Best spinning reel for around $100

3 Shimano Sahara 2500 –
3 Presidents
I was given a Fuego for Christmas year before last summer – nice reel but spendy. My Saharas perform every bit as good and are tight, feel “solid” spin flawlessly. I LOVE them!
I would not hesitate to buy another $100 all the time I think ( I don’t like the new ones with the round drag knob on back though)
I fish about 70-80 times per year rain or shine – clean and basic maintenance each winter. Like Gimruis, I like to buy decent stuff and maintain it instead of buying new things every year.

I bought two 1000 series Shimano Nasci reels a couple years ago and while they seem like decent reels they are clunky when fished side by side with a Shimano Sahara 1000 series. The Nasci’s are slower too. If Saharas are still available when I need a new reel that series will get the nod. I’d look in the Diawa line-up too. I have a couple Presidents and an Okuma and none impress me much. I wish Shimano would get their heads out of their nether regions and bring back the Symetrys.

I just got two new Sahara 3000fj reels. They are the newest version of the Sahara, and I’m impressed with how much quality the reels pack for the punch. Seems like a lot Shimano’s technology has finally made it to the Sahara. I found them online for $50 a piece, but they are normally $89. I think they’re worth the full msrp, and would recommend checking them out. Otherwise, I got some pfluegers and I think they’re good, but Shimano does make a mean reel.

I used to run a lot of presidents but have now started running diawas. Within my family we have a few in the $50-$100 range and they have all been good even with the abuse the kids give them. I do have one Scheels outfitter reel made by diawa. I believe it was about $60 at the time I got it and I would say it’s as smooth or better than my static and vanford reels.

Stanley wrote:

I do have one Scheels outfitter reel made by diawa. I believe it was about $60 at the time I got it and I would say it’s as smooth or better than my static and vanford reels.

I have a 1000 series Scheels branded reel made by Diawa, maybe in the $100 range, and I love it. Smooth even when cold and the drag is super smooth.

My new generations Saharas are terrible reels. The 12 year old ones are still great but my new ones suck. I won’t fall for that again. And I have been die heard Shimano all my life until the last 3 or 4 years

I’ve been slowly switching to Daiwa Legalis and Fuegos. They seem to remind me of the perceived quality of the Shimanos from 10 or so years ago and/or the Presidents from 5-6+ years ago.

acarroline wrote:

Daiwa regal ($40-50), Legalis ($60-80), Fuego ($70-99). All great options IMO.

I would not pay the extra money for the Fuego. I purchased both a Legalis and a Fuego at the same time. Personally I feel like the Legalis is the better of the 2 reels. $ for $ I feel like the Legalis is the best reel on the market today. I use to fish a lot of Pflueger Presidents, The last few I purchased did not hold up well at all. I don’t know what they changed in them, but something must have. To me the Legalis is a better reel than the president by a long ways these days.

The Scheels branded diawas might be worth checking out also

Shimano here… as mentioned the Nasci (which replaced the Symetre) falls short of it. But I have several Symetre’s and they never failed me yet !

big_g wrote:

Shimano here… as mentioned the Nasci (which replaced the Symetry) falls short of it. But I have several Symetry’s and they never failed me yet !

Excellent reel. They don’t do the best in the salt. I baby mine and you can tell they are slowly dying by inches. I managed to score a few 500 Symetre for ice fishing up there in MN. Love them things.

Shimano guy for many, many years. First couple Daiwas I tried were Cabelas made by Daiwa. Nice reels. Since I’ve bought a Tatula, Kage and Legalis. All very nice. Also a President in the mix but I like the Legalis better. May get another Lagalis or try one of the Scheel’s reels made by Daiwa. These are all spinning reels.