Spinning reels.....what kind do you use? 2024

5bass reply :

I'm looking at changing my spinning reel set-ups here soon and I'm trying to get some opinions and ideas of some I should look at.The main things I'm looking for is that they be as light as possible and have silky smooth drag systems.

I currently have a couple of Pflueger President spinning reels and also 2 Shimano Sahara's which are my regular use reels but both are a little heavy.Obviously the Stella and Steez reels are on top of the pile but I cant justify their prices.

scbassin reply :

Look at the Okuma VS series they are great reels at a fair price.

BucketmouthAngler13 reply :

Okuma makes great strong spinning reels with slik smooth drags, but the VS is a little heavy for its size. If your more concerend about weight then you might not want the VS, but i hear remarkable things about it's dual drag. Its pretty nicely priced for what it is.

phisher_d reply :

Have you looked at the pflueger supreme that's coming out next year?

http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/products/products.php?p=9

5bass reply :

Quote
Have you looked at the pflueger supreme that's coming out next year?
http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/products/products.php?p=9

I have. That is one I have my eye on.

Tom Bass reply :

I like the Shimano Stradic. Nice reel without the really high cost. I also use the Sahara and I just got a Pflueger President (can't use it until Christmas - Wife's rule - it's a present).

The Stradic is smoother than the Sahara.

I also would love a Stella but cannot justify the cost.

My Stradic rests at the bottom of Lake Norman. I miss it so. There is another in my future...probably two.

ww2farmer reply :

I like Daiwa and Pflueger. I still can't beleive the presidant only costs $60.........I have yet to find a smoother,more reliable spinning reel in it's price range. My Daiwa reels are nice too, but for the extra $30-$50 I paid for them I think I will buy Pfluegers exclusivly from now on.

Bud reply :

I own 2 Stradic 2500 MGFA. They are great reels. They don't break the bank when you buy one and they are smooth.

Alpster reply :

I have 2 stradics, 1 Twin power (sustain) and 1 stella. I think the best spinning reel for the money is the sustain. It's feather light and smoot as silk. The few times I have fished with it I have had to take a second look to make sure it's not the stella. You can find the sustains on ebay for around $175 pretty regularly.

Ronnie

RoLo reply :

FiveBass, like you I also lean to the "lightest" reel without actually sacrificing necessary bearings.

For the money, I don't know of any spinning reel better than the Shimano Stradic (I own several).

The 10-lb class Stradic weighs 9.7 oz (incredibly light for the guts).

It retrieves 33" per revolution (faster the better) and costs $120 at BPS which can undoubtedly be beaten on e-bay.

Roger

paparock reply :

Japan Tackle's Recomendation is:

Basically, all Shimano and Daiwa reels are very smooth and you will be mostly satisfied as long as they are from the two manufacturers. In details, Daiwa reels feel lighter in cranking, and Shimano feels a little more dragging. Daiwa Digi-gear models are smoother than Shimano reels, after 2004. Shimano gears tells a little more vibrations to your fingers. Jun's comment: Great BUY The best value spinning reel in market. As smooth and light as the high-end Daiwa Airity, Luvias offers the most value of all small spinning reels for freshwater use.

The Luvias is the Japanese equal to the Fuego spinning reel I believe. Someone correct me if I am wrong. I have the Luvias and it is a great reel especially for the price. You can get many more sizes in the Luvias than the Fuego and it is cheaper if you shop the Japanese sites. Here is a link to an American site that has a great article on them. http://www.georgescustomrods.com/Dawai%20Luvias%202500.htm

If you want light then you need to look for the magnesium framed models. everyone has there own tastes so try to find someone that has some of the models that will you try them if you can. You another loves you may hate. At today's prices you don't want to find that out after you bought a new reel.

Have you read Avid's thread on spinning reels? http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1164488426

justfishin reply :

There are a lot of good spinning reels on the market. I only own Stradics. I have had them all for many years and have been more than satisfied with them. I have looked at the Presidents and my buddy owns two and swears by them. Can't beat the price either. I would still go with Stradic though. They are an awsome reel. My opinion.

RiskKid. reply :

I am another stradic fan. I have really enjoyed mine.

TournyFish001 reply :

super light- (not HIGH stella/steez price)- one word FUEGO! I own the 2500 for my dropshot rod and love it! I previously had a pti engergy 20 and the fuego beats it in every area- I am buying a FUEGO 3000 next!

Fishing Doug reply :

I have a Stradic and love it. However, using My TD-Z's has spoiled me and I love the lighter weight. I have a Stradic MGFA coming Monday or Tuesday for my SJR843. I have obviously not used it yet, but I did play around with one that was spooled up at a local tackle shop-feels as smooth as the original.

i think both of them are a great value. I felt the Fuego as well and couldn't justify the extra $$$....plus, I am a certified member of the Shimano (spinning reel) posse! ;D

Also, watch the flea market forum and you may not even have to go to ebay to get a good value on one!

flechero reply :

5BL,

If I were in your shoes and looking for light weight- I would look at the Stratic MG or Fuego 3000. The Stradic MG wasn't available locally for me to look at so I never got to consider it. I own the Fuego 3000 and really like it a lot... below is a copied response on mine from the past.

The Feugo 3000 is fantastic! It is the finest, smoothest, best casting, lightest spinning reel I have ever used. (never tried a Stella though) I was fortunate enough to catch several fish on it today, a few of them took drag... the drag system is like butter... so smooth I never felt it giving line, I just heard it and saw the spool turning. It has a wide range of available drag pressure and it is as smooth at 2 lbs as it is at 8lbs. plus. I was truly impressed. This reel casts SO much better than all my others... I don't know if it's the shape of the spool or smoothnes of the lip. I also like the manual trip for the bail. And when the bail closes it sounds (a little louder than most other spinning reels) like the action of a fine firearm, crisp, solid and all business.

I toyed with the idea of a Stella instead but ultimately decided the difference of almost $300 was too great a jump for me.

shimanogloomis man reply :

i have a stradic as well i think that reel for the money is the best out there imo.my brother has a diawa theory but i dont think its as nice of a reel but if money is an an isssues id take a good look at the shimano symetre

dodgeguy reply :

get the pflueger supreme and buy a rod with the money you save or buy 2 reels.

huskyjerk reply :

I would concur with the advice towards a 2500 shimano and go with whats in your price range. When you go smaller than the 2500, you get into problems created by smaller spools---more loops in the line which reduces casting distance. I've had sahras, sedonas, symetres and stradics and they perform great year after year...If you can afford it go with a stradic or better...

Bassassasin12 reply :

Quote
get the pflueger supreme and buy a rod with the money you save or buy 2 reels.

agreed, I cant wait to get one of those babies. The medalist is nice too. I have a stradic and a medalist and I like the medalist more!

dodgeguy reply :

Quote

Quote
get the pflueger supreme and buy a rod with the money you save or buy 2 reels.

agreed, I cant wait to get one of those babies. The medalist is nice too. I have a stradic and a medalist and I like the medalist more!

i've owned both and the medalist is smoother.

roadwarrior reply :

You probably already know where I stand, so Daiwa & Pflueger guys, how 'bout some comments on how long you have been fishing your particular favorite and how it compares to the day it was new. The Stradic is dependable and in five years it will perform exactly as it does on day one.

If you like that "feel" you'll like the reel.

guest reply :

Ive ownjed the Pfluegers Trion,president and the Medalist and for the money and the only spinning reel Iuse PFLUEGER PRESIDENT excellent reel, and they take a lickin and keep on kickin

dodgeguy reply :

my medalist has 2 full seasons on it and was underwater 1 time.it is smoother now then it was when i bought it.it looks worse due to some minor boat rash.i had 3 trion round reels all over 6 seasons on them that i just sold that were still in good shape.i sold them to buy some smaller low profile reels.

5bass reply :

I knew the ringleader of the Shimano Posse would check in at some point. ;D

Looks like I'm going with either Shimano or Okuma.

Alpster reply :

Quote
I knew the ringleader of the Shimano Posse would check in at some point. ;D

You jest do what the Marshal says there pardner an I rekon you won't git yurself into no trouble.

Deputy Ronnie

5bass reply :

I hear you man....actually I'll probably buy one of each brand and give them a workout and see what I come up with.

SneakySnook reply :

I use a Okuma expior now but before that I used a shimano symmetre.

ww2farmer reply :

Quote
You probably already know where I stand, so Daiwa & Pflueger guys, how 'bout some comments on how long you have been fishing your particular favorite and how it compares to the day it was new. The Stradic is dependable and in five years it will perform exactly as it does on day one.
If you like that "feel" you'll like the reel.

Ok..........One of my Pflueger presidants was bought new in march of 2004, I have used it heavily every time out in the 2004,05,and 06 seasons (late march to mid november). I cleaned and lubed it between the 05 and 06 seasons and it is still as smooth as new. My other presidant was bought new in april of this year and has seen much less use then my first one and is still like new. My 2 Daiwa's are also not that old, I bought a "like new" used Team Daiwa Advantage off of e-bay for $80 in july of 2005, was smooth as silk when I got it, had every intention of making it my "main" spininng reel, but I just can't seem to put the president down. My other Daiwa is a procyon, metal frame, 7BB+1 RB that I bought new from Dicks sporting goods in october of 05 on sale for $49........it was $79 full price. I have used this reel much more than either the advantage or my "newer" presidant, and found that it needed a little more maint. than the pfleuger to keep smooth as new. Both the Daiwa's are good reels that I got for a great price, but with the Pfluegers I feel.......at least in my case I am getting more bang for the $$. Yes the Pfluegers are heavier than the new top of the line Shimanos and Daiwa's, and no I would not pay more for one UNLESS they were lighter and had metal frames insted of graphite (which is an issue for some guys,but I have yet to have an issue with that) I feel that for $59 I have two smooth quality bass fishing spinning reels. I am not one to claim they are better than shimano or any thing, especialy since I do not own any shimanos to compare to. All I think is I have 2 pretty good reels that if I take care of, should last me a while, and they didn't cost me alot,which in some case's can be a rarity as high quality usually comes with a bigger price tag. So when some one comes here and ask's for an opinion on spinning reels, I just put my .02 in for the Presidants, they have treated me well so far. I tend to shy away from recomending the Daiwa's...........not because they are not good reels,but because I got the advantage super cheap, it's normaly a $140 reel, and I don't assume people automaticly have/need/want to spend that much on a reel (I know $140 is not much compaired to some of they higher end reels) and I don't think Daiwa makes the procyon anymore, and it was a Dicks exclusive reel made by daiwa so it was probably not distributed far beyond my region. I fish pretty regularly, 4-5 days per week from late march-november, 3-5 hours on weekdays 10+ hrs on weekends. So my gear gets a good deal of use. I expect the one Pflueger I use alot to last at least 5 years, and so far I think it will. The other should last me along time too as they do not get used as much. I already think that 3 seasons of heavy use on a $60 reel is a good sign of a quality product.

roadwarrior reply :

Thank you ww2farmer, that was a very informative reply. So, durability does not seem to be an issue and they are reasonably priced making both brands a good value. That all makes sense to me.

Vekol reply :

I recently was surfing E-Bay and saw a no-name reel that the seller was asking $15 for. I bought the thing. I was manufactured by an outfit named Ningbo. It's a nice looking reel, and I fished with it this weekend for an hour or two, and it is as good as any spinning reel I've ever used. It may not last a season, but when it breaks I'll throw it away and look for another just like it. For $15 I can buy two a year for many years before spending what one Shimano costs. If you open up a spinning reel and look at the guts you will find it is not a Swiss watch, or anything close. Building a quality spinning reel isn't rocket science, and there really aren't any deep secrets involved. There may be reasons to spend $50, $75, maybe even $100 for a spinning reel (I can't think of one though)--but anything over that is simply insane.

fish-fighting-illini reply :

I can hear the volcano's getting ready to erupt now LOL

Just kidding mainly

Vekol,

Nice post. You added a very down to earth perspective. Sure not everyone is going to agree but that is what forums are about. I don't think I could handle it if I owned a $400 or $500 Stella or ( whatever they are ) and it slipped out of my hands into the water. What if my buddy knocked it in? Things might be a little tense or get all out of whack. My Pflueger Medalist is a pretty nice reel with my Berkley lightning rod. Soon I'm going to get a mid price Shimano of some sort and try it and eventualy an $80 to $100 rod (maybe). My budget just doesn't allow for more for some time to come.

paparock reply :

I have fished my Shimanos for 5 years + and my Daiwa, and Quantum Energy PTi-As are new this season. Only time will tell over the long run how each holds up. Like my new Daiwa Certate " you pays your money and you takes your chances." As with most new designs some will fall by the wayside and some will become the new standard by which others are judged.

Turtle. reply :

[

I expect the one Pflueger I use alot to last at least 5 years, and so far I think it will. The other should last me along time too as they do not get used as much. I already think that 3 seasons of heavy use on a $60 reel is a good sign of a quality product.

archer292 reply :

I have used stradics on my lighter surf rods for the last five or six years and they still perform as new. Thats in the salt night in and night out. The durability of these reels should not be in question as long as they are cared for. I have the 2500 and 2500mgfa for freshwater and love them. If you want light weight go with the mgfa.

jascott reply :

I have just purchased a Pflueger President 6735 Spinning Reel. I was going to use it for drop shotting. Any recommendations for a rod to match. What about using this reel for crankbait fishing. I have usually used baitcasters for cranking but I have read about using a spinning reel. Anyone use this reel for cranking?

Archie

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Penn

Pflueger

Daiwa

Fin-nor

Shimano

Fish Man reply :

it doenst cost as much as u may want to spend or as some other reels metioned cost but my shimano sahara is a great reel for only 60 $ and has a wonderful drag

guest reply :

Just as an FYI I ended up with the steez. It's incredibly light, smooth, with precision tolerences and excellent line capacity for the weight. I am thrilled.

I had reel mech fix up my old 750 symetre. I gotta tell ya, very smooth. Very little vibration. At 80 bucks I think it may be the best value in the spinning reel market.

I wonder what that new pflueger will sell for?

Grey Wolf reply :

99.99 .

KU_Bassmaster. reply :

.... Shimano Scorpion : ;D

Alpster reply :

Shimano Stradic 4000 & 6000 (saltwater), Twin Power 2500 and Stella 1000FB.

Ronnie

justfishin reply :

You are getting sleepy......sleepy......sleepy, you want a Stradic....you need a Stradic....sorry dude, I am trying to hypnotize you into buying a Stradic and save you some time and money. ;D

56 crestliner reply :

I have a stradic and i really like it.

FishTank reply :

Shimano Sustain 2500 and 2 Quantum Energy Pti-20's.

guest reply :

Out of all the reels I have use over a period of time

Mitchell 300 used to be the best I owned as a kid now just aboslute trashH 300ex didnt last 2 seasons WHAT HAPPENED to this company

Pinnacle Heavy Metl Dead Bolt Beoke midway through the first season

Diawa I only used a regal for a year it worked fine but decided to try

Pflueger President this is the only spiining reel I own Drags are Great, smooth running and it takes a lickin and keeps on tickin

Bud reply :

Quote
recently was surfing E-Bay and saw a no-name reel that the seller was asking $15 for. I bought the thing. I was manufactured by an outfit named Ningbo. It's a nice looking reel, and I fished with it this weekend for an hour or two, and it is as good as any spinning reel I've ever used. It may not last a season, but when it breaks I'll throw it away and look for another just like it. For $15 I can buy two a year for many years before spending what one Shimano costs. If you open up a spinning reel and look at the guts you will find it is not a Swiss watch, or anything close. Building a quality spinning reel isn't rocket science, and there really aren't any deep secrets involved. There may be reasons to spend $50, $75, maybe even $100 for a spinning reel (I can't think of one though)--but anything over that is simply insane.

You throw your 15 dollor reel for a hour or two and then try it all day long with a good quality reel and you will see the difference. It might be insane to pay more than $100 for a quality reel but I personal think you get what you pay for.

Pond Hopper reply :

I am kind of int he same situation, trying to buy my girlfriend something that isnt terrible but I dont want to spend alot of money on a spinning reel because I am trying to get her to convert to baitcasters by telling her I will buy her whatever reel she wants. She has a decent quantum reel now but her rod is terrible. I sat there one day watching her get a bite (rod tip bouncing fishing a t-rig) and she couldnt feel it. I dont know whether to just buy her a rod or get a decent combo until I can get her to switch to a baitcaster(she really likes the yellow pixy). I thought about the new pflueger MG but dont know that I want to spend that money on something that wont get used much, because I fish spinning tackle .25% of the time. I thought maybe a St. Croix Premiere Rod with a Sahara Reel?

huskyjerk reply :

The only area of tackle purchasing where I have no hesitation with brand is with buying reels----Shimano makes great spinning reels and I have several that have performed flawlessly for several years. I used 4000's before I learned to use a baitcaster and they were great with heavier line. Now I use mostly 2500 Symetres with 6 and 8 lb. test and they are great.

T-rig reply :

Shimano Twin Power 2500, Daiwa Fuego, Daiwa Caldia Kix 2500.

MickD reply :

Lots of good opinions here, and remember, it is all opinion. There is no absolute answer.

I find Shimano Stradics to be quite good when new, but having worked on a few, find them a little cheap feeling and not quite up to their price.

My favorite reel right now, and I admit my opinion changes as I try other stuff, is the Daiwa/Cabelas Capricorn/ ?? series of reels. Silky smooth, good drags, great bail closing efforts, comes in a variety of sizes. Metal housings, never fails.

I think you get what you pay for, for the most part. But do we need a reel that will take a tarpon run of 150 yards if we are fishing for largemouth bass that can take at most about 10 yards? Don't get enamored with the $400 reels. You don't need them.

Better to buy a $100 reel instead of $400, and buy a $200 rod. Or build the rod yourself for $100.

With all technology, there is a diminishing return curve of performance vs cost. With reels, after about $100, you don't get much for your money, with rods, after about $150, same story. Don't get sucked in.

Vekol reply :

Quote

Quote
recently was surfing E-Bay and saw a no-name reel that the seller was asking $15 for. I bought the thing. I was manufactured by an outfit named Ningbo. It's a nice looking reel, and I fished with it this weekend for an hour or two, and it is as good as any spinning reel I've ever used. It may not last a season, but when it breaks I'll throw it away and look for another just like it. For $15 I can buy two a year for many years before spending what one Shimano costs. If you open up a spinning reel and look at the guts you will find it is not a Swiss watch, or anything close. Building a quality spinning reel isn't rocket science, and there really aren't any deep secrets involved. There may be reasons to spend $50, $75, maybe even $100 for a spinning reel (I can't think of one though)--but anything over that is simply insane.

You throw your 15 dollor reel for a hour or two and then try it all day long with a good quality reel and you will see the difference. It might be insane to pay more than $100 for a quality reel but I personal think you get what you pay for.

I look at it as a kind of an experiment. I'm definitely not recommending this particular reel at this time (at least at any price above $15). I've fished it on a couple of occasions since I bought it with satisfactory results. I will say that the drag is somewhat suspect, and the spare spool was made out of cheap plastic. I haven't bothered to even put line on it. Perhaps after this season is over I'll resuscitate this thread with a thorough review of the reel. Perhaps I've discovered a promising new manufacture of reasonably priced reels. Perhaps they are garbage that won't last a season. Time will tell.

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Spinning reels.....what kind do you use? 2024

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