Abu Garcia Cardinal 500 ALBi VS Shimano Sahara FD

[chromedog]

I am trying to decide between two spinning reels.  There is about a 10 dollar difference in price, so the price isn't a deciding factor.  Does anyone have any experience with these reels that they can share?  Can't make up my mind.

The reel will be on a 7' MH spinning rod.  I will use it as a kind of "do all" set up.  Throw small stick baits, sencos and other weightless soft plastics, small cranks etc.....

Thanks

[ChiCityBasser]

I have the Shimano Sahara FD 1000 and i have it on a 6.5ft Cabelas XML ML with Spiderwire 20/6. The reel has worked great even with it being graphite. It is very smooth and the drag is equally as smooth with 3lb LM hitting the smaller baits I've been using with the setup and running for deeper water. I've been using mine primarily with 1/4oz spinnerbaits and smaller crankbaits. This is my first Shimano reel and I'm very pleased with how its worked after my first year of usage.

[Tin]

They are both great reels, but I like the Cardinal more. My Cardinals of the past have not lived (staying smooth and quiet) as long as the Shimano Symetre's and Sahara's though...flip a coin.

[chromedog]

I have a sahara 2500 I use for drop-shotting and I love the reel.  Smooth and powerful, but the bail wire always makes me feel like I will destroy it.  It is just so thin.  I was wondering about the cardinal as it seems to be in the same neighborhood of quality of the shimano and it has a heavier bale wire.  But I do love my sahara so I am up in the air and wanted to see what people thought that have used them.

[Tin]

I use my Abu's for drop-shotting and finesse and my Shimmy's with braid on them for winching in those wacky rigged fish in grass with 30 pound braid.

When I did it the other way around the result was grinding and I felt like I was turning an egg beater by the end of the season... ;D