Anyone got a good budget baitcast reel they like?

[ChrisD46]

Academy H2O Express Mettle MT2 : 6:3:1 , 1 piece aluminum frame , brass gears and 10 ball bearings for $60 but can be had for less on sale or year end clearance .

[NYWayfarer]

As I mentioned previously in this thread, Kastking often runs sales.

 

If you click the Kastking link on the right side --------->

 

and underneath the Speed Demon advertisement click on the word fishing reels it brings up a menu of all their reels (Spinning and Casters) on that menu you will see a lot of reels have 10% off coupons and some have money off coupons, like the Assassin has a $15 off coupon available.

[LCG]

Daiwa fuego ct. 

[Bluebasser86]

I've been really happy with my KK Assassin. 2 years of heavy use and going strong and still one of the furthest casting reels in my boat. 

[Oregon Native]

After using a couple of the KK....they are going to be on my Christmas list.  Not a fancy name ......but not a fancy price.

[TBAG]

As mentioned earlier in this thread, all my BC and spinning reels are Shimanos but I picked up a Fuego CT a few weeks ago off the bay because it was under $50 and I needed another reel for a new rod I just got. It has gotten rave reviews so I decided to buy into the hype. I still haven't fished with it but it seems awesome.

 

I would have picked up a SLX but the LH retrieves aren't releasing until end of year. I've got one preordered and am anxious to try it.

 

But to OP (if he ever returns) I would recommend the Fuego CT.

[pauldconyers]

7 hours ago, TBAG said:

As mentioned earlier in this thread, all my BC and spinning reels are Shimanos but I picked up a Fuego CT a few weeks ago off the bay because it was under $50 and I needed another reel for a new rod I just got. It has gotten rave reviews so I decided to buy into the hype. I still haven't fished with it but it seems awesome.

 

I would have picked up a SLX but the LH retrieves aren't releasing until end of year. I've got one preordered and am anxious to try it.

 

But to OP (if he ever returns) I would recommend the Fuego CT.

I went for the Fuego CT in the 8.1 speed. I was kind of on the fence about it but Saturday was just walking through Scheels and randomly they had that exact model on sale for $49 and for that price I felt I could not pass on it. We have had a ton of rain around here lately so I have not gotten to really try it out much. I did sneak out to a local pond to just throw it a few times. I think my Lew's casts a hair further but not a big deal. Looking forward to trying it out more and playing with the settings.

[Joshua van Wyk]

8 hours ago, pauldconyers said:

I went for the Fuego CT in the 8.1 speed. I was kind of on the fence about it but Saturday was just walking through Scheels and randomly they had that exact model on sale for $49 and for that price I felt I could not pass on it. We have had a ton of rain around here lately so I have not gotten to really try it out much. I did sneak out to a local pond to just throw it a few times. I think my Lew's casts a hair further but not a big deal. Looking forward to trying it out more and playing with the settings.

You may or may not know this, but Daiwas have a very specific way they need to be set up for maximum distance.  I have mine with the spool tension set to where there is a little bit of side to side play, and I  start with the external dial at 15 and work your way down.

[scaleface]

I broke the thumb bar off a daiwa and they are on back order so I needed a new reel . i just ordered the KastKing Assasin with a 15 dollar off coupon .  45 dollars total . 

[Shaners]

Daiwa Fuego CT. 

[scaleface]

Got my Assassin in the mail today  and I am returning it for exchange . Its not engaging properly after the clutch bar is pushed . It doesnt do it every time, about once every 15 pushes . 

[ItsHardwick]

On 10/12/2018 at 6:58 AM, Joshua van Wyk said:

You may or may not know this, but Daiwas have a very specific way they need to be set up for maximum distance.  I have mine with the spool tension set to where there is a little bit of side to side play, and I  start with the external dial at 15 and work your way down.

Please explain. I’ve never heard this. 

[Joshua van Wyk]

19 minutes ago, ItsHardwick said:

Please explain. I’ve never heard this. 

So your spool tension is the little dial next to your drag star. You adjust it to slow down your spool. With magforce braking systems that dial is supposed to be looser than normal. Usually you set up a reel so that the bait lowers slowly and doesn't overrun when it hits the ground. This works but you don't get maximum distance. Instead you adjust it until your spool just clicks slightly when you move it back and forth.

[ItsHardwick]

Ahh yeah. That’s how I do pretty much all of mine anyways haha. 

[TKFactory]

On 10/1/2018 at 9:41 PM, Mike F said:

The lews American hero was my first casting combo, the tan desert camo one, I’ve since upgraded to tournament mb’s, but the reel from that first combo is a fricken workhorse and casts really nice in my opinion, it’s a little slower and lacks the fit and finish and some of the bells and whistles, but it does it’s one job quite well IMO, not sure where to buy it as a standalone reel but I imagine it’d only be around $50. I also had a black max, and in my opinion the lews hero reel is much nicer as far as performance and feel, only downside: it’s kindof ugly and doesn’t look good on really any rod lol.

I agree that it is a work horse. Sure is. I mean almost to the point off being better than "high" end reels. I disagree that it is ugly. I think it looks pretty darn awesome. And the plus side is that when you buy the reel you are supporting the military which is awesome for Lews to do. 

[Fishingmickey]

Shimano Caenen or one step up the Casitas.

[JustALineWetter]

When my old Ambassadeur reel finally gave up the ghost this spring, I got a Pflueger President. Filled with 50# Power Pro, it never let me down when punching heavy jigs into growth. Having had Pflueger reels for years, I'm sticking with them.

[Koz]

I did not want to spend a lot on my first baitcaster and bought a Lew's American Hero combo and it was and still is a good reel for the price. That reel is still in my arsenal, but I gave the rod to my son for his new reel. Last week he spent some of his hard earned summer chores money on a new BPS Formula Limited reel that he got for $50.

 

I haven't tried his reel yet, but he was using my American Hero and he said the BPS reel is much smoother than the AH. FWIW, he just became a teenager and is in that moody stage where everything - including fishing - is now lame. But after using his new BPS reel he commented that he liked it so much he would have to get back into fishing a lot again.

[Deleted account]

On 10/9/2018 at 5:26 AM, ChrisD46 said:

Academy H2O Express Mettle MT2 : 6:3:1 , 1 piece aluminum frame , brass gears and 10 ball bearings for $60 but can be had for less on sale or year end clearance .

It's $40 right now. The black Max can be had for $35 if you shop around. I have fished both these quite a bit, and they held up well, and neither will be a good excuse why you aren't catching.

[greentrout]

14 hours ago, Koz said:

I did not want to spend a lot on my first baitcaster and bought a Lew's American Hero combo and it was and still is a good reel for the price. That reel is still in my arsenal, but I gave the rod to my son for his new reel. Last week he spent some of his hard earned summer chores money on a new BPS Formula Limited reel that he got for $50.

 

I haven't tried his reel yet, but he was using my American Hero and he said the BPS reel is much smoother than the AH. FWIW, he just became a teenager and is in that moody stage where everything - including fishing - is now lame. But after using his new BPS reel he commented that he liked it so much he would have to get back into fishing a lot again.

own this reel...not the limited...got it bout a yr. ago...light...7 oz....fits in palm...ipt 30"...7:3...12 lbs. max drag...use it for bank fishing and on small private waters in a jon boat...casts well with minimal backlash with dual brake system...paid for it on sale 50 dollars no shipping charge... not as tight as other more expensive reels but should hold up well for my style of fishing... 

 

good fishing...