Best baitcaster under $100

[jbsoonerfan]

If you already have 6 combos there is no sense in buying junk just to get another one. Seriously though, If money is that tight around your house, I'm sure it can be spent on better things. I wouldn't buy, just to be buying. I would save it and wait till I could afford quality gear. The Black Max and Pro Max are junk. I bought them a few years back to use for hybrid bass and they both fell apart (plastic parts don't last). Others have talked about the Fuego and that would be a great reel and you could get an Aird X and be a little bit over $100 which would be worth it in the long run.

[Luke Barnes]

On 10/10/2019 at 7:30 PM, JediAmoeba said:

 

 

 

Well, I got the budget/new combo pulled out from me today. Me and the wife aren't doing too good and a new rod isnt priority I guess. I would LOVE a SLX combo. I want one so bad. But i was happy settling for a sub one hundred dollar combo. Well that's gone ifbbni value my marriage. So I guess I have to make my same old crap work. 

[jbsoonerfan]

6 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

Well, I got the budget/new combo pulled out from me today. Me and the wife aren't doing too good and a new rod isnt priority I guess. I would LOVE a SLX combo. I want one so bad. But i was happy settling for a sub one hundred dollar combo. Well that's gone ifbbni value my marriage. So I guess I have to make my same old crap work. 

You might should focus on what's important. 

[WRB]

Tell your wife her budget is $100 for a pair of shoes and purse. 

Tom

[new2BC4bass]

8 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

Well, I got the budget/new combo pulled out from me today. Me and the wife aren't doing too good and a new rod isnt priority I guess. I would LOVE a SLX combo. I want one so bad. But i was happy settling for a sub one hundred dollar combo. Well that's gone ifbbni value my marriage. So I guess I have to make my same old crap work. 

I am well aware of how it is to live pay check to pay check with little money for extras.  Look for a part time job...provided it won't put too much stress on the rest of your family.  Family is important and things will get better if you are smart with your money.  Budget now.  Enjoy its benefits down the road when finances are no longer as tight.  At least you have some fishing gear to still be able to get out and enjoy your spare time.  Work and no play isn't good for you either.  We all deserve a little time for relaxation.  I worked for 17 years without taking a week's vacation.  Plus I spent more hours at work than even the shop's owner did.  My daughter was the one that suffered for that.  Be smarter with your time than I was.

 

[endless]

I understand the budget and sometimes it can damper things...

 

but if can hold off and add more funds say in a month I would try too... I know I’m very impatient and a must have now attitude. 

I almost bought a Lews laxer speed spool. I needed something with a low gear ratio. 

I ended up not getting it. 

I do need to get a reel as well so I can put my Curado back on my Crucial. Bought a new rod at the outdoor show and was giving it a try.
 

I’m holding off cause I want to have deep crank set up first and I don’t want to just settle for anything but who knows I might just get a good decent reel for the rod I purchased at the show. 
 

I have an original PQ that crapped on me this year... I’m going to try and swap some parts from a Carbon Lite reel. 

my wife has a Black Max BC. Decent cheap reel. 
 

 

update: I just read about your marriage and hope everything is well... 

[new2BC4bass]

Consider buying used.  I got a $250 reel for $65 last year.  Reel is in very good condition.  I have seen the OG Fuego for ridiculously low prices.  A great reel highly under-rated by many.  Purchasing cheap rods off the classifieds isn't usually a viable option unless you can pick up locally.

[NOC 1]

On 10/10/2019 at 7:43 PM, Luke Barnes said:

True. Story. Haha. I have 6 combos so it was hard to convince the wife to get a 7th so I'm not pressing my luck!!

 

Someone above said a Black Max. I already have one. I like it. But I dont want 2. Promax I am considering though.

 

But I'm really eyeing those Lews Xfinity combos hard. My American Hero combo has hauled in many many fish and not showing any signs of wear. I oil it and clean it every now and then and it's like new after a year. 

 

I'm not serious enough of a fisherman to actually need or notice the difference in a Xfinity or a Tourament Pro Ti combo. I know the higher end ones will be smoother but so far my cheaper lews has held up well. 

I think that buying more cheap gear just to get the count up is a mistake (ask me how I know?). If you have $100 to spend, you would be better off picking out the best rod that you currently have and upgrading the reel to something a little better or upgrading the best reel you have with a better rod. Or buy a rod that covers a different need. Buy a ML rod, or a crank bait rod instead of the typical MH fast all-rounder.

 

6 Combos are enough to cover just about anything you want to do...as long as they aren't just the same setup x 6. (and when you are buying $100 combos they are probably very similar)

 

I have at least 35 combos in my racks, but when I go out I never take more than 8 and usually 5 of them are the same every time with one or two different ones thrown in..Oh for the record 10 of my 35 combos are $100 combos that I would sell if I could. I bought them before I realized that better quality gear is way more valuable and useful than is a mountain of cheap equipment.

 

I wish I had that money back or would have spent it on 2 or 3 decent rigs instead..

 

It's not too late for you. For the price of six $100 combos you could have two $300 combos that would be very nice. Nice enough that you would still be appreciative of them years from now. I promise that you would get more enjoyment from those 2 than you would from 12 cheap combos.

[Brett's_daddy]

On 10/12/2019 at 12:33 AM, Luke Barnes said:

Well, I got the budget/new combo pulled out from me today. Me and the wife aren't doing too good and a new rod isnt priority I guess. I would LOVE a SLX combo. I want one so bad. But i was happy settling for a sub one hundred dollar combo. Well that's gone ifbbni value my marriage. So I guess I have to make my same old crap work. 

Dude, you have 6 combos already and probably more tackle than you'll ever use, no they aren't top of the line but the fish don't care how much you spent on your gear. Use what you have for now...at least you have something. Your focus needs to be on the priorities in your life, your marriage and how to better your financial situation! After that things will take care of themselves...there will always be nice rods and reels for sale whether it's now or 5 years from now etc. You have to reassess everything and see which category they fall into, a want or a need...for now it sounds like you best be focusing on your needs ;). Just my .02, you're of course free to do as you wish. Good luck!!!

[JediAmoeba]

On 10/11/2019 at 9:33 PM, Luke Barnes said:

Well, I got the budget/new combo pulled out from me today. Me and the wife aren't doing too good and a new rod isnt priority I guess. I would LOVE a SLX combo. I want one so bad. But i was happy settling for a sub one hundred dollar combo. Well that's gone ifbbni value my marriage. So I guess I have to make my same old crap work. 

Dude, family matters most.  And it's surely worth more than 100 bucks.  

 

Anyway, you already have a few combos and you mentioned you have a black max combo - so you already have an equivalent best for the at or under 100 dollar budget.  Anything else isn't going to be an improvement, just something equivalent.  

 

I would urge you to look at saving money and getting a 150-250 dollar combo.  If you can get it during a sale that's even better.  For me the biggest improvement was going from those cheap 100 dollar combos up to those 150-250 dollar combos.  And when I say combo, I don't necessarily mean SOLD as a combo but the price you would pay for a reel and rod.  I think the biggest disappointment in fishing gear is when you go from a 200 dollar combo up to a 500 dollar combo...unless it is an ultra finesse combo it really isn't a noticeable upgrade.

 

 

[r83srock]

3 hours ago, Brett's_daddy said:

Dude, you have 6 combos already and probably more tackle than you'll ever use, no they aren't top of the line but the fish don't care how much you spent on your gear. Use what you have for now...at least you have something. Your focus needs to be on the priorities in your life, your marriage and how to better your financial situation! After that things will take care of themselves...there will always be nice rods and reels for sale whether it's now or 5 years from now etc. You have to reassess everything and see which category they fall into, a want or a need...for now it sounds like you best be focusing on your needs ;). Just my .02, you're of course free to do as you wish. Good luck!!!

I feel this is very good advice. 6 setups is something I have in the boat for a tournament, 2 for the kayak, 1 for the shore. I’d be happy with just 2 or 3 setups, a lot less to take care of and spool line onto. Seriously, take care of your home life, it will be worth it. It’s cheaper to keep her.

[Luke Barnes]

Thanks for the advice guys. My other other combos are a 6'6 diawa procaster spinning MH, a 7' Diawa Procaster spinning M, a cheapy H2O Express angler rod and Shakespeare reel and a fly rod. Which the fly rod may not count Haha. So I want to add 1 more baitcaster to the arsenal. But I can wait. I'll just have to retie my 2 I have more often if I want to switch lures. 

[YoTone]

since the season is winding down i would wait for the best black friday deal.

last year the revo x was $50 on amazon. im still kicking myself for not pulling the trigger on that.

[Tizi]

Best bang for the buck is rod and reel for $200-250 range.