I am going to purchase a 7 foot medium light ugly stik elite for bluegill bait fishing and finesse bass fishing. What size reel should I put on it, I'm leaning towards a Pflueger president or trion. Thanks in advance

also probably about 6-8 lb line

Although I like smaller reels, I feel the next size up would be best in your situation.  I only use the smallest reels with 4# test mono or very light braid.  Some use larger reels than I would because the larger diameter arbors help with line twist.

i have and enjoy 2000 series daiwa reels.  Most bass fishermen like 2500 but the reel weighs so much more.  Using fluorocarbon is what would drive me to a larger size but i use braid and a leader so i am just fine.

Match it with a President model 6930. That will fit it fine and will work fine with any 6 - 10  pound line. I use one for fishing Ned rigs and unweighted plastics.  I have landed some large smallies ( up to 7 pounds ) on mine. I do not fish Ned rigs or finesse worms in heavy vegetation, but more on open structure. you certainly will be fine fishing one for river smallies.

Largemouth21 unless you live in one of those states with deep draw down reservoirs void of heavy vegetation, I would never buy a 7' rod medium light.  You never know when that big bass is going to pass by and take the bait.  If the lake has vegetation I would go with nothing lighter then a medium, and preferably for me, a medium heavy.  All my waters have thick weeds and pads everywhere.  Whatever the targeted species, you need to muscle them out of the thick stuff.

On November 6, 2016 at 9:37 PM, fishnkamp said:

Match it with a President model 6930. That will fit it fine and will work fine with any 6 - 10  pound line. I use one for fishing Ned rigs and unweighted plastics.  I have landed some large smallies ( up to 7 pounds ) on mine. I do not fish Ned rigs or finesse worms in heavy vegetation, but more on open structure. you certainly will be fine fishing one for river smallies.

Thanks for the help, I changed my mind to a medium instead of a medium light, would a size 30 be ok or should I go 35. (Same length 7')

also 8lb mono (Berkeley trilene is the best)

That is personal choice I fish with 25s.30s.35s. and a 40. I think the 30 is probably best overall. This also depends on which one balances the rod better and also what line you use. I have a system I use for all of my spinning reels. First I have a Berkley line station that allows me to have the bulk line spool kept under tension. I can easily wind the line on the reels spool smoothly and tightly. I always spool one half of the reel with 14 pound good quality mono like Berkley Trilene or Stren Clear Blue. I then fill it up with 14 pound test Berkley Original Fireline. That line has the same diameter of 6 pound mono. I like to use P Line Cxx 10 pound copolymer line for a 4 foot leader. That is my prefered method. That line lays nice on the reel, has almost no memory, and rarely causes line issues. For me I would get my rod and then try both reels to see which balances better. One nice thing about using the thin diameter braids is how much line a size 30 will hold.