Spinning reel under $100

[Jake...]

what am I looking at for best spinning reel > $100

so far I really like the Shimano Sahara

http://www.***.com/descpageRLSSHIMANO-SSHFD.html

any recommendations?

i mainly use plastics/spinnerbaits and im looking at putting some 30lb PowerPro braid

if i go with Sahara what size should I get it. somehow the 3000 is lighter and holds a bit more line than the 2500.

[Grey Wolf]

Add these two to your list.

Shimano Symetre----99.99

Pflueger Supreme----99.95

Both excellent reels.

[ChiCityBasser]

I have the Shimano Sahara in the 1000 size and its a very good reel. Very smooth and handles everything I have caught on it with no problem. Drag is ultra smooth as well.

I would also look at the Daiwa Exceler and the Cabelas Prodigy(Daiwa Made). The Quantum Kinectic B is also a pretty good reel and can be had on ebay for less than $100 as well

[Use ONLY Stren]

Pflueger Supreme for sure. ;D ;D

[K_Mac]

I have 2 Pflueger Presidents that sell for @ 60.00$. They are great reels for the money.

[mrlitetackle]

i own a sahara....

i love the thing, and highly recommend it..... (ive got the 500 size though)

ive heard really good things about the symetre too......

but dont own one myself.

[Jake...]

i own a sahara....

i love the thing, and highly recommend it..... (ive got the 500 size though)

ive heard really good things about the symetre too......

but dont own one myself.

wow what kinda line do you have on that little thing.

im still unsure what size sahara to get. im gonna put on some powerpro 30lb/8 diameter. and i mainly fish plastics/spinner

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I would recommend the Pflueger President, original blue, and the Supreme.  Have fished the President a long time and just recently got a Supreme but haven't fished it because I need a rod for it.

[mrlitetackle]

Posted by: d16      Posted on: Today at 8:49pm

mrlitetackle wrote on Today at 7:09pm:

i own a sahara....

i love the thing, and highly recommend it..... (ive got the 500 size though)

ive heard really good things about the symetre too......

but dont own one myself.

Posted by: d16

wow what kinda line do you have on that little thing.

im still unsure what size sahara to get. im gonna put on some powerpro 30lb/8 diameter. and i mainly fish plastics/spinner

that is for my UL setup....

its the sahara 500, with a fish eagle II 5'6" UL....

its spooled with suffix braid, 2/6.

my go to bass outfit has suffix braid 8/30.

[mrlitetackle]

if your unsure on size....

with the line you want to put on it (the PP 8/30)

id go with a 3000.

just my opinion though.

[Hammer 4]

I have the Sahara in the 2500 size, I have other Shimano reels that cost less. My Son has the Sedona..I prefer the Sahara..tough reel to beat for $80.00...

I'd get the 2500, very versatile, I use mine for worms, spinnerbaits, some cranks, and anything else I use with 6 lb Yozuri Hybrid Ultrasoft line..I'v caught fish from 5" bluegill to 4 lb catfish..works flawlessly.

[Jake...]

thanks for all the reply guys. the sahara is growing on me. but still wanna get my hands on them before I decide. some just look too nice.

only thing I am curious about is the Sahara 3000 holds slightly more line than the 2500 but somehow is lighter.

how is that, usually the bigger the model the heavier it gets. is there an advantage to the 2500, since that seems to be the most popular.

I'd like to get away with the smallest/lightest model of course.

Jake

[ChiCityBasser]

I'd probably go with the 2500 or 3000 since they are very very close to one another with the 3000 being able to hold more line due to the larger spool.

I got the 1000 cause it was all that was in stock at a Cabelas in store sale that allowed me to get a Cabelas XML for $50 instead of the regular $139

[SirSnookalot]

I'd go with the sahara 3000, noticing you're in Va this reel can be used for double service, fresh and saltwater. It has a-rb bearings, aluminum frame and can hold plenty of line especially if you use braid, I like nothing heavier than 20#, being a little less than the symetere you could purchase a second spool, 1 braid 1 mono. I looked at this reel a few days ago and I like it it a lot, didn't feel much different than my stradic. Shimano has recently put on it's web site that this reel is approved for saltwater........for me it's a no brainer.

[Chris W]

The Daiwa SS tournament series, I know they are like 20+ year old technology but they are bulletproof. I have bought many spinning reels that cost much more since my first purchase of one of these but these are the ones that I still have, not sold off. The 1600 size would be best for braid.

http://www.***.com/descpageRLSDAIWA-DTSSR.html

[Bigs]

just make sure that sahara has a sealed drag system. Its gonna pay off if you end up fishing in the rain or if u drop it in the river/lake. Also even daiwas sealed drag isnt as sealed as they say. I love my daiwa sol spinning reel and all of my daiwa baitcasters but honestly I think shimano makes better spinning reels for under 100 bux. The handles on daiwas suck and fall apart fast. Altho u can swap em out for a different handle which shimano u cant do as far as I know. If the 3000 is in fact lighter then its a no brainer for me. The pfluegers are awesome reels also for the money and they have been around a long long time. You rarely hear bad things about them. I think you should just use fluorocarbon tho since youre gonna be throwing alot of soft plastics. Save the braid for when you get a baitcaster. Oh and btw I like that bass in your avatar, gee I wonder whos boat u caught that off of  

[Jake...]

just make sure that sahara has a sealed drag system. Its gonna pay off if you end up fishing in the rain or if u drop it in the river/lake. Also even daiwas sealed drag isnt as sealed as they say. I love my daiwa sol spinning reel and all of my daiwa baitcasters but honestly I think shimano makes better spinning reels for under 100 bux. The handles on daiwas suck and fall apart fast. Altho u can swap em out for a different handle which shimano u cant do as far as I know. If the 3000 is in fact lighter then its a no brainer for me. The pfluegers are awesome reels also for the money and they have been around a long long time. You rarely hear bad things about them. I think you should just use fluorocarbon tho since youre gonna be throwing alot of soft plastics. Save the braid for when you get a baitcaster. Oh and btw I like that bass in your avatar, gee I wonder whos boat u caught that off of  

shucran habibi. Id be out there like every day if I were you

how do you like your Compre Rod?  thinking of pairing the Sahara with it in the future. or maybe the Crucial  

[The_Natural]

No matter which you choose, just make sure it has an aluminum frame.

[SammyLee]

I just bought the Sahara 4000 (I wanted it handle 12# mono) and temporarily put it on a cheap 6'6" medium PBS spinning rod I had on hand.  I am waiting for a couple of better rods from ebay in the next few days, Medium Heavy.  Anyway, I love the reel.  I put 12# YoZuri on it and it cast like a dream, drag seems smooth and solid.  I really could not feel any difference between the Sahara and the Stradic so to save 20 bucks, bought the Sahara.  No regrets with about 500 casts on it.

I expect to fish some light salt water in the next 6 months or so, which is partly why the 4000 with the MH rods.  I'll get another spool and put some braid on one for the salt and hopefully, some 5 to 10 pounders from around the bridges on the IC in West Palm.  Or if I get lucky, on a boat from the reefs of the Breakers.

[KingBass]

Get a Pflueger Presidents or higher! My brother has one and loves it, I've also use it it really is great! You can't really go wrong with Pflueger spinning reels!

But the Shimano is Sahara is also a good reel, I've got an older fishing buddy that love them!  

[SammyLee]

When I was shopping I looked at the Pflueger President and thought it seemed as good or better as any reel in the price range.  The only thing that killed me on it was back a few months ago, I was looking for a spincaster for non-fishing guest and bought the best spin-caster Pflueger made.  It stunk.  On an average cast, the pins would slip out and catch the line, jerking the bait back in my face.

Now I'll bet a c-note that if I had bought the President, I'd love it.  It seems like a great reel.

I realize that this is comparing apples to orange trees but anytime I have a problem with any company's product, it leaves a bad taste and with so many other great choices, I chose another brand.  I wound up getting the Zebco Omega and was pleased with it, even after I dropped it to the bottom of the local lake at 18 feet.

As an aside, is it not amazing the quality of the reels we can now get for under a hundred bucks?  Smoother, stronger, longer lasting, just better built than most anything available 30 years ago.

I do wonder what the Stella at 650$ has that the the Saraha does not, mostly in terms of function.  I guess that a lot more hand work goes into it, along with the very best materials money can buy.

[Jake...]

When I was shopping I looked at the Pflueger President and thought it seemed as good or better as any reel in the price range.  The only thing that killed me on it was back a few months ago, I was looking for a spincaster for non-fishing guest and bought the best spin-caster Pflueger made.  It stunk.  On an average cast, the pinswould slip out and catch the line, jerking the bait back in my face.

Now I'll bet a c-note that if I had bought the President, I'd love it.  It seems like a great reel.

I realize that this is comparing apples to orange trees but anytime I have a problem with any company's product, it leaves a bad taste and with so many other great choices, I chose another brand.  I wound up getting the Zebco Omega and was pleased with it, even after I dropped it to the bottom of the local lake at 18 feet.

As an aside, is it not amazing the quality of the reels we can now get for under a hundred bucks?  Smoother, stronger, longer lasting, just better built than most anything available 30 years ago.

I do wonder what the Stella at 650$ has that the the Saraha does not, mostly in terms of function.  I guess that a lot more hand work goes into it, along with the very best materials money can buy.

Yea I hear you man.

if you throw your money at a reel/rod/whatever and it ends up being crap. it might say a lot to you about that company. its like going to a restaurant expecting a nice meal, only the food taste like crap and the service is horrible. you probably won't go back will you?

its nice when a company is consistent to fit "your" standards to know what kinda product you will get before you buy

since i gotta be frugal right now, im looking at the best value I can get for my money. so the Sahara is up there

im sure the Stella is an nice reel, but is it $570 dollars nicer??????

maybe. . . . . . . . but I can't afford to find out  

[David P]

Daiwa Tierra 2000, I got mine from Ebay for $96 shipped. Love it.