Best reel for $70: Baitcasting

jaroddog · Post by **jaroddog** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:08 pm

Hey guys,
I need your help. I recently bought a baitcasting reel (round bodied) from Wal-Mart. It was an ultracheap Shakespeare reel ($10 on lay-away). I thought I would use it for catfish and large bass. Well, this was my first baitcasting reel and I had a lot of bird's nests. I finally got to where I was only getting a one about every tenth cast. The brakes kept loosening up on it... So I took it back, got my money (barely worth it

) and decided I want to try getting a baitcasting reel for bass. I've never used a low-profile. Do you think I will get bird's nests like crazy, again? If that's the case (maybe I just don't have enough skill) I'll stick to my spinning gear and fly rod. Anyway I can spend $60, maybe $70 dollars on a reel tops. What would you recommend for this money? I just want a good reel that would be good for a beginner to baitcasting equipment. I usually throw texas rigged soft-plastics, crankbaits, and an occasional top-water bait. Please give me your opinions on how my $60-70 budget could be best spent. I'm looking forward to your comments.

Jarod

mhood · Post by **mhood** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:16 pm

I've just bought an ABU 6500 C3 NIB for $50 to use as a trolling/catfish/flippin/light saltwater rig. The ABUs are pretty basic reels that will get you into baitcasting in your price range. Take a trip down to Wally World and check them out.

kbookert · Post by **kbookert** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:18 pm

jaroddog, it could very well have been the reel. If you go cheap on a baitcaster that's exactly what you get. For the money you are looking at, you can get yourself a decent reel. You may find these cheaper elsewhere on the internet (but there prices look standard), but if you go to: Land Big Fish and do a search on Pflueger, take a look at the Vintage and the Purist. Both are very good reels.

VINTAGE

PURIST

I personally own both of these reels. They both work very well.

jaroddog · Post by **jaroddog** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:19 pm

I was really looking for a low profile reel. Any other suggestions?

kbookert · Post by **kbookert** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:22 pm

You must have posted the same time I did. See my above post.

jaroddog · Post by **jaroddog** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:22 pm

kbookert,
Thanks for those suggestions, any others besides Pflueger?

kbookert · Post by **kbookert** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:23 pm

I only throw Pfluegers. The quality is very good and the price is great for what you get.

jagrrich · Post by **jagrrich** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:23 pm

Those are low profile.

jaroddog · Post by **jaroddog** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:28 pm

kbookert and I were playing post-tag. I was talking to m-hood.

MoKan · Post by **MoKan** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:33 pm

Pflueger President seems like a great reel.

Daiwa Procaster or TD-Advantage.

kbookert · Post by **kbookert** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:37 pm

The President is a great reel, but it is twice as much as he wanted to pay.

MoKan · Post by **MoKan** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 4:51 pm

Yea... I would pick up a Procaster or Abu Garcia C3

zenbassr · Post by **zenbassr** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 5:14 pm

jaroddog wrote:I was really looking for a low profile reel. Any other suggestions?

you can find these as low as $75 new, on e-bay i picked up two lightly used ones for $45 each:

http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content ... itica.html

its nearly identical in both parts (less 2 bearings) & performance of the curado, at half the price. considering how easy they are to maintain, they're perfect for saltwater applications too

DavidSA · Post by **DavidSA** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 6:14 pm

Have to agree. If you know what you want and you have a little time to spare, you can get reels costing 80 to 100 new for $75 or less new on E-bay.

I don't have any recent experience with baitcasters less than $100. I will share that I never liked baitcasters until about 4-5 years ago. While on a guided fishing trip, I told the guide I wasn't big on baitcasting gear and told him why. He pulled out his Chronarch and let me Demo it. Wow, what a difference vs. the $50 BPS and Shimono stuff I was throwing. He suggested a Curado for me and since getting it and better reels, I've slowly converted to 80% baitcast/20% spinning gear.

Andrew R · Post by **Andrew R** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:36 pm

Quantum Accurist 500PT

Not the 2005 models.

I'm talking about the 2004 & past model.

I've seen this reel priced down to $60 & 70 at some places.

I own one myself.

Great reel. Great for Cranking & spinnerbaiting. Not much for plastics. Poor feel.

andrew

Best reel for $70: Baitcasting

Best reel for $70: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $60: Baitcasting

Re: Best reel for $70: Baitcasting