# Best Baitcaster



## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

I was wondering what you guys think is the best baitcaster setup for someone new to baitcasting?


----------



## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

don't skimp on the price. the easiest baitcasters to use have the best bearings and breaking systems. i'm partial to quantum but so many brands are very good that i wouldn't tell you what brand to buy. you'll pay more for the reel, but much less in the headache dept. and higher priced reels will give you years of service.


----------



## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

I would look into the Bass Pro Shops brand combos. If you can afford it get an Extreme combo. Best setup you'll find for the money. I haven't met anyone who didn't love those rods and the reels are nce and smooth 7 bearing. They are $120. $180 if purchases separately.


----------



## BassCatcher12 (Jun 24, 2005)

I agree..I have Bionic Blade combo rod and reel 6:3:1. Works Great..LOve it..and i got it about a year ago for 100$


----------



## MSmith2004 (Sep 12, 2006)

ncraft150 said:


> I would look into the Bass Pro Shops brand combos. If you can afford it get an Extreme combo. Best setup you'll find for the money. I haven't met anyone who didn't love those rods and the reels are nce and smooth 7 bearing. They are $120. $180 if purchases separately.


I got the bps extreme baitcasting combo. It's really nice. The rod is $99 and reel $79 but if you get the combo it's only $120. Great deal.


----------



## bunkeru2k (Aug 26, 2005)

BPS has their Johnny Morris reel on sale this Friday March 9th for $79. The best previous price I have seen is $120. I don't think you could possibly beat it for the price.


----------



## Spot (Feb 2, 2006)

For the money I like pfluger trions or presidents, even though I use
daiwas.


----------



## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

I think the Shimano Curado is an awesome reel. Its hard to backlash it. Its not cheap at over $200 new but a used one at $100 is better than 95% of the other reels new. 

I learned how to use a baitcaster on my dads old Abu Ambassaduer 5000. Not a fancy braking system but after you get used to it its not bad.


----------



## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

I agree with Pigsticker. I have 9 newer style baitcasters, and would take my Shimano's over my Pflueger's any day. You can get a new Curado on Ebay for $170. My biggest problem with the Pflueger's is that they haven't held up too well. I had to return my first Trion twice because the thumb bars broke. My President has a problem with the drag. I haven't ever had any problems with any of my Shimanos since I have owned them. Hope this helps.


----------



## Fish4Fun (Apr 6, 2004)

I would try to find the old curado's on ebay the Green ones. You can find them for around $80 bucks maybe hair more or less.. I have 4 of them and they are very durable reels and very smooth.


----------



## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Fish 4 Fun also gives good advice. I have 3 of the older style CU200 series Bantam Curados and they are amazing. You can still find new ones on ebay for about $120.


----------



## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

You can get an Ambassadeur 5600 C5 Mag brand new for way under $100. It will last you a lifetime. I cannot believe all the guys who will tell you they learned on an Ambassadeur 5000 and then suggest something else.


----------



## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

He's asking which reel is the best not which one we learned on. Abu's are a very nice reel indeed, always have been. But, IMO Shimano makes a better reel for the money nowadays.


----------



## Fish4Fun (Apr 6, 2004)

I still stick with my answer that the Shimano Curado is the best out there for the price. That being said iam talking about the old version of the curado the green one. The new one is a great reel but high priced at $200 bucks


----------



## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

all depends on your definition of "best"  
now,what i'm saying is there are lots of great reels on the maket.i think it comes down to what you want in a reel,and what you will be using it for.round,low profile,clicker.no clicker,etc,etc.
all reels mentioned are great reels.if i wre buying one for general duty,it would probably be a round baitcaster.any well known brand such as shimano,abu,etc would work well.if you're intended use is casting artificials,either style will work.but most like low profile for more comfort over hours of casting in a day.then there's other factors to consider.................retrieve speed,spool capacity,bla.bla,bla.
in other words,there is no "best" baitcaster,but rather what baitcaster is best for you and your intended use 
i have both styles and several brands,and they're all best at certain times


----------



## jmenchhofer (Jan 12, 2007)

I have two of the BPS Extreme combos and I really like them. BPS in Cinci is running a special on them during the Fishing Classic this week. $69 for the extreme reel on a 6 1/2 or 7' trigger stick.


----------



## Micro_Mini_Angler (Jun 15, 2006)

i just bought a pflueger Criterion combo and i love it. they had like 2 left at Gander mountain. I love it, it it really smooth too.

http://www.pfluegerfishing.com/products/products.php?p=43


----------



## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

i have a new shimano curado DHSV... hands down one of, if not THE nicest reels ive ever held in my hands... i like it a lot..

however for beginners.... im still partion to the Rhino RBC300.... its smooth and pretty maintainence free. due to the fact that its only 3 bearing(2 ball, 1 roller).. it doesnt free spool as fast as yer higher dollar reels which keeps your backlash damage to a minimum IMO...but it does free spool nice enough to allow you really nice casts, even with unweighted soft plastics... comes with a 6.2:1 ratio.. the reel itself is based on the Quantum Icon/Pulse as well as the Lews Lazer


if you dont wanna spend verymuch... then go with the Rhino... its a good smooth reel for $40 and ive found them to be pretty dependible. 

if you do have some money to spend.... hands down get a curado like Fish4Fun said...... either the older ones or the newer ones.... smooth as silk, seem pretty low maintainence and and they cast a mile when ya get the hang of it 

also ya might wanna consider the Bass Pro Rick Clunn combo....something like $150ish , a buddy of mine had quite a few of those reels and a couple combos and he basically swears by them  if used one of his a couple times and i liked it a lot .... the reels have both the magnetic break as well as the 6 pin centrifugal break like the shimanos have


----------



## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

well i have to go with my abu garcia 5000 man do i love that thing wow i also like my one quantam sry idont know the name off my head i am to lazy to go to the garage and see sry not good at spelling


----------



## MCoverdale (Mar 3, 2007)

I've recently have been looking for a baitcaster too. I have never used one before but i am willing to practice a lot. I am trying not to spend more than 
about $70. (rod reel combo). please try to tell me if you know of any baitcasters around this price. *THANKS*:S


----------



## WISH IT WAS YOU (Jul 25, 2006)

leeabu said:


> You can get an Ambassadeur 5600 C5 Mag brand new for way under $100. It will last you a lifetime. I cannot believe all the guys who will tell you they learned on an Ambassadeur 5000 and then suggest something else.


 right now at walmart they some abu Ambassadeur 5000 for 50 bucks so i love them you got it all right here


----------



## MCoverdale (Mar 3, 2007)

Thnx a lot ill consider that


----------



## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Go to Gander mountain on the east side of Columbus. They have Pfluger baitcaster combo at 70dollars a pop. Just bought one and it work great...


----------



## Treebass227 (Jul 31, 2006)

I have tried three Pflueger Trions last year and they all ended up going back to the store. Pfluegers are incredibly smooth at first, but quickly developed problems. The best ones I found were the green bass pro shops extremes. (and I work at Dick's) My fishing partner has had the same experience with Pfluegers.


----------



## angelus40 (Aug 13, 2005)

Treebass227 said:


> I have tried three Pflueger Trions last year and they all ended up going back to the store. Pfluegers are incredibly smooth at first, but quickly developed problems. The best ones I found were the green bass pro shops extremes. (and I work at Dick's) My fishing partner has had the same experience with Pfluegers.


i have a green extreame from BPS i love it


----------



## jeffgummy (Dec 13, 2004)

I have been fishing with a shimano calcutta for about 14 years, those things are indestructible. There are reels that have more bearings, but I have never fished with a better all around reel, of course the new calais with the electronics looks like it could be pretty good too, and for $650 it better be.


----------



## angelus40 (Aug 13, 2005)

jeffgummy said:


> I have been fishing with a shimano calcutta for about 14 years, those things are indestructible. There are reels that have more bearings, but I have never fished with a better all around reel, of course the new calais with the electronics looks like it could be pretty good too, and for $650 it better be.


i would never pay that price i don't care if it cleans my house for me 
it better have a built in depth finder


----------



## iam20fan (Jan 15, 2006)

my local Dicks store has a ugly stick baitcast combo i might get for 40.00


----------



## angelus40 (Aug 13, 2005)

iam20fan said:


> my local Dicks store has a ugly stick baitcast combo i might get for 40.00


i was at mine yesterday i didn't see one


----------



## TexasPete (Apr 26, 2005)

I've heard good and bad things about pflueger. If you like curado, look into the shimano scorpion. They can be had less than their American target market counterparts. I have hard that the cost after exchange rate is less than an old school curado and it casts, flips, and cranks better than the cronarch and comparable to the calais. If you can find one online new for around 150-170, I'd snatch it up. Everybody who's used a scorpion says its amazing. It's one of the few reels that are still 100% constructed in Japan. I personally use an Abu Garcia on my 7 ft flipping setup and I have a Shaw Grigsby signature quantum that I really like. The shaw is pretty much an accurist with an extra bearing. There's nothing wrong with those two brands either. cheers, pete


----------



## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

im partial to the KVD Quantum Signature Series reels, and i always get a great price on them at bps during there march madness sales.


----------



## BigG (Apr 19, 2005)

The Abu Revo STX for $200 is a excellent real, bought it when it was released and can't put it down.


----------



## RUDDER (Feb 5, 2005)

Best bait caster I own is the Diawa TDZ. Ya get what you pay for w/this reel. Very light, far casting, great brakes. For the money the best Ive come across is Revo STX.


----------



## bigcat46 (Dec 15, 2004)

What about the flueger echelon? 

Cabela's has them on an all-star rod for $100.00

Looks like a decent combo


----------



## BowKat04 (Feb 27, 2005)

I love my Quantum Accurists.


----------



## flypilot33 (Feb 9, 2006)

BowKat04 said:


> I love my Quantum Accurists.


I second that, I love mine and the energy.


----------

