What’s the best spinning reel for under 250. I’m looking for longevity, cast ability, smoothness, and a decent drag. I’ll be jigging with it, drop shoting, and Mabey throwing smaller rapalas.
Thanks
February 14, 2013 at 11:56 am
#1280679
Best spinning reel
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February 14, 2013 at 12:12 pm #1141672
Shimano Stradic CI4. Guessing you will get this reply alot from anyone that owns them.
February 14, 2013 at 12:19 pm #1141674Quote:
Shimano Stradic CI4. Guessing you will get this reply alot from anyone that owns them.
X2!!! Absolutely sick reel!
February 14, 2013 at 12:35 pm #1141679It appears I’m in the minority here, but I had issues with CI4’s reeling a bit hard with fish on in two separate purchases…. Took them back n got the pfleuger patriarch. Best reel I’ve owned personally….and lighter per size
February 14, 2013 at 12:38 pm #1141680Not sure on the cost of the shimano, but for $250, I would personally purchase 5 of the Pflueger Presidents. For the money, they are the best I have found.
T
February 14, 2013 at 12:46 pm #1141687Quantum EXO plus they have a $30.00 rebate through March 31st!
February 14, 2013 at 12:49 pm #1141689Pflueger President or Arbor, both very good reels.
February 14, 2013 at 12:50 pm #1141690Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa
Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa
Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa, Daiwa
this will help make up for all the Shimano name you will see
I have owned some of them to – but NO moreI had a couple of Dawia’s that have lasted for years!!
and are still going and going and going
O and they did not cost me 250 bucks a piece either
I will add if you are looking for a light weight one – look at the US Reel – I believe it is the Supercaster 180 SX
I got one of these at Scheel’s on sale and have to say I really like it – 150 dollar reel for 50 bucks
have only had it for two years – so don’t know if it will hold up like the Daiwa’s
February 14, 2013 at 12:50 pm #1141691Quote:
Not sure on the cost of the shimano, but for $250, I would personally purchase 5 of the Pflueger Presidents. For the money, they are the best I have found.
T
that’s a very good point – I think they are a little heavy
but they are a very smooth reel
I sold mine to a friend and got a US Reel – Supercaster 180 SXFebruary 14, 2013 at 1:10 pm #1141710randy, have you used the Quantum Smoke reels yet? they look good and are light comparatively. Just wondering what they are like in the field.
February 14, 2013 at 1:32 pm #1141719Zebco 202 ,when it breaks throw it out
February 14, 2013 at 1:35 pm #1141721I took a good time playing with the Exo at the Fishing Show Joe…very light and smooth. I believe I will have a couple in my boat by the time I get down to Everts this March.
The reels mentioned are all excellent… I have fished the C-14 and Patriarch side by side up on Chequamegon Bay last fall…Patriarch performed a tad better IMHO… I have fished Pfleugers for several years but the US Reel 180XS is now on two of my Walleye finesse rods…they are great little hardline reels and vastly improved from a couple years ago.
Dont overlook the Quantum Smoke in the $180 price range…I see several Pro anglers throwing them…haven’t personally yet.
Marty Hahn has a STEAL on some Shimano Symetres in the classifieds (if any are left)February 14, 2013 at 1:36 pm #1141722Quote:
randy, have you used the Quantum Smoke reels yet? they look good and are light comparatively. Just wondering what they are like in the field.
I have 2 spinning and 2 casting smokes that I ran last year. All 4 have been flawless. However, they didn’t really see much playing time. I used one of the casting reels down at lake MI and pounded a bunch of browns. The spinning reels were used a couple times pitching blades at wing dams and for lake perch. My primary reels are Tour Editions and EXO’s. Given that I been using them, the smokes were generally at home or in the rod locker for no particular reason.February 14, 2013 at 1:39 pm #1141725What do you get in the $250 class that you can not get in the $75 class? A pflueger supreme is about all anyone would ever need for a spinning reel. Don’t see the point in a $250 spinning reel. Baitcast reel yeah, but not spinning.
February 14, 2013 at 1:39 pm #1141726Tom – What dates you gonna be at Everts in March? I bet i will be there at some point in each week starting 3rd week of march – 2 week of april. Might have to exchange notes on those quantum reels.
February 14, 2013 at 1:48 pm #1141732BBK – i agrees the Supreme XT is my favorite reel in $130 range – hard to beat (need to try the Quantum Smoke). But if I had $200 to spend on a reel I would need to use the EXO first before turning down the CI4 – sweetest reel I have used. IMO
February 14, 2013 at 1:55 pm #1141734Quote:
What do you get in the $250 class that you can not get in the $75 class? A pflueger supreme is about all anyone would ever need for a spinning reel. Don’t see the point in a $250 spinning reel. Baitcast reel yeah, but not spinning.
You get a higher grade of bearings tighter tolerances and better build quality. I’ve owned and used 1 president and one arbor both of those reels didn’t compair to a 50$ Sedona.
February 14, 2013 at 1:58 pm #1141735Quote:
What do you get in the $250 class that you can not get in the $75 class? A pflueger supreme is about all anyone would ever need for a spinning reel. Don’t see the point in a $250 spinning reel. Baitcast reel yeah, but not spinning.
A lot more quality parts! Is there value in it for the guy who wouldn’t need it – NO. Is there value in it for someone like me – YES! Everyone has a different level of expectations of how a piece of equipment functions. A person that flips a jig out and verticle jigs all day doesn’t need the quality level of bearings as a guy who is tossing cranks all day – That is why we have probably the largest range of high to low end reels that have ever been put on the market.
Regardless of manufacture, when you get in the top tear of equipment, they are all very good. Its subtle things that will set them apart – feel, weight, bearing ratings (not # of bearing – but quality of bearings)bail wires, and over-all mechanics.February 14, 2013 at 2:06 pm #1141738Quote:
Quote:
Shimano Stradic CI4. Guessing you will get this reply alot from anyone that owns them.
X2!!! Absolutely sick reel!
X3…I picked one up last season for my rigging rod and it is sweet!
February 14, 2013 at 2:22 pm #1141745Quote:
Quote:
What do you get in the $250 class that you can not get in the $75 class? A pflueger supreme is about all anyone would ever need for a spinning reel. Don’t see the point in a $250 spinning reel. Baitcast reel yeah, but not spinning.
A lot more quality parts! Is there value in it for the guy who wouldn’t need it – NO. Is there value in it for someone like me – YES! Everyone has a different level of expectations of how a piece of equipment functions. A person that flips a jig out and verticle jigs all day doesn’t need the quality level of bearings as a guy who is tossing cranks all day – That is why we have probably the largest range of high to low end reels that have ever been put on the market.
Regardless of manufacture, when you get in the top tear of equipment, they are all very good. Its subtle things that will set them apart – feel, weight, bearing ratings (not # of bearing – but quality of bearings)bail wires, and over-all mechanics.
I guess that explains it. I’ve been using okuma reels lately, in the $50 class. They are about as smooth as you can get and I have yet to break a part. Half the time I reel and don’t even notice it because it so smooth. I’ve even set the hook before because the line was moving, not realizing I was reeling.
I’ve held those expensive reels you guys mention, the $150+ class. To me, I didnt feel any difference between them and the super smooth okumas. I guess if they have top quality parts then they would probably last a lot longer, but I have yet to break one of these okumas and I have put them through some tough work fishing them nearly every day spring-fall.
I don’t know, expensive baitcasters have a place in my hands… but not spinning reels.
Functionally there is not much difference between that $75 and $250 class, at least not enough to make me any more tired or make me miss any fish. Longevity wise, the $250 class reel has to last 3 times longer than the $75 reel. So if you get 5 years out of the $75 reel you will get 15 out of the $250. I’d be willing to bet after 6-7 you will be buying new reels anyways. Longevity is not what I look for in reels, always something new coming out that we spend our money on.
February 14, 2013 at 3:31 pm #1141775Shimano Stradic
February 14, 2013 at 4:13 pm #1141792patriarch i picked one up for my riggin/jiggin rod and love it! broke it in on gull last fall chasing fatties, best reel I have ever owned.
February 14, 2013 at 5:07 pm #1141815X 2 on the Pflueger Patriot best reel I have ever owned.
February 14, 2013 at 5:24 pm #1141827I personally prefer to sink more money into a quality rod when possible than sink that kind of money into a reel. I have two Pflueger Presidents 6730’s that perform flawlessly. I have one on a G-Loomis ILX rod that’s a real sweet set up.
I bought a new Shimano Sahara 2500 last year that I paired with a St Croix Avid. That Sahara cost $49.99 on sale at Cabela’s and is soooo smooth…both the retrieve and the drag…that I wonder how much better a $250 reel can be? Time will tell how durable it is but it got quite a workout on some big pike and a few sturgeon while fishing the river on several trips last year.
RobbinsdaleFebruary 14, 2013 at 5:42 pm #1141839A Fishing Parable
I was given my first jar of homemade jam this last summer, and first glance and first taste didn’t really seem special at all, but it was good and so I continued to throw on my English muffins and toast for the next few months. Then one day I ran out. No big deal again. Went and got my store jam than always worked my whole life and made with less quality ingredients to put on my muffins the next morning and Blah! Absolutely disgusting. I refuse to put anything on my breakfast muffins now other than the good stuff. It took awhile to acquire the taste, but the quality speaks for itself after you don’t have it anymore. Never owned an expensive reel myself but imagine this is similar to those guys who do.
February 14, 2013 at 5:55 pm #1141847Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Shimano Stradic CI4. Guessing you will get this reply alot from anyone that owns them.
X2!!! Absolutely sick reel!
X3…I picked one up last season for my rigging rod and it is sweet!
X4
February 14, 2013 at 6:37 pm #1141865Shimano stradic ci4
February 14, 2013 at 6:44 pm #1141868Ci4
February 14, 2013 at 8:43 pm #1141920Quote:
Tom – What dates you gonna be at Everts in March? I bet i will be there at some point in each week starting 3rd week of march – 2 week of april. Might have to exchange notes on those quantum reels.
The week before and after Easter Joe…I’ll be home Good Friday thru Easter then back for a week…I’m sure to have a Patriarch and a couple Quantums in the boat…not sure whether I’ll get time tested Energy PTi or the Smoke. I would consider an EXO if I hadn’t already blown my budget on the Patriarchs…
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