Bargain Baitcasting Reels? 2025
tebow reply :
Hey guys! I have been looking into baitcasting reels, and I need advice. I have one that costed $15 and it sucks. When I adjust it so there is no backlash it only casts like 15 feet. I want to get a decent reel for a low price, (under $50). I dont need an amazing reel just comment some reels that are low price but get the job done, or some reels that you like to use and think are worth the money. Also comment a combo if you want. I will mainly be fishing for bass and pike and I want something that doesnt feel like overkill for the middle sized fish but it needs to be able to handle the occasional larger fish. And could I also use the same reel and rod combo for catfish and walleye as well? Thanks alot in advance!
Raul reply :
Why trouble yourself with a cheap bait caster when you can get a good spinning reel for the same money ? 
sprint61 reply :
The abu Garcia black max and silver max are not bad little reels at all. You can buy Lews lfs speed spools for $80 all day off ebay. They have 10bb and an aluminum frame one of these reels would last forever if not mistreated.
MarkH024 reply :
I have a baitcaster that I'll sell you for $30 tyd. PM me if interested. It casts well over 15 feet, I'll assure you that.
tebow reply :
On 8/17/2015 at 11:09 PM, Raul said:Why trouble yourself with a cheap bait caster when you can get a good spinning reel for the same money ?
Lots of people say that baitcasters are much better reels so I figured I would try one.
fishballer06 reply :
No offense, but if you keep buying multiple cheap reels (sub $50), you'll end up spending as much as or more, than just spending $100-200 for one good reel. You're going to get what you pay for when it comes to baitcasting reels.
With that, Shimano, Daiwa, Abu, and Lews all make a decent reel in the $100-200 range.
new2BC4bass reply :
H2O Mettle when they go on sale at Academy Sports should be less than $50. Aluminum reels that get excellent reviews. Probably going to be one of the best NEW reels at $50 or under. I'd look for a used reel myself. Both the Pflueger Trions I bought were $50 or less. $100 when new. Not the lightest or prettiest, but excellent reels as long has you don't finesse fish with one. You can often find the older "green" Curados near that price although they won't be pristine, but they will be excellent reels for the money.
Raul reply :
On 8/17/2015 at 11:58 PM, tebow said:Lots of people say that baitcasters are much better reels so I figured I would try one.
Oh well, I would´t trust much that opinion, you see, there´s this guy that used to come and visit us every now and then, well, he has caught more monster bass than 90% of the guys here all together and he fishes exclusively with spinning gear, so I seriously doubt bait caster are much better reels. I do own a serious collection of baitcasters and right here right now if I had to choose one type of reel for the rest of my life I would choose a spinning reel without any doubt.
BTW, "budget" baitcasters don´t do budget backlashes for starters. If you don´t want to spend too much get a good used baitcaster and add a little bit more to that less than 50 budget.
Fun4Me reply :
Op, what reels do you use besides the $15 baitcaster that sucks?
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
You'll have more to choose from and much better off in the long run if you save up $100 for a bait casting reel. BPS Pro Qualifier on sale is a great value, the Mettle reels get good reviews but we don't have Academy here so I have no hands on. A Citica, Revo S, Lews models, Daiwa Exceller or Tatula, any name brand model that lits for $100> will be good quality and can be picked up second hand for well under the MSRP.
blckshirt98 reply :
Check the Daiwa Lexa 100's on sale at TW for $59. If they have a Labor Day sale, the extra discount should apply to the sale price as well and you should be able to get one for about $50.
poisonokie reply :
those lexas are a good choice. They are smooth and cast really well. There is no centrifugal brake to worry about. Just remember too much braking and spool tension is better than too little. I will say I'm not sure about the spool bearings on those. I took care of mine and blew them out anyway. For $50 though, its a great deal. And yes, once you really get to know your baitcaster, you wont wanna pick that spinning rod back up and start trying to justify spending hundreds of dollars on a finesse baitcasting setup so you don't have to.
kingmotorboat reply :
I've heard great great things about the daiwa aird since it's been re designed. I believe it's 79.99
ww2farmer reply :
There's nothing wrong with the Abu black max, I have several...... But, they are my back up reels. Day in, day out every day use reels, I stick with reels that have an aluminum frame. For my money, my two favorites are the Lew's LFS speed spool, and the Daiwa Exceler. Both can be had NIB on eBay for as much as $20 or $30 lower than msrp.
robster80 reply :
look for a used shimano citica 200E. usually sell for around 50-70
if new try the h20 mettle
Big C reply :
I got a Pinnacle Matrix for $50 at Dick's last year. It's been decent, but if there is a way to get a Lew's (or something in the $100 range) go for it.
FinCulture reply :
DO NOT GO CHEAP! It's truly a waste of time with baitcasters. Lew's Carbon Fire and Abu Garcia orra- both between 80 and 100 and don't stink!
Penguino reply :
Just go get a spinning reel. Esepcially if you are a newbie. It won't be worth the hassle of getting a cheap baitcaster, especially when you get overwhelmed with backlash.
Would recommend any of the Pluefger spinning reels, they are all really solid.
lmbfisherman reply :
Definitely my recommendation is BPS PQ. I have 3 and they are solid workhorses. They go on sale often at around 79.99.
lmbfisherman reply :
On 8/18/2015 at 9:00 AM, FinCulture said:DO NOT GO CHEAP! It's truly a waste of time with baitcasters. Lew's Carbon Fire and Abu Garcia orra- both between 80 and 100 and don't stink!
Unless they changed the Orra to Aluminum, I would advise against it.
Penguino reply :
On 8/18/2015 at 9:58 AM, lmbfisherman said:Unless they changed the Orra to Aluminum, I would advise against it.
yep. same with the Carbon Fire. I had a copy of that reel in the Lews Laser MG. Hated it, as i couldn't get it dialed in, and the frame felt weak, because of the carbon (graphite).
Tmmytomato reply :
Kicker is right. Unless you can get a screaming deal on a Lower end Lew's or Abu don't keep looking for a good reel at a garage sale price. Consider stepping up to the $125 range if you can. That will put you in the market for a better reel like a Shimano, a better Abu, upgraded Lew's or more mid-range Daiwa. If you can bump that a little more you'll have a reel you'll get years of quality use and way more fun out of.
Forty some-odd years ago I bought the best Abu I could afford and was glad I did. I continued to step up over the years and now (decades) years later I have all top end Shimano. And you can believe the posters on here that will attest to more enjoyment and trouble free fishing with the better goods.
Cheap gear will discourage you. Get the best you can afford at the time. Better gear casts easier, less backlashes, smoother operation. As far as the person suggesting you just stay with spinning gear - I have a lot of that also and it's necessary for certain presentations, no doubt. But is you want to get into more controlled casts with more stout lures and fishing in heavier cover you'll want to step up to bait casting gear like you've planned.
Check out anything offered by fellow posters here on line too - you might find a jewel here somewhere.
Drew03cmc reply :
Shimano Curado 200B, available all day for $65 or so, speaking of which, there's one in the flea market.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Get a Mettle from Academy when they go on sale for $40 or $50. I bought one when they were all the way down to $30 hoping to maybe get a year out of it. 3 years later it's still going strong and has become one of my starting lineup right along with my Curados and Lew's. I liked it so well that I bought 2 more when they were $40 this summer. They cast a mile, are a very smooth reel, and unlike most lower end reels they're metal instead of plastic inside where it counts. I've even heard of a guy that fishes them with A-rigs for stripers on Beaver Lake, AR who says they hold up just fine. If they'll handle throwing A-rigs for a big striper, there's nothing a bass can throw at them that's going to break them.
Nocturnal reply :
I just posted a thread of a bunch of stuff I found on sale. None of the reels are crap and most are under $100.
Baitcasters definitely fall into the "buy once cry once" category.
new2BC4bass reply :
$125 was suggested as the low end probably so you could get a Shimano. Lots of Shimano fans on here. I got my used Chronarch A and B for that price. You wouldn't be disappointed with either model. However, the standard Tatula can be bought for about $100 new. A very nice reel. Lews, Pinnacle and Daiwa....to name a few....make some decent reels for less than a century bill.
As for the suggestion to stick with spinning reels, I'd have to disagree. Sure you don't really need a baitcast reel as proved by more than one person. Many people manage to fish their whole life without ever trying a baitcast reel. However, I personally prefer them although I grew up using spinning reels. Don't be afraid to try one. They are a steeper learning curve, but well worth the effort. Just be prepared to spend a lot more once you get decent with one. 
illinifan4152 reply :
Shimano caius is a great budget reel for the price! I have an extra I would let go of u are interested.
FinCulture reply :
On 8/18/2015 at 10:03 AM, Penguino said:yep. same with the Carbon Fire. I had a copy of that reel in the Lews Laser MG. Hated it, as i couldn't get it dialed in, and the frame felt weak, because of the carbon (graphite).
The Carbon Fire and the Laser MG are two VERY different reels. I've never used the laser but can tell you the carbon fire is an AMAZING baitcaster for 80 bucks. I've never had problems with it. check the reviews online. The CF gets great reviews while the Laser MG gets mostly bad ones.
Penguino reply :
On 8/18/2015 at 10:50 PM, FinCulture said:The Carbon Fire and the Laser MG are two VERY different reels. I've never used the laser but can tell you the carbon fire is an AMAZING baitcaster for 80 bucks. I've never had problems with it. check the reviews online. The CF gets great reviews while the Laser MG gets mostly bad ones.
Its the exact same reel as the Laser MG. Check the Spec's. Even though there are good reviews, honestly, compared to aluminum baitcasters, I would think that there would be a huge difference in quality and performance. Just talk to people who have used both the Speed Spool and the Laser MG. They all say it is worth it to shell out the extra 20$.
bigbill reply :
I use a Chinese baitcaster from eBay it's around $27. To me it works perfect ill post the numbers.
#DM-120LA it's black with red trim.
#141139172865
It has to be a exact clone from a name brand. Or a name brand put there name on it.
IM no pro I rather buy lures. I've fished with shakespear $12/$14 baitcasters when I started out.
Ok bash me now it works awesome.
webertime reply :
Daiwa Laguna (right handed) at Cabelas is like $40
If you are a lefty the Lexa at TW is the way to go.
stkbassn reply :
I found a site that's advertising the Pinnacle Producer for $56 and change shipped. Don't know their reputation but never seen that reel new for that price anywhere before. big supply shop?
webertime reply :
On 8/18/2015 at 11:52 PM, webertime said:Daiwa Laguna (right handed) at Cabelas is like $40
If you are a lefty the Lexa at TW is the way to go.
Just got an email that the Laguna is now $25. It's a graphite Lexa, easily worth $25 a shot.
Penguino reply :
On 8/19/2015 at 12:34 AM, stkbassn said:I found a site that's advertising the Pinnacle Producer for $56 and change shipped. Don't know their reputation but never seen that reel new for that price anywhere before. big supply shop?
d**n.. that website has everything for a bargain price. Now I just need to figure out if it's legit or not. They have Abu vendettas NIP for under 50$ 
A-Jay reply :
A Bargain Casting reel is very similar to Bargain Brakes.
One will Probably kill you and the other will make you want to.
A-Jay
Allen Der reply :
I have two Abu Silvermax reels that I bought for walleye fishing with bottom bouncers. I'm going to give them a try for bass instead of buying another Revo
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