2026.10.17 2026.10.28

Shimano 26 Soare BB: The Light-Game Entry Reel Gets Infinity Drive

minagiman

Autumn into winter is the best season for ajing and mebaring – flicking light jig heads off a breakwater at night and hooking tiny bites. A lot of people get hooked on that delicate fishing.

Shimano’s Soare BB has long been the go-to entry reel for light game, and it has now been updated for the first time in four years. So much technology has come down from the higher models that calling it an “entry reel” undersells it. Here is what changed and who it suits.

The Soare BB is Shimano’s dedicated light-saltwater spinning reel – specialised, yet affordable, and a standard “first reel” for light game. The 26 model adds Infinity Drive, Infinity Cross and the Anti-Twist Fin from the higher models, and switches to an aluminium main shaft to save weight.

Contents

Specifications

	500SPG	C2000SSPG	C2000SSHG
Gear ratio	4.7	4.4	6.0
Weight	150 g	180 g	180 g
Retrieve / turn	58 cm	59 cm	81 cm
Practical / max drag	1 kg / 3 kg	1 kg / 3 kg	1 kg / 3 kg
PE capacity	0.3 – 140 m	0.6 – 140 m	0.6 – 140 m
Fluoro capacity	2 lb – 90 m	2 lb – 170 m	2 lb – 170 m
Spool diameter / stroke	39.5 / 8 mm	43 / 13.5 mm	43 / 13.5 mm
Handle	45 mm	45 mm	45 mm
Bearings	4/1	5/1	5/1
List price (excl. tax)	20,500 yen	21,500 yen	21,500 yen

Released July 2026. Street prices are usually lower than list.

Note the 45 mm long handle on every model and the 150 g weight of the 500SPG. In ajing with light jig heads, a light outfit and a longer handle for slow, steady winding are big advantages.

Features

1. Infinity Drive and Infinity Cross

Infinity Drive reduces friction between the pinion gear and main shaft for lighter turning; Infinity Cross improves gear durability. Ajing means winding a light jig head slowly and feeling tiny changes in weight. The lighter the reel starts turning, the easier it is to notice a change in resistance – which is a bite.

2. Anti-Twist Fin

Reduces line slackening and falling under the spool. Light game often uses ultra-thin PE around 0.3 or 2 lb ester and fluoro, and twists and tangles are the biggest frustration. Fewer of them is a big benefit, especially for beginners.

3. Aluminium main shaft, 5 g lighter

The main shaft has changed from stainless to aluminium, saving 5 g. It sounds small, but in light game you hold the rod all night – lightness means less fatigue and more sensitivity.

4. More

High Response Drag – fewer break-offs and lost fish on thin line.
AR-C Spool – controls backlash while keeping distance.
Micro Module Gear II and Silent Drive – smooth, play-free winding.
One-piece bail – no steps or gaps, fewer line problems.

Compared with similar reels

1. 25 Soare XR (higher model)

	26 Soare BB	25 Soare XR
Position	Entry to mid-level light-game reel	Top light-game reel
Price	Around 20,000 yen list	Higher
Suits	New anglers, value seekers	Anglers chasing ultimate lightness and sensitivity

I feel this update has narrowed the gap between the BB and XR a lot – technologies once reserved for the higher models are now in the BB. To start ajing and mebaring, the Soare BB is enough. If you later want to refine your fishing with jig heads under 1 g, look at the XR.

2. 26 Miravel (general-purpose)

	26 Soare BB	26 Miravel
Use	Ajing and mebaring only	General: bass to shore jigging
Handle	45 mm long handle	Standard per size
Design	Light-game gear ratios and line capacity	Designed for a wide range of fishing

The Miravel is an all-rounder. But with ultra-thin PE around 0.3 and jig heads under 1 g, the dedicated Soare BB is more comfortable – the long handle for steady winding and the light-line spool design are real advantages of a specialist reel. Ajing plus eging and seabass: Miravel. Serious ajing and mebaring: Soare BB.

3. The previous Soare BB

The main changes are Infinity Drive, Infinity Cross and Anti-Twist Fin, plus the 5 g saving from the aluminium shaft. If you are happy with the old one, no rush. If line twist bothers you, or you want lighter winding and more sensitivity, it is worth upgrading – or pick up the old one cheaply as a second reel.

Choosing a model

Model	Best for	Point
500SPG	Ajing with tiny jig heads under 1 g	Lightest at 150 g; small spool handles light lures
C2000SSPG	All-round ajing and mebaring	Low gear for slow, steady winding
C2000SSHG	Mebaru plugs, light plugging	High gear; fast pick-up, good in fast current

If unsure, the C2000SSPG: low gear is easy for both bare-jig-head ajing and mebaring. For maximum lightness, the 500SPG; for plugs and Carolina rigs, the C2000SSHG.

Tips for ajing and mebaring

1. Keep the drag slightly loose

Horse mackerel have soft mouths and tear free if you force them. Set the drag so line slips steadily when you pull it by hand. (See how to set your drag.)

2. Wind slowly and steadily

With a bare jig head, about one turn per second is the basic pace. The 45 mm handle makes “slow and steady” very easy. If the weight suddenly lightens or gets heavier as you wind, strike.

3. Mebaring: slow, near the surface

Mebaru feed looking upward, so wind slowly near the surface. On calm nights, start winding slowly as soon as the jig head lands and keep it high.

4. By season

Autumn (Oct-Nov) – numbers of small horse mackerel. 500SPG with light jig heads.
Winter (Dec-Feb) – big horse mackerel and big mebaru. C2000SSPG, fished carefully.
Spring (Mar-May) – peak mebaru. C2000SSHG with plugs too.

Tackle

Item	Ajing	Mebaring
Rod	5-6 ft ajing rod	7-8 ft mebaring rod
Line	Ester 0.2-0.3 or PE 0.2-0.3	PE 0.3-0.4 or fluoro 2-3 lb
Leader	Fluorocarbon 0.8-1.2	Fluorocarbon 1-1.5
Lures	0.4-1.5 g jig head + worm	1-3 g jig head, small plugs

For lures, see the Daiwa Gekkabijin autumn lineup.

Things to note

Designed for light game – not suited to doubling for eging or seabass.
The 500SPG holds only 140 m of PE 0.3 – no thicker line.
Max drag 3 kg, so fight an unexpected big fish carefully.

Summary

First update in four years, with technology from the higher models.
Infinity Drive, Infinity Cross and Anti-Twist Fin.
Aluminium main shaft saves 5 g; the 500SPG weighs 150 g.
45 mm long handle on every model for steady winding.
If unsure, C2000SSPG – and the gap to the XR has narrowed.

In light game, tackle differences become catch differences – which is why the first reel matters. The 26 Soare BB gives near-flagship comfort at an entry price. Start your autumn and winter ajing with it.