Still Just Dont Get It, Just Not For Me.

[LgMouthGambler]

Wow, I guess its a touchy subject? Oops, lol.

[*Hootie]

Just that it sounded more like a campaign speech than a subject. No offense intended.

Hootie

[ChrisAW]

I don't see what the big deal is with Shimano. I own two Citica's because I know they work, and its the only left handed reels I could get at a local store when I needed a couple new ones. Any time I ever picked up a Shimano, they feel clunky to me and aren't all that smooth at all. Funny I hear so much praise about them, and how the first thing many people do is change out the bearings. LOL.

Kind of like Jeeps are great offroaders... once you add some Chevy or Ford one ton axles and a whole different drive train.

I'm sure that will stir up the bee's nest but thats my true opinion. Everyone should take it as pure truth.

[smalljaw67]

This kind of thing is what brand loyal people do, the OP is shimano brand loyal and what happens is anything competetive make a brand loyal person go and try to find fault to justify their position that their chosen brand is best. For years I heard about quality bearings from Shimano users as a way to explain paying over $100 for 3 bearing reel but now that other compaies have good bearings in their reels I hear the "why do you need it" argument.......Please. The best I heard was a guy talking about how great and lightweight his Core reel was and when Diawa introduced the Steeze the same guy said being that lightweight means it is probably made cheap with plastic and being light doesn't make a reel great...Really? If you like Shimano and you are a brand loyal person then there is no harm saying that you really trust Shimanos product and you feel it is proven and you like the feel of reliability. That is what you say instead of trying to justify why your brand is better because from an outsiders view like mine, since I'm not brand loyal, I'd have to say the the Lews Tourney pro has more features, bearings, and is lighter than the Chronarch and has a better profile and more comfortable than the Curado. I agree with the audible click spool tension knob, I have 2 reels that have it, a Pflueger Supreme casting reel and a Quantum Smoke 150 casting reel and I go by feel not clicks but the dual braking system is something that I like and I have on my Pflueger. You can set you brakes and adjust the spool tension and you are done, then if wind kicks up or you go from casting to pitching all you do is turn the magnetic dial and you are in, I happen to really like that. Anyway, the truth of the matter is that one is only better than the other to the user, if you don't use dual braking then you lean toward Shimano if you do use it you lean Lews. The reason there are a lot of brands that do well is that not everyone agrees Shimano is the best or Lews is the best or Abu Garcia, etc. etc. I'm a person who buys what fits my needs and budget at the time I buy something and not being brand loyal really helps as it gives me so many options and having those options is important to me and the next reel I buy might be a Shimano if they happen to have what I need at the time or it may be a Lews for the same reason but if you are brand loyal there is no shame in saying so, it actually gives you credibility and makes someone looking for that brand want to reach out to you as you know the product and can offer insight others don't have so be happy with who you are and stop trying to validate your feelings, we get it.

[msolorio]

LMG, its not a touchy subject, some people just cant handle someone elses opinion on a product they use or just read waaaaay to much into somethin that wasnt all that serious to begin with. you have your opinions and preferences and werent afraid to state them, bravo man. people just need to relax and not get worked up because someone likes somethin different than they do. its not a big deal but some make it out to be obviously. this whole reel war, line war, rod war, ect. will go on forever and ever but what it boils down to is what feels good and works for you. once again, LMG didnt provide a review, just an opinion based off of handling the reel. chill out people lol

[Jake P]

I take most reviews with a grain of salt. I buy one reel over another based on playing with it in the store, but the real review doesn't come until months after I've had. I need to use it hard and catch some good fish, I want to see what it looks like after it's beaten up a while, how smooth it still is and well the drag keeps working. I like my Shimano reels, but I have reels in the same price range that I like too. I've backed away from recommending equipment, a lot of it is just a popularity contest. Last thing I want to do is bad rap a product, hate to depress someone that recently bought it. I find most of the equipment today works pretty darn good.

x100000. so true!

[buzzfrog]

10 minutes of my life gone... umm worth it, never fished lewes reels, but fished alot of others and i could never be brand loyal

[jj'sbassinforfun]

I'm with "everyone has a right to their own opinion". What works for me isn't what may be good for anyone else. Take what is said here with a grain of salt and draw your own conclusion!

Shimano lost me a bit when they started the back pedaling. IMHO the other brands are evolving and to keep up they should as well. Still like and own them, But have been tempted with some of the latest from the other brands. Latest being a T3 balistic I stole for $115. Some hate it, But I love it! And that is all that matters to me.

[Stasher1]

If someone else would come out with a decently priced, fairly light, compact round reel with a recessed reel foot, I wouldn't own a single Shimano product. I just sold my last Shimano low-profile reel, and it's highly unlikely that I'll ever own another.

[Michael DiNardo]

Stasher1, What is wrong with the Abu Garcia 4600? I love the Calcutta's, I think that is what

you meant but really the 4600 is awesome.

Mike

[Stasher1]

There's nothing wrong with the Abu 4600, but it's over an ounce heavier and much taller in profile than the Cardiff 100A. Even the Calcutta 100B is almost an ounce heavier than the Cardiff.

[Jim_M]

Back when I was climbing up the ranks in the competitive pistol world one reality ALWAYS prevailed. "It's the Indian, not the arrow".

...jus fish.

[JunkYard814]

I've had my Lew's Tournament Speed Spool for about a week and right now I already like it better than my Shimano Curado 200e. I bought the Curado because I was told it pretty much was the best baitcaster you could get for under $250. I like the reel, but I didn't understand all the hype it gets. I think more of it has to do with the Shimano reputation than actual performance. 20 years ago Shimano may have been producing better products across the board for fishing reels, but this is 2012, and I think a lot of other brands have caught up.

As far as the Tournament Speed Spool, for $30 less than the Curado, and $50 less than the Cronarch, I'm going to take it everytime. I can't attest to the Lew's durability because it's a new reel, but I haven't heard anything to think that it's going to crap out anytime soon.

[steelslinger86]

Could you imagine if a reel company made it so their reels would only fit on their rods. If you want to fish shimano reels, you would have to do it on shimano rods. How many people that prefer other rods would switch to shimano rods, so they could keep fishing shimano reels? How many people would jump ship on the company and find a new reel preference? I know this would never happen, simply because of the sales they would lose, but let's just say if it did. And of course some engineering type can say, oh I would design and market an adapter and get rich off of it, but let's leave that out of the equation. I was just thinking about this, because I fish shimano rods and lew's reels. I didn't use shimano as my example to specifically target anyone or any company purposely, just an example. Let's here what you would do.

[Dave P]

I have 5 different types of reels. 6 different types of rods. I use right hand reels, so I switch hands on the fly. Whatever works for you, or doesn't, but playing with a reel in the aisle of the sporting goods store is about like going to a Chevy dealership to look at a Vette and deciding you don't like it without driving it.

[Capt.Bob]

Looking at a real in a store is well, I don't know, but a far cry from a good comparison to anything. Or a basis for a review! I keep wondering why the guys that have only used one rate that particular reel as better????? Makes no sense, just means you are more sentimental to one or the other, I don't care which one you prefer.

Now I think to be meaningful, you have to use one then the other, if you don't use it for the task it was designed for (FISHING!) You can't! have a clue which is better. I wonder why so many guy's that actually owned and used the Curado and Chronarch Citca, Core, then used the Lews changed and prefer the Lews. It's pretty easy to think your right if your afraid to try one and find out, holding and fondling Guessing, doesn't tell how well it does at what it's designed to do!!! Fact! You have to use one and then the other to KNOW!! or your just GUESSING!! All there is to it.

AS far as the pro qualifier being the same as the Lews Tournament Pro, not even close if you do more than fondal them, the lews has More bearings, a stronger and larger Drag, 1.1 oz. substantially lighter weight, carbon matrix handle, just a few items that seperate the Lews TP from a PQ!!

• Built to put you at the top of your game
  
• One-piece machined-aluminum frame
  
• Double-anodized, machined-aluminum drilled spool
  
• 7-bearing system with Powerlock™ instant anti-reverse
  
• Dual Braking System™
  
• Pin-release side plate for quick brake adjustments
  
• Built-in lube port
  
• 
  PQX10SHD
  Right
  7.1:1
  12/120 Ball Bearings: 6+1
  Max Drag: 10 Lbs.
  Recovery: 29" Per Turn
  Reel Weight (oz.): 8.8
  

Lews Tournament Pro

Features:

• One-piece die cast aluminum frame
  
• 11 double-shielded premium stainless steel bearings
  
• Aircraft-grade machine forged Duralumin drilled and anodized spool and gear system
  
• External-adjust Multi-Setting Brake (MSB) dual magnetic/centrifugal cast control
  
• ZeroReverse one-way clutch bearing
  
• Easily removable palming side plate
  
• Right-side spool tension adjustment with audible click
  
• Rugged carbon composite drag system with audible click star drag
  
• Lightweight graphite side plates
  
• External lube port
  
• Titanium-coated zirconia line guide
  

Bearings gear ratio line recovery capacity max drag weight

10+1 7.1:1 31 120/12 14 6.7 oz.

How many tried the Lews and went back to a Curtado or Citica, there staying quiet evidently?

I am in no way saying the Shimano Low profile reels are dogs, far from it, but companies like Lews are offering more for less, and it's time for Shimano to get back to what made them what they WERE, before they end up being what was!! It's time to realize they have "reel" competition now and going to have to step up if they want to be #1 again!!

[JunkYard814]

What Capt. Bob said

[LgMouthGambler]

Steelslinger: that would suck!

Capt Bob: I agree that Shimano is dropping the ball on what they should be, I stated that in the OP.

[Quillback]

If the "new" model Chronarchs were in the $140-150 price range I'd say they would be fairly valued, but at $199 they're overpriced. I'm not saying they're a bad reel, but at $199 there's better options.

[Pantera61]

Review? You play with a reel at the store after a thousand schmoo's handled it and can give a review? Opinion maybe, review, come on. Lews is like a Pro Qualifier? Absolutely. It is the same reel along with the revos, the Brownings, the Phfeluger, the Banax, the Fox and all the others that asian factory makes. Just like a Mercury is a Ford and Cadi is a Chev with more bling. Sadly the fact is is isnt worth buying, but neither is the Shimano.

Daiwa considers Banax good enough to make some of their reels.

[MrSwimJig]

I have both Lews and Shimano reels and I can honestly say that after over a year of fishing my Lews Tournament Pro Reels I am more then happy with them over my Curado E reels.

I have had no problems with my Lews reels and have just performed normal maintenance on them, clean, lube, etc...

I will say that having a dual braking system is not needed but on those days of fishing when its pretty windy, it is nice to have the option to dial in some magnetic brake. But most of the time the magnetic is set to 0 and I only have 2 of the centrifugal brakes on.

As for the looks, I absolutely love the flat black look and the carbon fiber handle and I love the paddle type knobs. The finish is verdy duarble and has held up very well.

Both the Lews and Shimano reels are outstanding and it is going to be completely up to the user as to what they like and what they want to use.

I like both reels but I prefer my Lews reels.

[Mike L]

After over 40+ years of useing spinning gear, I wanted to learn to use a b/c.

I just really started to learn how last year, and getting better with each trip.

1st was an Extreme because the guy behind the counter said it was a good one to learn on.

2nd was a used left handed model Quantum Accurist because I wanted to see if I liked reeling with my left hand any better (I don't)

3rd was a PQ, mostly because of the reviews here and on bps site.

4th was a Revo, definitely because of the reviews here.

That's 4 reels from 3 different manufactures each with different weights, line capacity, drag, bearing counts, and most importantly different combinations of braking.

I'm learning more and more about what I like and don't like.

Now, I'm not even close to some of you guy's in overall knowledge about what is best and what is junk or to say which manufacturer is better than another. All I know at this point is that I like either dual or cent braking only. That's It!

My point to this is...You guy's just keep your reviews and opinions coming, regardless of how you form them...

Thats what brought me to this site and thats what will keep me signing in.

Mike

[Scorpio]

For Pete's sake, the op never even used the Lew's reel. Imflammatory post.

[B@ssCrzy]

After over 40+ years of useing spinning gear, I wanted to learn to use a b/c.

I just really started to learn how last year, and getting better with each trip.

1st was an Extreme because the guy behind the counter said it was a good one to learn on.

2nd was a used left handed model Quantum Accurist because I wanted to see if I liked reeling with my left hand any better (I don't)

3rd was a PQ, mostly because of the reviews here and on bps site.

4th was a Revo, definitely because of the reviews here.

That's 4 reels from 3 different manufactures each with different weights, line capacity, drag, bearing counts, and most importantly different combinations of braking.

I'm learning more and more about what I like and don't like.

Now, I'm not even close to some of you guy's in overall knowledge about what is best and what is junk or to say which manufacturer is better than another. All I know at this point is that I like either dual or cent braking only. That's It!

My point to this is...You guy's just keep your reviews and opinions coming, regardless of how you form them...

Thats what brought me to this site and thats what will keep me signing in.

Mike

Well said...I love the differing opinions on this site and would love to hear the other side of the Lew's/Curado debate. That is what makes this site so great. Everyone has a differing opinion and I am glad that people express those opinions. If you don't have the same opinion then give the other side of it, but you don't have to get offended because of what someone else thinks. I don't think you can just throw out someone's opinion just because they did not fish the reel. First impressions do count especially when it is going to cost you $100-$200 on a reel.

[Capt.Bob]

Well said...I love the differing opinions on this site and would love to hear the other side of the Lew's/Curado debate. That is what makes this site so great. Everyone has a differing opinion and I am glad that people express those opinions. If you don't have the same opinion then give the other side of it, but you don't have to get offended because of what someone else thinks. I don't think you can just throw out someone's opinion just because they did not fish the reel. First impressions do count especially when it is going to cost you $100-$200 on a reel.

I'm sorry but I think unless you are basing your opinion on a reel after you have used it, it don't hold much water. It just means you like or don't like the way it feels "to you" out of the box and nothing to do with how it "performs". Its like fondling a rifle at a gun shop, when you leave the store with it you only know that you liked the way it looked and felt, until you shoot it you have no idea how well it will perform! No "been there done that" factor.