lews Which Lew's beginner baitcaster?

[Nast]

Hey all,

I'm having trouble choosing between the Lew's Tournament MB, and the Lew's Mach Crush SLP for a new caster-combo. I'm set on the speed demon pro 7'3 Medium jig/worm, but if anyone has an opinion on these 2 reels or a completely different smooth LOW PROFILE baitcaster for this setup I'd appreciate any advice. 

[Gundog]

I like the Tournament MB. I don't have a Crush but the Lew's models that I have are very well made. For a beginner I don't think you could go wrong with any Lew's reel. 

[new2BC4bass]

First....

 

Of those two I only have the Tournament MB.  It is a user friendly reel with dual brakes.  I feel certain you will get some Daiwa and Shimano recommendations. 

[Nast]

53 minutes ago, Gundog said:

I like the Tournament MB. I don't have a Crush but the Lew's models that I have are very well made. For a beginner I don't think you could go wrong with any Lew's reel. 

Thanks for the feedback! 

[new2BC4bass]

5 minutes ago, Nast said:

I'll go with the pro g! Haha. 

 

Personally I would start looking at the Team Pro Magnesium Speed Spool TML1SH ($217.84 at Outfitters  World) up to the $350 Team Lew's Pro-Ti SLP Speed Spool. 

[Nast]

1 minute ago, new2BC4bass said:

 

Personally I would start looking at the Team Pro Magnesium Speed Spool TML1SH ($217.84 at Outfitters  World) up to the $350 Team Lew's Pro-Ti SLP Speed Spool. 

 

13 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

First....

 

Of those two I only have the Tournament MB.  It is a user friendly reel with dual brakes.  I feel certain you will get some Daiwa and Shimano recommendations. 

Thanks. I love it here already!... I might as well just go with the pro g, unless I'm convinced otherwise about the Crush. 

[BobbyBudnick]

Pro G is on its way out and is being replaced with the tournament pro LFS, which is already available on tackle warehouse and the big auction site. Has 2 upgrades on the pro g: quiet cast braking system and a P2 pinion support bearing. I have fished the Pro G for about 6 months now and it's been an awesome reel. I just got my Pro LFS and will be trying it out sometime this week.

[Abby]

I just got a Mach Crush 2 days ago and have yet to fish it. Feels great and seems like a workhorse. I have a couple other lews and you cant go wrong with them.

[NYWayfarer]

I have the Tournament MB and it is my favorite Baitcaster right now. I highly recommend it and I would get it over the Crush for 2 reasons.

 

1) Tournament MB has an aluminum frame. Crush is graphite.

 

2) Purely cosmetic reason but the Crush has the orange Winn grip knobs. They get filthy fast. I would have to trade them out for the black Winn grip knobs or the flat paddle handles.

 

[Nast]

3 hours ago, Abby said:

I just got a Mach Crush 2 days ago and have yet to fish it. Feels great and seems like a workhorse. I have a couple other lews and you cant go wrong with them.

Sweet! Let me know how it goes ?

3 hours ago, BobbyBudnick said:

Pro G is on its way out and is being replaced with the tournament pro LFS, which is already available on tackle warehouse and the big auction site. Has 2 upgrades on the pro g: quiet cast braking system and a P2 pinion support bearing. I have fished the Pro G for about 6 months now and it's been an awesome reel. I just got my Pro LFS and will be trying it out sometime this week.

Explain to me how a quality reel can find its way "out" of the game.

[new2BC4bass]

26 minutes ago, Nast said:

Explain to me how a quality reel can find its way "out" of the game.

Companies have to put new products out all the time or get left in the dust.  Doesn't matter how good the outgoing product was/is.  People want new.  However, reels such as the TD-Z are favorites of many and many TD-Z owners....including yours truly....would buy them over some of the newer models.  Unfortunately the finish is notorious for wearing quickly.  Great reels otherwise.  Finish didn't stop me from buying my last one, tho.

 

Just like many felt Shimano went downhill with the introduction of the next couple of series after the E models.  Now they have got it back together again.  Lots of love for the 70 and K series.  MGLs are very popular with those having a little extra cash.

[new2BC4bass]

If you want a Left Hand reel, and if 7.3:1 ratio is okay, and if you aren't fishing saltwater, then do yourself a favor.  Go to Sierra Trading Post and order an Okuma Helios Air for $109.  These are $270 reels that have been discontinued.  You can thank me later.

 

If I didn't already have two, and if I didn't already have about 40 too many reels, I would have already bought a couple more.  I've always found it hard to pass up great deals like this.  I am learning to control myself though. 

 

EDIT:  Here is another example of a fine reel being discontinued.  Probably because of the rising cost of material.  I work in a machine shop.  You wouldn't believe how much the cost of material has gone up in the last year or so.

[Nast]

1 hour ago, new2BC4bass said:

If you want a Left Hand reel, and if 7.3:1 ratio is okay, and if you aren't fishing saltwater, then do yourself a favor.  Go to Sierra Trading Post and order an Okuma Helios Air for $109.  These are $270 reels that have been discontinued.  You can thank me later.

 

If I didn't already have two, and if I didn't already have about 40 too many reels, I would have already bought a couple more.  I've always found it hard to pass up great deals like this.  I am learning to control myself though. 

 

EDIT:  Here is another example of a fine reel being discontinued.  Probably because of the rising cost of material.  I work in a machine shop.  You wouldn't believe how much the cost of material has gone up in the last year or so.

If only they had some in left reel/right rod Config, I'd be jumping! Thanks for that find! I just can't see myself handling a rod with my left. I dont plan on going saltwater but my spidy senses are still gravitating toward the pro g. You have more experience in baitcasters, I'm not trying to slave you but if you could compare the value of the air (109.99) Compared to the pro g at the cheapest (159.99), what would you attack with my specifications? 

[new2BC4bass]

I don't have a Pro G.  Nor have I ever handled one so I can't give you a comparison.  TackleTour and bassresource have both reviewed the Helios Air.  Check TT Archives for their review.  Tackle Warehouse lists the Pro G specs plus Lew's website should have all the specs as well.  Most of the Air's specs are listed or mentioned in the TT article.

[Lead Head]

I have used both a Crush and tournament mb. To me the mb is a far better reel. Smoother, easier to use, and farther casting. The mb has internal brakes (if you need them, I've never needed to use them) and the crush don't. In my experience, a mb on a lightning rod shock outperforms the crush combo easily. My advice would be grab the mb off eBay for $109 and don't look back.

 

I can't speak for any of the other reels being discussed. 

[sdsc357]

Go with the MB. I have the MB and the Mach II. The MachII is like a toy compared to the MB. It just feels cheap and fragile. Hell, the drag is already gone on the machII and I've used it less than 2 years.

[BassFisher22]

The Tournament MB was my first reel. It was so easy to use and learn with. It's also super smooth on the retrieve. I have only handled the Mach ll never fished but it felt cheap and not well built. The Tournament MB is very solid and feels well built.

[Boogey Man]

I have a Tournament MB and it’s a one of my favorites. I fished a friends Mach Crush a while back and it wasn’t near as smooth as the MB. 

[LionHeart]

I have 3 MB's if that tells you anything.  Can get it on EBay for $93 right now using coupon code "JUSTSAVE10". It's a no brainer.

[new2BC4bass]

36 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

I have 3 MB's if that tells you anything.  Can get it on EBay for $93 right now using coupon code "JUSTSAVE10". It's a no brainer.

Wow!  Very nice.  Can't beat that deal with a 10 foot stick. 

[NYWayfarer]

2 hours ago, LionHeart said:

I have 3 MB's if that tells you anything.  Can get it on EBay for $93 right now using coupon code "JUSTSAVE10". It's a no brainer.

Tournament MB for under $100, Now that's a great deal!!

 

Lew's confuses me with their pricing of reels at times. Comparing the 2 reels in question (Tournament MB and the Crush) I don't see why the Crush costs more. The aluminum frame Tournament MB seems like the better reel in every aspect other than the Winn grip knobs.

[the reel ess]

I liked my first Tournament MB so much I bought two more. it's a heck of a reel for the money and very easy to tune and use. I can't speak for the Crush.

 

I also recently bought the Academy store brand reel, the TAC-40. It retails for $100 and works as well as the MB does for me. It does not have a mag brake. It's very user friendly for the money. I can't say how long it'll last yet, but I've caught a new PB (6.92 lb.) on it and it's not showing any wear. It's my jig reel right now. The only possible drawback is that the spool is larger diameter so the reel has pretty low line capacity. That's why I like it for jigs, but it wouldn't make a great cranking reel.

[Catt]

5 hours ago, the reel ess said:

I also recently bought the Academy store brand reel, the TAC-40.

 

I've been seriously look at this reel, it reminds me of the older Curado, I like the shallow spool for braid.

 

I would go with the Tournament MB Speed Spool just because I'm ole school & Speed Spools are black.