New Lews review 2024

Bassn Blvd reply :

My Lews Speed Spool arrived yesterday and just in time for my tournament today . I chose the Tournament Pro series because it only weighs 6.7 ounces. It cost $179 compared to the "Team" series at $249 and 7.1 ounces.

I'm a hardcore Shimano fan, so I had serious doubts about how this reel was going to compare to my other low profile reels, such as my Chronarch 50mg's. At no time did I even think this reel could/would be on the same playing field as my Shimanos. I figured I'd give the reel a chance and end up selling it here as used, or send it straight back to TW for a refund.

My first impression right out of the box was, "Hmmm, not bad." The weight was right where I like my reels to be, under 7 ounces, and surprisingly fit my hand perfectly. I gave the handle a few turns and found the spool to spin absolutely effortlessly. The star drag and spool tension knob click when tightened and loosened. The more I fondled it, the more impressed I became.

The reel is rated for 120 yards of #12, but I spooled it up with #10 Yozuri. I wanted to give it a fair shot at finding a home in my rod rack so I mounted it on my 7'5 Loomis NRX and dedicated it as my main rod choice during my tournament. But don't worry, I had plenty of Shimanos on immediate standby if needed . '

I threw a Senko for all about an hour today and managed to boat over 30 pounds of fish, one over 6 and one over 5, for 19.2 pounds for best 5. I would have liked to tried out different applications but the bass were in the mood for Senkos today. Most of the fish were caught in 2-7 feet of water and no more than 15-20 feet from the boat so I really didn't get a chance to use the reel to it's full potential.

I will tell you this though, the reel performed flawlessly and was extremely comfortable to fish with. The reel took no time at all to get used to and felt like I have been fishing it for years.

If I had to make a decision right now to keep the Lews or get rid of my Daiwa Sol, I'd choose to keep the Lews without hesitation. The Lews just feels more durable and beefy, even though it's only 6.7 ounces. Time will tell though. I need to re-spool it with some heavier line to see how it holds up to a jig and smaller swimbaits, such as the Lake Fork Magic Shad.

One other thing, I'm not big into tearing my reels down and checking out the gears (I save that for the mechanic) so I can't comment on the durability of the innards. But, if this new line of Lews holds up to the late 70's model, then I'm sure they will be very good reels and worth the investment.

I'm going to put this reel through a major work out in the next 2-3 weeks and if it holds up as good as it looks and feels then I will buy another one, in addition to the "Team" series.

Here are a few pic's.

Whets Lines reply :

Thanks for the quick review Bassn Blvd. From my research, the main concerns on these new reels are the ability for Lew's to provide product support with parts should something fail on the reel. My view of this is that it is unlikely, but a legitimate concern. However, it isn't really my concern.

I have been looking at these reels. I'm very curious to know how they casted for you. How would you rate the cast control? The drag? Some reels just seem to never want to backlash. Others are a bit finicky. If you have it set right and cast, it will work great...until the one time you don't pay real close attention and then, ffffttt, bird's nest. Personally, that drives me nuts. As an example, I had a pre-2010 Revo Premier and a Quantum Tour Edition PT. For me, these reels were finicky. Most times, they were great. Then, I'd put a little too much behind a cast, or not pay attention, or whatever and I'd have a mess on my hands. However, with my Revo Winches, I never have this happen.

I know I could spend more time educating my thumb or concentrate more on technique. But, for a reel in the bill-plus range, I want quality with a touch of forgiveness...

Can you let me know if you felt this reel is finicky? Is there a small margin of error when casting, or a more forgiving margin of error? Thanks again for your previous post and any follow-up information you provide.

Whets

8-)

Bassn Blvd reply :

I'm worried about the parts/service for these reels also, but I'll cross that bridge when i get to it. I take extra good care of my reels so I hope this one holds up.

I didn't do a whole lot of casting today, mostly under hand tossing and skipping Senkos underneath docks. My only real backlash was when I skipped a little too hard and nailed the side of the dock >. I found the spool tension knob not to be as sensitive as my chronarch 50's. My first impression of this reel was very good but I'd feel more comfortable giving more accurate advice after I use it a few more times.

islandbass reply :

Thanks! I look forward to future reports. I would like to know its approximate lower weight limit for tossing lures. For example, my curados easily handle 3/16 oz and do alright with 1/8 oz. stock.

I think it looks pretty decent too.

Goose52 reply :

Good report!

I'm curious on how these reels look on the inside and whether any of the design and parts may be similar, or identical to, other reels like the BPS PQ and the Abu Revo. The new owner of Lew's was a long-time BPS buyer and product developer and may have sourced these reels from the same manufacturer(s) as BPS and Abu. If so, there may be some parts interchangeability between the reels thus giving alternatives for parts sourcing in the future.

central.PA.bass reply :

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Good report!
I'm curious on how these reels look on the inside and whether any of the design and parts may be similar, or identical to, other reels like the BPS PQ and the Abu Revo. The new owner of Lew's was a long-time BPS buyer and product developer and may have sourced these reels from the same manufacturer(s) as BPS and Abu. If so, there may be some parts interchangeability between the reels thus giving alternatives for parts sourcing in the future.

great point!! using interchangeable parts with bps and abu would be sweet!

adclem reply :

Great review. I have been reading a lot on this really and have been considering trying one.

Thanks,

R520dvx reply :

Here is what I can add. We received one of the first shipments. Since then, they have been selling like wildfire. Our only issue so far is that we can't get enough of them.

One of the first ones we sold went to Canada ... to a guy who encounters large, mean, toothy critters. He has since ordered 5 more.

We have another customer who tears down EVERY reel he purchases before it ever goes on a rod. He was quite impressed and said it is the first reel he has purchased that did not need additional lube right out of the box. Most have a minimal amount of lube so they feel good in the display case.

We are pretty good friends with one of their Pro Staff. He is confident in their commitment to overall customer service .... like parts.

Currently, they are dominating every price point in the store from a sales standpoint. With 4 models .... price points .... to choose from, there is something for everyone.

The Rooster reply :

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Good report!
I'm curious on how these reels look on the inside and whether any of the design and parts may be similar, or identical to, other reels like the BPS PQ and the Abu Revo. The new owner of Lew's was a long-time BPS buyer and product developer and may have sourced these reels from the same manufacturer(s) as BPS and Abu. If so, there may be some parts interchangeability between the reels thus giving alternatives for parts sourcing in the future.

If you look at how these reels are made and shaped, they resemble very much a BPS Pro Qualifier or Abu Garcia Revo. There's no doubt they're made by the same people. The way the sideplate comes away with the bar going across and accessed on the crank side gives that away. Overall shape of the body does too. Even the lowest $90 model has an identical drag star to the BPS Extreme reels I have with straight cranks. Then the levelwind guide is the same also. And I see by the upside down pic of it that it has the same lube port access on the gearbox too that the Extremes have. I think it's mostly a PQ in disguise and upgraded a good bit too with more bearings. Sort of reminds me of what would happen if you crossed a PQ and a Curado. Oversized grips and all!! ;D

I'm interested in them as well. Not sure if I'll get one right away though, as getting any of them would be a choice between that and a Citica, or on the upper end, that and a Curado, and right now I'm completely sold AND THEN SOME on Shimano reels.

But there's no denying they look flat out awesome and if that cast control clicks as was shown in the above pics then that's a good sign no detail was overlooked in making them. I could see these replacing the BPS PQ as the reel to get for quality vs. price!! Especially if you don't live near a BPS store. I'm too particular to satisfy with mail order only to find out I don't like it and have to return it (like I'm doing now with another reel). I can get these Lew's reels at the local shop where I got the Symetre I just bought. They had them all instock right there. I meant to look at one close up while there but was too excited about the new Shimano reel I was buying and I forgot. :'( Oh well, it's only a 15 minute drive back.

WanderLust reply :

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Here is what I can add. We received one of the first shipments. Since then, they have been selling like wildfire. Our only issue so far is that we can't get enough of them.
One of the first ones we sold went to Canada ... to a guy who encounters large, mean, toothy critters. He has since ordered 5 more.

We have another customer who tears down EVERY reel he purchases before it ever goes on a rod. He was quite impressed and said it is the first reel he has purchased that did not need additional lube right out of the box. Most have a minimal amount of lube so they feel good in the display case.

We are pretty good friends with one of their Pro Staff. He is confident in their commitment to overall customer service .... like parts.

Currently, they are dominating every price point in the store from a sales standpoint. With 4 models .... price points .... to choose from, there is something for everyone.

Great info! Thanks.

northern basser reply :

I handled the tour. pro for the 1st time today at Cabelas. I thought the frame would be similar to a revo but it was lower profile. It felt really nice and I think I'll be pulling the trigger on one.

Winter time monkey is bad.

Nibbles reply :

Might be worth getting one just to cannibalize for the CF handle, considering how expensive aftermarket ones typically cost.

The Rooster reply :

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Might be worth getting one just to cannibalize for the CF handle, considering how expensive aftermarket ones typically cost.

Are you serious?? $180 for a reel just to get the handle?? They CAN'T be that expensive, surely not. :-? If they are, that's ridiculous.

Oh, on second thought, I think my wife might have said something along those lines for $180 fishing reels in general. ;D I didn't think so at the time. :-? :-X

Nibbles reply :

Aftermarket carbon fiber handles typically run around $100-$120.

If I buy a $180 reel and cannibalize the carbon fiber handle, I can add a regular handle (I have some spare metal handles that should fit most reels) to it and use it as a backup non-enthusiast workhorse reel. Basically, I am paying $80 for a slightly heavier version of a $180 reel, because I would've dropped $100 on an aftermarket CF handle anyway for upgrading my JDM enthusiast reels.

piscicidal reply :

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I'm worried about the parts/service for these reels also, but I'll cross that bridge when i get to it. I take extra good care of my reels so I hope this one holds up.
I didn't do a whole lot of casting today, mostly under hand tossing and skipping Senkos underneath docks. My only real backlash was when I skipped a little too hard and nailed the side of the dock >. I found the spool tension knob not to be as sensitive as my chronarch 50's. My first impression of this reel was very good but I'd feel more comfortable giving more accurate advice after I use it a few more times.

Doug, I wouldn't worry about that too much. Everyone raves about Shimano parts/customer service...but I have a Shimano Chronarch on the injured reserve list right now, because there's a couple parts I can't get for them...Shimano says they are on backorder until May. I've tried everyplace online...(Dad's ole tackle box, David's tackle box, ebay, etc, etc...) I've even posted on several websites (including this one: flea market) asking for old parts reels.

I'm not saying this as a shimano bash...i like my shimanos as much as the next guy. Just saying don't let part availablity influence your perception of the reel.

SoFlaBassAddict reply :

What parts do you need, Mike? I can dig around in my parts bin and see what I've got here.

piscicidal reply :

Eric, check your PM....

1inStripes reply :

Nice review so far. Good to hear. I noticed that Tim Horton has changed from Pflueger to Lews and will be fishing Lews equipment for the Classic.

Stasher1 reply :

Is it just me, or does this thread title remind anyone else of New Zoo Review? :-/

0119 reply :

Oh man where did you get that pic? That frog always queebed me out!

Crookedneck reply :

Thanks for the review. I have been thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these but haven't seen any reviews yet.

atrocity123 reply :

Is the handle real carbon or is it just air brushed on there? Nowhere does it have it listed as carbon but the team's handle is listed as carbon. Thinking of picking this up or a quantum smoke. Thanks

Flywatersmallie reply :

I pulled the trigger on 2 of them over the weekend. I was just curious enough. I figure if I don't like them, I'll resell them. From the reviews here and elsewhere, I don't think that will be an issue. They are scheduled for delivery tomorrow. Gonna be a long day waiting for that brown truck I think

breezy reply :

I've been eying these for a while now. Tournament Pro is lightweight, good price point and aesthetically pleasing. Graphite cranking sideplate always makes me think twice about a reel, but I've never had an issue with any of the ones I own and it seems this is becoming the norm.

The $200 price point is definitely a competitive area. I would like to see how this stacks up vs the smoke and even the Premier since you can find them on ebay for about that.

21farms reply :

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Is the handle real carbon or is it just air brushed on there? Nowhere does it have it listed as carbon but the team's handle is listed as carbon. Thinking of picking this up or a quantum smoke. Thanks

i had emailed lew's before on that. here's their reply:

The handles on the Tournament Pro are lightweight carbon fiber and 85mm in length. The whole reel is super lightweight at 6.7oz. This is largely due to the handle and the high quality lightweight aircraft grade aluminum used for the spool and gears.

Thank you for you interest in Lew's Products

Team Lews Fishing

northern basser reply :

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I've been eying these for a while now. Tournament Pro is lightweight, good price point and aesthetically pleasing. Graphite cranking sideplate always makes me think twice about a reel, but I've never had an issue with any of the ones I own and it seems this is becoming the norm.
The $200 price point is definitely a competitive area. I would like to see how this stacks up vs the smoke and even the Premier since you can find them on ebay for about that.

I may be wrong, but I thought that reel had a all aluminum frame & sideplate.

Bassn Blvd reply :

My 2nd tournament Pro arrived today. They are very similar to the Premier but I think they look nicer and also less expensive. I've put my Premier through hell and back over the past year and am very pleased with it's service. Now it's time to put Lews to the test.

The Lews T-Pro fits my in my hand probably better than any low profile reel I've held, including my SHIMANO'S.

Hammer 4 reply :

Not much love for us Lefty users, in fact none in the 7:1 reels... :

Mr SwimJig reply :

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Quote
I've been eying these for a while now. Tournament Pro is lightweight, good price point and aesthetically pleasing. Graphite cranking sideplate always makes me think twice about a reel, but I've never had an issue with any of the ones I own and it seems this is becoming the norm.
The $200 price point is definitely a competitive area. I would like to see how this stacks up vs the smoke and even the Premier since you can find them on ebay for about that.

I may be wrong, but I thought that reel had a all aluminum frame & sideplate.

The Tournament Pro has graphite side plates, the Team Lews Speed Spool has the aluminum side plates with the titanium deposition.

The handle on the Tournament Pro is graphite, it is not painted to look like it. It is very very light and I really am liking those knobs.

So far the reel has given me no problems on the several outings I have used it on.

When comparing it to my Premier, they are pretty even. Except for the fact that the Tournament Pro is roughly $100 cheaper. Time will tell if it will hold up to day in and day out abuse.

atrocity123 reply :

Looks like i'm ordering one tonight, will compare it with my smoke. Thanks for the help

johnD. reply :

Are these made by Pflueger ?

J Francho reply :

No, but these, many BPS, and Pure Fishing brands probably come from the same place.

Stasher1 reply :

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No, but these, many BPS, and Pure Fishing brands probably come from the same place.

What is it about them that makes them so appealing? :-/

If my suspicions are correct, they're built in the same factory as many of BPS' reels, most likely using many of the same parts...yet people on every forum are talking about them like they're something special. I don't get it.

They may actually be nice reels, but I believe they may be no better than any of the BPS reels...at a much higher price.

flippin and pitchin reply :

I picked Doug's (BassnBlvd) brain and did some more research before I bought the T series Lews. I fished it all day Tuesday. This reel casts as well if not better than my Revo Premiers. It is slightly narrower than the premier. I love the paddle grips, but I also fished the original Lews for almost 30 years. The reel held exactly 100 yard of Suffix Seige #14. It was windy and I only applied the mag brake two clicks and had no backlash issues. Distance was exceptional. The reel palms very well. I did order a second T series. Does this reel warrant selling my Premiers ? No, not really. It certainly deserves serious consideration, at least after those of us who chose to take the calculated risk to buy one can see how they hold up. I can't confirm it but I would bet a LC Pointer this reel is manufactured in the same facility Pure fishing products are produced. I wouldn't call this reel " special " but the company is attempting to make a statement and go after a piece of the market share in a very competetive segment of the industry.

atrocity123 reply :

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Quote
No, but these, many BPS, and Pure Fishing brands probably come from the same place.

x2

What is it about them that makes them so appealing? :-/

If my suspicions are correct, they're built in the same factory as many of BPS' reels, most likely using many of the same parts...yet people on every forum are talking about them like they're something special. I don't get it.

They may actually be nice reels, but I believe they may be no better than any of the BPS reels...at a much higher price.

Well depends what you judge a reel on. It's drag, weight, castability, finish, price, bearing count, etc. I was drawn to this reel mainly due to its weight and bearing count, along with its price. The way I see it is for 179.99 i'm getting a sub 7 oz reel with a carbon handle, carbon drag, and 10 bearings, not to mention the free tackle bag promo ;D

Flywatersmallie reply :

My pair showed up today. I haven't fished them yet but they seem well built and pretty solid. Whether they are, time will tell. I'm not disappointed at all buying them sight unseen. They seem to be built on the same frame as the Revos, going by the profile alone. Whether they are or not, I don't know. They do seem to sit a little lower than any BPS branded reel I have ever held. Will I give up my higher end stuff for these? Not likely but they seem to be one of the better buys for under $200. Again, thats just my initial impression, take that for what it is. I think for the money, one could do worse than these reels. The low end one is really interesting to me. Is there another (non house branded) manufacturer that has a decent aluminum framed reel for $90?

Mr SwimJig reply :

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Quote
No, but these, many BPS, and Pure Fishing brands probably come from the same place.

x2

What is it about them that makes them so appealing? :-/

If my suspicions are correct, they're built in the same factory as many of BPS' reels, most likely using many of the same parts...yet people on every forum are talking about them like they're something special. I don't get it.

They may actually be nice reels, but I believe they may be no better than any of the BPS reels...at a much higher price.

I have to agree and disagree with you. It more then likely does come out of the same factory but I would be pretty sure it comes off of a completely different production line.

Which basically means it is probably getting better grade aluminum, better bearings, better gears etc... It may be similar to all the other reels but we really have no way of knowing.

All I know is that a reel under 7oz and at the $180 price point is pretty impressive. Is it any better then a BPS reel, or a Revo or a Patriarch... Only time will tell.

I have got to use mine quite a bit so far and it has been very impressive.

It will cast just as far as my Premier, it is just as smooth on the retrieve and the drag is just as smooth and as powerful.

It is just as smooth as my Fuego and my Sol and the drag is every bit as smooth as the Daiwa drag.

The reel is very nice looking, love the matte black finish and the carbon fiber handle and the knobs are very nice and very comfortable. Something I thought they would not be.

The braking system works very nicely, I just wonder why they went with 4 centrifugal pins instead of 6?

Know the true test begins, it is warming up and these reels are going to get used 3 to 5 times a week and they are going to be the only reels I use this summer and I am going to see how they hold up.

gatogordo reply :

For those of you who own the Lews Tp and Curado 50, which would you own for throwing light line. It would be paired witha a Lamiglass 703 ML for 3-5 inch senko, trick worms and such.

Evans reply :

It's possible these reels are being made in same factory. The Lew's reels are made in Korea, same as the Revos(besides the S, which is made in China). Anyone know where the BPS are made? All I have are old BPS boxes that say made in China.

Blue Streak reply :

The older Lews reels were excellent and ahead of their time. I think a lot of this is based on their good reputation. I guess we will see over time if the new models are as good, but the few people who have them now seemed to be very pleased.

J Francho reply :

It doesn't really matter where they were made, the internal design is the same.

Old Lew's reels were made by Shimano, in case anyone was wondering. They were the some of the finest reels of the time.

Mr SwimJig reply :

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For those of you who own the Lews Tp and Curado 50, which would you own for throwing light line. It would be paired witha a Lamiglass 703 ML for 3-5 inch senko, trick worms and such.

Either reel will work fine, I have not really had a chance to throw lighter baits with my Tournament Pro yet but I have used the Curado 50 to throw lighter baits and it is excellent at it. But if the Tournament Pro fishes anything like my Premier it will be just as good as the Curado 50 at it. The lightest I have gone so far is a 1/4oz swim jig and it handled it just fine.

Mr SwimJig reply :

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It doesn't really matter where they were made, the internal design is the same.
Old Lew's reels were made by Shimano, in case anyone was wondering. They were the some of the finest reels of the time.

The guy behind the counter at BPS in Independence is trying to tell me that the new BPS reels are now made by Shimano and yes some do come from Korea and some from China.

So who really knows...I just want to fish!!

J Francho reply :

Your guy is wrong.

Mr SwimJig reply :

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Your guy is wrong.

Oh there is no doubt, the guy is an idiot an has been since the store opened!lol

21farms reply :

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The older Lews reels were excellent and ahead of their time. I think a lot of this is based on their good reputation.

this would be me. back in the day, i had two of the old speed spools with the steeply-tapered v-spools and loved 'em. and, maybe for nostalgia's sake, i'm gonna get one. it's happened before...i had bought several iterations of abu-garcia's absolutely horrid ultra mag "low"-profile reels before they came out with the revos based strictly on how much i loved my old round abus. these days, all reels are pretty good and the differences between them all are seemingly getting smaller and smaller all the time.

Stasher1 reply :

Quote
this would be me. back in the day, i had two of the old speed spools with the steeply-tapered v-spools and loved 'em. and, maybe for nostalgia's sake, i'm gonna get one. it's happened before...i had bought several iterations of abu-garcia's absolutely horrid ultra mag "low"-profile reels before they came out with the revos based strictly on how much i loved my old round abus. these days, all reels are pretty good and the differences between them all are seemingly getting smaller and smaller all the time.

That's bound to happen when they're making several of them in the same factory. ;D ;D

flippin and pitchin reply :

Quote

Quote
The older Lews reels were excellent and ahead of their time. I think a lot of this is based on their good reputation.

this would be me. back in the day, i had two of the old speed spools with the steeply-tapered v-spools and loved 'em. and, maybe for nostalgia's sake, i'm gonna get one. it's happened before...i had bought several iterations of abu-garcia's absolutely horrid ultra mag "low"-profile reels before they came out with the revos based strictly on how much i loved my old round abus. these days, all reels are pretty good and the differences between them all are seemingly getting smaller and smaller all the time.

I still have 5 Speed Spools. Two are pre Browning and three models after Browning took on the Lews brand. I had my first two Lews made by Shimano stolen in 1982. Who would have thought a reel with THREE ball bearings could cast so well. Where is my light blue polyester jumpsuit ?

Bassn Blvd reply :

I have both of my T pros spooled with #10 Yozuri and saddled on 7.5' Loomis NRX rods. So far the only thing I have thrown with them are 5" senko's, which cast too far to get an effective hook set.

Probably in another 2-4 weeks I'll try throwing the smaller LC pointers with the Lews, which I'm sure will handle lures just fine.

Who knows, we might have a new posse forming. ;D

Mr SwimJig reply :

Got to fish my Tournament PRO again tonight and it worked perfect all night. Caught several more nice size bass and everything has held up and worked flawlessly.

The reel continues to get smoother and cast farther with more and more use.

johnD. reply :

Quote
It doesn't really matter where they were made, the internal design is the same.
Old Lew's reels were made by Shimano, in case anyone was wondering. They were the some of the finest reels of the time.

Lew's where made by a few different companies in there heyday.

Browning is just one of 4 manufacturers that built Lew's reels. Shimano made the first ones for Lew Childre. Next Ryobi built the reels for Lew. After he was killed in an accident the Childre family ultimately sold the company to Browning...Browning was then purchased by Zebco and Zebco made the Lew's reels for a while..

Buddy of mine has quite a few of the old shimano lew's reels in his collection.I used them back in the day as did my Father.They where top of the line back in the day.

doublest reply :

Anyone have a chance to compare to a 50Mg for casting light stuff?

Bassn Blvd reply :

I just sold one of my 50mg's after I got my 2nd Lews T-pro. The 50mg's are great reels, based on personal experience, and cast light tackle with ease. I can throw 1/8 once lures all day with it and the Lew's. You're rod is going to play a big part if you want to be successful at throwing light tackle though.

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