Need Help Picking Second Ever Baitcaster

[Incognito]

     To begin, my old Abu Garcia Blackmax finally "bit the bullet" after six years of intensive use.   I used that rod/reel combo for bass, pike, and the occasional muskie, but the new rod and reel I am looking for will only be for bass.   All my fishing is done from the shore and, from time to time, there are low hanging branches.  I have a maximum budget of $200 and will not exceed that limit.   I plan to purchase a new rod and reel, not used items.  However, seeing that I'm 18 and have to pay for college next year, I'm nervous about spending $200.  With that in mind, I'm torn between buying a cheaper rod and reel or spending all $200.  People always say cheap rods and reels won't last as long, but my Blackmax lasted six years without any maintenance.  Just so you all know, I'm not a big fan of the brand Lew's.

     

     So, based of the previous information, I have a few questions.  

        1. Was it just luck that my Blackmax lasted six years?

        2. Are more expensive rods and reels really worth it?

        3. Will cheap reels last as long as more expensive reels if maintained?

 

     Here's the current rods and reels I'm looking at for around $200:

        Rods: Fenwick HMX or the *** *** Black.

        Reels: Daiwa Exceler 100, Pflueger Supreme, Okuma Krios, or the Abu Garcia Orra SX.

 

     Here's the cheaper rods and reels:

        Rods: Berkley Shock, Abu Garica Vengeance, or the Shimano Sellus.

        Reels: Daiwa Laguna, Abu Garcia Blackmax, or the Shimano Caius 200.

 

     All information and feedback is greatly appreciated.  Any suggestions you have or if you know of anything better, please let me know.  

 

[mjseverson24]

first for your questions:

1) Was it just luck that my Blackmax lasted six years?----> No i have some black max's that have taken quite a beating and are still going strong. six years might be a stretch, but three to four is not...

2) Are more expensive rods and reels really worth it?-----> yes if you love to fish, and do it quite a bit, No if you dont do it very often, or it puts unnecessary financial stress on you...

3) Will cheap reels last as long as more expensive reels if maintained?----> they may last as long, typically they will not, but they might. The performance of them is what you are really paying for, the durability is great, but performance is the key...

 

here is my suggestion for a set up...

rod: Fenwick HMG (new one) for about 100 the M/F is a great all around rod... otherwise a shimano clarus for like 80 is a good rod, or the veritas for 80...

reel: evercast horizon (ebay) for like 50.00 its a 6:1 ratio, good for about everything, and quite a bit better casting reel than the black max...

 

Mitch

[Alpha Male]

mitch nailed it. the only thing I would add is look at a BPS Pro Qualifier reel. they are worth the money, they perform great for the money.

[Tim Kelly]

You can pick up a tatula for around $100 and get some pretty decent rods for another $100. 

[ABW]

I would invest in a Carrot Stix or an Abu Garcia Veritas. As for the reels, you can't go wrong with the BPS Pro Qualifier.

[Incognito]

Thanks for all the information so far guys and gals.

[Kevin22]

Head to walmart and look at the lews laser mg reel (not the laser lzr). Its $79.99 retail. I think it would be right about what you are looking for, better quality than your black max yet it wont break the bank.

 

For the rod, abu garcia makes some nice sub $100 rods. Vendetta and veritas. 

 

I just put together that same combo for a topwater rod, after looking at the various rods and reels for the last 2 weeks. I wanted to stay cheap, but get medium quality at the same time. Lews laser mg 7.1:1 on a veritas 6'6M is what I put together. Both of those are $79.99 at tackle warehouse (they have all rod lengths/powers and all of the laser reels for the same price), and they are having a 10% off sale right now so you can get the combo for 143.98 ($179.99 retail). That leaves you with some gas money and should be a good combo for you. 

[Tywithay]

I'd definitely get the ***. You can save a few bucks during a sale to get under $100 pretty easily. For a reel, I recommend the Daiwa Tatula. You can find them for right around $100 and nothing else comes close at that price point.

[FrankW]

I have seen the Tatula 100 for $105 and that is a great reel at that price. I don't think you can do better for a reel. Then get a rod that meets your budget.

Frank

[DevilsAdidas]

I really like my *** black rod. Great sensitivity over the st Croix premiers i have. Will be getting more. And i like daiwa so i have to agree with the tatula reel or the lexa 100 is nice too but does not have the t-wing which is very nice on my t3.

[jbsoonerfan]

I have 4 tatulas that I bought for $103 ea and they are GREAT reels. I also use Ducket ghost series rods. So, I have about $200 per combo in my set ups. They perform very well. I would venture to say that they are as good or even better than my Curado/Crucial combos that I used last season.

[Incognito]

     Thanks for all the information!  

     The Tatula looks good, but some poeple say there is grooving?  I typically use braid, so will that be a problem?  Also, where do you find the Tatula for $100?

[JLeon77]

If you want to spend up to $200 on a reel and want a good one, I would recommend Okuma. I have a komodo and a Helios. They are super light weight and well built. Search walmart online or amazon and you can find them for way less than anywhere else. Both reels retail for $199 but I got the Komodo online from Walmart for $142 and the Helios on Amazon for $144. You don't see high end stuff in Walmart stores, but you can get it online. Also a great thing about those two Okuma reels is that they have a 3 year warranty standard. If they are willing to warranty them for 3 years, they are standing behind their products.

Not sure why you don't like Lews, but I'm sure you have your reasons I have a tournament MG and it is great.

[jbsoonerfan]

If you want to spend up to $200 on a reel and want a good one, I would recommend Okuma. I have a komodo and a Helios. They are super light weight and well built. Search walmart online or amazon and you can find them for way less than anywhere else. Both reels retail for $199 but I got the Komodo online from Walmart for $142 and the Helios on Amazon for $144. You don't see high end stuff in Walmart stores, but you can get it online. Also a great thing about those two Okuma reels is that they have a 3 year warranty standard. If they are willing to warranty them for 3 years, they are standing behind their products.

Not sure why you don't like Lews, but I'm sure you have your reasons I have a tournament MG and it is great.

 

$200 on the combo

[new2BC4bass]

I have become a fan of Fenwick rods.  You might want to add the new HMG at $100 to your list.  The Omens are an excellent choice as long as the slim handle doesn't bother you.  A Fenwick Smallmouth rod on sale would be another excellent choice.

 

Last year I started using an older Trion.  Spooled with 17# Super Natural and mounted on a 6'10"HF I have yet to backlash or have an overrun throwing a 1/2 oz. jig plus trailer.  I feel retrieve is very smooth.   No idea why the Trion is never mentioned as a low cost option.  The Supreme should be a step up in quality and refinement.

 

The Exceler seems to have good reviews.  My cheap Diawa is the Procaster 100HN.  This is a nice solid feeling reel that I keep mounted on a 6' MH Lightning for tossing 1/2 oz. spinnerbaits.  As far as I am concerned it puts the lie to the statements that Daiwa doesn't make any decent low cost reels.

[dpeels37354]

I'm in college now it's not as bad as you think it will be. Gotta get on that ramen noodle diet lol.