$350.00 to spend on Baitcaster

[Kelvin]

Daiwa or Shimano remain the gold standard.

 

With rare exceptions like the Abu Garcia Morrum ZX other companies do not rival the quality and refinement afforded by the top two reel makers in the industry. 

 

 

[Boomstick]

Do you have a specific power and action or use in mind?

[bulldog1935]

11 hours ago, michaelsrex said:

Like the silver wolf over the zillion ?

I like them both.  I like aftermarket spools on Zillion or Steez better than the Silver Wolf stock spool for fishing threadline braid, but anybody looking for 8-lb mono or 20-lb braid, the Silver Wolf stock spool has greater capacity than it's rated.  The Silver Wolf is also line-dig-proof, with a faster LW pitch that lays the line wider to prevent dig.  

 

[michaelsrex]

2 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

I like them both.  I like aftermarket spools on Zillion or Steez better than the Silver Wolf stock spool for fishing threadline braid, but anybody looking for 8-lb mono or 20-30-lb braid, the Silver Wolf stock spool has greater capacity than it's rated.  The Silver Wolf is also line-dig-proof, with a faster LW pitch that lays the line wider to prevent dig.  

 

What handles are those ?

[bulldog1935]

@michaelsrex

The Silver Wolf handle is ZPI SSRC carbon that comes without the knobs - I already had the knobs from the alloy handle on an Alcance (I had an Avail STi2 to swap into the XS-geared Alcance).  

The Zillion has among my favorite Avail STi2 - extremely light with titanium spindles - those are Avail A knobs.  

I like both of these longer handles (97 mm and 100 mm), on high-geared reels.  

All these handles with their big EVA knobs are lighter than stock alloy handles with I-shaped rubber knobs.  

My lower-geared Steez has Studio Composite RCSC, 88 mm, which is also extremely light with carbon tubes in the giant knobs.  

 

@Darth-Baiter they always look better this way

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

I don’t have any glamour pics of my reels.  Wow people. 

[jjwalker67]

3 hours ago, webertime said:

JDM Zillion or Bantam by miles.

Have both of these. If you like mechanical smooth retrieval go Bantam anything else Zillion SV TWS. 

[Darth-Baiter]

That silver wolf is nice. Too rich for me, but wow. 
 

‘’you buy that reel from the hookup, they throw in a spare SV spool for the price. 

[ska4fun]

18 hours ago, Steve Beer said:

I'm trying to decide what baitcaster for my $350.00 budget.

What are everyone's thoughts?

Daiwa millionaire CT SV

[Hulkster]

if it were me I would get a Bantam A.  6.2 model. 

 

they are a fortune up here in Canada though ($530 Canadian)

[GPtimes2]

Shimano Antares- buy from Digitaka for $377 and free shipping. It's worth coming up with the extra $27. Reported from enthusiast on Takle Tour, this is arguably the best casting real you can buy unless you like the DC's better. 

[Motoboss]

Kistler Rods & Reels

[Standard]

I finally had the chance to use the JDM Zillion SV TW I picked up over the winter - it's fantastic.  Super smooth and I really like the clicker.  Purchased from Digitaka, got here from Japan faster than some Amazon orders.

[MiceNReets]

On 5/9/2023 at 8:16 AM, Hulkster said:

if it were me I would get a Bantam A.  6.2 model. 

 

they are a fortune up here in Canada though ($530 Canadian)

$200cdn cheaper if you go through the JDM sites

[Darth-Baiter]

Is it wrong to say I’m gonna be bummed if we don’t find out what he buys?  

[KP Duty]

Is your last name beer?  

[bulldog1935]

@KP Duty maybe he's a Trappist monk.  

[jjwalker67]

On 5/8/2023 at 12:53 PM, Steve Beer said:

I'm trying to decide what baitcaster for my $350.00 budget.

What are everyone's thoughts?

Daiwa Zillion SV TWS or Shimano Bantam A. If you use mostly Flouro go Bantam. If you want a lighter reel go Zillion. 

Note if you go JDM model Metanium, you're not getting brass main gear like the US model. 

On 5/10/2023 at 12:24 PM, Standard said:

I finally had the chance to use the JDM Zillion SV TW I picked up over the winter - it's fantastic.  Super smooth and I really like the clicker.  Purchased from Digitaka, got here from Japan faster than some Amazon orders.

 

I'm curious if you have fished the  Zillion with both Mono and Flouro. I notice a huge difference when the two lines. Brakes on mono for me are 3-4, when using Flouro double that. 

[dodgeguy]

Lew's custom Lite shallow spool 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

On 5/8/2023 at 6:09 PM, Steve Beer said:

Skipping, frogging and Texas rigging

No combo. I support my local rod builder here in Florida. Bull Bay rods

I only need the reel. I support my local rod builder here in Florida. Bull Bay rods 

The application is right for casting tackle but your reasons are contradictory. The reel won’t make a difference in hook set, however the heavier tackle will in circumstances. Skipping casting tackle can be done for sure but spinning makes it way easier especially if you’re backlash concerned.  Quality wise you can hardly go wrong at your price point. 

[dodgeguy]

On 5/8/2023 at 8:01 PM, Kelvin said:

Daiwa or Shimano remain the gold standard.

 

With rare exceptions like the Abu Garcia Morrum ZX other companies do not rival the quality and refinement afforded by the top two reel makers in the industry. 

 

 

Totally not true.

[QED]

11 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Totally not true.

Agreed.  I use high end Shimano, Daiwa, and Lew’s reels and find them all to be outstanding in form, fit and function. All three are good at industrial design so I think their reels look pretty good too.

[Standard]

On 5/13/2023 at 10:14 AM, jjwalker67 said:

I'm curious if you have fished the  Zillion with both Mono and Flouro. I notice a huge difference when the two lines. Brakes on mono for me are 3-4, when using Flouro double that. 

 

I haven't, I use braid on all my bait casters.

[Dumbbassanglr]

On 5/13/2023 at 8:14 AM, jjwalker67 said:

Daiwa Zillion SV TWS or Shimano Bantam A. If you use mostly Flouro go Bantam. If you want a lighter reel go Zillion. 

Note if you go JDM model Metanium, you're not getting brass main gear like the US model. 

 

I'm curious if you have fished the  Zillion with both Mono and Flouro. I notice a huge difference when the two lines. Brakes on mono for me are 3-4, when using Flouro double that. 

JDM and US Metanium both have brass main gear. Zillion only US has brass. Anyways zillion or metanium are by far the best choices in this price range.