High end spinning 2024

fish-fighting-illini reply :

I might be switching to Gander Mtn Pflueger Medalist knockoffs

I just have not seen the return on high end gear. I can buy these on E-bay for $15. If it breaks I throw it away.

If not what I think they are they make for a heck of a crappie reel.

I cannot say that I own super high end to start with. I own a Symmetre and, a President and a Medalist.

Gander is also in my backyard when I'm not buying via E-bay

I have noticed very little help on the high end rods either.

Grey Wolf reply :

You really don't need our input , it's your money , if you don't feel the reels you've bought warrants the money you have spent on them, by all means go ahead and buy a bunch of those 15.00 reels.

Jig Man reply :

I have some friends with cheap reels. Invariably when we are fishing they have one or more reels screw up and have to be put down for the night. I just smile and keep on throwing my Shimanos. The sad thing is they have never figured it out that I don't have reel or line problems.

wisturkeyhunter reply :

I think a guy can get by with a cheaper spinning reel more than a cheap casting real. I'm plenty happy with $50-$70 spinning reels doubt I would be with casting reels in that price range.

fish-fighting-illini reply :

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I have some friends with cheap reels. Invariably when we are fishing they have one or more reels screw up and have to be put down for the night. I just smile and keep on throwing my Shimanos. The sad thing is they have never figured it out that I don't have reel or line problems.

I think I've paid my dues and have done my homework. If they turn out to be a hassle then yep going the quality route. But the ones I'm talking about I believe are quality. The GST I believe is a Pflueger Medalist and I own a Medalist. I also own a Shimano Citica bc. I've never had a problem with my Pfluegers or my GST in 3 yeas.

I've done my homework as it relates to my taste / style. I'm not going to use a reel that I throw away every trip.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
But the ones I'm talking about I believe are quality.

Nope...Fifteen wasted dollars for pure crap.

If you're just fishing for pan fish, I guesss

it doesn't make any difference. If you were

fishing for a bass worth talking about, it might.

fish-fighting-illini reply :

Quote

Quote
But the ones I'm talking about I believe are quality.

Nope...Fifteen wasted dollars for pure crap.

If you're just fishing for pan fish, I guesss

it doesn't make any difference. If you were

fishing for a bass worth talking about, it might.

:

I'm inclined to think your way RW but based on the one I've fished with..... so far so good.It is smooth and shows every sign of being a Pflueger Medalist.

Time will tell of course. I'm not going at it blindly

fish-fighting-illini reply :

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But the ones I'm talking about I believe are quality.

Nope...Fifteen wasted dollars for pure crap.

If you're just fishing for pan fish, I guesss

it doesn't make any difference. If you were

fishing for a bass worth talking about, it might.

:

Hey RW / Kent

First of all I'm worried how this will sound but first and formost I mean absolutely no disrespect with this post.

The more I thought about this the more it bugged me.

First I've been bidding on E-bay these GST's for a couple of weeks now and have been losing all of them.

For that many people to be bidding on one model of a reel I think means one or more things. One is that this must be a pretty decent reel for and or a pretty decent value.

You might be in a financial state that it doesn't matter and have needs that won't allow you a hint of risk taking while bass fishing. Someone else might be a 22yr old with a new baby that could use something, someone on a fixed income with limited funds or a very young fisherman just starting out.

Unless you have expperience with the reel that I mentioned then I think your post is reckless. If no experience then you need to open those dark green Shimano eyes to other possibilities.

I also think that by how you posted it and with your reputation on the site that many would take it as gospel.

I honestly don't think if no experience that your post is in the best interest of the site. No big deal either way.

If no experience then I think it should be posted as an opinion. You as a moderator is entitled to one just like the average Joe's on the site.

if you have experience or second hand experience of junk then I stand corrected and I would offer to delete this post ASAP

Again this may sound harsh but it is in no way meant as disrespectful just my .02

FFI - AKA Matt Crum

bass slayer 17 reply :

sure spend 15 bucks on a reel and you might have a good reel for a year or two but spend more like 70-100 your probably going to have that reel longer and it will perform great also..

roadwarrior reply :

You don't need to sugar coat it and I make no apology:

$15 reels are pure crap and a total waste of money. If you have a limited amount of funds, fish what you have or what's given to you.

If you want some advice on what to buy, just ask. We have many members at every pricing point.

Buying "crap" at a low price on e-bay is not a "value".

8-)

fish-fighting-illini reply :

Quote
You don't need to sugar coat it and I make no apology:
$15 reels are pure crap and a toatal waste of money. If you have a limited amount of funds, fish what you have or what's given to you.

If you want some advice on what to buy, just ask. We have many members at every pricing point.

Buying "crap" at a low price on e-bay is not a "value".

8-)

Nothing to sugarcoat No big deal like I said

but one question

Where did it get proven that this product is crap?

I think I did forget to say even without proof you very well could be right I don't know

I'm done on the subject not an issue just an observation of what I have seen. Like I said I don't even know if I'm right just objective

its all good

bass slayer 17 reply :

im pretty sure pflueger doenst make crap products either..they just so happen to be my favorite brand..

Chad. reply :

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im pretty sure pflueger doenst make crap products either..they just so happen to be my favorite brand..

LOL think about that at that price how good can it be that's like saying nothing from shimano's bad even their 15 dollars combos that break in a year?

avid reply :

I like high end equipment. I'm no tournament fisherman so showing off my toys to the boys in the club is not my motivation. I like the feel of quality. Little things like added weight, vibrations, handle play, and funny little noises diminish my enjoyment.

It doesn't take much to catch a fish. I'll bet there are over a million bass caught on Zebco's every year, but once you feel the precision of a well made technologically advanced reel, your Shakespeare's will never be the same.

Muddy reply :

While I made the switch to BPS Extreme Bait Cating reels, with no issues mind you, using them hard and almost daily. My experience with their spinning reels left a lot to be desired

Having fished both the Pflueger Trions and my favorite the Presidents I can tell you from long hard use, and also many of my friends and fishing partner that these reels ARE NOT CHEAP JUNK ( Not yelling, stressing my point here 8-)) They do not bend under tourque and stand up to many hours and lots of fish. I am still in the Pflueger Spinning Posse. ;D

RW speaks from experience and as long as a fella actually uses the reels he reccomends, I see no harm in this. You ask a question here, look for the fellas talking form experience and then make the best choice for yourself. I am grateful for fellas like RW,Avid and Redliner, Mcro and Raul their input while being over my head financially will at least point me to features I may want to consider when looking in my price range. They frequently take the time to post their experiences/

To be honest every reel I own was bought here, used and in good conditon from the flea market. I had Reel Mech redo one for me and the rest Zel helped me clean and lube.It has allowed me to get reels that would normally be out of my very limited budget,

bass slayer 17 reply :

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im pretty sure pflueger doenst make crap products either..they just so happen to be my favorite brand..

LOL think about that at that price how good can it be that's like saying nothing from shimano's bad even their 15 dollars combos that break in a year?

very true... i actually bought a 20 buck spinning combo a long time ago from shimano and it started messing up within the first season of using it.. i then replaced it with a 120 dollar pflueger supreme combo that works pretty well.. the fact is spend more money on a product your probably going to get more out of it..

Aaron reply :

One of my friends fishes a Gander Mountain spinning reel, but I don't remember which one it is. He doesn't spend a whole lot on fishing equipment and he doesn't take that good of care of his stuff (he usually leaves his rods and reels in the boat all summer long exposed to the elements), but that reel has lasted through a few seasons.

With that said, he still wishes he had my Stradic.

quant PT reply :

If you only have $15 to spend then find the best $15 reel you can find. There is nothing wrong with using less expensive equipment. However, just like money, time is limited as well. I have a demanding job and 3 kids so I don't get to fish nearly as much as I'd like to. This is one of the main reasons I buy better equipment. I only get to fish 2 or 3 times a month so I can't afford to mess with unreliable equipment. My stuff has to work so I can enjoy my limited fishing time. If you use inexpensive equipment and have fun then more power to you.

One thing I would caution you against is the more is better mentality.

You would be better off with onequality mid range spinning combo ( a Saros 2500 and a Compre for example) instead of having 5 $40 combos IMHO.

My dad always told me a cheap tool is an expensive tool and I think that applies to rods and reels as well.

LAO162 reply :

Just like quant PT said... "There is nothing wrong with using less expensive equipment. However, just like money, time is limited as well. "

I'm lucky to get in 10 hours a month. For most of us [here], $15 isn't a big gamble, but maximizing enjoyment & time may be more valuable. Good for you if you don't need material goods to be happy

Pencil Pusher reply :

I think you all got hung up on the $15 the OP said he could buy these reels for. I am not familiar with Gander Mountain reels, but if the reel he is talking about is in fact a re-branded Pflueger Medalist, he is talking about a reel which if a Pflueger would be $80 retail that he is buying at a bargain price, not a $15 piece of crap as RW so succinctly put it.

skunked_again reply :

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im pretty sure pflueger doenst make crap products either..they just so happen to be my favorite brand..

LOL think about that at that price how good can it be that's like saying nothing from shimano's bad even their 15 dollars combos that break in a year?

thank god theres been no high end gear thats turned out to be a terrible idea and been classified as "junk".

also, i agree with RW, look for tried and truely tested gear, youll be glad you did.

Muddy reply :

I have been using Pflueger reels a long time. I chose to switch to BPS Extremes, more bang for the buck, the Pflueger Trion LP and the Pflueger Trion and President are reels I have a lot of experience with, they are an old company with a tremendous following both here and in New York State, and are easily serviceable when you want a professional to clean and lube them. I would say they are tried and true products. They do not come with the Elitist rep or price tags of Shimano reels, but as LBH says

It ain't the ship it's the sailor

avid reply :

f you only have $15 to spend then find the best $15 reel you can find.

The "best" $15.00 dollar reel? Seems like an oxymoron.

Re - read Muddy's post. The best $15.00 reel will be a used but in good condition $60.00 reel purchased from a trusted source.

fish-fighting-illini reply :

Hey Avid good to see you back.

Yes it does seem like things went off topic a little.

My whole original point was that I think I've found a pretty decent quality GANDER Mtn reel that can often be bought for $15 -$25. I own one of the reels myself and I like it fairly well. This particular reel on the surface appears to be a Pflueger Medalist which is an $80 reel. I also own a Medalist so I feel that I am somewhat qualified to make the comparison. anyone who has never fished either and implies a "factual" statement about the quality I feel is in error.

Just because an item can be purchased inexspensively doesn't guarantee it is low quality. Although history says that scenario is most often the case.

For some reason these reels are very popular recently. It could be just because of the low price or it could be because a lot of people find it to be a good value. Time will tell.

Ok no big deal one way or the other. To each his own.

AaronH reply :

FWIW I bought one of those Guide Series reels to save ten bucks over a president and it broke after a month.(took it back, b!tched up a storm, paid the ten extra bucks and got a president.) Even though it looks the same it was mostly plastic where as the flooger is graphite

. I have presidents that are over four years old with more miles than most guys fish in a lifetime and they all work as good as day one. Just my $0.02

Muddy reply :

Presidents are my favorites also THEY ARE GRAPHITE FRAMES, not Aluminum.

not yelling mind you

Alpster reply :

I must say, that as a member of the 'Shimano Posse' I have fished for a while now with a Flooger president that was given to me by Muddyman. The reel has performed beyond my expectations and I am impressed by the Flooger quality! I still have an affection for 'Shimano' reels because they have performed so well for me over decades of fishing, but I will give credit where it is due. If you can't afford a "Stradic", "Sustain" or "Stella", give the Flooger president a try. It will likely not disappoint you!

I can't believe I am propping a "Flooger" LOL

Keep on keeping on!

Ronnie

Muddy reply :

Thats OK Ronnie: I gave a guy a link on another thread in this forum who was lloking for A Shimano Product, we be even-Steven 8-)

Dominick

AaronH reply :

Thanks Muddy for correcting me my Medalist is aluminum not my president which is graphite.

BirdNestBen reply :

I've fishing hard with my President which i bought off ebay as a demo model... I only gave $30.00 and now am going on my 3rd year with it...

I couldn't ask for more in a reel-

I believe those off brand reels are only good if you are going saltwater fishing and scared to use your good reel.........

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