Beginner Looking For Your Thoughts

[AreWeFishingYet]

Hey guys,

 

I've been around the forums a bit, still learning the ropes though. I have a question and this may be all based off of personal preference but being that all I have ever used is a Abu Garcia Black Max 2, I don't have much else to go on so figured you all could help. First off I fish mostly with crankbaits, hard plastics and a frog. Rarely do I use soft plastics. With that said I have the option of getting a reel around the $130 range, currently Gander in my area has two reels I was interested in, the Lew's Tournament MG - with a $20 long sleeve shirt mail and rebate, or a Abu Garcia Revo S - with a $50 hoodie mail and rebait. Obviously the mail and rebate's don't make or break the reel I just through those in. In your personal experience which one is the better reel to go after with the kind of fishing that I do, or do you suggest another reel in the exact same price range? Any input would be very helpful.

 

 

Thanks!

[masterbass]

I have an MG and an SX.  Both are great reels, but I prefer the MG out of the two.  There are plenty of good options in that price range.  I also like bps pro qualifier which is a little cheaper, but has dual breaks.  Tackle warehouse has the daiwa t-3 ballistic for $109 and I really like it too.  If you do some searching you could get a lews tournament speed spool in your price range which is an upgrade over the MG. 

[Smallmouth Hunter]

I would look around on ebay or in the classifieds to get a used 200e.

[Jimmers82]

I have two tournament mg's and love them and think you would too

[frantzracing0]

Love my revo s. Smooth, has held up perfectly to hundreds of fish, braking system is top notch. Casting and retrieve is fantastic. Reel is very study feeling. As for the tournament mg, they are nice but I personally dont care for magnetic brakes. Centrifigual is the way to go in my opinion. Set one or two brakes on and forget

[Droppingshot]

I have a lews speed spool and I also own a revo sx. The revo is much more expensive and I actually prefer the lews. If I could do it all over again I would just own lews.

[Fishes in trees]

If you stick with reels that say SHIMANO on the side of them, you will be a better person and your self-esteem will improve.  . .. 

[nowicki2005]

You should message or call Ron @ beatthebigboxboys.com. he is a board sponsor here. He can get you better prices than that. Also, those rebates will work with no matter who you buy the reel from, just need a receipt and UPC code. Ron will definitely beat those prices and you should probably look into a ratios for what you're looking to spend.

[bass1980]

To the OP, never buy full retail if you can find better deals. At $130 you can have a better lews BB1 and Daiwa Tatula to name a few. Ron at Valley Tackle, which is a sponsor on here, will get you a deal within your $130 budget. The MG and S is nice but they aren't at the level of the Tatula and BB1. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

[NathanW]

I am sure they are both good reels!! There is a lot to choose from in that price range if you shop around.

 

If it was my money, having no experiance with Lews but plenty of experiance with Abu. I would give Lew's a try. I havent yet because Daiwa and Shimano get to my money too fast.

[frantzracing0]

To the OP, never buy full retail if you can find better deals. At $130 you can have a better lews BB1 and Daiwa Tatula to name a few. Ron at Valley Tackle, which is a sponsor on here, will get you a deal within your $130 budget. The MG and S is nice but they aren't at the level of the Tatula and BB1. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

 

I agree with this guy about the bb1. You can find this for about the same price and they are FANTASTIC. The tatula I dont personally care for but it is ok I suppose(you pay for the name printed on the reel, not the performance of the reel)

[DevilsAdidas]

I would check tackle warehouse. They have good deals and even if u find a reel at a better price that they have they will match the price. With the service they have given to me with a broken rod i just bought i will only buy from somewhere else if they don't have what i want

[mjseverson24]

out of the two that you are asking about they both have their advantages and disadvantages... the revo S in my opinion is a better casting reel for a beginner, the centrifugal breaking is very easy and efficient. The lews MG has more power, and if you are an experienced caster the magnet breaks are great as you can easily adjust for any situation very quickly... I like the handle on the lews better than the revo. the revo seems to cast lighter lures better, but the MG has more line capacity... Honestly for the 130.00 price range there are a lot of good options, and at retail these are among the best... but as others have said you can get some great reels for this price range if you shop around... the Tatula for <105, the T3-B for 110.00, tatula type r for 130 ish, a curado g for 100 ish, bb1 for 130 ish... quantum energy for 120 ish... so many options, if you are really interested in the hoodie or shirt the others are good choices, but if you are looking for straight performance bang for your buck, these other options are far better IMO...

 

Mitch

[BassinLou]

The Lews MG, imo over the Revo S, hands down. I have both and the MG is my everyday reel. Over time it just outperformed the Revo S. If you save just a tad bit more $$ call Ron from Valley sports and he can you a LEWS TT pro at a very attractive price. That's my second LEWS  reel, and this one outshines the MG. 

[gulfcaptain]

If you stick with reels that say SHIMANO on the side of them, you will be a better person and your self-esteem will improve.  . .. 

No bias in that statement..... But with your question, go down to Gander Mountain and put both on a rod you like and see which one feels the best to you and take it from there.  I don't fish either, but both are quality products.

[Bass NC]

I do not own either of these reels but I have casted them hundreds of times and had hours of experience testing them. The Revo S is a good and smooth reel but I would go with the lews if it were me. I am a diehard Lews fan and have several of their reels. I am looking at getting the tournament pro or bb1 very soon.

Good luck and happy fishing!

[Arv]

To the OP, never buy full retail if you can find better deals. At $130 you can have a better lews BB1 and Daiwa Tatula to name a few. Ron at Valley Tackle, which is a sponsor on here, will get you a deal within your $130 budget. The MG and S is nice but they aren't at the level of the Tatula and BB1. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

x2. You should be able to get a very nice reel w/ you budget. Not that the reels you have picked are bad, but there are better options if you search around. Valley Tackle is a great place to buy from as well.

[AreWeFishingYet]

Thanks everyone for your input. I have taken them all and it's been very helpful.