Interesting observation on reel sales

[newapti5]

I have been selling my reel collection on eBay, and according to my sales record, the No.1 best selling reel brand is not Shimano or Daiwa, but Lew's. There're a lot of lookers for Shimano and Daiwa reels for sure, but the visitors of my Lew's reels listings made much quicker decisions, sometimes not even trying to bargain with me.  New or used, them Lew's reels had been selling like hot cakes, and I've already cleared all my Lew's. 

 

I know this might be a controversial topic here, but I am really looking at Lew's reels differently now.   

[ATA]

It is because of pricing, Usually kids want to start or have something cheaper. Plus social networking and push they do is one of the kind.

[Jar11591]

I’ve used all 3 brands, and Lews can stand toe to toe with Shimano and Daiwa every day of the week. I’ve never been anything but satisfied with my Lews reels. May not be as flashy but function and price wise Lews stands near the top. 

[Catt]

17 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

Lews can stand toe to toe with Shimano and Daiwa every day of the week.

 

Blasphemy ?

[bulldog1935]

Fished nothing but Lew's since 1984, when Daiwa wouldn't support parts on my 7-y-o Millionaire - certainly didn't have a kind word for Daiwa for those three decades. 

Speed Spool was a paradigm change in baitcast design, which Shimano manufactured then stole.  Besides, Shimano rear derailleurs cracked, plus they stole SunTour's patent before the patent expired.  Before that, they copied Campagnolo.  Shimano index shifting was superior to every other and finally put SunTour out of business.  If you didn't care about index shifting, Shimano was for the gadget-happy (their brakes sucked for 3 decades). 

1987 photo of 3 young salts (think they're something on a stick)

I was even dumb enough to try Lew's spinning reel in the '90s, but gave that away when I replaced it with Penn.  

Just about every TX coast kayak fisherman I know has a gang of Super Dutys, and mixed Lew's, and doesn't want anything else.  

For a generation Lews = baitcaster, just like it was Ambassadeur for the previous generation.  Dollars to donuts, more Doyo-made Revos were sold than Shimano or Daiwa, as well.  

IMO, where Lew's lost it was spool options, their obese dual-brake design, and putting all their eggs in their centrifugal brake basket.  Deep spools and centrifugal brakes work perfectly for fishing thick lines and heavy weights.  

 

What made me look at Daiwa again was the desire to fish threadline braid.

Just like Speed Spool separating freespool from the LW moved syncho reels to the back shelf, Daiwa's Mag-Force and SV brake design will become the industry standard when the patent expires (every rear derailleur made today uses's SunTour's 1964 patent).  

Better add Shimano made their mark with Calcutta, though $400 was a lot for an inshore reel in the '90s, and I was happy with my Lew's Salt.  

[Tatulatard]

They are affordable and an American brand so newer anglers gravitate to them.  Their minds melt when they find out they are rebranded Korean reels but most never find out.  Also their use of combos sold at big box stores get many into fishing as their 1st baitcast reel and they just stick with the brand.  

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Just about every TX coast kayak fisherman I know has a gang of Super Dutys, and mixed Lew's, and doesn't want anything else.  

A couple of us in FLA too. It's the only Lew's I have but works well.  Agree with you on the Daiwa comments as well...

[Cbump]

I want one of those new pro $499 models. I’ll never own one but I want one. 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I gave Lews a try with BB1 Pro same purchase bought Tatula and Chronarch CI4. Right away issue after issue with Pro so it got returned all the while the tat and ci4 still slinging away years later. The tat I dont use all that much anymore, its my frog reel, but the CI4 gets constant use.

[garroyo130]

because there's no thought of "for only $110 more, I could get a new JDM Lews"

[KP Duty]

I've never tried a Lews, but their comeback was pretty amazing.  I took a break from the game in 2009, and when I returned in 2014, I was seeing all these new Lews reels.  In the 2000's, Lews was pretty much dormant.  

[redmeansdistortion]

Not surprising to me.  A guy I chat with on another forum works for a tackle distributor and sells more Lew's than the others, followed by Abu Garcia, then Shimano, and lastly Daiwa.  Granted, his market is Michigan only, so other states may be different.

[KP Duty]

1 hour ago, redmeansdistortion said:

Not surprising to me.  A guy I chat with on another forum works for a tackle distributor and sells more Lew's than the others, followed by Abu Garcia, then Shimano, and lastly Daiwa.  Granted, his market is Michigan only, so other states may be different.

It probably hurt Daiwa a bit when bass pro stores dropped them.

[badfish79]

You can usually find a better "deal" when shopping for a used lews, if comparing to the price of a brand new item. Used shimano and daiwas I imagine cost similar to a new one if buying straight from Japan, unless you are asking less than 50% off MSRP.

[redmeansdistortion]

1 hour ago, KP Duty said:

It probably hurt Daiwa a bit when bass pro stores dropped them.

Many retailers here don't seem to carry Daiwa reels in general unless it's an Accudepth or Sealine which are very popular with walleye and musky trollers.  

[NavyToad]

I have 9 or 10 Lews and 3 Daiwas. I prefer Lews and my favorite rods all have Lews attached. It’s not about money, I just like Lews. I was tempted by the JDM $239 Zillions but bought a couple $200+ Lews instead. No doubt Daiwa makes a good reel, so does Lews. I stay away from that company that makes bicycle parts.

 

[T-Billy]

I have more Lew's than Daiwa or Shimano. As @bulldog1935 stated, Lew's lack of spool options is their main drawback. It's the only reason I own any Daiwa and Shimano reels. My Lew's are every bit as smooth as my Curados and Scorpions, if not as precise feeling. They stay smooth too. I've had zero durability issues with them after a half dozen years. The Zillion HD's are on another level, but they're also on another price level than any of my reels from the other two brands. 

[JediAmoeba]

Only reels I have ever immensely disliked were my Lews and Abu Garcias...not a coincidence they are basically the same.

[J Francho]

I've never considered resale when it comes to hobby purchases. Buy cheap and buy twice, maybe even three times. I've never owned a Lew's, though I'm sure they're nice. They don't turn my screws at all. 

[Fishin Dad]

My first baitcaster reel was the Lew’s BB1 Pro.  It is still going almost 10 years later.  I have 4-5 Lews and I agree they are great reels.  I have mostly Daiwa now and that is because I really like the SV spools.  I have Tatulas and Zillions for that reason.  I would not hesitate for a second to buy all Lews that I wouldn’t use for skipping or pitching.   I have never owned a Shimano reel.  Don’t know why.  I know they make a great product.  I have just stuck mostly with Daiwa, Lews, and a few Abu’s and Okuma.  

[Catt]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

They don't turn my screws at all. 

 

Feel the same way about Diawia 

[J Francho]

36 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Feel the same way about Diawia 

Not too much from Diana lately turns my screws. A couple reels are sweet, but most are meh to me. Their heyday was the mid 2000s. Then again, o feel the same about most other companies. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

14 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Not too much from Diana lately turns my screws. A couple reels are sweet, but most are meh to me. Their heyday was the mid 2000s. Then again, o feel the same about most other companies. 

Couldn’t agree more. Daiwa went 180* away from what I liked about them then.  The Core and E series Shimanos are my all time favorites. 

[newapti5]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

2 hours ago, Catt said:

Feel the same way about Diawia 

Not too much from Diana lately turns my screws.

Diawa -> Diawia -> Diana.  Come on, it's a bit out of control, whether you like them or not.  It's Daiwa, 大和，the alternative name for Japan, like Columbia to US.

[Catt]

@newapti5 Ya can call em Ray or ya can call em Jay...don't care, still don't like em.