Best UL Spinning Reel For $150-200?

[Rusty Shackelford]

Title says it all, looking for the best bang for my buck in the $150-200 range. I have been using Pflueger President size 20 for the past several years but am now looking to upgrade. I am strongly considering the Stradic CI4+ but I would like to see what yall have to say, I have never owned a Shimano. Their claim to have highly reduced wind knots and the higher gear ratio are great selling points for me.

[browne762]

I have a few Stradic Ci4+ reels in the 1000 size and I love them. They are very light. I use 10 pound braid to a leader. Leader can change depending on the situation. 

 

I pretty much only buy Shimano at this point. 

[JediAmoeba]

In that price range get yourself a Daiwa or Shimano and you will be happy.  I have always had luck with Daiwa so I stick with those but Shimano are good too.  

 

Put one in your hand, at a shop, and see which one you like more.  You can't go wrong either way.

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, Rusty Shackelford said:

Title says it all, looking for the best bang for my buck in the $150-200 range. I have been using Pflueger President size 20 for the past several years but am now looking to upgrade.

Personally? Stick with Pflueger. Low end of your range will get you a Supreme-XT, Upper end yields a Patriarch.

[LCG]

In the same boat, keep debating between Shimano stradic ci4+ and Daiwa Tatula Lt. Keep going back and forth. Currently have a pflueger president xt. No issues at all with it just debating about upgrading. 

[WRB]

First things first define ultra light spinning reel.

Shimano Stratic 1000 isn't a ultra light spinning reel, it a common size used by anglers for general bass fishing with medium and medium light rods with 5 to 8 lb line. I think of ultra light the line is 2 tom4 lb test that 750 size spinning reels are designed for with ultra light to light spinning rods.

Shimano offers the Saros 1000 FA, 750 size reel with 1000 size spool that should be ideal.

Tom

[Rusty Shackelford]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

First things first define ultra light spinning reel.

Shimano Stratic 1000 isn't a ultra light spinning reel, it a common size used by anglers for general bass fishing with medium and medium light rods with 5 to 8 lb line. I think of ultra light the line is 2 tom4 lb test that 750 size spinning reels are designed for with ultra light to light spinning rods.

Shimano offers the Saros 1000 FA, 750 size reel with 1000 size spool that should be ideal.

Tom

The 1000 reels are  the smallest that the better Shimanos come in and the spool capacity is listed in 2,4, and 6lb test for them. I use 6lb Sufix 832 and a 4lb fluoro leader and will be using it primarily for trout.

[onenutinthewater]

For trout I have the president, ballistic, ci4, fk , tatula lt, luvias and a Nasci.

Like them all but my favorite is the fk paired with a loomis tsr 901.

The fk is also my favorite for salmon/steelhead.

Cant go wrong with any of them.............

[waymont]

Tatula Lt 1000!

 

i have both Stradic Fk 1000 and the Tat 1000. I prefer the Daiwa, but both are nice.

[Hulkster]

stradic 1000 in any flavor. as far as it being an UL reel, well, given the line ratings of 2, 4 and 6 pound mono, yes it certainly is IMO

[JustJames]

Nowadays I think shimano fade-away with 500/750 size reel, yes there are some but those are the cheaper model like Sahara. The 1000 and 500 size doesn’t really much difference. Daiwa I think start at size 1000 and is comparable with shimano 1000. The factor for me as UL spinning reel is size and weight to match my UL rod. Both shimano Stradic ci4+ 1000 and daiwa tatula lt 1000 weight less than 6oz. My old Sahara 750 weight almost 7 oz,  size and weight is about the same as my daiwa legalis LT 1000.

If I have budget for spinning reel I would get Tatula LT 1000 or even 2000 in a heartbeat.

[Stephen B]

15 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

Nowadays I think shimano fade-away with 500/750 size reel, yes there are some but those are the cheaper model like Sahara. The 1000 and 500 size doesn’t really much difference. Daiwa I think start at size 1000 and is comparable with shimano 1000. The factor for me as UL spinning reel is size and weight to match my UL rod. Both shimano Stradic ci4+ 1000 and daiwa tatula lt 1000 weight less than 6oz. My old Sahara 750 weight almost 7 oz,  size and weight is about the same as my daiwa legalis LT 1000.

If I have budget for spinning reel I would get Tatula LT 1000 or even 2000 in a heartbeat.

Agreed regarding reel weights nowadays. Nowadays our technology and manufacturing processes allow use of extremely light weight yet rigid frames like the Zaion bodies and CI4 bodies. Yes, the 1000 reel is sufficient. The weight of these reels are far lighterweight than of old. For example, the Shimano NASCI 500 weighs in at 6.2 oz whereas a Stradic CI4 is 5.6 oz. Why not opt for a slightly larger reel that still weighs less and have more line capacity? Easy decision for me. Plus, you'll have more options looking at 1000 size reels. Good luck to the OP.

On 10/15/2019 at 8:16 PM, WRB said:

First things first define ultra light spinning reel.

Shimano Stratic 1000 isn't a ultra light spinning reel, it a common size used by anglers for general bass fishing with medium and medium light rods with 5 to 8 lb line. I think of ultra light the line is 2 tom4 lb test that 750 size spinning reels are designed for with ultra light to light spinning rods.

Shimano offers the Saros 1000 FA, 750 size reel with 1000 size spool that should be ideal.

Tom

The Saros has been discontinued for many years.

 

[Deeare]

I have 2 of these and they are amazing.  $150.   I have 6 Stradics and I’m a huge Shimano guy and I would buy this over a Stradic all day.  
 

https://fishing.asian-portal.shop/blog/recommend-daiwa-spinning-reel-em-ms/

 

if anyone else has one please chime in.  

[Rusty Shackelford]

On 10/16/2019 at 11:56 PM, Stephen B said:

Agreed regarding reel weights nowadays. Nowadays our technology and manufacturing processes allow use of extremely light weight yet rigid frames like the Zaion bodies and CI4 bodies. Yes, the 1000 reel is sufficient. The weight of these reels are far lighterweight than of old. For example, the Shimano NASCI 500 weighs in at 6.2 oz whereas a Stradic CI4 is 5.6 oz. Why not opt for a slightly larger reel that still weighs less and have more line capacity? Easy decision for me. Plus, you'll have more options looking at 1000 size reels. Good luck to the OP.

The Saros has been discontinued for many years.

 

That's basically how I was looking at it, I got some great suggestions on here and will most likely take the hour drive to Cabela's and actually handle a few to make my choice. I was strongly leaning toward the CI4+ because if was obviously a big improvement over the FK. I recently saw a tear down on a Stradic FL and it appears to be a huge improvement on the FK and also weighs less but still not as light as the CI4+ however. I believe it's worth the drive to feel and try out both, unless the CI4+ is significantly lighter or better feeling I'll likely go with the FL, it is after all only .3oz heavier than my size 20 Pflueger Presidents I've been using for years and I'm not sure that .9oz is going to be all that noticeable in hand.

[The Fisher]

I use the Daiwa LT 1000 with 4# mono on my St Croix panfish rod 

[mrpao]

I have the both 1000 ci4+ and the FL1000HG.

While the FL is smooth, I still feel the CI4+ is a little more smooth still. The FL has a kind of geary sound on the retrieve. You can hear the same sound if you watch Tackle Advisor's review of the FL on YouTube.

My smoothest retrieve is on a Ultegra 1000. There is very little resistance when turning the handle and no noise what so ever.

[Rusty Shackelford]

51 minutes ago, mrpao said:

I have the both 1000 ci4+ and the FL1000HG.

While the FL is smooth, I still feel the CI4+ is a little more smooth still. The FL has a kind of geary sound on the retrieve. You can hear the same sound if you watch Tackle Advisor's review of the FL on YouTube.

My smoothest retrieve is on a Ultegra 1000. There is very little resistance when turning the handle and no noise what so ever.

I did watch both of his vids on the FL which is how it got on my radar to begin with, it was new enough where I had only been hearing about/looking at the FK model. So even with the upgrades to the FL over previous Stradics you still feel that the CI4+ performs more smoothly? Is the weight difference very noticeable or negligible when both are held in hand? 

[mrpao]

I'm not saying the FL isn't smooth. It's a different smoothness.

Perhaps it's the weight difference but the CI4+ retrieve feels more airy. The FL has a more solid feel.

1000 CI4+ with braid is  5.8 oz.

1000FL with braid is 6.6 oz.

How it feels in hand will be dependent on how particular a person is about their reels. I can tell a difference in the weight but it's not a huge one

[mrpao]

Shimano also makes the JDM Soare 500s.

Is a CI4+ reel coming in at 4.9 oz.

It has a shallow spool so don't expect to get much line on it.

[Rusty Shackelford]

33 minutes ago, mrpao said:

Shimano also makes the JDM Soare 500s.

Is a CI4+ reel coming in at 4.9 oz.

It has a shallow spool so don't expect to get much line on it.

Can those be serviced in the US like the Stradic or would it need to be sent somewhere else?

[mrpao]

Shimano won't service it but I'm sure many other repair places will.

I'm pretty sure it shares similar parts to the other 500 size reels.

 

There's a video on YouTube, where someone is using it for inshore fishing. I'm surprised he didn't get spooled