’s mid-range reels. It features quality construction and a number of features found on higher end Shimano’s such as Varispeed Oscillation and the Propulsion Line Management System. I don’t like the double paddle handle, though many people do like it, according to reviews on Cabellas and other sites. I also wish the reel had anti-reverse, though I don’t think I’ve ever lost a fish due to not having it. For my fishing needs it’s good enough and priced right, at around $60. After about a week of fishing on the Texas coast, even after washing the reel out with fresh water every day, the reel got harder to crank. I took the spool off and applied some Quantum Hot Sauce reel lube to the gears and this sped it up to faster than when it was new and have had no problems since. You may find that the QuickFire II trigger starts to get hard to trip after using it in the sun and saltwater for hours because of friction between the plastic surfaces of the mechanism. Apply some Vaseline to the area where the plastic trigger pivots and this will solve the problem.  There are higher quality, better built reels on the market for a lot more money, but for my own fishing needs and for the ease of casting that they offer, the Spirex reels by Shimano are my choice as one of the for best spinning reels for kayak fishing.