New Spinning Reel Setup.

[RF813]

For the last year and a half i've been using a 6' Ugly Stik Rod / Reel combo.  It's been great for me, but I think it may be time to get something a bit better.  I checked out a buddy who was using a Daiwa (I forget which model) reel, and it was SUPER smooth, and felt great. 

 

This is a hobby for me, and mainly to spend time with my son, fishing from shore around western CT. I don't want to break the bank, but wouldn't mind upgrading to something a bit better. 

 

If anyone has any suggestions, or advice for someone who is pretty new to all of this, i'd love to hear suggestions or any advice you all may have on reels or even rods to look into. Brands, what to look for, etc.

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Rich

[LMB ANGLER]

daiwa lexa - $120

 

abu garcia s model - $130

 

penn battle reel - $100

 

all reels i listed are cheap but very good quality also check out the penn fierce reel its 60 buck and better than some 200 reels, good luck on your purchase.

[Krappiehog]

depending on what u are fishing, i hate problems!! so for me 200 is about the normal for rod & reel .. that seems to be where i end up to get good stuff.

 

i just bought a spinning reel, Shimano Sahra.. its AWESOME x 10!!!! best money i have spent in a long time.. pair it with berkley sensation for spinning & you are in bussiness! i use this on all my spinning gear, and i have tried a lot of line! finally one with little to no memory!

[bigbill]

I been using the Finor, the okuma exipitor, the viva and the globe spinning reels for many years now without one problem yet. The Finor people manufacturer those giant saltwater reels for fishing marlin, to sail fish etc. For under $100 you can get a decent quality reel. Before I became sick I fish everyday and I only throw lures non stop. If a reel has something wrong with it, it will show up during my use too. I been hoping someday one of these reels would wear out but not yet have showed any kind of wear yet. If you want to get a more expensive reel that's ok too. God bless, bigbill

[Tony L.]

I would also look at pflueger spinning combos. Even the 70-80 dollar rigs are surprisingly high quality, and you will probably like it more than your ugly stick. Credit Shakespeare though, because those ugly sticks can take a ton of abuse and just keep on going

[Marty]

Cheap and quality are like beauty, in the eye of the beholder. To me, reels of $100 and up are not cheap. The most expensive reel I've ever bought was this year, $70 (I think) for a Pflueger President. I also use Daiwa Regal series reels. These handle line well, stand up to use and have smooth drags. I don't ask more of a reel than those things.

[VolFan]

Pick a pflueger or shimano in your price range for a reel. Pflueger Presidents and Shimano Saharas have long and loyal followings including me. For a rod, cabelas has their MagTouch rods, as well as Shimano Clarus on sale right now for $79.99. That should get you a very capable combo for under$150. If you want to go less money, their Tourney Trail rods are perfectly fine at $39.99. For normal largemouth bank fishing, a medium or medium heavy will be perfect.

[bigbill]

What do most of us look for in a spinning reel?

Is it who offers the most ball bearings?

This can be a tough call. For my spinnerbaits I prefer lesser ball bearings like four ball bearings is enough. For everything else 9 to 10 ball bearings is ok.

Or does the cost matter?

[MichiganFishing1997]

Mitchell reels seem to be an underrated bang for your buck spinning reel. You can't go wrong with Shimano or Pflueger at any price point in my book. Heres a few options for every price point that I'm guessing you are looking at.

Around $70-$80 Combo- Reels: Pflueger Trion or Shimano Sienna

Rods: Berkeley Lightening Rod or Lightening Rod Shock, Abu Garcia Vengance, or Shimano Sellus

Around $160-$180 Combo- Reels: Shimano Sahara, Shimano Sedona, Pflueger President

Rods: St. Croix Triumph, St. Croix Premier, Shimano Clarus, Abu Garcia Vendetta

I would just check them out, mix and match, and find out what you like. Hopefully this helps.

[Big T]

daiwa lexa - $120

 

abu garcia s model - $130

 

penn battle reel - $100

 

all reels i listed are cheap but very good quality also check out the penn fierce reel its 60 buck and better than some 200 reels, good luck on your purchase.

I have both the Battle and the Lexa. IMO the Battle is a better reel. However,it is an inshore saltwater reel, which is where I do most of my fishing.

[LMB ANGLER]

I have both the Battle and the Lexa. IMO the Battle is a better reel. However,it is an inshore saltwater reel, which is where I do most of my fishing.

cant go wrong with another penn reels since you do most of your fishing inshore, you can also use it for bass, penn just came out with the conflict reel it suppose to be better than the battle.

[rippin-lips]

Don't count out Okuma products either. I've been using 2 trio 30 spinning reels for a few years now and haven't had a single issue with either one. I know there's a good following with their casting reels. I also know the pflueger president is a good reel for the money.

[MCS]

Pflueger is the way to go. Best spinning reels for the money. Can't be beat! President, Purist, Supreme, and Patriarch, whatever fits the budget. I own 3 different models all are built solid and work great.

 

The revamped Mitchell lineup looks very nice, has eye appeal, and supposed to be very nice performance according to early reviews.

[RF813]

Thanks to everyone for the replies! They've definitely helped me get going in a good direction.

[bassin is addicting]

Pflueger President.  i own 3...bought them all about 4 years ago...fish 3-4 times a week...can't beat them for the price IMO

[RF813]

A few people have mentioned Pflueger, and researching the Pflueger President specifically, I notice there are several sub models of this.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pflueger-President-Spinning-Reel/1254609.uts?productVariantId=3042964&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03318170&rid=40&channel=GoogleBaseUSA&mr:trackingCode=5EFDA238-34EA-E011-9A77-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:adType=pla&mr:ad=34214264711&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=57965888111&gclid=CL3FssbbrboCFRGi4AodID4ACQ

 

If I am fishing for Bass in local lakes up here in CT, what's the difference between the different sub models?   Apologies if this is very apparent, i'm new to this, and am looking to learn what I can before making a purchase.

[SirSnookalot]

I'd buy the size that fits the rod the best, the difference mainly is weight and line capacity, I do believe the performance will be identical.  I like the 30 size.

[Marty]

 

If I am fishing for Bass in local lakes up here in CT, what's the difference between the different sub models?

 

As the previous poster said, weight and line capacity. Also, bigger spools give more inches of retrieve per turn of the handle. All other things being equal, the larger the spool the better the line handling and casting distance. I bought my first President this spring, model 6935, and it's working out well with my 15# braid. My personal preference is to go with the larger if your choice is down to two because of the aforementioned better line handling.

[MacP]

Presidents are top notch. I like the discontinued XTs best. Find them on eBay. 

[BassCats]

Why not try the new Shakespeare ugly stick GX2 that is a mix of graphite and fiberglass. It is getting good reviews and even the paired reel is getting good reviews. The combo is supposed to be sensative and only $50.   why upgrade if what you have works? 

[MCS]

Presidents are top notch. I like the discontinued XTs best. Find them on eBay. 

 

^^ Good suggestion....I have a president and a president XT and the XT is my favored. Sealed drag and a little smoother.

[RF813]

Why not try the new Shakespeare ugly stick GX2 that is a mix of graphite and fiberglass. It is getting good reviews and even the paired reel is getting good reviews. The combo is supposed to be sensative and only $50.   why upgrade if what you have works? 

This is definitely an option, but the difference I feel between my current ugly stik combo and the reel my friend has was night and day.  That's what spurred this question.