# New spinning reel



## dcool (Apr 14, 2004)

J am looking to buy a new spinning reel for walleye fishing. Want one in the 2500 series for casting spinner baits. What in you guys experience is one of the better reels out there? Have read a lot of reviews, and there is good and bad about all of them. Thought maybe you fellow OGFer's could give me your opinions. Thanks


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## hookedonfishing (May 4, 2013)

What is your budget ? Pflueger presidents r good 45 to 60 range are good reels.there are good reels in the low range from different brands .your overall best bet is go to astoreand pair it on rod to see how you like the feel. braid or mono on reels some have the braid ready spools.


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

For the price you can't go wrong with a pflueger president.


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## dcool (Apr 14, 2004)

huntindoggie22 said:


> For the price you can't go wrong with a pflueger president.


I will be using mono most of the time, and would like to stay below 100.00


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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

Get the best Shimano you can get for your budget. Really there are no equals at any given price point,all parameters considered.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

X 2 on the shimano.I had two bad warranty problems with Pfluger never again.


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## teamdonk (Feb 13, 2015)

I have a okuma dead eye 25 love it


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

teamdonk said:


> I have a okuma dead eye 25 love it




If using mono or Florocarbon, get one with the oversized diameter spool. The larger the spool diameter the fewer line twists you will have. You can get even fewer line twist problems if you learn to close the bait by hand.


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## fvogel67 (Nov 15, 2010)

You can buy a Shimano Solstace for $25.00 on Cabelas.com.
I have a 2500 and a 1000,They are great reels at a good price.


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## All Thumbs (Apr 11, 2004)

i have been using mitchell avocets for many years with no complaints - under $30


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

Check out the new Pflueger president limited edition. Even if you don't want to buy one, just check it out. They are really nice looking.


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## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

I like the Shimano Sahara's.....the 3 that I own made the choice real simple when I decided to add another reel to my inventory. I use Shimano Curado baitcasters also. Never had the first malfunction with any of their products. Actually, once the friction control knob & spring came off of one of my casting reels because I had set it really loose & it fell off due to my inattention. I called Shimano & they sent me TWO sets of replacement parts.....FREE. The customer service impressed me, to say the least. Mike


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Cajunsaugeye said:


> Get the best Shimano you can get for your budget. Really there are no equals at any given price point,all parameters considered.


X 2. Do yourself a favor and buy Shimano.


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## stormfront (Feb 18, 2016)

i swear by my shimano symetres though the saharas i own are also good reels.


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## fvogel67 (Nov 15, 2010)

I love my Shimanos


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## poncho 79 (May 12, 2012)

dcool said:


> J am looking to buy a new spinning reel for walleye fishing. Want one in the 2500 series for casting spinner baits. What in you guys experience is one of the better reels out there? Have read a lot of reviews, and there is good and bad about all of them. Thought maybe you fellow OGFer's could give me your opinions. Thanks


You can't go wrong with Shimano or daiwa. In your price range I would go with daiwa. Pick one up at your local tackle shop, you won't believe how smooth they are. Exceler would be a good choice for you. I fix a lot of reels and don't see too many Shimano or Daiwa in need of repair. See a lot of Abu, quantum, and pflueger


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

All I use now are Shimano Stradics and Symetre's. Also own a Sahara which is nice as well. Having used most of Shimano's spinning reel models for many years I can't imagine how anyone could want more from a reel. They are well balanced, have great drags, and stay smooth after years of catching fish after fish.


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## dcool (Apr 14, 2004)

All Eyes said:


> All I use now are Shimano Stradics and Symetre's. Also own a Sahara which is nice as well. Having used most of Shimano's spinning reel models for many years I can't imagine how anyone could want more from a reel. They are well balanced, have great drags, and stay smooth after years of catching fish after fish.


Thanks for all the input guys. Looks like i will be looking at shimanos.


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## Skip Hoffman (Mar 19, 2014)

i have Mitchell's, Pfluegers, and a Okuma, all great choices, I really like my presidents check cabelas and you can get the combo for under $100.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Im on the shimano side ive owned 3 flueger presidents all have had issues or are completly out of service. 
I remember when quatum energys were the reel to have..
I actually bought a quantum catalyst last black friday. Irs preformed well all winter. 
Im tough on reels an so far my shimanos have out lasted them all


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## stormfront (Feb 18, 2016)

i own a couple of quantums and they are indeed great reels. the only problem is is that they are heavier than the shimanos. they are, however, at least ten years old.


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## fvogel67 (Nov 15, 2010)

Meet the Mitchells


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## angler69 (Sep 26, 2005)

I am a Daiwa guy so....


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## TRAPPERBECK (Mar 23, 2010)

I have my reels that I like & everyone else does also . But get what you you like & in your price range . Also make sure it has enough ball bearings to make it a smooth reel.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Bearings are not all created equal. There are many 10 bearing Chinese reels on E-Bay for $15. Those ten small bearings will corrode in a years time. Higher grade reels have bearings made of quality steel that will last a lifetime. Some use larger ones so the count can be misleading. Look at the reviews from long time owners of any product and see how well they stand the test of time. Shimano is tops when it comes to customer loyalty. I still have the first Symetre model they made and it works like the day I bought it.


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## fvogel67 (Nov 15, 2010)

All Eyes said:


> Bearings are not all created equal. There are many 10 bearing Chinese reels on E-Bay for $15. Those ten small bearings will corrode in a years time. Higher grade reels have bearings made of quality steel that will last a lifetime. Some use larger bearings so the count can be misleading. Look at the reviews from long time owners of any product and see how well they stand the test of time. Shimano is tops when it comes to customer loyalty. I still have the first Symetre model they made and it works like the day I bought it.


 I agree 100%.


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## poncho 79 (May 12, 2012)

TRAPPERBECK said:


> I have my reels that I like & everyone else does also . But get what you you like & in your price range . Also make sure it has enough ball bearings to make it a smooth reel.


Quantity of ball bearings doesn't make a reel smooth. It has more to do with the QUALITY of the gears and bearings. Also how well the reel is made and the tolerances. You have to think of customer service and repairability down the road too.Even the best reel in the world will need service or repair. A reel is a mechanical item and all mechanical items will wear and break with use over time.( A Mercedes still needs it's oil changed or brakes replaced). If you can't get parts for a broke reel then what do you have? I've been told from pflueger that I couldn't buy parts for a president spinning reel that was STILL IN PRODUCTION. Not on back order or we might be getting some later, discontinued and i won't be able to get any ever. Have never been told such a thing from shimano or daiwa


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## pdtroup08 (Apr 24, 2014)

Shimano sedona fd are buy one get one free and free shipping from field & stream right now worth looking.


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## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

^^^^ I ordered two and I have @ 15 spinning reels already. Can't pass 2 Shimanos up for $60!!! Not their "high end" by any means but they'll catch fish for MANY years.


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## fvogel67 (Nov 15, 2010)

I bought a Shimano Sidestab 1000 in the spring of 1993,I used that reel heavily for 22yrs before it finally gave up on me.I cleaned and lubed it on a regular basis.I prob could have fixed it but decided against it and she's sitting on a shelf in my garage now.
You really can't go wrong with Shimanos.


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

SHIMANO, LEWS and DIAWA make the best Spinning line of reels.


OR if you like replacing your equipment every 2-3 seasons get the Pflueger, Quantum and Okuma's.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

I have fished with Shimano for a long time and today use the Stradic Ci4 more than the others.

Last week I went to Cabelas and Bass Pro in Cincinnati wanting to purchase 4 new reels for some new long crappie rods I use for spider rigging. I went there thinking I would probably purchase 4 Pflueger Presidents that were on sale. When I got there I went down the displays at both stores and handled every reel under $75 ( I don't need a great reel for spider rigging but also don't want junk). I was so under whelmed by the presidents that they weren't even in the top 5 choices. I ended up buying 4 Diawa Crossfires that were 1/2 the price of the Presidents and twice the reel. They will never be on a rod that I cast and retrieve and aren't close to the Stradics but a great value for their intended purpose.

It would be very difficult for me to purchase anything but a Diawa or a Shimano. All of my salmon and saltwater conventional and line counter reels are all Diawa's, but I will probably always remain a Shimano spinning reel user.


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## tomb (Oct 9, 2004)

pdtroup08 said:


> Shimano sedona fd are buy one get one free and free shipping from field & stream right now worth looking.


My 4000 Sedona is 23 years old. Fought a ton of channel cats, Niagara river salmon, and flounder with it. Great reel. I'm sure the ones with more bearings are worth it.


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## krm (Jul 28, 2007)

Picked up a new Daiwa Freams on sale at Cabelas a couple weeks ago, and absolutely love it. It's one heck of a nice reel for the price.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Getting the Shimano's ready for action. Year after year they never let me down.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

This video will give you a good idea about the difference between quality bearings vs. junk. Precision bearings create much less friction and will last indefinably. The number of bearings in a reel is a sales pitch. It's all about the quality of the bearings regardless of the number of them. Skip to the 30 second mark of the video to see the spin test comparison between Chinese bearings vs. high quality ones. Look at the difference!


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## firemanmike2127 (Mar 17, 2013)

There's a SIGNIFICANT difference in the rolling friction of the bearings that were tested. I expected the high quality part to be much better, but the video shows a dramatic difference in quality. Mike


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

that was an awesome video on the difference between a low quality bearing and a high quality bearing. shimano or daiwa reels are built with good bearings. I'm still using the old shimano 300 and 250 baitrunners from 30 yrs ago. I use the 300 down in florida for black drum and redfish and they still work great. goes to show just how long a shimano reel will last. and these old baitrunners are not near as good as the reels of today.
sherman


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## saugmon (Jun 14, 2006)

Just hold the reel between your index and middle fingers and free spin it.Then watch what the reel does. I guarantee the shimano's will freespin longer and with virtually zero wobble when comparing to similar and twice the priced reels from other manufacturers.This translates into less fatigue for your hands.

I prefer 1 handed casting and the trigger puts the line at your fingertip so no more manually opening up the bail on every release.I can't believe people still open up their bail manually!!!

I still have all my original sidestabs,solstaces from back when they came with triggers, and half a dozen spirex's with zero issues! Even those $20 customs and fx's were better than some of those $50 reels back in the day. Can't beat a shimano. Symetre's are smooth,but no trigger, UGGH!


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

stormfront said:


> i swear by my shimano symetres though the saharas i own are also good reels.


I have had good luck with Symetres as well.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I am finicky when it comes to a spinning reel. I worked on my uncle's Lake Erie charter boat for years. All he ever put on his rods were Shimanos. I absolutely HATED using those reels. I rely on a good drag and the Shimanos have always had a terrible drag system that binds and sticks. It's infuriating.

My last reel was a Diawa Excelor which I found out they have a problem with the anti-reverse failing duing cold weather which is when I am most likely to use a spinning reel (targeting saugeye). So, that is junk!

I don't need a top end reel. I need one that works! I think I had an Avocet once that gave me a good 5 or 6 years. I may just go back to that.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

crittergitter said:


> I am finicky when it comes to a spinning reel. I worked on my uncle's Lake Erie charter boat for years. All he ever put on his rods were Shimanos. I absolutely HATED using those reels. I rely on a good drag and the Shimanos have always had a terrible drag system that binds and sticks. It's infuriating.
> 
> My last reel was a Diawa Excelor which I found out they have a problem with the anti-reverse failing duing cold weather which is when I am most likely to use a spinning reel (targeting saugeye). So, that is junk!
> 
> I don't need a top end reel. I need one that works! I think I had an Avocet once that gave me a good 5 or 6 years. I may just go back to that.


Surprised to hear that. One of the reasons I love my Stradics and Symetre's is because of the drag systems they have. Smooth as silk and stay where set.


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## Tinknocker1 (May 13, 2013)

crittergitter said:


> I am finicky when it comes to a spinning reel. I worked on my uncle's Lake Erie charter boat for years. All he ever put on his rods were Shimanos. I absolutely HATED using those reels. I rely on a good drag and the Shimanos have always had a terrible drag system that binds and sticks. It's infuriating.
> 
> My last reel was a Diawa Excelor which I found out they have a problem with the anti-reverse failing duing cold weather which is when I am most likely to use a spinning reel (targeting saugeye). So, that is junk!
> 
> I don't need a top end reel. I need one that works! I think I had an Avocet once that gave me a good 5 or 6 years. I may just go back to that.


hilarious !


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## chris1162 (Mar 12, 2008)

My shimanos drags are also smooth as can be.


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## n-strut (Apr 14, 2010)

After having issues with Shimano, switched to Penn Battle II, great drag, metal body, tough as hell.


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## fvogel67 (Nov 15, 2010)




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## EStrong (Jul 23, 2014)

Shimano is my go to, but that's my preference. The other brands have fine reels also. I absolutely love my Shimano Syncopates. They're cheap, like $30. You can find them at BPS, Cabela's and some Wal-Marts. I use those because I like the Quick Fire feature. It lets you backspin the reel to a locking "trigger" ready position where you can flip the bail and grab your line with one finger at the same time. If you're not familiar with a reel without instant anti-reverse, it might seem weird until you get use to it. So basically the reel will backspin until it hits that locking spot, and then it stays there. I use the 2500s for all around fishing and also have a 4000 specifically for winter saugthings. Braid, mono and co-poly work well with these if you keep it in the specs the reels can handle. I also have a Baitrunner 8000 D which I use for flatties and occasionally set it up with a 7 foot bass rod for casting lures and doing "experimental" fishing. I have some Shimano stuff dating back to the 80's and still fish with it to this day with no issues. I'm sold on Shimano because every Mountain and Road bike I've ever owned has had Shimano components. They've never failed. Cycling is actually their main business to them, fishing is something they dabble in according to a rep I ran into once. Not bad for a product line they don't consider their #1 priority. I've had to contact customer service at Shimano a few times and they were very good handling my issues.

I've used Penn, Okuma and Abu spinning reels too. Penn makes a solid product, all designed for heavier salt water fishing. The Okumas and Abus are good too. IMO, for around $30-$50, Shimano has great features for those reels in that price point. It all depends on how much $$$ you want to spend and the bells and whistles that come with it.


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## brettmansdorf (Apr 5, 2013)

Lets see here... There is NO way not to classify me as a collector considering the sheer numbers, but setting aside the wife’s gripe – let me point out some notables… I tend to be a light liner with spinning – so drag is of the utmost importance (and not a dry drag). SPINNING ONLY.

OLDER ONES…
Zebco Cardinal 4 in grey (made in Sweden) - LOVED IT - arguably the best reel I ever owned – YES with the ZEBCO name and an unskirted spool... Unfortunately, I was offered an amount of money for the three of them together – I could not help myself (and still don’t regret) …

ABU cardinal 3&4s (the Japan version of the zebco cardinal but with skirted spool) – exceptional. Limited line twist, ridiculously good drag especially wet. These are my favorite “wet” spools.

Diawa Whisker SS tourneys – I’ve had several – they work exceptional for 15 yrs and then die. During that 15 years, they are go to reels. If you willing to spend the money for used ones – they will serve you well and you will like them. Been through three. Although they might fail in the end – would I buy another – for the right price – absolutely.

Penn SS ultralite – was and still is reliable – not fancy – just reliable and with a decent (wet) drag.

Newer…

Some random johnny morris signature series (older one not the new one - made by penn or browning I think) I bought – had a zillion bearings – in an ultralight (I think 11). Was 2009– on special with a rod – traded/sold/swapped out the rod – but that damned reel has truly impressed me. I think the combo was like 70 or 80… It did really really well (surprised me). I was so impressed I went and bought the new version - it is NOT recommended - so if you can find the old - great - skip the new. This sits on a noodle in the early an late season and on a walleye rod mid-season.. 

Lews Speed Spin – bought the combos off ebay for 35ea plus 10 ship... reel plus IM6 rod – how can you go wrong… Exceptional value – and she has lasted several years now. I still cannot believe they were that cheap (bought 4 total) - too good of a deal to buy just one. Still love them. Here is the details...
https://www.amazon.ca/Lews-Speed-Spinning-Combo-MEDIUM/dp/B00C4ZTEW4


Pfluger Supreme – have several – and although high-end for them – it’s still in the low end of the price range – they have performed great on noodle, or in the boat. Honorable mention is a president XT... eBay - watch, I got a supreme xt (30 series) for 51 delivered.


I’ve owned a $300+ spinning reel – and the best thing I can say about it is that I only lost $20 on it when I got rid of it mid-season. I’m just not that guy. Was it great – ABSOLUTELY – but was it as good as the three to five others I bought in its place – not in my mind.


Here is a story to sum it up…


Was fishing in NY – below a Kinzua dam… Guy next to me asked what I had (small talk – I THOUGHT) … I had a Penn SS (UL) on an eagle claw granger noodle w/ 4lb… He smugged and asked what made me get an ‘Eagle Claw” – to which I responded with IM7 blank – real cork, SIC guides - forty bucks delivered… I have both a G Loomis and a Berkely Series One – but they are useless below dam fishing for walleye on lite tackle. He then went into a dissertation on his new setup – some IM-godzillion blank with real diamond guides – leather interior, whatever… And then the reel. His reel alone cost more than the set of snow tires I just put on… On and ON – smooth, silent, bla bla bla. Don’t get me wrong – I love to talk tackle – but if you need to sell me over and over – then perhaps your pride in your equipment isn’t coming from within… Long story short – in two FRIGID hours – I hooked 5 – lost one smally– returned two small eye – and the final was the RUNNER, big old pig drum – and my drag (those of you who have the reel – when it’s really cold its squeal’s like a pig) was LOUD… Mr. Maserati kept noting that the noise was getting louder each time the pig took off (further reinforcing the notion that his reel was smooth and silent). Considering my snot was freezing on the inside of the face mask – I called it a day… There is NOTHING so fine as sitting next to the guy with the $1000+ setup and have him complain that your drag is interrupting his silence… Ahh the moments.

I am NOT dogging on all those brand aficionados – I don’t stand by one brand or another – I stand by a good deal. I’M CHEAP.

I don’t have much shimano left – in the older days they were not the ones setting the bar – and today they may set the bar – but it’s at a cost comparable to multiple other reels. For me – I take the three or four other reels for the same price. Bang for your buck

I learned to Muskie fish next to a drunk Indian in Canada using a circa 1950 pfluger (akron I think) on a SOLID glass rod and two lures you couldn’t even recognize… I had all the latest and greatest and an arsenal of tackle – and Dominic would smoke me EVERY TIME. I learned more than just how to Muskie fish that summer.

Moral… Fishing gear is much like golf clubs – YES there are certain manufacturers who tend to put more into the making of the club – but in the end the R&D is a pittance compared to the marketing. Thereby – try and like, then buy, what YOU are comfortable with. My honest advice – spend the time to comb ebay and craigslist or swap meets – you will find diamonds in the rough (and likely lots of other items you have too have).

Last thought - the bearings that even the VERY BEST reel uses are crap. You (YES YOU) can educate yourself and go out and buy a couple bearings (might take a bit of work) for a pittance and swap out the junk ALL the manufacturers use in 10 minutes. Want the ridiculous – some of the honed ceramic bearings and races can push $750 – much like the stuff the Tour De France boys use… Will it make a difference vs. a $20 precision steel or $150 ceramics – (IMHO) NO – but there is always room for one more Maserati pulling a bass boat at the launch ramp parking lot.

REMEMBER -we have all seen (or been) that darned kid with a zebco 202 and the 6lber… I’d argue its more important to know your gear (and its limits) than to look for that gear with no limits.


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