Lew's Tournament Mg Speed Spool Casting Reel

[PABASS]

A brief mini review on several outings with the Lews..

 

I done did it...  I gave Lews another shot this time with a Tournament MG Speed Spool Casting Reel and I have to say that I am impressed thus far.  Very smooth for a $130 reel, I cant think of a reel in this price range that is as smooth, that's impressive.  Casts like a dream, I am by no means good with a baitcaster and I can set this on 0 and cast a lure mostly without overruns, lol.  When I set it on 3 still casts great and no bird-nests, it also casts light lures very easily and it was used in some crazy high winds, I change the setting to a 4.5 and still no issues and that was with a crank bait  KVD SQB 1.5.  Its a very light reel and its small but even in my larger hands it just felt right..  I am getting another one of these bad boys soon, I am that impressed.  While I haven't caught a fish with it yet I would say my biggest complaint is the drag at 14# seems a little weak, I will be mainly using this as a flipping/forging reel and with its larger handles excels at, just not sure about the drag yet.  From my local tackle shop he has heard nothing but good reviews on these reels.  I was somewhat disappointed that they are made in China, but facts are I don't know how else you get this quality at this price without taking some shortcuts in manufacturing.

 

Other Equipment/Line/Lures

 

*St Croix Mojo

*Tuff-Line 20#

 

~3/8 Jig

~1/4 Jig

~3/16 Shaky Head

~Spro Bronze-eye Shad

~KVD SQB 1.5 for testing

 

 

 

[BassinLou]

The MG is a great reel. It is one of my favorite reels.

[Grantman83]

Good review but I don't see how 14lb is a weak drag considering it is stronger than zillions, chronarch and curados etc.

I had three and they were all smooth as can be.

[PABASS]

I am used to fishing a Calcutta so its just my experience as that reel has very little give.  Once I take it frogin and flipin I will see how it works with those duties.

[loudcherokee]

Now it starts! Hold on to your wallet.

I started with an MG....before i knew it i had a tourney pro, a bb1, and a tournament HS spinning reel!

welcome to the Lewsers club!

LC

[Capt.Bob]

Congrats on your move up!! The 200 series MG has the lighter drag in the Lew's line, step up to the Tournament or better and their drag is mush heavier than the Calcutta, up to the 300 anyways. MG  is 10#, the more expensive reels are 14# which is plenty for Pike and Muskie when locked down. The MG with it's 10# is way more drag than I ever use for Bass!

[SirSnookalot]

Good review but I don't see how 14lb is a weak drag considering it is stronger than zillions, chronarch and curados etc.

I had three and they were all smooth as can be.

14# is a lot of drag, try pulling it out by hand.  My Avet which is used for kingfish, cobia, amberjack, has a max drag of 14#, using 20 or 30 lb mono my drag is never set more than about 7 lb.  Drag IMO should never be locked down for any fish for any reason.

[PABASS]

14# is a lot of drag, try pulling it out by hand.  My Avet which is used for kingfish, cobia, amberjack, has a max drag of 14#, using 20 or 30 lb mono my drag is never set more than about 7 lb.  Drag IMO should never be locked down for any fish for any reason.

I was pulling it out by hand that is how I was testing the drag, my 251 Calcutta is much harder to pull off but without looking at its drag specs I might be comparing apples and oranges.  It probably wont matter, I will see if my hookups change with this new reel and I am still very happy with it..

 

~Capt. Bob the Tourney MG is 14# the normal MG is 10#.

[ColdSVT]

My cousin has one and loves it...I tried it out and ended uo getting a tournament pro.

The MG is d**n hard to beat in its price point. Same goes for Lews reel imo

[wrightwrjr]

I have three Lew's bait casters.  I have the TS1SMG 5.4, TS1HMG 6.4, and the TS1SH 7.1 and I love all three.  I believe a person would be hard pressed to find a higher quality reel for at better price.

[rippin-lips]

I love Lews reels. I had 10 of them at 1 point. The tmg is ok. Me personally I wasn't happy with it. If you paid retail then you got robbed because you could of gotten a tournament pro online for that price. Which is a way better reel. Not trying to sound like an a** but it's just the simple truth.

[Capt.Bob]

14# is a lot of drag, try pulling it out by hand.  My Avet which is used for kingfish, cobia, amberjack, has a max drag of 14#, using 20 or 30 lb mono my drag is never set more than about 7 lb.  Drag IMO should never be locked down for any fish for any reason.

If you ever try and stop a King Salmon in a narrow river with debree everywhere, with 50 lbs test braid 14 lbs drag locked and rod healing back you will soon learn there are times a locked down 14lbs. drag,,,,IS NECESSARY!!! and quite frankly NOT ENOUGH,,, I have had to thumb my super duty with a locked down 14lbs drag to get em wowed before they were in heavy cover and gone, I also have had to say SEE YA!!! and say good by to a little braid instead of letting them have it all!! We all don't fish in the big ponds all the time,,,,, NEVER SAY NEVER!!!!! 00  

[SirSnookalot]

If you ever try and stop a King Salmon in a narrow river with debree everywhere, with 50 lbs test braid 14 lbs drag locked and rod healing back you will soon learn there are times a locked down 14lbs. drag,,,,IS NECESSARY!!! and quite frankly NOT ENOUGH,,, I have had to thumb my super duty with a locked down 14lbs drag to get em wowed before they were in heavy cover and gone, I also have had to say SEE YA!!! and say good by to a little braid instead of letting them have it all!! We all don't fish in the big ponds all the time,,,,, NEVER SAY NEVER!!!!! 00  

Be a perfect time to use a higher capacity spinning reel with max drags in the range of 30# and more, not that much drag would be needed and a locked down drag wouldn't be necessary to stop that fish, just may not have to worry about that thumb.  A stella sw, penn torque or daiwa saltiga could be he right tool for that job, little heavy for some but most of us won't have any trouble.