Reviewing a few Lew's Fishing Reels

[FishTank]

I have been lucky to be able to have fished a lot of different reels this past two years and as cabin fever has started to set in, despite it being almost 60 degrees today, I wanted to start writing a few reviews.  So I decided for whatever reason to start with Lew's.

 

First off I wanted to add a little disclaimer......  I am not a big fan of Lew's reels in general prior to getting my hands on a few.  So I know that sounds biased but I did approach this with sort of an opened mind.

 

First reel I tried was a the Hyper Mag. One of the guys I work on reels for bought it at the beginning of the year and asked if I would clean the excess oil and grease (which there was a lot of oil but no grease) off of it and spool it up with some 12lb Stren.  He said he was not in a hurry to get it back since he was headed into surgery and I could fish at my leisure until he recovered.  So prior to working on it, I fished it for a few hours just to see what it felt like.  And it was just OK.  I like how it was light weight and felt awesome in hand.  It was sort of smooth but just different.  I hated the handles though but they were good in the rain.  I really wanted to like this reel but it just didn't do it for me compared to other reels well below it's price point.  What I expected this reel to be was a light weight finesse powerhouse but it wasn't.  I struggled to get good casting distance with this reel on a weightless senko but it did well with heavier jigs and baits. The thing that disturbed me the most was the breaking.  I found I was constantly adjusting it to stop it from backlashing.  It would be fine one minute and backlash the next.  If I am messing with the breaks, I am missing out on fishing. After cleaning, lubing and fishing for about 10 more hours, things improved some but not much.  Overall, this is a good reel if you like Lew's reels.  I liked the feel of it, it was easy to work on, the cast control knob with the line weight is a nice touch and the hook keeper is genius but it just was not my taste.  It was just too different from what I have fished in the past.  I gave it back to the owner and wished him the best. 

 

Second was the Mach 2, the greenish one that comes with the combo.  I bought this at DSG for $50 on clearance. I thought since I liked the way the Hyper Mag felt in hand, I would try one.  It felt pretty much the same as the above reel but worse and heavier.   I returned it after one use.  

 

Last, and strangely my favorite, is the Carbon Fire.  I bought this at DSG as well for $12 ($45 clearance + 75% off) back in May.  I have to say I was blown away at how good this reel is.  Not because of what I paid for it but because it just worked well and felt good in hand.  It's surprisingly smooth and it cast as well if not better than the two above.  The breaking system (magnetic) works well (very similar to Quantum reels).   I think it would make for a great beginner reel.   On a side note, I would put it pretty close to the Shimano SLX. 

 

I guess I can see why people like Lew's reels but to me all the ones I fished still feel a lot like BPS and Pflueger's offerings (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).  They just don't break away from that feel of a mass produced product where all the reels in the line up feel the same.  It, to me, boils down to personal preference.  I think I will continue to enjoy the Carbon Fiber for years to come though. 

 

 

[Vilas15]

19 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I guess I can see why people like Lew's reels but to me all the ones I fished still feel a lot like BPS and Pflueger's offerings (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).  They just don't break away from that feel of a mass produced product where all the reels in the line up feel the same.  It, to me, boils down to personal preference.  I think I will continue to enjoy the Carbon Fiber for years to come though. 

 

 

Lews is owned by pure fishing which also makes pflueger and abu garcias. So thats why theyd feel similar. You should try some of their most popular reels including the LFS, tournament MB, or tournament pro.

[FishTank]

10 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

Lews is owned by pure fishing which also makes pflueger and abu garcias. So thats why theyd feel similar. You should try some of their most popular reels including the LFS, tournament MB, or tournament pro.

 I think if I went down that road, I would start with the BB1 and go from there.  It seems to be a safe pick but the ones you mention are definitely interesting. 

[FrankN209]

8 hours ago, FishTank said:

 I think if I went down that road, I would start with the BB1 and go from there.  It seems to be a safe pick but the ones you mention are definitely interesting. 

The BB1 gets a lot of great reviews from what I've seen. 

[Fishin Dad]

I started off with Lews as my first baitcasters.  I have now moved to mostly Daiwa, however, I still really like my Lews reels and wouldn’t hesitate to fish them more.  I have a couple BB1 pros, MB, and tourney pro.   I use a couple in the 6.8:1 for my chatterbait and spinnerbait reels. They have been going strong for years with minimal maintenance.  I did strip the threads off my tensioning cap, and Lews was awesome and sent me the parts free of charge on a 6 year old reel.  
 

 

[NYWayfarer]

10 hours ago, FishTank said:

Last, and strangely my favorite, is the Carbon Fire.  I bought this at DSG as well for $12 ($45 clearance + 75% off) back in May.  I have to say I was blown away at how good this reel is.  Not because of what I paid for it but because it just worked well and felt good in hand.  It's surprisingly smooth and it cast as well if not better than the two above.  The breaking system (magnetic) works well (very similar to Quantum reels).   I think it would make for a great beginner reel.   On a side note, I would put it pretty close to the Shimano SLX. 

 

 

Not strange at all. I have lots of Lew's baitcasters and spinning reels, cheap to expensive. One of my favorite creek fishing spinning combos is the Lew's Xfinity. Cost me $56 total and sometimes I grab it over my Lew's Custom Pro Speed Spin which costs $129 There is something about that cheap combo I really like.

[mrpao]

I have had many lews reels over the years. I have tried most of their upper end reels.

I currently have a hyper mag and team lews TI in my line up.

I find that they can be finicky if the spool is over fielded. If I'm back lashing some, then I strip some line off and that usually fixes the issue.

As for the fat foam knobs, I switch most of my knobs to daiwa knobs anyway so the lews knobs aren't a issue. I run the daiwa cork I knobs on 90% of my reels. On shimano reels too.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Not to nit-pick but Lews is not a Pure Fishing brand, however they do source reels from the same factory and share parts and tooling. 

[dodgeguy]

Lews adjustable centrifugal systems are some of the easier systems to adjust and fish with...

[Vilas15]

1 hour ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Not to nit-pick but Lews is not a Pure Fishing brand, however they do source reels from the same factory and share parts and tooling. 

Oops, close enough!

[FishTank]

50 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

Lews adjustable centrifugal systems are some of the easier systems to adjust and fish with...

After fishing the two with the centrifugal system I am going to kind of disagree.  I would say that it is one of the most finicky systems I have used.  With all the available breaking adjustments, I was changing and adjusting the cast constantly.  It felt like a 23 speed manual transmission I was controlling with my thumb.  Personally, the best system is one that I don't have to adjust or worry about.   

 

On the plus side, at least I didn't have to open the side plate to adjust the breaks.  And one other thing I did like is how the side plate just snaps back into place when I did take it off and the easy to use button that makes it come off.  This is to me the easiest I have seen so far.  

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I just don’t get the adjustable centrifugal thing. The old six pin shimano system worked great and was user friendly. Set it and forget it. 

[Hammer 4]

13 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

I just don’t get the adjustable centrifugal thing. The old six pin shimano system worked great and was user friendly. Set it and forget it. 

 

I totally agree. 

[NYWayfarer]

2 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Lews adjustable centrifugal systems are some of the easier systems to adjust and fish with...

I agree. Nothing else comes close for ease of adjusting brakes when using lighter lures.

 

I used to be a set and forget the brakes fisherman. With the external adjustable centrifugal system I realized how much casting distance I was losing by not adjusting the brakes. The external brakes make those adjustments quick and easier than the, remove the side plate, 6 pin systems.

[J5877]

I have the carbon Fire with the rod to match and I love it. Great set up. 

[dodgeguy]

14 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

I agree. Nothing else comes close for ease of adjusting brakes when using lighter lures.

 

I used to be a set and forget the brakes fisherman. With the external adjustable centrifugal system I realized how much casting distance I was losing by not adjusting the brakes. The external brakes make those adjustments quick and easier than the, remove the side plate, 6 pin systems.

Thank you. Almost impossible to backlash the reel. Great distance.

[NYWayfarer]

2 hours ago, J5877 said:

I have the carbon Fire with the rod to match and I love it. Great set up. 

The Carbon Fire is a great reel. It is built on the Lew’s SLP platform so it is basically a Mach 2 with less bells and whistles. 7 bearings instead of 10, paddle instead of Winn grip knobs and a red paint job instead of green. Mach 2 has a clickable cast control knob.

[fishwizzard]

On 12/24/2019 at 8:32 PM, FishTank said:

After fishing the two with the centrifugal system I am going to kind of disagree.  I would say that it is one of the most finicky systems I have used.  With all the available breaking adjustments, I was changing and adjusting the cast constantly.  It felt like a 23 speed manual transmission I was controlling with my thumb.  Personally, the best system is one that I don't have to adjust or worry about.   

 

I don't mind dial-adjustable centrifugal systems as, at east in the one I have owned, I don't even open the reel up, just set the shoes at 50/50 and use the dial for everything.  What I can't stand are reels with both an adjustable centrifugal and magnetic system.  The few I have had were constantly needing adjustment, even going from casting to pitching withe same lure tied on.  It would sometimes take tweaking all three points of adjustment just to get reasonable casting performance.  

[FishTank]

After fishing the two with the centrifugal system I am going to kind of disagree.

 

 

I needed to correct a part of what I said......

 

The Mach 2 has a magnetic braking system.  It should have handled the same as the Carbon Fire but it did not. 

[Boomstick]

 

2 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

I don't mind dial-adjustable centrifugal systems as, at east in the one I have owned, I don't even open the reel up, just set the shoes at 50/50 and use the dial for everything.  What I can't stand are reels with both an adjustable centrifugal and magnetic system.  The few I have had were constantly needing adjustment, even going from casting to pitching withe same lure tied on.  It would sometimes take tweaking all three points of adjustment just to get reasonable casting performance.  

I don't have that problem with my dual braking reel. I do find that if I am trying to tweak it for max distance, if what I do with my thumb is not consistent I am going to have problems though.

On 12/23/2019 at 11:22 PM, FishTank said:

Last, and strangely my favorite, is the Carbon Fire.  I bought this at DSG as well for $12 ($45 clearance + 75% off) back in May.

Nice steal! Thanks for the review.

[dodgeguy]

With the externally adjustable centrifugal system you put it at zero set cast control knob then turn dial up and back it off. It doesn't get any easier.after you get those 2 basic settings you just need your thumb. 

[NYWayfarer]

3 hours ago, FishTank said:

The Mach 2 has a magnetic braking system.  It should have handled the same as the Carbon Fire but it did not. 

Maybe you got a lemon.

 

It's the same SLP body on both reels, same braking system as well. They should have handled the same. The handles are different so if you don't like Winn grip knobs you won't like the Mach 2

[boostr]

I think once you try the aluminum framed versions they'll feel alot different. All I use. From the Tournament MG, MB to the BB1s.