Spinning Reels $150-$200 Range

[SirSnookalot]

You would be correct if you use that same type of gear for all those types of fishing!   Bass perch and walleye??? Most would consider those three species right there to require no less than three different types and sizes of reels!! only a fool would use the size of equipment I use for walleye or perch to catch saltwater species with, unless you are going after pilchers!! and only a rookie would go after those same species (perch, Walleye, Bass) with the humongous reels that most use for salt water species. Your comments hold little use for this category of fishing. It is kind of like comparing a Mack truck to a real Bass Boat towing truck, can be done but most have more sense than to do it!! When you load a real that holds less than 100 yards. of line and is having the handle turned pulling lures for hours on end, it does require better material than hanging six ounces of weight 200 feet over the side of a gunnel or lobbing a heavy weight with live bait out on a huge sand flat to entice whatever comes buy, and really doesn't require the elegant and finesse that most advanced freshwater tactics do!! Like a drag that will remain butter smooth at 1 to 3 lbs. as well as 15 to 20 lbs. Totally different.

For your perch, bass and walleye there scores of posts from people using no more than a $60 Pflueger president or entry level sedona that have lasted and performed for many years.  Those fish do not test equipment to the fullest, regardless how small your reels are.  I admit I don't catch big bass, 8-9# about the biggest, a 30 supreme has been doing a fine jobs for years and the reel still performs like new. 

 

Humongous reels for saltwater, sure for offshore use but inshore not so.  You can research the number of posts by saltwater people on here using 2000 or 2500 reels for redfish, snook,  bassn blvd was with me using a 2500 to catch 10# jacks.  Is there a difference between a walleye and jack crevelle given the same size, the difference is night and day and I know anyone on here that has caught both would agree.  Those are the kind of fish that test your equipment, that said when it comes to performance and longevity, I think people that catch fish in both salt and fresh 12 months of the year have better insight on what's going to last and what isn't. 

[J Francho]

I do not consider catching bass, perch or walleye to be used as the benchmark for longevity and performance of a reel.

 

Gee, for the amount of money I've spent on gear that hasn't lasted but a season or two, I'd totally disagree.  It isn't all about simply fighting the fish.  I don't fish for bass in drainage canals from shore, I do it in a boat or kayak, often amidst heavy cover.  Rods go in and out of lockers, strapped to the deck for long, fast, and sometimes rough runs.  Big smallmouth on true ML gear and light line will certainly test your drag, even if it's just 2# of resistance.  I'd wager that your style of fishing for bass is lot less similar than most members' type of bass fishing.  You've said it, if they are where you are fishing and bite, then you catch them.  If not, upi go home, no big deal.  That's not how we fish.  We hunt them down.  We put our baits where they might get lost.  Largemouth are easy to catch?  Sometimes.  Mostly not.  Man, I was just talking to a pro friend of mine telling me about fishing muskrat holes in soft marsh banks.  Sometimes those holes go back four feet under the bank.  You don't get their head turned, and body headed to the boat, you aren't getting it back.  You've often said that's not how you *like* to fish, and would rather go out and drown live bait in the ocean for bigger fish.  Well, for some of us this is how we *have* to fish.  It's what the local waters handed us.  So, are you rubbing it in, making it seem so easy or just being irrelevant?  It's fine to share your opinions, and they are welcome, but man, debating this every time the topic comes up is tiring.  Some of us when encountered with a tough day, push on.  Sometimes we have no choice, or forfeit our tournament fees.  Fishing for us is completely different than fishing for you.  Neither is better, or *righter* so ease up and please don't tell us we don't know what we're talking about, that these fish aren't like Jack Crevelles, barracuda's, or whatever.  This site is completely devoted to that person that wants to learn how to catch bass.

 

BTW, I use my wimpy bass gear for other fish, too.  Here's a brown that I'll put up against anything in salt, pound for pound.

[Capt.Bob]

Gee, for the amount of money I've spent on gear that hasn't lasted but a season or two, I'd totally disagree.  It isn't all about simply fighting the fish.  I don't fish for bass in drainage canals from shore, I do it in a boat or kayak, often amidst heavy cover.  Rods go in and out of lockers, strapped to the deck for long, fast, and sometimes rough runs.  Big smallmouth on true ML gear and light line will certainly test your drag, even if it's just 2# of resistance.  I'd wager that your style of fishing for bass is lot less similar than most members' type of bass fishing.  You've said it, if they are where you are fishing and bite, then you catch them.  If not, upi go home, no big deal.  That's not how we fish.  We hunt them down.  We put our baits where they might get lost.  Largemouth are easy to catch?  Sometimes.  Mostly not.  Man, I was just talking to a pro friend of mine telling me about fishing muskrat holes in soft marsh banks.  Sometimes those holes go back four feet under the bank.  You don't get their head turned, and body headed to the boat, you aren't getting it back.  You've often said that's not how you *like* to fish, and would rather go out and drown live bait in the ocean for bigger fish.  Well, for some of us this is how we *have* to fish.  It's what the local waters handed us.  So, are you rubbing it in, making it seem so easy or just being irrelevant?  It's fine to share your opinions, and they are welcome, but man, debating this every time the topic comes up is tiring.  Some of us when encountered with a tough day, push on.  Sometimes we have no choice, or forfeit our tournament fees.  Fishing for us is completely different than fishing for you.  Neither is better, or *righter* so ease up and please don't tell us we don't know what we're talking about, that these fish aren't like Jack Crevelles, barracuda's, or whatever.  This site is completely devoted to that person that wants to learn how to catch bass.

 

BTW, I use my wimpy bass gear for other fish, too.  Here's a brown that I'll put up against anything in salt, pound for pound.

Very Nice Francho!! yes you have to do both to realize the difference, and those are just some more of the things I was referring to, I have many times caught 17+ lbs. Skamainia Steelhead on Lake Michigan out of Michigan City Indiana on 2500 Stradics years back (80's and 90's) where I was very lucky I was in a boat and could chase them while trolling, that was when I started using 4000 Stradic and Sustains, and still would loose some, as those babies don't stop to come out of the water till they have busted that drag loose on those 400 Calcuttas loaded with 20 LBS. braid for at least 100 yards, and that is typical for any size of this hybread Steelhead, and then they will tail walk anywhere from 10 to 50 feet three times, every time this is just their routine, then you can gain line on them and you have to be agressive after that first run, as they will when coming close to the boat come out of the water and do it again and this can exhuast the fish to a level that can cause death. They will put 40 lbs Shinook to shame they are so fast and strong, they are compairable to Tarpon twice their size. Yes I have 3 retired friends from my Iron Workers Local that have spent the winters in the Keys for years and have fished the flats with them many times over the years, and over wrecks for snapper and grouper. The Skamainia  are usually bigger than bones but every bit as speedy and much stronger, Much like Snook but speedier and out of the water much more!! You are so right 10 to 12 lbs. Walleye on a 2500 that will woller on the bottom of reefs infested with zebra muscle to 45 + inch Musky that will head for heavy weeds and wood, when you size your gear to the light side as it is more fun as snookers says, you test it, no matter if it's salt or heavily obstructed freshwater. I think we have all been there done that, hell I have had 15 lbs dogfish (bowfin) hit bluegill I have been reeling in on my 5' UL with a 1000 Stradic and 4 lbs. line, you wana test your gear try that!! Too many teeth though they usually win with this light of Flurocarbon, It is a small small world, some just never realize it!!   

[SirSnookalot]

In the first place I did not mention saltwater fish in this thread until someone other than myself mentioned humongous saltwater reels.  Yes that is true they are sometimes used offshore but not always, casting off reefs with mh spinning is a very common practice as well which I do much more than soaking a bait.  What I initially said was  "I do not consider perch, bass and walleye a benchmark for longevity and performance of a reel", and still don't.  I do not fish drainage canals for bass, I fish many of the major and secondary canals the ones fished by boats, but I do it from shore try lifting an 8# bass up a 10' bank, not quite as easy as lipping them along side the boat

 

That's a nice trout no question about and I appreciate the frequency of displaying that same fish, I've done that myself.   But to think pound for pound that comes any where near to a tarpon or jack is a pretty far stretch on reality. Living in Michigan for nearly 60 years I've caught just about every species up there and being down here for 10 years I've caught the ones down there.  I know the difference, I'm not sure a person with limited experience catching southern coastal fish would have the same handle regarding these species.  Additionally most of my inshore fish are caught from shore, not unusual to chase them down on foot 100 or more yds to avoid being spooled and sometime we are.  I know some of the members that fish saltwater too will agree with me.

 

Not that this explanation, or your trout, or your forfeiting of fees or difficulty in finding bass, or how simplistic the way I catch them (this is Florida, it isn't real hard here) has anything to do with topic.  

[JCiurej34]

As many have already said I would personally go with either Stradic, preferably the FJ. I would get the FJ, if you aren't worried about the extra weight, because the one that I have seems to be a much more solid reel than the CI4 in my opinion.

[Sherlock 60]

I have both the Stradic FJ 2500 and the Supreme XT 9230 and they are both fine reels. For the moment I like the FJ better because it is smoother and has a more solid feel (and is a bit newer), but I really like the Supreme XT as well. Both are excellent reels.

 

The XT is light as a feather and the FJ is solid and smooth. Take your pick.

[jcrewguy]

I've owned the Stradic ci4 and now own a few Pflueger Patriarch 9535's... the Patriarch, in my opinion, is the more superior of the two. The reel is super light, super strong, and as smooth as they come. I've landed a few 15+ lb pike and carp on it with no issues at all. I do also own a few of the Pflueger President reels and for the money, they are also excellent reels!

 

My next purchase will be the Abu Garcia Revo Inshore INS30 Spinning reel to pair with a St. Croix Mojo Inshore rod so I can sling 1-2oz swimbaits around this season

[jchez444]

I went with the ci4, due to me fishing brackish water, (upper bay and potomac), knowing the magnesium wouldnt hold-up to the salt. thank you everyone for your opinions

[J Francho]

Good choice, I have a few of them, and like them a lot.

[Darren.]

I went with the ci4, due to me fishing brackish water, (upper bay and potomac), knowing the magnesium wouldnt hold-up to the salt. thank you everyone for your opinions

 

I think you'll really like the choice.