Spinning reel for x-mas

[fish-fighting-illini]

I want to recommend a spinning reel for Christmas for my buddies wife to buy him. They don't have a lot of cash but I'd like it to be a step up from the stuff he normaly uses.

Price range in the $60 to $80 for reel only or rod reel combo in same quality range.

I'd like to know recommendations in the Shimano, Daiwa and maybe Okuma. Pflueger Pres's and Med's fit the bill and I might rec one of those as I have experience and advice on those.  I kind of wanted him to try something different as kind of a comparison test while I'm at it.

Please only recommend something you have used more than 1/2 a year. This will be his best reel so I want it to be something time proven.

Ok Shimano posse do the Shimano's really take a step down in this range or do they still make a very nice reel?

[TournyFish001]

for that price range all the manufactures are going to be pretty close in features and quality- you should be more concerned about sizes in order to fit the type of fishing he will be doing. Like light plastics or crankbaits or if a multi- tasked set-up is better. I'd go after something that caters around 6 to 10lb test and spend the 60 to 80 bucks on whatever is on sale- might get lucky and get something higher end on sale-

[FishTank]

I have become a big shimano fan so my favorite at that price range is the Sahara.  I found a 4000 on clearance at Dicks for $25.

[roadwarrior]

Shimano Symetre 2500, $79. I fished a couple of these for several years. Seven years later some friends of mine are still fishing these same reels that I gave them. This is a GREAT reel for the price.

[Fishing Doug]

Shimano Symetre 2500, $79. I fished a couple of these for several years. Seven years later some friends of mine are still fishing these same reels that I gave them. This is a GREAT reel for the price.

Agreed.  I also have this reel in the smaller (750) version on my ultralight for crappie/bluegill. I have caught well over 500 fish on this reel and not a single problem.

[StatosDadRI]

New this season was the Abu Garcia Cardinal 500ALB series. They are frequently on sale for as little as $49.99 I have 2 and will be bying a few more next year.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Cabelas has the Pflueger Medalist ( usually sells for 79) and an IM8 rod combo for 89 bucks That reel is excelllent on its own!

[Bass Mekanik]

I really like the Shimano Stradic and its little brother the Symtre for their price.  I dont have a stradic of my own yet but have used friends ranging from 2500-6000 series in both fresh and saltwater and love them.  Caught my first Kingfish on a stradic 4000 on 12lb test best fight i ever had.  I have used the Symtre for years and have turned friends onto them.  they seemed to be pleased with the perfromance.  When i decide to ditch my Pflueger President I am going to get a Team Daiwa Tierra 2500.  They are priced right at 120 and have goten awesome reviews.  Just my $.02

[SCarter]

Shimano Symetre 2500, $79. I fished a couple of these for several years. Seven years later some friends of mine are still fishing these same reels that I gave them. This is a GREAT reel for the price.

For the price, can't beat it. I found one on sale for $59.

[volpster31]

shimano symetre all the way!!!!

i got mine on ebay for $65...this is the smoothest reel ive ever used  

[Triton9]

symetre hands down. i love mine.

[HomersTomaco]

there is no comparison in that price range it is the shimano symetre.  Get it, he will be happy.

Oh and by the way the retail price of the medalist is 79, not 99, and the symetre is 5 times better for the same price.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Sorry MK trout is correct the new Supreme is 99 not the medalist

[Guest the_muddy_man]

I fish Pflueger b/c thats what was redily available and I like their products a lot. I never used a Shimano reel so I have no opinon on them I am curious if you fellas always touting Shimano have ever fished the products you compare them to. I find it particularly intersing that mktrout made this statement : Its 5 times better than the Medalist What does that mean? What is the criteria you are going on? Have you used both? Just wonmdering what makes everyone an expert I would rather hear from experience ( RoadWarrior,Avid and LBH and Dodgeguy) than on SELF PROCLAIMED TACKLE EXPERT what does that mean?

[dodgeguy]

there is no comparison in that price range it is the shimano symetre. Get it, he will be happy.

Oh and by the way the retail price of the medalist is 79, not 99, and the symetre is 5 times better for the same price.

says who?i've owned shimano stradics and the medalist is still smoother than they were.have you ever owned a medalist?

[fish-fighting-illini]

Ok drum roll,

I gave my buddies wife 2 choices. Here they are

Here is what I suggest from Cabelas

Symetre

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20287&rid=&indexId=cat20287&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat20287&id=0030874

ReelSY2500FI 140/8 6.0:1 4BB, 1RB 9.5 Item: IG-119342

$99.98

Rod

S663 6'6" 6-12 2 1/4-5/8 D M 2.5" 7.5" Fast

2nd choice also Cabelas

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0029728119154a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=medalist&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=medalist&noImage=0

PFLMED661 6'6" M 1 6035 5.2:1 9+1 145/8   Reg: $99.95

Sale: $89.95 *

I'm hoping she goes witht the Shimano so I can compare it to my Pflueger.

[fish-fighting-illini]

For the record

Side note-

Right before the end of the season I bought a Pflueger President 6730 from Gander Mountain coupled with a ML 6' 6" Berkley Lightning rod. I almost took it back right away because I noticed that when I lightly spun the handle that it didn't keep revolving very long. I went ahead and used it a couple of times anyway. I noticed with same weight line, lure & identical rod I can outcast it with my Mitchell 308

( by a long shot). There is a huge upside to the Pflueger when reeling in though. It is very smooth and comfortable. Thus I still like it maybe if nothing else because it is still tons better than cheap crap that I've bought over the years.

The only other thing that I can think of is that the line seems to want to twist up quite a bit. I had Gander put line on when I bought it; maybe they didn't do such a hot job putting it on. Also i'm not 100% sure of what brands of line is on both but I think they are both Trilene XL. The lines do look different though.

I have not fished the president enough to judge it yet. I did catch several decent fish on it and I battled a 4lber. The reel held up very well, made for a nice fight and felt sweet.

[tmacdaddy055]

Personally I love my pflueger president and unlike yours my reel spins forever. It has never let my down, and i have caught a 7 pounder on it. But I have also used my friends symetre and was thinking about buying one to go along with my president, so I would say either one of those two.