Just ordered a Mitchell 300pro last night. I have used the 300 reel since I was a kid and have found no better reel for the money. 80 bucks for the new pro. There are three sizes, all the same price.

I had a newer 300 about 5 years ago with the multiple bearings, Loved it. I got caught in a rain storm and left it laying on a picnic table. Still kicking myself for it.

My three biggest pike are on the fly rod. Wooly bugger, the rabbit thing, poppers and snakes all work especially in the mornings when they are not to active yet. But mostly I use the old Mitchell 300 with 8 or 10 pound fireline most time with the 27 pound test single strand wire leader but not always......jk

I had a Mitchell that I really liked. When you turned the handle, the bail brought the line toward your finger instead of away from it (if I remember correctly).
Someone liked it better than me. They stole it out of my boat in the yard.

Dont do it! Take your fly rod

Daiwa Saltist 2500,

st.croix muskie rod.

20lb daiwa samurai braid,

fg knot to a 60lb seaguar flouro leader.



This is a proven combo.

Pluegger President ot XT, or an Abu Revo SX. The largest models spooled models they make. I like the smaller Mitchell’s but not the larger. There are a lot of really nice reels out there but these fit my needs for larger fish. I would personally use a baitcaster, abu revo winch, for Pike. Or my ambassadeur

Thanks for the advice, guys. I actually need three or four of these dang spinning reels. Our son seems to have lost two of my rigs last summer. I'm well-equipped in the fly fishing department, but it's nice to have spinning rigs for my wife and any company.

I know casting reels have an advantage if you need to horse a fish, but I've caught king salmon up to 50+ pounds on spinning rigs (and fly rods--and casting rigs). A pike ain't a king salmon. And yes, I'd be the surest of landing a big fish with a casting rod, probably. But I grew up with spinning reels, so that's what I'm familiar with.

I've caught 8-9 pound pike on deer hair mouse flies in Alaskan lakes and my last trip to Saskatchewan--the trip where my Daiwa stripped its guts on a big pike. Fortunately, I brought a spare reel. And it's on a fish that a reel usually strips its gears, since that's when the most strain is put on the gears.

So far I've ordered one of these, because it was recommended and it's at a good price:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B011LUZXQI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Jim

I still have a Garcia Mitchell 300 that I fished with for thousands of hours. It's got a broken bail spring and the gears may be gone. I'll have to check on it.

What happened to the automatic spinning reels that were all the rage twenty years ago? I'm talking about the ones you could cast with one-handed. I can't find any make that does that.

Jim

James:

Are you talking about the push button Spinning Reels that flipped the Bail spring over when you pressed the lever/ button ?

Yeah, though the one I have (a small reel) has a lever you pull up with one finger.

Jim

Which one are you leaning towards James?

A Shimano Stradic, probably.

Jim

Nice

You dont need stupid expensive reels to catch pike.the big ones will do a couple runs then its like pulling in a log.
I cought hundreds of pike pickerel and even big sturgeon with all kinds of cheap equipment.
All you need is to know how to fish.I have caught lots of big sturgeon with the same equipment and they will really fight longer and harder than any other fish I know of.
If you are going to be fishing pickerel at the same time with the same rod and reel go with 12 to 15 lb test line and set your drag accordingly.That will be light enough to detect the soft nibble of a pickerel and still be stout enough to land a 30-40 lb fish.

the non flip spinners were made by quantum. I had two of them. never really fell in love with them myself. They were really tight about the bail coming back over. usually had to flip it manually to make sure it went all the way back over. Sorta messed up the whole idea of the reel.

There may have been others that I never knew of.

Listen to Boco. Pike are not alligators.

The biggest pike I ever caught was 14 pounds, but I tend to agree with you on how they fight. But these reels I'm getting will also serve duty for red and silver salmon.

And I don't like cheap equipment. It always breaks or doesn't work at the worst time.

Jim

Penn battle 2, 4000 or 5000, get a combo from all tackle.com.
RR

thought i was the only old time Mitchel freak,surprised to see their popularity still.

Love ‘em..... you’re still a freak though