Casting Reel recommendations wanted!

[PTasker15]

Looking to pair a new reel with my Lew's KVD 7 foot Medium/Moderate. For now I plan to use it for cranking and topwater until I get a dedicated topwater setup. My budget is $90-$150. Looked around but have never owned a "nicer" reel so hoping to get some recommendations of certain reels or what to look for. Sorry, I know this gets asked alot. 

[Cbump]

For me a cranking reel needs to be a 5-6 gear and a topwater reel needs to be 8 gear. 
But if you’re doing It all with one I’d get a 7.1 and to match that rod I’d get the Lews KVD reel. The maroon one. 

[PTasker15]

22 minutes ago, Cbump said:

For me a cranking reel needs to be a 5-6 gear and a topwater reel needs to be 8 gear. 
But if you’re doing It all with one I’d get a 7.1 and to match that rod I’d get the Lews KVD reel. The maroon one. 

By cranking, I mean squarebills and lipless. I don't deep crank or use cranks during colder months. So I'm looking for a reel that is around 6-7. 

[Eric 26]

Daiwa Fuego CT. The easiest braking system to use. I agree with Cbump get the 7 speed for maximum versatility. As a bonus it’s in your price range at Tackle Warehouse but I’m sure you’ll find it cheaper if you look around.

Edited July 15, 2023 by Eric 26
Added content

[Cbump]

That maroon Lews reel feels pretty nice. 

[PTasker15]

2 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

Daiwa Fuego CT. The easiest braking system to use. I agree with Cbump get the 7 speed for maximum versatility.

How might the Fuego compare to the Tatula CT? Anything that would make it truly better to get for the extra 30?

2 minutes ago, Cbump said:

That maroon Lews reel feels pretty nice. 

I hear it does. DBS, 9+1, Aluminum Spool, Aluminum Frame. Just looking at other options I may have before going, what is for me, "all in".

[Cbump]

6 minutes ago, PTasker15 said:

How might the Fuego compare to the Tatula CT? Anything that would make it truly better to get for the extra 30?

I may be wrong but I think it’s the exact reel just without the t-wing. Very nice reel. 

[MediumMouthBass]

@PTasker15I have the Fuego CT and the Tatula CT, both are great reels. The Fuego is a very tough reel and i use it in conditions where the reel has alot of stress put on it, frogging, flipping in the lily pads, big spinnerbaits, etc....

The Tatula CT is worth the price increase if you want a more refined reel that absolutely casts farther with the T Wing System.

But the SLX XT is also a great option for a do all reel thats more refined.

[NorthernBasser]

Since I'm OCD when it comes to mismatching rod and reel brands, I'll also recommend a Lew's KVD. I have one and it's a great reel at that price point. I'm more of a Shimano and Daiwa guy, but Lew's makes some nice reels.

 

I took the foam knobs off and added some Lew's Winn grip knobs on mine.

 

 

[Cbump]

Agree on matching rod and reel brands. 

[Eric 26]

@PTasker15 Ok I’m going to start by admitting I’m a color match guy and for me the new Tatula CT or SLX paired with the maroon KVD rod would never happen ? With that said I don’t own a Fuego CT but do own a few different Tatulas including the previous generation Tatula CT (red accents vs blue) and as Cbump just pointed out the only major difference is the T-Wing. Search the Fuego on here and you’ll be hard pressed to find any negative comments about the reel. I also owned a bps carbonlite 2.0 which is a distant cousin of the Lews including the dual brake system and although I enjoyed the reel it’s no longer in my possession and I have zero intention’s on parting with any of my Daiwa’s.

[Aaron_H]

1 hour ago, PTasker15 said:

Looking to pair a new reel with my Lew's KVD 7 foot Medium/Moderate. For now I plan to use it for cranking and topwater until I get a dedicated topwater setup. My budget is $90-$150. Looked around but have never owned a "nicer" reel so hoping to get some recommendations of certain reels or what to look for. Sorry, I know this gets asked alot. 

 

SLX MGL would be my choice in that budget.

[PTasker15]

Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions. I'll get the Lew's KVD and also as NorthernBasser did, probably yoink some winn grips off of my old reels. I will also take a look at the Fuego/Tatula CT and the XT/MGL when I invest into topwater reels, as I know all four are highly rated reels as well. Will probably get something like a 7-7'6 Medium Mod-Fast when I get a topwater, I hear the Daiwa Tatula CT rods and Lew's TP1X rods are very nice. Will probably pair it with a 7 or 8 gear of the above reels.

[DEPS_250]

4 hours ago, PTasker15 said:

By cranking, I mean squarebills and lipless. I don't deep crank or use cranks during colder months. So I'm looking for a reel that is around 6-7. 

 

If you don't do any deep cranking and are mainly sticking to squarebill crankbaits, lipless crankbaits and topwaters...Than any 7.0:1-7.5:1 gear ratio reel would work fine.

 

Some guys prefer a 8.0:1 or higher for topwaters/stick baits. I find the higher gear ratio reels to be a little hard to get the right 1/4 turn of the reel handle rhythm/cadence in order to make stick baits walk the dog correctly. I like a 7.0:1 to a 7.5:1 for topwaters. Any higher and it throws my cadence off. 

 

Some guys prefer a 6.0:1 or slower for crankbaits. Just like you, I don't do any 'deep cranking' and the only crankbaits I fish are squarebills and lipless crankbaits. A 7.0:1-7.5:1 gear ratio reel is totally fine for squarebills and lipless crankbaits even though it might not be labeled as the best/correct gear ratio on paper by crankbait 'purists'. I find the slower gear ratio reels to be a little too slow and actually hinder my ability to get good hooksets in fish around heavy cover in shallow water or on open water fish at the end of a very long cast. The faster gear ratio helps take up more line quickly and therefore helps with getting good hooksets on fish that are running straight at you. 

 

I am a minimalist fishermen. I don't like to have a lot of tackle and setups. I always try and find as many uses as I can with the least amount of setups/gear. Just like you, I wanted a rod and reel combo that can pull double duty and be able to cover both topwaters and crankbaits. That way, I can save a lot more money and space. 

 

I am currently using a 7.3:1 Daiwa Tatula for squarebill crankbaits, lipless crankbaits and topwaters/walk the dog stick baits. Perfect gear ratio for all of my cranking and topwater needs. No issues yet. Bomb proof, casts very far with very few backlashes and smooth as butter on the retrieve.

 

Hope this helps. 

[huZZah]

I personally love my Tatula 100 and Shimano SLX. They are my most used reels ever. 

[dodgeguy]

On 7/14/2023 at 10:29 PM, PTasker15 said:

How might the Fuego compare to the Tatula CT? Anything that would make it truly better to get for the extra 30?

I hear it does. DBS, 9+1, Aluminum Spool, Aluminum Frame. Just looking at other options I may have before going, what is for me, "all in".

I'd go for that or the mp.better yet for cranks I'd go with a bb1.Why commit blasphemy with a non Lew's reel?

[Eric 26]

@PTasker15 I’m not sure if you’ve bought the KVD reel yet but Midway has them on sale for $114.95 currently.

Edited July 15, 2023 by Eric 26
Content

[Cbump]

Hard to beat that. 

[Big Hands]

14 hours ago, PTasker15 said:

How might the Fuego compare to the Tatula CT? Anything that would make it truly better to get for the extra 30?

I have both of these reels. I think the Tatula casts a little better, but I'm not a big fan of the T-Wing when using braid to leader because the knots can hang up on the T-Wing if the knot winds back up on the reel (longer leader than 5-6 feet). 

 

With that said, with a $150 max budget, I prefer my Shimano SLX MGL 70 to both of those particular Daiwa reels. They're not that much better casting, but the SLX MGL 70 does cast a little further. 

 

Mixing and matching brands on rods and reels rates somewhere near zero on a scale of 1 - 10 for me. If it works, it works. No need to limit my potential for the purpose of aesthetics.

=========================

I had a good friend that had a few sets of identical rods that were wrapped in different colors (red, blue and green). He then matched the reel colors and line colors to match them. He could then choose which colored set he wanted to fish with on a particular day. Those combos stayed together all the time and were laid out in fine order in racks on the garage wall. Then he had a five drawer chest of drawers full of his spare reels, all round ABU Garcia Ambassadeurs or black ABU Garcia spinning reels. To me, this was extreme, but it was part of the joy he got from fishing, so I understand it from that perspective.

[optimator]

I’ve got a half dozen of various flavors of SLX’s, a couple of Fuego CT’s and I’m down to my last Tatula. I like them in that same order. 

[PTasker15]

On 7/15/2023 at 10:09 AM, Eric 26 said:

@PTasker15 I’m not sure if you’ve bought the KVD reel yet but Midway has them on sale for $114.95 currently.

recently went off sale, along with all other KVD items. I think I'll wait until holiday sales as they should go on again. 

[JN94]

SLX XT or SLX MGL 70

[LionHeart]

Tatula 100 over Fuego.  The Fuego gets the job done for sure, but feels super super cheap.

 

I am not by any means a user of high end gear.  All my reels are $100-$150 range, but I die a little inside every time I grab the Fuego.

 

Also, 7 speed would be a great choice.

 

Matter fact, get a Lews LFS.  They are $75 right now on Takle Warehouse.  Braking isn't as good as Diawa but totally decent, and way more comfortable.  

 

 

[ska4fun]

On 7/14/2023 at 10:41 PM, PTasker15 said:

Looking to pair a new reel with my Lew's KVD 7 foot Medium/Moderate. For now I plan to use it for cranking and topwater until I get a dedicated topwater setup. My budget is $90-$150. Looked around but have never owned a "nicer" reel so hoping to get some recommendations of certain reels or what to look for. Sorry, I know this gets asked alot. 

Daiwa Tatula 100, Fuego CT...

[garroyo130]

1 hour ago, LionHeart said:

Tatula 100 over Fuego.  The Fuego gets the job done for sure, but feels super super cheap.

 

I am not by any means a user of high end gear.  All my reels are $100-$150 range, but I die a little inside every time I grab the Fuego.

 

What's the difference? The Fuego shares like 95% of parts with the Tat and I doubt either are tuned to any degree beyond slapping some shims on them here and there. Gear sets and brake system are identical.