Your favorite reels. Best bang for your buck.
Your favorite reels. Best bang for your buck.
Kast King, Sixgill, Piscifun,
2002 Pro Craft 200 Super Pro- 2005 200 Mercury Optimax, Retired
Empty Nester- Proud Grandfather 5-30-2014-Boy-Aiden, 8-2-2017-Boy-Calen
Daiwa Tatula CT
Any Shimano Curado
Best value would be the Lew's speed spool for 99.00. Best $100 reel on the market bar none. I prefer higher end reels, but they don't qualify "best bang for your buck." Stay away from Lasers, some do ok with them, but they are not made with the same quality as the rest of the Lews. They are made specifically for big box stores. You can keep them cheaper, but again, that doesn't qualify as the "best bang for your buck."
I’ll take all the old Shimano Greenies that are still breathing.
‘22 Ranger Z520R - Mercury 250 Pro XS
Humminbird/Minn Kota One Boat Network
Last edited by sewhite; 04-27-2021 at 08:10 PM.
I use Lews reels & they have worked great for me as far as durability & performance goes, but after trying a Shimano SX there's really no comparison in my opinion. Not knocking the Lews at all & I have a bunch of them too, but the Shimano is way smoother & outcasts the Lews by far & easier to throw light lures on. Just a better cheap option in my opinion. When ordering reels that's what i'll be ordering until something changes.
Shimano Tranx 400, used when Musky fishing.
2018 AlumaCraft Competitor 185cs, 2018 Yamaha F150XB w/2019 Yamaha T9.9 kicker w/Trollsmarter
Heritage Custom Trailer w/Torsion axle / Vault Hubs
Terrova 80# 24v I-Pilot, GARMIN 126sv
Towed by: 2018 Chevy Colorado V6 Crew Cab 4x4 Long bed or 2016 Winnebago 38Q
I like Shimano DC reels for casting and Daiwa reels for spinning.
I have Shimano's and Lew's even a couple of the Shimano Greenies that are still going strong.
Bill Perry
Zwolle, LA (Toledo Bend)
bpicinc_2000@yahoo.com
2001 ZX-250 VMAX 225. HDS-9 Carbon, HDS-7Carbon, 3D Sonar, HB 998c hd si, Active Target, MG Tour Pro 36v, 12" Slide Master
USN, USS Newport News CA-148
Have a dozen 13 Fishing orange mostly 7:3:1 and 2 are 8:1:1 ...the most used 6 had ceramic bearings installed after 2 years of wear...sweet...
any slow presentation baits I have 4 Lew's 5:1:1 about $139 each...no issues...
2018 Z19/200 Optimax 2 stroker 24x3 Fury Ultrex 112
Lowrance HDS 12/9 Lives with 3 in 1 ducers
I just bought a $100 Lews today at Cabelas. I’m thinking of ordering a couple ALX rods to put it on. Will be spending some time on Headwaters down in Florida. Hopefully I will catch some bigger fish to test it out. I usually have a pretty good trip down there so it’ll test that reel. I have a new KVD reel but it isn’t a lower price reel IMO.
Lew's
I BELIEVE!!!!
spinning:
over $100:
Daiwa Tatula LT
Shimano Stradic ci4+
under $100:
Okuma RTX
I think that best bang for your buck is relative. You get what you pay for in any price class. I don't think you can go wrong with the big 2 from Japan. Both now have superior reels in the $100-$125 range to what is available from other US based companies. Daiwa Tatula CT and SLX XT would be my top 2 choices for $130, and the SLX DC or Curado K would be my choice at $180.
This...pull em apart, clean em out, give them some oil and they never stop performing.
but if you want to get specific, its the curado. Every time i pick one up regardless of model I end up liking it better than anything else ive used. The only thing better then them is a bantam. I like the curado better than my tournament pro's, Tatulas, megabass' and other shimano reels.
06 Stratos 294 ProXL
Can’t beat the SLX