ThatZX14Fella Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 I thought this may be an interesting subject. I like an all around good, reliable reel. I know some people look for smoothness, some look for reliability, and there's plenty of other things people prefer. So, as the title implies, what do you look for in a reel? Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 One that says Shimano! 2 Quote
ThatZX14Fella Posted October 31, 2014 Author Posted October 31, 2014 One that says Shimano! Â If only I had the money to afford a good Shimano. Wait, my old bicycle says Shimano, does that count? Quote
Super User gulfcaptain Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 #1....what am I going to use it for. #2....what gear ratio do I want #3.....what is the wieght of the reel #4.....Drag #5.....cost #6.....brand (as long as it doesn't say Shimano, Lews, or Abu) j/k these are great products, just don't prefer not to fish them. Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 Lol, I'm playing, sorta... Aluminum or magnesium frame is non negotiable Imo.. Probably at least a 5 bearing count reel.. I like centrifugal braking, magnetics are fine too. I think it really does boil down to a budget though.. There are quite a bit of difference in reel company's.. What's your budget or are you just seeking general information? I have used both Shimano & Daiwa. Are we talking baitcasters or spinning? Quote
Super User Raul Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 One that says Shimano! Â or Daiwa. 2 Quote
ThatZX14Fella Posted October 31, 2014 Author Posted October 31, 2014 Lol, I'm playing, sorta... Aluminum or magnesium frame is non negotiable Imo.. Probably at least a 5 bearing count reel.. I like centrifugal braking, magnetics are fine too. I think it really does boil down to a budget though.. There are quite a bit of difference in reel company's.. What's your budget or are you just seeking general information? I have used both Shimano & Daiwa. Are we talking baitcasters or spinning? Â I was just wanting to hear everyone's preference. I already have my next two reels picked out. My next one is a Pflueger president and then I want a BPS PQ. Quote
Super User gulfcaptain Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 I was a Diawa, BPS, and Quantum fisherman, then tried 13's concepts this summer and they have blown away the others. Quote
ThatZX14Fella Posted October 31, 2014 Author Posted October 31, 2014 I was a Diawa, BPS, and Quantum fisherman, then tried 13's concepts this summer and they have blown away the others.  I would love to own a higher quality reel, but with no job I'm on a very strict budget. The best reel I have is a silver Quatum Accurist Burner. I got it on sale for $40. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 I look for the deal, I find them a lot. 1 Quote
John G Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 A reel that when I pick it up and palm it and turn the handle and press the clutch bar and then turn the handle again, it screams quality! That reel for me is a Conquest 50! Quote
Super User gulfcaptain Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 The older Accurists are great, have 2 of them in both gear ratio's as well as 2 Kinetics.  Honestly, my opinion on BPS reels, the PQ is a nice reel, but I prefer the Carbonlites (all were purchased on sale when they dropped to $99).  I have 4 of them.  And the *** is about the $180 price, purchased the C for $210 (on sale) and honestly there really isn't much difference between them.  Purchase almost all my reels on sale or save up and then get them.  I am a firm believer it isn't the price of the tackle you use that catches the fish, it's the fisherman.  For 2 years I fished a H20 rod and reel (reel was $79 and the rod 60) and still use them.  Had no problem outfishing my friends with their higher dollar Shimano's, Diawa's, Fenwicks, etc.... 2 Quote
War Eagle 44 Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 One that says Shimano! Â Â I'm a 100% Shimano guy myself so this was right in my wheel house! Quote
mjseverson24 Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 Casting---> I look for at least an aluminum (or magnesium) frame, preferably machined, but cast is good too if done correctly(which most new ones are), I then look at the breaking system, if it is not a daiwa then i like a centrifugal breaking system, and one that has more levels of adjustability is better IMO. The last three things I look at are bearing count, handle length and design(knobs as well) and the overall weight of the reel. Ultimately it comes down to cost though, if I can get most if not all of these things and be at or under the "budgeted amount" Â great if not I usually spend a little more than I wanted to get the reel I want. If you are on a budget check out the skeet reese victory reels, you can get them for about 50.00 on line, and they are a nice workhorse reel at a great price... otherwise the Daiwa Tatula for about 100 is a great reel... Â Spinning---> I look for a box that says Pflueger President then pay the cashier... Â Mitch 1 Quote
ABW Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 Like the others have said, one that has a good strong frame, and one that you can find the best bang for your buck for me. 1 Quote
CarolinaBoy4Life Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 I look for durability, weight, cost, and ratio. I have 13 ***'s, Abu revo's, Orra, Shimano Cardiffs for my big bait setups and BPS reel's. To be honest I love my BPS PQ and Carbonlite reel's the most. The carbonlite is LIGHT. I mean LIGHT. The PQ is a darn good reel I have fell in love with cause it's just a tank and cover's alot of aspects or situations and presentations. I just look for a reel I have confidence in and all the reel's I stated above I have no doubt's in. To each his own 1 Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 I look for 3 things.   Price....................................................................price.......................................................and did I mention........wait.........wait..........price?  Partially kidding, I read reviews and opinions of others. Choose a reel that interests me. One that I can actually afford since a lot of reels that interest me are way beyond my budget. Then wait for closeouts and watch the classifieds. Bearing count isn't critical to me. Decent quality is. A metal frame is. Gear ratio has some importance, but as long as it is in the 6's or higher I'm okay with it. I don't need a low ratio reel for any of my fishing. Name has very little bearing on my choice although I do seem to gravitate towards Daiwa, Shimano, Abu and Pfluegers. 1 Quote
bootytrain Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 If I was limited to just one reel then it would be one that could cast far and have a wide casting range that can handle light lures as well as heavy. Right now the metanium does that best out of all my reels. 1 Quote
Super User ww2farmer Posted October 31, 2014 Super User Posted October 31, 2014 Â #1...be available in LH retrieve, beyond that.....externally adjustable brakes, long handle for leverage, less than 8 oz, multiple gear ratio options, and palms well. The current reels I am infatuated with are the Daiwa Lexa's and Exceler's. 1 Quote
primetime Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 I look for good reviews, reels that have been in production for at least a year, love to buy last years model of a new reel, and I only buy a reel when it is on clearance and is a steel of a price. I will buy a reel from Okuma just as fast as I will from Daiwa or Cabela's if the price is right and I am getting a great VALUE since I hold my reels and do not sell them to upgrade after a year or two...If you like to have the latest or greatest, then I would suggest buying Shimano,Daiwa, Abu Garcia, and Lew's as they seem to hold their value the most and it blows my mind what people pay for used reels from those companies.  Okuma makes some nice baitcasting reels that rarely get mentioned, and that is simply because they never looked to make a name in the low profile casting market or Bass fishing market until roughly 2010 so it takes time, but you can find the Citrix, Komodo, Serranno, as well as the Helios and Cedros for crazy cheap right now. All are good reels with warrraties that will get honored and I am now a fan of Okuma since they have great customer service, have gone way above and beyond to help me out with issues, so I am alway's looking to find a great deal on a new Okuma reel. Used, they lose 50-70% of value once you make a cast. Quote
Jaheff Posted October 31, 2014 Posted October 31, 2014 1- Frame 2- Braking system 3- Drag and drag material 4- Price, and how \ what, I need to upgrade. Quote
BasshunterJGH Posted November 1, 2014 Posted November 1, 2014 I look for a reel that is tight, the knobs don't move in and out and there's minimal handle backplay. I also look for good casting distance like the tatula. I don't care as much about light weight I feel like most reels in the 6-8 1/2 ounce balance well on rods I've never had a rod that isn't tip-heavy. Quote
Poolshark Posted November 1, 2014 Posted November 1, 2014 Durability, castability, simplicity and value for myself. Shimano curado, calcutta, etc. I like these reels because they are built very well, handle light lures well and they are easy to service. Also, not that I would, I could get a great resale out of them if I really wanted to. I still own a curado super free from 12 years ago and I still use it on every trip. I actually had the reel repair guy at my local shop order me a rebuild kit with gears and everything. Totaled at 59 dollars. So, for the price of a new reel, plus rebuild at 15 years for 59 bucks. That's sounds like a great value. Quote
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