Okay... Someone tell me...

[gadawgsr1]

Are there really substantial differences between the higher priced and lower priced reels?

Why should I pay $175 to $300 for a reel?   :-/

[memo43]

It all depends on how much you go fishing, in my opinion if you are an average person that enjoys wetting a line every know an then, then by all means spend the 75-100 on a reel. If you are chaseing your dreams of going pro then if you can afford it by the bigger dollar product.

It all depends on what you want to do. The way i look at it a Bass does not know the differance between a $1 bussbait to that if a $15 one. It is all about technique an presentation.

But then again you get what you pay for . Look for the happy medium in the next purchase you make. Look out for end of year model sales, or store specials.

hope this helps,

memo

[frogtog]

When your fishing every weekend+ most high dollar reels will hold up better. I stay around the 150 - 200 range and even after a while they will wear out also. Don't get me wrong there are some good cheap reels on the market also. It's just something you have to try for your self, I might bad mouth a reel and you go buy one and it lasts 10 years. I know a few reels that use to be cheap and they made modification on them and raised the price. Then there are a few reel companies that just raised their prices because sales were falling off.

People just wanted the high dollar stuff and this trend has moved over to the Bait industries now.

[Grey Wolf]

You really don't want to know.

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

Highend equipment makes fishing more fun,

is generally more dependable, lasts longer and

performs better. However, the "value" is in midrange gear.

For "best value" I recommend the following:

Spinning reel: Shimano Stradic 2500FI

Baitcasting reel: Shimano Citica CI200E or kick it up a notch, Curado CU200E7

8-)

[Sam]

Good question and welcome to the forum.

Have you ever taken a baitcaster apart?

You may be surprised at the plastic gears you can find in addition to the lack of bearings.

So when you have an old baitcaster you no longer want to use, take it apart and look at the parts, even if you do not know what they do, just to see what is metal and what is plastic.

Plastic will fail.  Over time and under stress, plastic will fail sooner or later.

Higher priced baitcasters should have more bearings and less plastic, but that is not always the case.

So if you use a mid-range reel, or go up to Curado, you should have a good balance of bearings and plastic inside your reels.

And let's see what the Reel Mechanic says. He is our expert on reels so you may want to ask him via a PM and then let us know what he tells you.

He has a super web site so check it out, too.

And the main reason to take an old reel apart is that it is really a challenge to get it back together so you do not want to destroy a good reel when learning what is in the inside of the reel.  

[Catt]

One can go to Wal/Mart, Harbor Freight, or some other outlet store to buy mechanic, carpenter, electrician, machinist tools ect and these tools will work but they are not designed for industrial use. Yes these tools wills last the weekend guy a lifetime of light to medium use and serve him quite well.

Now look at it through my eyes I am a journeyman carpenter/mechanic my tools are what I make my livelihood with so I must depend on my tools to perform every single time I use them under extremely adverse conditions with limited failure.

Now relate this to bass fishing; when I hit the lake it will be from sunup to sunset, under extremely adverse conditions, and with full expectations of bass in excess of 6 pounds so any failure on the part of my tools is not accepted.

[flechero]

One can go to Wal/Mart, Harbor Freight, or some other outlet store to buy mechanic, carpenter, electrician, machinist tools ect and these tools will work but they are not designed for industrial use. Yes these tools wills last the weekend guy a lifetime of light to medium use and serve him quite well.

Now look at it through my eyes I am a journeyman carpenter/mechanic my tools are what I make my livelihood with so I must depend on my tools to perform every single time I use them under extremely adverse conditions with limited failure.

Now relate this to bass fishing; when I hit the lake it will be from sunup to sunset, under extremely adverse conditions, and with full expectations of bass in excess of 6 pounds so any failure on the part of my tools is not accepted.

Catt,

I was thinking the same thing but you chose the better words, thanks!

[G_Clark]

Is a BMW worth more than a Chevy. You could compare reels in the same way. The difference is obvious with every cast. The higher cost reels have more bearings which make them cast farther and retrieve smoother. They have a wider range of spool tension and drag settings which make them more usable over a wider range. Find someone that has a nice Shimano Curado and ask them if you can cast it a few times. If you have been fishing a 80.00 or below reel, you will find out why on the first cast.

[hawgchaser]

Just find a rod/reel you like that is in your budget and go fishing. Too much is made about equipment.

A classic example is how many people that are "serious" fisherman on this forum claim Quantum is junk. They also do not consider Quantum rods to be good enough.  However, KVD seems to get by ok. Thats just an example, I do not use a lot of Quantum stuff mself.

[Muddy]

More bearings does not equal a better reel. Bearing quality and

placement do.

This is last one of these threads I am posting in, it is getting old and nowhere for me.

My Pflueger Trions get the job done without issues for 100 plus days yearly on the water, with regular maitainance and lube.

I respect your joy at using 500 dollar reels and I can not have an opinion on them since I neither own or use one.

I would venture to say that most of the members here would do well with any major, reputable manufactured reel be it Pflueger,Shimano,ABU or Diawa, as examples.

I doubt anyone would be let down by a Revo or a Pflueger in the 100 range

I doubt anyone would really be l;et down by a BPS extreme.

What gets me is I understand and show a respectful attitude to those who can afford and use high end stuff.

I get upset when someone asks about a non Shimano product and keeps seeing post after post reccomending that anything less than a Shimano is somehow wrong. This is a continuing theme here

BPS also makes good , dependable and servicable reels the lines I have used and likes are EXTREME BAITCASTER< PRO QUALIFIER BAIT CASTER AND A NITRO I HAVE BEEN TRYING OUT parts and sevice are available as a liberal exhange policy, without spending a penny over 100 bucks.

I know a Chevy is not a BMW, any idiot can see that. I do know that my Chevy S10 is a 1993 closing in on 200,000 miles and it gets me and my fishing gear where I want to go, including frequent trips to Brooklyn ( 138 miles one way) and needs minimal maitainance and gets me there safely. This is what I can afford and I ake care of it and it serves me well

Same with reels there are some of us AND I AM NOT SAYING THIS FROM A SORRY OR PITIFUL STANCE, but one of acceptance can not afford to spend that much on a reel but have found products that offer dependabiltiy, good compaines who make and back them and that are servicable. THE BEST PART IS THEY DO NOT BREAK when I need em

Thats it I am stayin off these I need a reccomendation or reel and rod threads, it is a big waste of time and energy

[roadwarrior]

C'mon...

For $20,000 and unlimited replacement a lot of guys would fish a Quantum.

:-?

[flechero]

C'mon...

For $20,000 and unlimited replacement a lot of guys would fish a Quantum.

:-?

Oh geeze, I guess it's time for the other can of worms. ;D

many of the rods in top pro's boats are either labeled as the sponsor's own or just not labeled at all. And it's a well documented fact that a good number of the reels are not what you and I buy off the rack.

[J Francho]

C'mon...

For $20,000 and unlimited replacement a lot of guys would fish a Quantum.

 :-?

They'd have to get rid of those ugly paint jobs, LOL.

**********************************************

I'm one of the "mid level" guys.  I just picked up a Daiwa Black Widow II 153H for $38 on ebay.  Brand spanking new.  I've got a few silver Capricorns that I found at Dick's on clearance for $40.  These reels are reliable, easily serviced, built with quality components, and last.  They may lack some of the refinement as compared to some of my higher end gear - I also have a pair of TD-X HSDL, Feugo, Sol, and a TD-Z - but really, I don't cast any farther with the high end gear, and it certainly doesn't directly lead to more fish.  But, when the reel is easy to use, performs flawlessly, and doesn't let you down, you can spend more time concentrating on getting bit.  In that regard, entry level equipment to me is waste of time and money.  Spend a tiny bit more, and you'll be rewarded with trouble free fishing.  I'm talking in the $80-120 range, less if you look for closeout or discontinued.  You can rest assured that going and getting a TD-A or a Citica is not money wasted.  A $50 whatever brand plastic BC from the endcap display at Dick's, Gander, or wherever is money down the drain.  I've been there, done that.

[Grey Wolf]

Are there really substantial differences between the higher priced and lower priced reels?

Why should I pay $175 to $300 for a reel? :-/

If you have got to ask , you probably really shouldn't pay that much money for a reel .

I use reels from 60.00 to 230.00 and enjoy using them all. Does the 230.00 reel function better ? It sure does but I still use those 60.00 reels a lot and they preform great for their price range.

[hawgchaser]

C'mon...

For $20,000 and unlimited replacement a lot of guys would fish a Quantum.

:-?

You missed my point. The gear does NOT limit his ability to put fish in the boat.

Another way of saying it....its NOT THE GEAR.

Many fo the Pros end up using rod and reels that are not top of the line because they are endorsed. This has no effect on their fish catching abilities.

[roadwarrior]

C'mon...

For $20,000 and unlimited replacement a lot of guys would fish a Quantum.

You missed my point. The gear does NOT limit his ability to put fish in the boat.

Another way of saying it....its NOT THE GEAR.

Many fo the Pros end up using rod and reels that are not top of the line because they are endorsed. This has no effect on their fish catching abilities.

Agreed.

I think higher end gear makes "fishing" more fun, but has a nominal

impact on the "catching".

[hawgchaser]

C'mon...

For $20,000 and unlimited replacement a lot of guys would fish a Quantum.

You missed my point. The gear does NOT limit his ability to put fish in the boat.

Another way of saying it....its NOT THE GEAR.

Many fo the Pros end up using rod and reels that are not top of the line because they are endorsed. This has no effect on their fish catching abilities.

Agreed.

I think higher end gear makes "fishing" more fun, but has a nominal

impact on the "catching".

Well I was perfectly content with my extreme's and army of older reels until i picked up the new curado. I should not have done that!

I hated the last few curados and especially the citicas. However, the new ones are a whole nother story!!

[Pigsticker]

Speaking of Quantum look on ebay for the tour edition reel at 130 bucks instead of 240. But that reel really wasn't worth 240 anyways

This is a great save and will give you the taste of higher end reels for a cheaper price. IMO this reel is not as good as the E7s or but will let you get a feel for better stuff.

Also depending on what you think is cheap E21 carrot sticks is another fantastic buy. Super light, comfortable reel seat and a good stick. Maybe not as sensitive as higher priced rods but still a nice price

I think your fishing is your fishing and higher priced stuff will make it much more enjoyable. But buying solid rods and reels will make your fishing better from a functional sense. trying to "get away" with something like buying a cheap 30 buck baitcaster or cheap rod will not help your fishing. Plus you can find deals and a lot of awesome stuff is pretty reasonable.

[mattm]

175.00 is not really a low end reel.  Once you reach this point you start realizing diminishing returns.  A 300 dollar reel will no doubt be nicer, but for the amount you fish it may not be worth it.  

However, the same 125.00 upgrade over a 50.00 reel is almost always worth it in my opinion.  The 175.00 dollar reel vs. the 50.00 reek aren't even comparable.  Where as the 175.00 vs 300.00 reel probably share a lot of common features.

[The_Natural]

Get a Citica 200E...awesome reel for $119.  I've got a few and love them.

[Catt]

When I bought my first Calcutta some 20+ years ago it cost $149.99, it has only 2 ea. ball bearings & 1 ea. roller bearing yet it has landed tens of thousands of bass up to 12.8 pounds, thousands of speckle trout & red fish up to 28 pounds, Bonito up to 35 pounds all in ever imaginable weather condition with zero failures.

That is reliability, show me a reel that can out perform that and I'll buy it.  

[MickD]

Muddy has it right.  You don't need to pay a bundle for a good reel.  The reel I have that casts the easiest is an old Calcutta that has 3 bearings.  I have another BPS reel that cost about $100 is the next best casting reel.  My most expensive reel, about $230, is the most temperamental.  And regarding drag, bass fishing doesn't require much of a drag at all.  Most bass take a few feet of line at most.

Bottom line, most reels are overdesigned for bass fishing, appealing to the marketing aspect of it all rather than the practical.  

The only thing that recommends name brand reels in my opinion is that the better reel servicers will not service off brands, and all the new reels are so complicated that a good service job by an expert is something you want to be able to employ.

But that leaves a lot of name brand reels for under $200 that the servicers will service, and they will work great, and will work for a long time, and their drags will suffice.

[kikstand454]

im just going to jump in and say i like quantums just fine and have never had the first smidgin of problem with any of them. the ones i have (baitcasters anyway) were between 100 and 150 bucks and i got them on sale below 100. my quantum spinning reel is marvelous and it has caught more than its fair share of bass ,redfish and sharks. and its three years old now. bash quantum all you want. more for me.

and also for the record, in the store... the new citica felt smoother and nicer than the new curado. there. i said it. 8-)

[SimonSays]

Like muddy preaches...

you don't need expensive reels to fish, but...

Like RW says...

It makes fishing more pleasurable!

I'll tend to stick to Baitcasters around the 120-150 or so range (Citicas and Curados).  As for spinning reels...I can't seem to spend more than $40 for one and I've never had any problems