Pflueger Supreme XT 25 pinning reel (left); rods (top to bottom) St. Croix Panfish Series, BPS Micro Lite Graphite, G-Loomis SR842-2 GLX Panfish.
April 09, 2024
By Mikę Gnatkowski
Panfish rods must bridge the gap between fast, responsive and forgiving. You can spend as much or as little as you want to meet the criteria.
The G-Loomis SR842-2 GLX Panfish Spinning Rod ($455; gloomis.com ) is a premier panfish rod, with features serious panfish anglers look for. It has a fast taper suited for delivering 1/16- to 5/16-ounce lures, a 7-foot length to manipulate tiny jigs and floats and a light power to gently coax papermouths to the boat. But it’s pricey.
A good compromise is St. Croix’s Panfish Series spinning rods ($120-$190; stcroixrods.com ). You’ll find everything from 5- to 9-foot models for every panfish situation. The 7-foot (PNS70LXF) and 7-foot 3-inch (PNS73MLXF) models are the most popular and practical.
Both have an extra-fast action and are fashioned using the company’s propriety Fortified Resin System technology and a premium cork handle.
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Bass Pro Shops offers some more affordable panfish rods. I purchased the 7-foot 2-inch medium-light action BPS Panfish Elite Spinning Rod ($79.99; basspro.com ) and fell in love with it. It’s a bargain, but perhaps an even better deal is the BPS Micro Lite Graphite Spinning Rod ($59.99). The rods have a fast action and are available in lengths from 4 1/2 to 9 1/2 feet in ultra-light to medium power. The 7 1/2-foot ultra-light model I bought is perfect for slinging bobbers.
There are dozens of spinning reels suitable for panfish, but my favorite is the Pflueger Supreme XT 25 ($169.95; purefishing.com ). The reel is super smooth, lightweight, has a 5.2:1 gear ratio and holds plenty of 4- or 6-pound-test line. Early-spring panfishing demands a clear, subtle monofilament line like Sunline ’s Super Natural ($11.49; sunlineamerica.com ). It’s supple, has low memory and moderate stretch and resists line twist.
