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Predator lures · Spinners · Our take
Abu Garcia Reflex Red Spinner
Reflex Red Spinner · 7g, 12g and 18g
A classic rotating-blade spinner for covering water without a boxful of rigging bits. Pick the weight to suit your swim, keep the blade working and let the flash do the talking.
- Available in 7g, 12g and 18g weights.
- Listed lengths are 4.5cm, 5.7cm and 6.5cm respectively.
- Rotating-blade spinner for a straightforward cast-and-retrieve approach.
- Listed for freshwater and saltwater use; rinse and dry after saltwater fishing.
Make sure it’s the right one. This review covers the Reflex Red Spinner range; dimensions, hook sizes and listed swimming depths vary with weight.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A useful, straightforward search lure, with the usual spinner limitations around weed, line twist and slow deep-water work.
- Product Quality8.8/10
- Performance8.9/10
- Impact on Fish Catching8.6/10
- Ease of Use9.4/10
- Value for Money8.6/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Roving predator anglers. A handy choice for searching several swims with a small lure box and a straightforward retrieve.
- Anglers getting into lure fishing. You can focus on casting, depth and fish-holding features without learning complicated lure manipulation.
Maybe skip if
- Anglers fishing heavy weed or timber. The exposed hook needs clearer routes than a properly rigged weedless lure.
- Anglers targeting deep, reluctant fish. A blade needs movement to work, so this isn't the neatest way to linger slowly beside a deep holding spot.
The lowdown
Introducing the Abu Garcia Reflex Red Spinner
A classic rotating-blade spinner for covering water without a boxful of rigging bits. Pick the weight to suit your swim, keep the blade working and let the flash do the talking.
- Available in 7g, 12g and 18g weights.
- Listed lengths are 4.5cm, 5.7cm and 6.5cm respectively.
- Rotating-blade spinner for a straightforward cast-and-retrieve approach.
- Listed for freshwater and saltwater use; rinse and dry after saltwater fishing.
Quick verdict
A cracking little search lure
The Reflex Red makes plenty of sense if you want straightforward predator fishing. Its rotating blade brings flash and vibration to a steady retrieve, and three weights give you useful choices for different swims and outfits.
It's happiest with room to work. Thick weed, snaggy bottoms and slow, deep presentations expose its limits, but for searching open water and working along cover, there's refreshingly little faff.
A useful, straightforward search lure, with the usual spinner limitations around weed, line twist and slow deep-water work.
- Product Quality
- 8.8/10
- Performance
- 8.9/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 8.6/10
- Ease of Use
- 9.4/10
- Value for Money
- 8.6/10
The complete spinner format and clearly matched size options make for a sensible, purposeful lure.
Blade flash and vibration suit active searching, although exposed hooks limit where you can fish it cleanly.
It helps you cover water and draw chasing responses, but location and running depth still do the heavy lifting.
A steady retrieve gets you started without specialist rigging or elaborate rod work.
Its complete, reusable format offers useful everyday versatility without needing separate lure-rigging components.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Abu Garcia
Abu Garcia Reflex Red Spinner (this one)
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the Abu Garcia Reflex Red Spinner
Some lures arrive with a whole homework assignment attached. Twitch it twice, pause for ages, change the hook, find the right jig head. The Abu Garcia Reflex Red Spinner takes a much simpler route: cast out, get the blade turning and work it back through somewhere a predator might be waiting. That's a proper useful starting point, whether you're learning lure fishing or grabbing a short session after work. The attraction is flash and vibration from a rotating blade, not a complicated routine with the rod tip.
This is a predator lure, so think perch and pike rather than anything you'd add to a carp rig. It fits a mobile approach nicely: a few casts along the margins, a fan across open water, then a move if nothing shows. You're looking for a response from fish prepared to chase. It isn't a promise of instant action, obviously. But a spinner lets you explore a swim methodically without spending half your bite-time swapping bits and wondering whether you've rigged everything correctly.
The range comes in 7g, 12g and 18g, with listed lengths of 4.5cm, 5.7cm and 6.5cm respectively. Those choices matter more than simply picking a small one for small fish and a big one for big fish. Match the lure to your rod's casting range, the water in front of you and the depth you need to reach. The 7g makes sense on a lighter outfit, while the 18g gives you more weight to work with. The 12g sits neatly between them, but it isn't automatically the right answer for every swim.
Depth deserves a bit of thought before you give it a chuck. The listed swimming range is 0.5–1.5m for the 7g and 12g, and 1–2m for the 18g. Treat those as guidance, not an invisible rail the lure follows. Your retrieve speed, rod angle, line and any current all influence where it travels. A longer initial sink can put it lower, while a higher rod tip and quicker wind generally encourage it up. Around unknown snags, start shallower and explore carefully rather than donating your spinner on the first cast.
A steady retrieve is the sensible starting point. You want the blade working and the lure tracking through the area you're trying to cover, rather than racing straight past it. Don't assume faster is always better; equally, slowing right down isn't useful if the blade stops turning properly. On rivers, the direction of your cast changes how the current meets the spinner, so the same winding speed won't produce the same presentation every time. That's where paying attention beats chucking and winding on autopilot, mate.
There's a fair bit of colour choice, too. Silver and Copper sit alongside patterns such as Holo Roach, Ayu, Yellow Perch and Tiger, with brighter options available as well. A metallic finish is a sensible starting point when there's enough visibility for flash to register, while a bolder pattern gives you something different to try. Just don't let colour become the whole session. Working the right depth along the edge of cover is usually a more useful adjustment than endlessly rummaging through the box for a supposedly magic shade.
The trade-offs are familiar spinner territory. An exposed hook isn't your best mate in thick weed, and a rotating lure can contribute to line twist. A suitable quality swivel in the setup can help with the latter, but it won't make poor line management disappear. Wherever pike are a realistic possibility, use a suitable wire trace, even on a perch session. Keep the hardware proportionate, check connections regularly and have proper unhooking kit ready. A modest spinner doesn't mean the fish grabbing it will be modest as well.
The Reflex Red earns its place through simplicity and useful choices, rather than by pretending to cover every predator job. It's a good fit for towpath roving, searching open margins and making a few purposeful casts around accessible features. It's less convincing when you need a weedless presentation or something that can hang around a deep spot with very little forward movement. It's also listed for saltwater use; give it a freshwater rinse and dry it afterwards. For uncomplicated cast-and-retrieve fishing, though, there's a lot to like here. Pick a sensible weight, cover the swim properly and keep moving.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Weight options
- 7g, 12g and 18g
- Listed lengths
- 7g: 4.5cm; 12g: 5.7cm; 18g: 6.5cm
- Listed hook sizes
- 7g: #6; 12g: #4; 18g: #2
- Listed swimming depths
- 7g and 12g: 0.5–1.5m; 18g: 1–2m
- Colour options
- Include Silver, Copper, Zebra, Tiger, Orange Copper Holo, Holo Roach, Ayu, Yellow Perch, Green Flash, Red Flash, BGL and Gold
- Water types
- Freshwater and saltwater
Specs checked with Abu Garcia, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Cover water before you complicate things
The appeal isn't a clever retrieve or a fiddly rig. It's being able to fan a few casts across a swim, change your running depth and find out whether a predator fancies chasing.
Choose weight for tackle, depth and flow first. A different blade colour can be handy, but it won't rescue a lure that's running nowhere near the fish.
The lure
Closer look: a spinner, not a tackle-box project
You're buying a complete rotating-blade lure rather than a soft bait that needs a separate hook and weight. The blade supplies the main attraction as you retrieve. That makes the Reflex Red dead handy when you want to spend your time covering water instead of sorting components.
The three weights also come with different listed hook sizes: #6 on the 7g, #4 on the 12g and #2 on the 18g. Choose the overall lure for your presentation and tackle rather than chasing hook size alone. Check hook points after contact with stones or other hard snags; a damaged point can spoil a perfectly good opportunity.
Worth knowing. The listed swimming depths aren't guarantees. Blade lift, current, retrieve speed and line all affect the running depth. Start with a repeatable retrieve, then change one thing at a time so you can work out what's happening.
On the bank
Who it suits: travelling light and keeping mobile
If your ideal session is a rod, a compact bag and a wander, the Reflex Red fits nicely. Work clear lanes beside reeds, the outside of weedbeds and open stretches near cover. Fan your casts rather than repeatedly landing in the same place, and watch for follows so you can identify where fish are holding.
Beginners get a straightforward introduction to lure control, while experienced anglers get an uncomplicated search option. Neither group should mistake easy operation for guaranteed bites. In colder conditions, fish unwilling to chase may respond better to a slower presentation that stays close to them.
Heavy weed and tangled timber are a different job. A weedless soft bait can give you a cleaner route through cover, while a jig offers more control when probing a deep spot. Keep the spinner for water where its blade and hook have room to work, rather than forcing it into every situation.
Quick answers
FAQs in full: weight, traces and retrieve
Which weight should you buy? Check your rod first, then the swim. The 7g suits lighter tackle and smaller presentations; the 12g provides a middle option; the 18g gives you extra weight where conditions call for it. Heavier doesn't automatically mean better in current, because the blade still creates drag. You need a lure you can control, not just one you can cast.
Do you need a wire trace? If pike could reasonably take the lure, yes. Don't skip bite protection because you're aiming for perch or using the smallest size. Use suitable, dependable connections and carry long forceps or pliers plus tackle capable of dealing safely with the fish you might encounter.
What's the best retrieve? Begin with a smooth, steady wind and enough pace to keep the blade turning. Explore depth through controlled changes to sinking time, rod position and speed. Clear any weed caught on the lure before your next cast, and check line for twist during the session rather than waiting for a proper tangle.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Easy to fish with a steady retrieve rather than specialist rod work.
- Three weights offer useful scope for matching different water and tackle.
- Blade flash and vibration help you search a swim efficiently.
- Broad colour choice, from metallic finishes to bolder patterns.
Worth knowing
- Exposed hook can collect weed and catch on submerged snags.
- A spinning blade can contribute to line twist.
- Less suited to holding a deep spot slowly than a jig or other bottom-focused lure.
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01Which Reflex Red weight should I choose?
Which Reflex Red weight should I choose?
Start with your rod's casting range, then consider depth and flow. The 7g suits lighter outfits, the 12g is the middle option, and the 18g offers more weight for bigger water or extra depth. None has a fixed running depth.
02Do I need a wire trace?
Do I need a wire trace?
Use a suitable wire trace wherever pike are a realistic possibility, even if you're mainly after perch. Match the trace and connecting hardware to the lure without compromising bite protection.
03How do you retrieve it?
How do you retrieve it?
Start with a steady wind that keeps the blade turning. Adjust speed, rod angle and the initial sinking time to explore different depths, keeping the hook clear of weed and snags.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a cracking little search lure. The strongest reasons to choose it are easy to fish with a steady retrieve rather than specialist rod work. and three weights offer useful scope for matching different water and tackle.; the main trade-off is exposed hook can collect weed and catch on submerged snags..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Easy to fish with a steady retrieve rather than specialist rod work.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Roving predator anglers: A handy choice for searching several swims with a small lure box and a straightforward retrieve.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “Exposed hook can collect weed and catch on submerged snags.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate Abu Garcia Reflex Red Spinner
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Owner reports
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