Super User Catch and Grease Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 I might get some money for graduation as a gift and I was thinking about getting a few rods & reel, I'll probably be buying one or two H2O ethos rods and might get one or two baitcasters for around 60$ a piece. What have you used around that price range that you like? I was thinking about the H2O mettle (60$) because I have used some and they are pretty good reels for the money but what about reels like the shimano caius, diawa laguna or arid, pfleuger echelon, etc etc... There are so many options.... Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 I'd buy something that's been lightly used or on sale. Bam 2 Quote
greentrout Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 BPS Tourney Special. Will stand behind the warranty and clean and repair when needed. $49.99. Old school basser... Quote
robster80 Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 u could find a shimano citica 200E for around 60. theres a guy on facebook selling one for 55 not sure if its gone yet. but usually see em for around 60-70. id go that route its a great reel. if wanting something new that Mettle is a solid reel Quote
Super User MCS Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 You can find the daiwa aird http://www.tackletour.com/reviewdaiwaairdcasting.html or exceler down at that range new(look ebay, redsgear), or the older model exceler with mag force z is nib around 40-50 off ebay. 1 Quote
lecisnith Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 You can usually find a Daiwa Lexa 100 for around $60. I've got one, it's a nice reel. 2 Quote
Super User Catch and Grease Posted May 13, 2015 Author Super User Posted May 13, 2015 You can usually find a Daiwa Lexa 100 for around $60. I've got one, it's a nice reel. This reel is on sale for 70$ on TW, wonder how long that sale will last... Quote
lecisnith Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 It's been that price for a couple months there and on gander mountain's site as well. I keep telling myself to stop procrastinating and get another but I haven't yet. 1 Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 You can find the daiwa aird http://www.tackletour.com/reviewdaiwaairdcasting.html or exceler down at that range new(look ebay, redsgear), or the older model exceler with mag force z is nib around 40-50 off ebay. The Aird also has a $10 rebate and the exceller has one that is $15 if you buy it new. 1 Quote
Super User fishballer06 Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 I'd look for a used Bantam Curado for around that price. Or perhaps a used Citica or Tatula. Quote
kikstand454 Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 For $50 brand new ( and many times less than that) the h2o mettle can not be beat. 2 Quote
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 We don't have Academy here so I'm not sure about the Mettle reel. I don't mean to be "that guy" because I know you said $60 but if you can push it a little a PQ on sale is probably the best bang for the buck. They're too good a deal to mess with any of their other models imo. Quote
HardcoreBassin Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 I just picked up a Diawa Laguna over the winter and fished it a few times this spring. I have it set up on a M/F 6'6 rod with 12lb flouro for jerkbaits. I think its a really smooth reel. It feels a little different in my palm than I'm used to. It is a little more "rectangular" (for lack of a better word) than the Abus I mostly fish. It seems like a great reel to me so far, but I haven't hauled anything substantial in with it yet. Depending on what you are looking to do with the setup, maybe check out the Abu Silver Max, or spend a few more bucks and get the Pro Max. Not many people talk about the Abu "Max" line, but I'm a huge fan of them. - Dale 1 Quote
Super User Catch and Grease Posted May 13, 2015 Author Super User Posted May 13, 2015 We don't have Academy here so I'm not sure about the Mettle reel. I don't mean to be "that guy" because I know you said $60 but if you can push it a little a PQ on sale is probably the best bang for the buck. They're too good a deal to mess with any of their other models imo. Yeah I was looking at these too i know alot of people love them, I wouldn't mind spending more than 60$ just not a whole lot more... Quote
Super User Choporoz Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bass-Pro-PQ-1000-Pro-Qualifier-Bait-Cast-Reel-New-Right-handed-/321749070084?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae9bd3104 Quote
Super User kickerfish1 Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 Definitely look for a quality pre owned ree. Lots of the $100 range reels will fall around $60ish. Quote
kikstand454 Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 The pro qualifier is a better built reel than the h2o- no doubt about it. That being said, I'm not convinced how much better it actually performs. My mettle cost me $25 on sale. It is as solid and casts much farther/smoother than any of my various pro qualifiers. Will it last as long, have good CS, or even have parts available if I need them? I have no idea. 1 Quote
Super User the reel ess Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 I've bought two used reels. One was a BPS Johnny Morris reel. Never worked right. I sent it back to BPS for work. For $20, they got it perfect. The other an Ambassadeur lower level reel with a composite frame. It's never worked well either. Casts like a dream, but it will just disengage and re-engage while reeling. I guess I'll send it next. Moral of this story is it's hard to expect much from a reel someone's trying to get rid of. The Johnny Morris reel did turn out well for about $70. They retailed for $129 so I still have a deal. I think Academy's reels are a deal. They seem to be about $20 cheaper than a comparable brand name. But getting them fixed is an issue since there aren't parts lying around everywhere for them. 1 Quote
Super User ww2farmer Posted May 13, 2015 Super User Posted May 13, 2015 Daiwa Exceler can be found nib all day, every day on eBay for $60 with free shipping. I have multiples as well as a few near identical Lexa's, and I prefer, for some strange reason, the Exelers Quote
BasshunterJGH Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 Daiwa Lexa 100, new laguna, and the Shimano caius are probably your best options. Quote
jyu87 Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 I'll give you my Lews Speed Spool LFS / left hand retrieve for $60 + shipping. I used it twice, spun with brand new seagur abrazx. Quote
Super User Tywithay Posted May 14, 2015 Super User Posted May 14, 2015 Lexa can be found for $69. That reel was $130 when it wad released and was a pretty good value at that price. Quote
The Fisher Posted May 14, 2015 Posted May 14, 2015 The H2O Mettle is a good reel. You can usually find them really cheap on EBay. 1 Quote
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