Lews is taking Abu's spot.

[Darth-Baiter]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

He doesn't know how to set up his reel.  

 

 

maybe.  he fishes a lot and has maybe 40 reels.   he gave me five of them when he switched to all lefty reel due to an injury.  I passed them all along to my brother..

every trip together we do have a casting contest.   distance and then accuracy.  fun..he wins some, I win some.  

 

it was funny when he lost a fish.  he went to set a hook and the knob on his handle came off, and he lost the fish due to the surprise.   he had to tape it with medical tape.  it was a good look.

[Mobasser]

My Lews LFS is great as a bass reel. My ABU 4600c is 24 years old now, and still reels in bass every season. Personally, I think lots of folks overthink all this. Many companies make good reels, that are suitable for bass fishing. Pick your favourite color, and get out there and catch fish.

 .

[Sp33dSnake]

My first baitcaster was a super budget level Lews Baitcaster from the 90's. Couldn't tell you what model it was, other than it having "LASER" emblazoned on the side.  It nearly caused me to swear off baitcasters forever.  It was the biggest piece of crap.  Now, being a new baitcaster guy (I was sixteen),  I'll contribute 30% of the experience to my inexperience.   But the other 70% I put solely on the reel.  The spool tension would hold its zero for 20 casts or so, and then have to be readjusted for it.   Eventually, it was relegated as a backup reel, and I kept using open bell reels.

I still have the rod from that combo (a BPS Tourney IM6, 6'6" Med/Hvy rod).

Eventually, when I took a buddy of mine to BPS, he wanted to buy a new Rod/Reel combo.   He eventually went with a BPS Johnny Morris Carbonlite 2.0 with a BPS Tourney Rod.  I found out later that the Carbonlite 2.0 was based off a Lews Reel.   If I had, I would've told my buddy not to buy Lews.  BUT, I had the opportunity to try it out myself and it was working very well.  WAY better than that budget reel I first started with.

So, there is something to the axiom, "You get what you pay for."  I've softened up on Lew's reels a bit.  As for Abu Garcia, I wish my starting baitcaster would've been something like the Black Max for $30.   Way, WAY better experience with that reel than that Lew's LASER.

[Eric 26]

@Sp33dSnake I’m going to agree with everything you said and I’ll add my first foray into bait casting reels was a low end Daiwa and then a Browning bait cast reel at least 20 years ago and I also almost also swore off bait casting reels. My current collection of casting reels includes a Daiwa CA80 bait cast reel that cost me around $70.00 shipped to my door  that I really like and absolutely blows the previous 2 mentioned out of the water. I will also add the the Abu Black Max and probably the bottom line Lews today would also blow the aforementioned out of the water. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I don’t see Lews as taking ABUs place. Lews had a nice niche for themselves as good quality reels at very competitive prices, due largely to their modest marketing budget. The new ownership has gone 180 in the other direction with heavy marketing, sponsorship etc and merely joined ABU in that space. 

[JediAmoeba]

Lews and Abu are one in the same... head on over and pick out your favorite unbranded Lews or Abu... https://www.doyofishing.co.kr/

[KP Duty]

3 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

Lews and Abu are one in the same... head on over and pick out your favorite unbranded Lews or Abu... https://www.doyofishing.co.kr/

 

I like the metallic blue one.  Lews should have added that finish to the lineup.

 

[KP Duty]

That blue Doyo is $263 btw.  I was tossing around the idea of buying the 5.6 gear, but that is a little steep.  Love how you choose spool and handle 

[Eric 26]

20 minutes ago, KP Duty said:

That blue Doyo is $263 btw.  I was tossing around the idea of buying the 5.6 gear, but that is a little steep.  Love how you choose spool and handle 

Dang $263.00 is definitely a bit steep. I will add though that I personally do enjoy my Revo X 5 speed which only cost $99.99 msrp at the time. 

[FishTank]

3 hours ago, KP Duty said:

That blue Doyo is $263 btw.  I was tossing around the idea of buying the 5.6 gear, but that is a little steep.  Love how you choose spool and handle 

 

How do you go about buying one? I don't think Doyo will ship to the US. 

[dk2429]

Y’all talk **** but I absolutely love my BB1 Pro on my deep cranking setup. That thing is butter smooth and slings a mile. Feels well built too. I prefer Daiwa and Shimano but I’ve never had an issue with Lews reels. Lots of guys use them down here on the coast for saltwater and they run them in the ground 

[bulldog1935]

Lew's has a special place in Texas, because their service used to answer the phone in Dallas and mail out handfuls of parts gratis.  When Lew's stopped supporting the original BB-1, Roy's Bait & Tackle in Corpus bought up the parts stores and continued to support them another 15 years.    ...and watch that y'all stuff...

 

[ABU is overpriced]

Wish my zillion had a cool color like that blue doyo instead of having the most boring and generic silver that exists.

[GReb]

I’ve yet to have a Doyo reel fail, abu or Lews. 

[MediumMouthBass]

4 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

Wish my zillion had a cool color like that blue doyo instead of having the most boring and generic silver that exists.

I dislike my Zillion for this reason alot. The message says its a nice, high end, premium reel. But they failed to execute it, it looks cheapish, makes my OCD uphappy no matter what rod i put it on, and scratches show more than any other reel i own. I didnt know about the HD when i bought it, if i did i wouldve bought 2. Its hard finding a rod to match, if anyone has recommendations let me know!

 

5 hours ago, dk2429 said:

Y’all talk **** but I absolutely love my BB1 Pro on my deep cranking setup. That thing is butter smooth and slings a mile.

The BB1 Pro IMO is the best Lews reel to exist, on par in every way and then some with any Daiwa/Shimano in the $100-200 range (US Market), and again with the JDM ones in that $100-150 range. I love the look, especially the color. Palms amazing, the handles/grips are my favorite for any reel i have, o glad Lews go the message and started putting them on their cheap LFS Gen 3's too. I remember my first T winged Tatula reel, i was blown away by the extra distance i could cast. Then i got the BB1, David Fritts wasnt joking in that one video he did on this being the best casting reel for deep crankbaits on the market (although i use my 2 for everything other than that).

Even though its nothing beefed up like a Curado K/M, Tatula 150/200, Superduty, etc... It can handle bigger baits, i use my one for 6"-7" swimbaits weighing 2oz+ and it does great.

[bulldog1935]

hideous

and you're looking at the wrong thing

form follows function

[rangerjockey]

10 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

I dislike my Zillion for this reason alot. The message says its a nice, high end, premium reel. But they failed to execute it, it looks cheapish, makes my OCD uphappy no matter what rod i put it on, and scratches show more than any other reel i own. I didnt know about the HD when i bought it, if i did i wouldve bought 2. Its hard finding a rod to match, if anyone has recommendations let me know!

 

The BB1 Pro IMO is the best Lews reel to exist, on par in every way and then some with any Daiwa/Shimano in the $100-200 range (US Market), and again with the JDM ones in that $100-150 range. I love the look, especially the color. Palms amazing, the handles/grips are my favorite for any reel i have, o glad Lews go the message and started putting them on their cheap LFS Gen 3's too. I remember my first T winged Tatula reel, i was blown away by the extra distance i could cast. Then i got the BB1, David Fritts wasnt joking in that one video he did on this being the best casting reel for deep crankbaits on the market (although i use my 2 for everything other than that).

Even though its nothing beefed up like a Curado K/M, Tatula 150/200, Superduty, etc... It can handle bigger baits, i use my one for 6"-7" swimbaits weighing 2oz+ and it does great.

Rod for a Zillion ?  Buy a Steeze.

[KP Duty]

15 hours ago, FishTank said:

 

How do you go about buying one? I don't think Doyo will ship to the US. 

Not sure...it appears the blue one hasn't shipped to dealers yet.  I found a store with the black and purple metallic finishes, and a pre-order for the blue one.  @ $260ish in China...it is probably  one of Doyo's best.  

[Dan N]

I have several Lews, and Abu reels, and have no complaints about either. Not high end stuff, so I’m not looking for it to last for 10 years, but I never keep anything that long. I like buying and trying new equipment.

[Catt]

It ain't the arrow...it's the Indian 😉

 

I still hunt with a recurve bow, a 30/30, a 12 ga 2 3/4" shell, Berkley Big Game, straight shank round bend hooks. 

 

I guarantee y'all that shimano/diawa will not put an additional bass in the boat. You wanna prove it, take a kid fishing they'll embarrass you every time.

[F14A-B]

23 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

hideous

and you're looking at the wrong thing

form follows function

Same color as my Bantam ‘s less the colored accents. I like the silver just fine. Matches any rod I own as well..

[bulldog1935]

@F14A-B sounds good - but we want to see it

[F14A-B]

2 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

@F14A-B sounds good - but we want to see it

There stock, nothing fancy. I’m a plug n play type of guy.  😂 Maybe the Bantam is a little different color than silver but the Metanium SS is definitely silver..

[Eric 26]

1 hour ago, F14A-B said:

There stock, nothing fancy. I’m a plug n play type of guy.  😂 Maybe the Bantam is a little different color than silver but the Metanium SS is definitely silver..

[1984isNOW]

On 2/28/2025 at 9:46 AM, bulldog1935 said:

 

What rod is this?