Stuck To Shimano

[Capt.Bob]

ive seen a lot of people switch out all their shimanos to lews after tryin one lol

I'm 58, been using Shimano since 1978 when I bought my first Bantam, now have a few more, and have had a 100 or more others over the years, tried other brands but didn't have em long, till 2012---- currently I have 5 Stradic MgFB 1000 and 2500 2 MgF 1000 and 2500 1 Saros, 3 Calcuttas a 100 and 2-400B, 3 Sustains a 1000 and 4000 FD's and a 3000 FE, 4 Stradics 1 2500FH 1-4000 MgFA and 2-4000 FI (a few Symetre's, customer reels when I was Chartering on Erie) so to say I am a Shimonohaulic is maybe an understatement, BUT!!! I would be able to add a Casiac and 4 Curado Cu200B CU200BSF CU200B 3.8:1 and a G7, but after the G7 for a new Avid 6'9"MLXF I thought I got a zebco in sheeps clothing?????? I listened to the tech that sold me the outfit and replacedc the G7 with a Lew's Tournament MSB 6.4:1, I sold every low profile Shimano I owned and now have a Tournament Pro 7.2:1 and a 6.4:1 Team, you cant argue with the rest of the Shimano lineup but Those that doubt the Lew's BEWARE!!! if you try one 95% of you will be doing what I did, I wonder if anyone will ever be able to top a Calcutta with a better round reel???? Na , , Imposible! They didn't build Rome over night, but by fall I expext to have 2 more Lew's Tuornament Pro's a 6:4:1 and a 5.4:1, buy the way all the low profile Shimanos are gone, if you waqnt to keep yours, stay away from the Lew's, they are addicting.Smoother Quieter, cast farther, and have stronger and smother drags!!! mine are all 14+ LBS. locked down

[urp]

I have a soft spot for the old Bantam Shamano 150 and 250 reels. I own more than a bakers dozen of them. For one thing I like to back-reel when fighting a big fish and the Bantam lets me do that. I own several newer reels and while the Bantam isn't quite as smooth and doesn't cast quite s far as the newer ones, I've fished them since they 1st came out and never had one go bad.

[LgMouthGambler]

Dependable, and last a long time. I know a lot of people have this "Lews" bug, but lets see where they are 10 years from now.

[jdw174]

X a million, LOL

Sorry, but I just don't drink the Kool-Aid. Glad you like your Shimanos.

[msolorio]

i think in 10 years lews reels will still be kickin butt. theyre built every bit as good as shimanos if not better now and they are the og of low pro baitcasters.

[msolorio]

oh yea for you guys having trouble dialing in your lews, you dont need to hard whippin cast like you would with other reels, those things are so smooth it doesnt take much effort to make a long cast. i usually adjust the spool tension knob, then have the mag brakes set at like 4 or 5 and can cast a weightless fluke a mile. theyre not that hard to dial in.

[Goose52]

Dependable, and last a long time. I know a lot of people have this "Lews" bug, but lets see where they are 10 years from now.

Wow - a 10-year challenge! One of you Lew's guys will have to take this one since I don't have any Lew's and I'm already in the middle of the BPS PQ 5-year challenge... :lol:

I like long-lasting stuff (my two cars are 24 and 40 years old)...but I think sometimes the longevity thing, especially for lower-cost items like fishing reels, can be given more weight than it deserves. If the only important criterion for a BC reel was longevity, then we would all be using Ambassadeur 5000 round reels for the rest of our lives. As long as a reel gives you adequate value for money spent, I don't see why a reel can't have a "lifespan" - after which you consider it used up and move on to later and greater reels. And even before the reel is used up, technology advances might make you want to move on to something else. I used my 1980s vintage Shakespeare spinning reels until just recently and retired them not because they were used-up, but because newer reels have features (like silent, instant anti-reverse) that I considered more important than continuing to try to extract more economic value out of the reels.

I think most of the folks on this board will most likely be fishing some newer reels ten years from now......

[Capt.Bob]

Wow - a 10-year challenge! One of you Lew's guys will have to take this one since I don't have any Lew's and I'm already in the middle of the BPS PQ 5-year challenge... :lol:

I like long-lasting stuff (my two cars are 24 and 40 years old)...but I think sometimes the longevity thing, especially for lower-cost items like fishing reels, can be given more weight than it deserves. If the only important criterion for a BC reel was longevity, then we would all be using Ambassadeur 5000 round reels for the rest of our life. As long as a reel gives you adequate value for money spent, I don't see why a reel can't have a "lifespan" - after which you consider it used up and move on to later and greater reels. And even before the reel is used up, technology advances might make you want to move on to something else. I used my 1980s vintage Shakepeare spinning reels until just recently and retired them not because they were used-up, but because newer reels have features (like silent, instant anti-reverse) that I considered more important that continuing to try to extract more economic value out of the reels.

I think most of the folks on this board will most likely be fishing some newer reels 10-years from now......

Very good point Goose52, Like I said earier, I own mostly Shimano's now and used to own nothing but. Like you said I have never wore one out, (by the way, I still own 2 Ambassaduers 5500C's over 30 years old, that I use with the grand kids for Catfish, loked down drags and 30LBS fireline, and can still tame the biggest cat's. never had a thing done and loud as when they were new!) Point is They were replaced with 400B Calcuttas for smooth silky quiet reliable operation but the 5500's will still land any pike or muskie I ask them to, and cast nearly as far. If I thought I could replace the 400B with a better reel I would replace them right now and they would be catching cat's, but from what I see on the horizon, that aint gonna happen for a while. My Stradics get rotated about every other model, not because there wore out but because I like new stuff, and now that my kids are raised I can aford it.

I just came from the man cave and have decided to sell 2 Sustains and 2 Stradics and 3 Symetre's, every one in mint condition, and work like new. I just decided I want 2 new Sustains and a new Stradic, I am buying those models for the same reson I changed my low profile BC's to the Lew's, I like fishing with the finest reels available in every particular style, regaurdless who made it!!

[Ima Bass Ninja]

Sorry, but I just don't drink the Kool-Aid. Glad you like your Shimanos.

I'm a pflueger fan also along with pqs and I don't see having a problem with longevity of the reels. The company has been in business way longer than 10 years. Also I see this turning into a x reel is better than z reel thread. It's all about personal preference and confidence. If you like shimano great, they make some great products, lews, also quality products, along with pflueger Daiwa , Abu Garcia , pinnacle, and any other products I failed to mention. Debating over which reel is best is like debating over which is worse for you , McDonald's, burger king, or Hardee's

[Quillback]

This Shimano vs everything else debate bubbles up about once a month. Goes on for several pages and then dies out...

But I always get a kick out of reading it. I have some Shimanos and some other brand reels. They all get used.

[jdw174]

Likewise, Quillback. I own (and use) 1 Daiwa, 5 Shimanos, and 2 Pfluegers. Spinning reels include one Abu, and two Shimanos. There are lots of decent reels out there in all price ranges.