good cheap bait casting reals 2024
fznfishing2018 reply :
dose anyone know of good cheap bait casting reals for jigs.
shovelmouth83 reply :
i would go with lews. or diawa. they have machined parts but if you go lower than 40or 60 bucks your get plastic gears and bad spools.
CroakHunter reply :
Giant thread pinned to the top of the rods and reels forum.
shovelmouth83 reply :
even if you get the shakspeare alpha it is a got reel for a beginner but the line leveler grear is plastic and will go after about 6 to 7 times out.
fznfishing2018 reply :
whats good for someone who fishish everday
Glaucus reply :
Doesn't get much better than Abu Garcia Silver or Black Max for 50 bucks or less. I'd go Silver for 50, Black for 40.
Happybeerbuzz reply :
Kastking + eBay discount code would fit those criteria.
the reel ess reply :
This is about as cheap as I'd go on a BC reel.
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h2o-xpress™-mettle-mt2-baitcast-reel-right-handed#repChildCatid=903506
I really wouldn't feel comfy with a $60 reel, so I went here instead. And I have some $130 Lew's reels. They're a bargain at that price.
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h2o-xpress-tac-40-baitcast-reel#repChildCatid=3918504
I know $100 ain't peanuts, but if you get the el cheapo and have to replace it next season, you'll probably spend more. Spend a little more now, less later. Avoid the graphite or composite frames (I know some will argue-they're wrong, LOL) and plastic gears. You'll end up with a lighter, better performing reel for years to come. A cheap reel won't break on a 2 pounder. It'' break on a possible PB.
Drew03cmc reply :
Kastking Spartacus, $40 on ebay. Several of us on here use and abuse these reels. I've never been left high and dry. They're better than any Abu Max product, especially for the price.
Maggiesmaster reply :
I got a BassPro Pro Qualifier at their sale last winter for $50. My best Lews cost almost $300. It casts much better than the Pro Qualifier, but 6 times better????
Glaucus reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 5:35 AM, Drew03cmc said:Kastking Spartacus, $40 on ebay. Several of us on here use and abuse these reels. I've never been left high and dry. They're better than any Abu Max product, especially for the price.
Never used a KK reel. What I can say is, 7 year old Silver Max's have zero problems. Of course as fishermen we prepare for a day of DDs, PBs, and the worst cover of our lives, but then reality sets in and you're like oh this price and gear was unnecessary.
CrankFate reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 3:13 AM, fznfishing2018 said:dose anyone know of good cheap bait casting reals for jigs.
Ali express sells plastic Chinese reels that are amazingly good for $15-20. It gets embarrassing when they work almost as good as $200-$500 reels. The drag washers are questionable and the claims of 9, 10 or 20 ball bearings are flat out lies. Some have zero. Corrosion resistance is a roll of the dice. But in freshwater, they actually work great. I buy them just for the hell of it. Sucks when I land a 15+ lb fish no worse than I can on a $450 reel with them.
Drew03cmc reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 6:22 AM, CrankFate said:Ali express sells plastic Chinese reels that are amazingly good for $15-20. It gets embarrassing when they work almost as good as $200-$500 reels. The drag washers are questionable and the claims of 9, 10 or 20 ball bearings are flat out lies. Some have zero. Corrosion resistance is a roll of the dice. But in freshwater, they actually work great. I buy them just for the hell of it. Sucks when I land a 15+ lb fish no worse than I can on a $450 reel with them.
They aren't lying about the quantity of bearings. The quality is lacking, but the quantity is correct. When there's 3 per knob...that's a quick six...
CrankFate reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 6:35 AM, Drew03cmc said:They aren't lying about the quantity of bearings. The quality is lacking, but the quantity is correct. When there's 3 per knob...that's a quick six...
Nah they are 100% lying. I got some that have brass bushings or plastic bushings where the schematics say ball bearing. I don’t think I ever got one with an accurate bearing count. If You’re lucky you get 2 spool bearings.
LionHeart reply :
If you fish every day buy a decent reel. Not trying to be smug, but you should shoot for a Diawa Tatula or Lews Tournament MB. Those are $ 100 reels and a good place to start.
Glaucus reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 6:22 AM, CrankFate said:Ali express sells plastic Chinese reels that are amazingly good for $15-20. It gets embarrassing when they work almost as good as $200-$500 reels. The drag washers are questionable and the claims of 9, 10 or 20 ball bearings are flat out lies. Some have zero. Corrosion resistance is a roll of the dice. But in freshwater, they actually work great. I buy them just for the hell of it. Sucks when I land a 15+ lb fish no worse than I can on a $450 reel with them.
I have a buddy who landed an 8 pounder in heavy weeds using a friggin Zebco and some light line. Also uses it for 10+ pound channel cats. No problems. Kind if crazy how far the industry and gear is coming. Not saying we should all use a Zebco because I only have 1 and use it very, very rarely, but it's 2018 and indeed expensive reels are not proving to be much different than cheaper counterparts.
scaleface reply :
I've been thinking about buying a Balck Max combo myself . The rod feels decent and I hear good things about the reel . Only 70 dollars .
Mbirdsley reply :
I use a black maxx combo that I bought form Walmart. I am actually impressed with the black maxx rod that came with combo. I think I paid 69.99 for the black maxx rod and reel combo. The reels by themselves can be had for 39.99 at Walmart. So far with 2 months into it ( I fish 1-2 a week) the only thing bad I have to say about the reel is that on the bigger cranks( KVD size 5 or 6) with big lips it will bog down/ bind a bit on the retrieve. I have had it apart and the gears are all metal . I have not personally used the silver maxx. I am thinking of getting the pro maxx for a worm/tube rod
Robert Riley reply :
You can definitely find a nice set up if you cruise around for sales and what not. But I would recommend nothing less than the Lew's CarbonFire from DSG/F&S, it's usually on some form of sale (best I've seen is buy reel, get rod). Another option is the Abu Vengence combo, it's a decent combo, but it's a nice stout medium heavy rod, perfect for jigs and plastics.
BaitFinesse reply :
Daiwa Fuego CT off ebay or amazon.
NHBull reply :
It's always easy to spend someone else's money, but you can tell the coast of anything until the accounting period is over. Many times, spending an extra 30-40 dollars can get you a reel that last an extra year or two and may still have some resale value. I would look for a solid used one. Watch this site, as many get posted. I have also seen ci4's for 100.00
Bermise reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 6:22 AM, CrankFate said:Ali express sells plastic Chinese reels that are amazingly good for $15-20. It gets embarrassing when they work almost as good as $200-$500 reels. The drag washers are questionable and the claims of 9, 10 or 20 ball bearings are flat out lies. Some have zero. Corrosion resistance is a roll of the dice. But in freshwater, they actually work great. I buy them just for the hell of it. Sucks when I land a 15+ lb fish no worse than I can on a $450 reel with them.
I had a buddy brave enough to purchase 2 reels from Ali baba. One arrived doa and the other broke the 2nd fishing trip. They are far from “great” reels.
CrankFate reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 7:09 AM, LionHeart said:If you fish every day buy a decent reel. Not trying to be smug, but you should shoot for a Diawa Tatula or Lews Tournament MB. Those are $ 100 reels and a good place to start.
This is the best answer. There are a lot of good $80-$100 reels.
On 7/14/2018 at 7:26 AM, Glaucus said:I have a buddy who landed an 8 pounder in heavy weeds using a friggin Zebco and some light line. Also uses it for 10+ pound channel cats. No problems. Kind if crazy how far the industry and gear is coming. Not saying we should all use a Zebco because I only have 1 and use it very, very rarely, but it's 2018 and indeed expensive reels are not proving to be much different than cheaper counterparts.
I am not surprised. I got a few of those big carp that are in most lakes on crap rods and reels that I had sitting there while fishing another rod.
Jaderose reply :
My answer to this used to be simple. The last gen Pro Qualifiers were built like tanks (I have 4) and could be had for peanuts when they went on sale...which was often. I don't know about the PQ2 and it's ALWAYS $100. Seems like everyone else has caught up with the PQ in terms of offering a good quality $100 reel.
FishTank reply :
The BPS Pro Qualifier gets my vote. I have not fished one personally but one of my friends from work has sworn by them for years. He fishes a lot of tournaments (successfully) and by the end of the year his reals may be held together with duct and a little glue but the reels still work. Then at the beginning of the following year, he trades/pitches them and buys all new. It sounds goofy but he doesn't service them and he abuses them. Also, this way he doesn't have to worry about destroying an expensive reel and he has equipment that he can depend on each year with out braking the bank.
DogBone_384 reply :
If you’re going to use it a lot, handle as many brands as you can. All manufacturers at the $99 price point have good, reliable offerings. I started with a Pro Qualifier and could probably still use it daily but the MONKEY coerced me into upgrading when good sales came along.....
I own Shimano, Diawa, Abu, and *** reels. Diawa and *** are my favorite.
Pick a reel that feels good in your hands.
fznfishing2018 reply :
already tried kastking they suck
Maggiesmaster reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 11:52 PM, Jaderose said:My answer to this used to be simple. The last gen Pro Qualifiers were built like tanks (I have 4) and could be had for peanuts when they went on sale...which was often. I don't know about the PQ2 and it's ALWAYS $100. Seems like everyone else has caught up with the PQ in terms of offering a good quality $100 reel.
Drew03cmc reply :
On 7/15/2018 at 4:50 AM, fznfishing2018 said:already tried kastking they suck
You are in the minority here with that opinion. Which model did you try? What didn't you like?
Buffdaddy54 reply :
Got a Tatula CT and a Fuego CT off EBay with a discount code and both were under 80 bucks.LOVE BOTH OF THEM!
LadiMopar reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 7:09 AM, LionHeart said:If you fish every day buy a decent reel. Not trying to be smug, but you should shoot for a Diawa Tatula or Lews Tournament MB. Those are $ 100 reels and a good place to start.
I will second the Daiwa Tatula, I have two of them and they are solid reels for your money. If that $100 + price is not in your budget take a look at Cabelas bargain cave (online or in store if you are close to one) All the reels they offer there are either discontinued models, or floor demos. All come with full warranty, but remember that they can not be returned, so inspect them carefully. I've purchased several reels this way and have had no problems with them.
Also, if you are interested in Daiwa reels, but the budget is a little less than that $100 most of Cabelas reels are made by Daiwa. Their version of the Tatula is called the Arachnid (T wing) and is just as good as the Tatula for quite a bit less.
Best of luck in your search.
greentrout reply :
KastKing Royale 39.98 Amazon...best seller...highly rated...don't buy into the hogwash you have to have a Daiwa Tatula in your hands to catch and enjoy bass fishing...
good fishing...
Jaderose reply :
On 7/15/2018 at 3:14 AM, FishTank said:The BPS Pro Qualifier gets my vote. I have not fished one personally but one of my friends from work has sworn by them for years. He fishes a lot of tournaments (successfully) and by the end of the year his reals may be held together with duct and a little glue but the reels still work. Then at the beginning of the following year, he trades/pitches them and buys all new. It sounds goofy but he doesn't service them and he abuses them. Also, this way he doesn't have to worry about destroying an expensive reel and he has equipment that he can depend on each year with out braking the bank.
No offense, but your friend sounds like a lazy moron. I have 10 year old PQ's that look like hell and have abused mightily that work better than when I got them because of some pretty simple maintenance that I do in season and then a deep teardown, clean and lube in the winter. Not hard..takes an hour.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 7/15/2018 at 4:50 AM, fznfishing2018 said:already tried kastking they suck
Which models did you try? What issues did you have with them?
I own several of them, several different models, and they've been truly impressive. I've had an issue with 1 of them, but the CS took great care of me so really no complaints there. I fish them right alongside my higher end reels and they function like I expect them to and do everything I need them to. I have another one plus my first KK rod in route to the house right now in fact.
Speed Demon in the jungle got this one out.
Spartacus Plus landed this toad
Sharky II catching footballs
FishTank reply :
On 7/15/2018 at 1:03 PM, Jaderose said:No offense, but your friend sounds like a lazy moron. I have 10 year old PQ's that look like hell and have abused mightily that work better than when I got them because of some pretty simple maintenance that I do in season and then a deep teardown, clean and lube in the winter. Not hard..takes an hour.
He would get five reels and five rods every year. It sounds crazy but he was fishing 3+ days a week 6-10 hours a day starting in March ending in October. He was sort of retired and only worked 2 days a week. By October the knobs on his reels would be destroyed, some had bent handles, some of the spool bearing would be bad, most of them had bad drags, some the breaks would not work, and they would all be with out paint.
He used to buy the BPS Tourney Special rods and reels but he stepped up to the Pro Qualifiers in hopes he could get them to last longer. He has fished with more expensive reels (Daiwa and Shimano) and still has the same result. He is just the hardest person I have ever seen on gear.
He also uses Trielene Big Game as his main line. He goes through (4) 1500 yard spools a year and countless zoom lizards in black with blue flake and green pumpkin.
He just liked the fact that he could trade/donate his old beat up gear at BPS and get a deal on new gear plus it went to a good cause.
Jaderose reply :
On 7/15/2018 at 10:08 PM, FishTank said:
He would get five reels and five rods every year. It sounds crazy but he was fishing 3+ days a week 6-10 hours a day starting in March ending in October. He was sort of retired and only worked 2 days a week. By October the knobs on his reels would be destroyed, some had bent handles, some of the spool bearing would be bad, most of them had bad drags, some the breaks would not work, and they would all be with out paint.
He used to buy the BPS Tourney Special rods and reels but he stepped up to the Pro Qualifiers in hopes he could get them to last longer. He has fished with more expensive reels (Daiwa and Shimano) and still has the same result. He is just the hardest person I have ever seen on gear.
He also uses Trielene Big Game as his main line. He goes through (4) 1500 yard spools a year and countless zoom lizards in black with blue flake and green pumpkin.
He just liked the fact that he could trade/donate his old beat up gear at BPS and get a deal on new gear plus it went to a good cause.
What the hell does he do to destroy 5 setups and go through 6000 yards of Big Game? That is almost impossible. In INDIANA? I stand by my first statement...lol
Jaderose reply :
BTW...in case you were wondering....that is 3.5 MILES of line. I sure as hell hope he ain't leaving that or even 1/4 of that in a lake
Bluebasser86 reply :
OP has already stated he isn't interested in KastKing. No reason to go on suggesting them as it's just going to turn the post into a big argument of who is for or against them.
NYWayfarer reply :
On 7/14/2018 at 7:09 AM, LionHeart said:If you fish every day buy a decent reel. Not trying to be smug, but you should shoot for a Diawa Tatula or Lews Tournament MB. Those are $ 100 reels and a good place to start.
I agree. A cheap reel for every day fishing is going to end up costing you more when you have to replace it.
The Lew's Tournament MB is a great reel and you can get a brand new one for $100 on Ebay.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Again, OP has stated he has no interest in KastKing, his choice and that's fine. We're not debating it further here. Post were removed. If you don't have a suggestion of a reel for the OP other than KK, move along.
Boomstick reply :
The Tatula CT should be a solid choice for someone who fishes daily, in fact if you fish daily I honestly think that makes it worth the extra money.
new2BC4bass reply :
On 7/16/2018 at 4:33 PM, Bluebasser86 said:OP has already stated he isn't interested in KastKing. No reason to go on suggesting them as it's just going to turn the post into a big argument of who is for or against them.
It would seem some people don't pay attention. 
OP. What do you consider cheap? Some people think $250 is cheap for a reel. For me that is expensive. The Mettle sold by Academy Sports is said to be a good reel. About $60 regular price. PQ on sale is an excellent buy. The Fuego CT is another very good choice.
Upping the anti a little...besides the Tatulas and Tournament MB mentioned (they are both excellent reels)...consider looking at a Pflueger Supreme XT. A $150 reel that a quick search turned up for as low as $118. Very under-rated by many.
To be honest, I like to look at the used markets. Many times you can get a reel in very good condition for 50% of what it cost new. Sometimes even better deals can be found. A few months ago I got a $250 reel for $65....and it is in very good condition. It is a previous generation model, but I already owned 2 so I knew how great a deal I was getting.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
On 7/15/2018 at 4:50 AM, fznfishing2018 said:already tried kastking they suck
Nothing about kastking sucks. Especially for the price. They are workhorses!
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