Need help choosing a baitcaster

fla bass master · April 15, 2009, 04:36:20 PM

Daiwa reels by far have the most advanced breaking system but arent as easy to cast as some.. most Daiwa users are faithful to Daiwa and stay that way because they are hands down the best reels. Ive used a friends Abu Revo STX before and it was a very easy reel to cast but I also have 15 years exp using BC reels so I can cast anything with ease even a poorly adjusted reel with the breaks turned off lol. Ide say a reel that will stay with you for years to come and last a very long time and is VERY high performance would be a daiwa Zillion as I have explained them before is like this... built like a take but preforms like a LAMBO.. if you want a reel that handles very light baits with ease and still fishes baits up to about 3/4's an once good get a Daiwa SOL it will cast (givin the right rod) baits from less then 1/16 to 3/4 a oz with ease.. if you wont be throwing nothing less then 1/8oz on the reel get a Zillion it will handle baits (again givin the right rod) from 1/8 to 2oz and anything 1/4oz or more with ease the lighter stuff the Zillion will be a handful for a newbi.. plus you will see nothing feels as good in the hand as a Zillion its by far the most comfortable frame of any reel ive ever fished and ive fished most.

6lbsonthesurface · April 26, 2009, 09:22:44 PM

id get any revo with a shimano rod. Dont listen to anyone who suggest any other reels

goodrat79 · April 27, 2009, 02:20:39 AM

Quote from: fla bass master on April 15, 2009, 04:36:20 PM
Daiwa reels by far have the most advanced breaking system but arent as easy to cast as some.. most Daiwa users are faithful to Daiwa and stay that way because they are hands down the best reels. Ive used a friends Abu Revo STX before and it was a very easy reel to cast but I also have 15 years exp using BC reels so I can cast anything with ease even a poorly adjusted reel with the breaks turned off lol. Ide say a reel that will stay with you for years to come and last a very long time and is VERY high performance would be a daiwa Zillion as I have explained them before is like this... built like a take but preforms like a LAMBO.. if you want a reel that handles very light baits with ease and still fishes baits up to about 3/4's an once good get a Daiwa SOL it will cast (givin the right rod) baits from less then 1/16 to 3/4 a oz with ease.. if you wont be throwing nothing less then 1/8oz on the reel get a Zillion it will handle baits (again givin the right rod) from 1/8 to 2oz and anything 1/4oz or more with ease the lighter stuff the Zillion will be a handful for a newbi.. plus you will see nothing feels as good in the hand as a Zillion its by far the most comfortable frame of any reel ive ever fished and ive fished most.

Perfect advice. sorry I was having a bad day when i wrote. I dont even remember writing that. but none the less that is some good advice. although I will ardently disagree with daiwa being the best reels. I mean come on. theres just no way. but it's cool. lol. what ever works for you. I think he should just go with any reliable name brand and go to a store where he can feel them and see what feels good to him and her, for sure.

mlakrid · April 27, 2009, 01:14:12 PM

Goodrat,

I got to disagree with the castability of the Revos or shimanos for that matter...

I think it is a personal thing... if you can cast a reel without the brakes on, you will see very little difference from one reel to the next so long as you know how to thumb the spool properly... AND provided you do the maintenance required...

I have many Revos the only ones I dont have are the STX, Skeet Reese, and Toro...

I have several S's - my work horses
Three SX's
1 Premier - my personal favorite...

However, with all reels they all have their pluses and munuses...

To me the SX is the smoothest for the $$$... I have 2 SX-HS and one regular SX...

The premium is the easiest to use for pitching and flipping all day (because of the weight I think) and I have the brakes turned basically off...

Just my $.02...

Mike A!

Joshawa · April 27, 2009, 02:59:25 PM

Quote from: mlakrid on April 27, 2009, 01:14:12 PM
Goodrat,

I got to disagree with the castability of the Revos or shimanos for that matter...

I think it is a personal thing... if you can cast a reel without the brakes on, you will see very little difference from one reel to the next so long as you know how to thumb the spool properly... AND provided you do the maintenance required...

Great Advice. Most top end reels are going to perform. Just do yourself a favor and don't skimp out and get something because its cheap. Get a feel for the different reels before making your decision, its all about personal feel.

Dug · April 27, 2009, 03:03:11 PM

Quote from: MChapman on February 25, 2009, 09:45:53 AM
Im pulling the trigger on a couple Curados today. Ebay looks like the best place to buy them price-wise so far.

Thanks again for the replies guys!

MChapman, did you get curados?? What do you think? Did you get the new E5 or E7 or did you go for some older model?

Dug

-Steve- · April 27, 2009, 03:50:36 PM

OK, the original question was a good reel/rod combo at any price. Forgive me if I overstep the boundaries here but all my baitcasters say Pflueger on them. I have 2 Patriarch's 1 in 7.1:1 & 1 in 6.4:1 $200 for one in a store and &127.50 for the other on e-bay. 1 Summit in 7.1:1 and wish I could find 1 in 6.4:1, paid $180 in store and by far my favorite reel. Just ordered a Trion from cabella's in 5.2:1 for $100 for cranking. All these have wide spool as I'm graced with extra large hands and can't get my thumb in a standard spool comforably. Have them paired with Falcon low-riders and BPS rods I paid from $40-120 for. Like what was said in posts before, your the one fishing with it so go with what you like. I have a nephew that gets most of his reels off e-bay dirt cheap and out fishes me on a regular basis. It's kinda like boats, paying big bucks won't make you a better angler, practice and knowledge will. I have backlashed the better part of a spool on more than one occasion and I would bet a case of Lucky Craft Jerk Baits that KVD has too and still does a little back-lashing on a bad day...Steve

In ending...Get what YOU want and we all appreciate your asking our advise...

mlakrid · April 29, 2009, 07:03:02 AM

Quote from: -Steve- on April 27, 2009, 03:50:36 PM
OK, the original question was a good reel/rod combo at any price. Forgive me if I overstep the boundaries here but all my baitcasters say Pflueger on them. I have 2 Patriarch's 1 in 7.1:1 & 1 in 6.4:1 $200 for one in a store and &127.50 for the other on e-bay. 1 Summit in 7.1:1 and wish I could find 1 in 6.4:1, paid $180 in store and by far my favorite reel. Just ordered a Trion from cabella's in 5.2:1 for $100 for cranking. All these have wide spool as I'm graced with extra large hands and can't get my thumb in a standard spool comforably. Have them paired with Falcon low-riders and BPS rods I paid from $40-120 for. Like what was said in posts before, your the one fishing with it so go with what you like. I have a nephew that gets most of his reels off e-bay dirt cheap and out fishes me on a regular basis. It's kinda like boats, paying big bucks won't make you a better angler, practice and knowledge will. I have backlashed the better part of a spool on more than one occasion and I would bet a case of Lucky Craft Jerk Baits that KVD has too and still does a little back-lashing on a bad day...Steve

In ending...Get what YOU want and we all appreciate your asking our advise...

All decent points Steve but thats not quite, what he asked for...

Quote from: MChapman on February 24, 2009, 01:24:41 PM
My girlfriend and I are both looking to try baitcasters this year. Infact, thats what she wants for her birthday is a new rod/reel combo:) We both currently use spincast type reels and know little to nothing about what to look for in a baitcaster. We went to Gander Mountain lastnight to do some looking and they have them from 59.99 on up to 300 or better. Before I spend that kind of money I told her that we need to do some research first. I figured what better place to get some pointers that here. I dont want something that Im gonna "out grow" after a few months, as I would rather spend more money to buy the best ones for us the first time. Any advice on what kind/size/brand line to use would be great too. Like I said, neither of us know much about this. Thanks in advance,
Matt

If you will note I bolded what he said in his first line: "My girlfriend and I are both looking to try baitcasters this year." the second line is the only place he mentioned a rod/reel combo as a gift for his girlfriend... Then in the next bolded section, he asks what to look for... and in the last portion he is asking for line reccomendations... as well as saying he saw where they went up to 300 or better...

My point is this: if he knew what he wanted, he would buy it...

I think hes just trying to get our experiences with what brand and models we have had good luck with so that he will most likely have a decent experience... and hopefully at a decent price...

Just My $.02

Cheers!

Mike A!

goodrat79 · April 29, 2009, 02:04:05 PM

I was at a store(that rhymes with smallfart) and I was playing with one of those pflueger templars and it seemed like a really nice reel for 60 bucks.