Reaction Tackle Predator Pro Spinning Combo Review
Reaction Tackle has become a big player in the bass fishing industry. They make a wide variety of products, the latest of which is a number of rods and reels.
Before, the release of these products, I had used and loved a bunch of their terminal tackle products, as well as their braided fishing line which is what they are best known for.
So when they released a brand new product line of rods and reels, I was very excited, but a big skeptical because building a high performing reel is a bit harder than line and terminal tackle.
And the first of their rods and reels that I tested out was the Predator Pro Spinning Combo.
Predator Pro Overview
The Predator Pro is a budget oriented spinning rod and reel combo. The Predator Pro comes with a 2-piece spinning rod and a 2000 size spinning reel.
After using this combo for a while, I really see this combo as an all purpose, small fish setup. Of course, you can catch bigger fish on this combo as long as you know how to fight them properly, but it is mostly a small fish species focused rod and reel.
I have loved catching panfish, mostly crappie, on the Predator Pro, but have also caught a number of bass on it.
And some of those bass were over 2 lbs, so it can definitely handle a very wide range of smaller fish species and sizes.
Predator Pro Specs
- $59.98 on their website – $44.99 on Amazon
- 6’6″ Rod
- Medium Action
- 2 pcs
- 2000 Reel
- 3 Ball Bearings
- 5.2:1 Gear Ratio
- Line Capacity: 10lb mono = 120yds 30lb braid = 120yds
- Pre-spooled with 6 lb monofilament
Price
So the price is probably the biggest reason that you are reading this article. The price is $59.98 if you buy it on the Reaction Tackle website and it is $44.99 if you buy it from Amazon.
That is a pretty standard, budget price tag when it comes to a medium or heavier power spinning combo.
I’m sure you can find some that are a bit cheaper, but not by very much, so the price is very competitive in the budget rod and reel market.
The Rod
So the rod that comes with the Predator Pro is a 6’6″ medium power rod. Me personally, I generally use a medium heavy action spinning rod for my bass fishing applications.
So like I mentioned earlier, this rod is a great all purpose rod that will catch pretty much all smaller species very well.
And going forward, I will be using the Predator Pro combo as my crappie/panfish/trout setup because it handles small species (and smaller bass) very well.
When it comes to the rod action, it doesn’t say what the actual action is, but I would guess from testing that it is a moderate fast action rod.
Now to be honest, I don’t think that rod action is all that important on lighter, smaller species rods.
But if you are someone who is very picky about rod action, I would estimate that it is a moderate fast action.
The Reel
The reel is a pretty basic, entry level spinning reel:
Ball Bearings
It has 3 ball bearings, which is generally pretty low. So when it comes to smoothness, this is certainly an area where the budget price is a big factor.
Most spinning reels will have more ball bearings than the Predator Pro, so that is potentially the biggest draw back.
But, because I view this reel as more of a all purpose, small species combo anyway, you don’t necessarily need the premium, high quantity of ball bearings.
Although if you are thinking of using this combo with heavier baits/tackle and targeting a bit bigger fish, it might not be the combo for you.
Drag
The drag is a big consideration whenever you are picking out a spinning reel. And the drag on the Predator Pro is pretty smooth and hasn’t locked up on me at all.
Of course, it isn’t quite as buttery smooth and fluent as a premium spinning reels. The drag is a bit inconsistent and has a very slight dig when it is first pulled.
But not anything that will really lose you any fish (assuming you aren’t fighting giants). And the few bigger bass that I have caught on the Predator Pro all pulled some drag and the reel gave me no issues when fighting them.
So the drag is definitely great quality for the price you are paying, and unless you are a tournament or large game fisherman, the drag won’t give you any trouble.
Materials
The only materials that are listed are “IM6 Carbon” and “Carbon Steel”. The rod is made out of the IM6 Carbon material which is very common and popular for rod construction.
Now when it comes to the reel, I was actually impressed by how much metal (Carbon Steel) was used in this reel.
A lot of budget reels on the market are built with a lot of plastic materials, but the Predator Pro reel is actually mostly metal components.
In fact, everything on the outside seems to be carbon steel except for a small trigger that allows you to bend the reel handle inwards.
Now I have not checked the internals because I am afraid that I will just break things, but from what I can tell, this reel is almost all steel which means that durability should be very very good.
Aesthetics
Now the aesthetics won’t really help you catch any more fish, but it is definitely something to consider, because fishing is ultimately about having fun.
Now keep in mind, the aesthetics are 100% subjective and if your opinion might be completely different than mine.
But the big factors to the Predator Pro aesthetics are the blue color and the grip materials. Because for the most part, every spinning rod and reel will look pretty much the same.
But the Predator Pro is black and blue color design with the base of the rod being blue and the rest being black.
And then the reel is a mix of black, blue, and silver. And then the grip material is a basic black foam. Me personally, I am a bit of an old soul, so I have a bias towards black rods, silver reels, and cork grips (as opposed to the foam).
So the aesthetics aren’t my personal favorite, but again, this doesn’t change the combo’s performance at all. And I’m not stingy enough to pass up a good deal just because of looks.
So while I subjectively prefer old school, black, silver, and cork design elements on my spinning gear, the Predator Pro’s overall visual appeal os objectively just fine and a pretty standard colored setup (the color in this case being blue).
Reviews
So I know that I am writing a review, but the only thing better than one review is a bunch of reviews.
And thankfully, Reaction Tackle has quickly sold enough Predator Pros to get in some public reviews. Of the 24 reviews submitted so far, this combo got an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
So the public seems to be happy with it, and if you read the actual reviews that are submitted, they speak even more highly about this combo than the stars show.
My Overall Thoughts
Although I haven’t had this combo for a super long time, I feel like I have enough experience with it to give a confident opinion.
I believe that the Predator Pro is a great budget spinning combo option. Whether you are just getting into bass fishing, looking for an all purpose spinning setup, or just trying to diversify your gear arsenal without breaking the bank, I would definitely recommend the Predator Pro.
Now of course, this is still a budget combo. So it isn’t the absolute smoothest, premium, durable, and high end rod and reel that you can get.
There are areas, like the ball bearings and the drag to name a couple, that are noticeably budget components and performance.
But you don’t buy a Camry and expect it to perform like a Ferrari. As far as value per dollar goes, the Predator Pro is one of the best budget spinning combos that I have used and is something that I will certainly keep in my own fishing arsenal and rotation going forward.
So simply put, if you are looking for a budget spinning combo, I would definitely recommend the Reaction Tackle Predator Pro.
Reeling this In
This combo is a perfect all-purpose, light-tackle setup, excelling for small to medium sized bass as well as crappie, panfish, and trout.
Though it isn’t an ultra premium setup, it gets the job done very well and you won’t notice any issues with it unless you are very experienced.
Simply put, if you need a reliable, budget-friendly spinning combo for general-purpose fishing without breaking the bank, the Predator Pro is highly recommended and is one of the best values I’ve tested.
