Whats a good choice for a reel??

[Huntin&Fishin]

Whats a good choice for a reel?? I'm tired of gears burning out, reels making noises, ex.... so What is a good reliable reel without paying an arm and a leg? Thanks!

[harvey lee]

Are you looking for a baitcaster or a spinning reel and what type of fishing will you be doing with it?

[scott b]

Can I say this without offending the forum rules? SHIMANO SHIMANO SHIMANO SHIMANO. I've tried a few other brands because I love my country, but none compare as far as quality at an affordable price.

[Cicada]

I have had very good luck with Quantum reels. I can't afford their high-high end stuff, but the mid-range reels are great. The oldest one I have is more than ten years old and still works fine. You can check out their HSOforum for the high tech stuff. Used to be the choice of the Lindners when they still owned In-Fisherman.

[bhs91]

I am partial to pflueger or Gander Mountain store brand, spinning reels I am talking about.

[fumanchew44]

i was askin the same question at the beginin of this season. only my third year chasin em around heavily. got sick of things givin out on my 6500c3's so my bud talked me into a calcutta, that made it 2 months into the season last year before burnin up. Got another bud who swears trinidads are the only way to go, but i cant justify spending 450 bucks on a reel. Got a abu 7000 hsn (black big game series reel) for the beginin of this season instead around 170 before the $20 rebate they got goin right now. knock on wood its holdin solid for me so far. but what im gatherin is if your gonna be castin double tens and bulldawgs around all season, things are gonna give out no matter how much u spend. good luck!!!

[Huntin&Fishin]

A bait caster for my muskie rod

[DHost21]

I have two abu garcia reels, a 6500c3 and a a 6600ext and I love them both. I bought them both at the beginning of lastyear and have fish a ton and they both still work awesome and they both are a reasonable price.

[ribsey_77]

I have a 7000iC3 for throwing heavy stuff and i like it.Handles double 10s just fine along with bulldogs.

[Tim_Anderson]

I have learned over the years that you need to match your rod and reel to the lures you are throwing. I learned the hard way that smaller reels break down quickly with the big/heavy jerkbaits, plastics, or the big bladed baits.

Not sure but it sounds like you may just be starting out? If so, it will help you to decide on your reel by thinking about what kind of baits you will be throwing, or what your own personal style might be.

I basically keep a few different styles of rod and reel combos in my boat. I have grown pretty fond of my little Revo, from Abu Garcia. It serves as a heavy bass reel, or a very light musky combo. I use it as a change up (for a break) when I'm out for a long day. Many clients who simply can't handle a bigger rod and reel use it too. It has caught lots of big fish in the past couple of years, but the key is that I use it ONLY with small bucktails, and that's it. It's small and fast. Really easy to palm this one.

For some medium sized stuff, I have a bunch of the Abu Garcia C3's, C4's, and 7000 series. They are decent all around reels, but if you use them constantly and throw lots of baits that are heavy or have lots of resistance, they will burn out on you. I use these for small to medium sized lures, and they hold up just fine.

Lastly, my "go-to" reel for the big baits is the Shimano Calcutta 700 TE. I'm talking big blades and big plastics. I have used this reel almost constantly for the past two seasons, and it hasn't missed a beat. But it isn't cheap at around $400. It takes some getting used to as it's big and cumbersome, but as you build your stamina to use it, you find that with it's big spool and power handle, you can move those big blades high and fast without much effort. Teamed with a 9 foot rod, it is an amazing combo for long casts, burning stuff fast, moving and steering baits and fish, and perhaps best of all, will really up your odds at hooking fish on boatside maneuvers. Big circles and deep circles that keep fish on the bait and away from the boat are really important.

My advice is that you get what you pay for. Reels with plastic guts are going to be cheaper, but won't be with you for the long haul. That's why so many hard core musky guys are going to saltwater sized reels. They're built to last, and to withstand the abuse we give them with the heavy musky tackle.

Hey, as you get into this sport, I mean....to the point where it's kind of a sickness, you'll find that you have to have some of each style, and probably more than one!

Good luck,

[bronzeback]

I really love the Daiwa Luna 300. Only fished it for a season and a half, but have had zero problems. All metal construction, moves blades well, and would move them easier with a longer rod, but I only use a 7'6". Great reel, and durable so far.

[AaronM]

I've used ABU and like them, but I love my new Okuma Red Isis 250P. It has a smaller spool size, but it's big enough to handle the mid sized bucktails like the Double Showgirl. It's all about what type of baits you're going to be throwing, and Tim A did a great job of outlining that. You can get by with whatever reel you buy as long as you take care of it and know its limits.

[guideman]

This is a subject that will get as many different answers as there are reels on the market.

We all have are favorites but in over 25 years of guiding I know one thing to be true, you get what you pay for!

If you throw nothing but big blades and heavy rubber, spend the money and get a top shelf reel. If you're only planning on fishing for muskies once in a while and you don't throw a lot of big stuff, you can get away with something less. My personal gear has nothing but top of the line shimano reels.

The gear my clients use is a little less expencive, however still good quality. I like the Record reels from Abu for most applications. Add the power handles and they will even throw big blades pretty well, however they don't burn them very well without wearing out.

The saltwater reels are mainly used for burning big blades and they don't really work that well for anything else. At

$350 to $450 a pop, you better throw a lot a cowgirls to get your monies worth out of them.

If you're looking for a very good all purpose reel, that will last, you will find it hard to beat a 400te Calcutta from Shimano. If you can't afford that, try the 400b, it's about $200 and they will do a good job on most of the baits you'll throw. Remember, you always get what you pay for, so even if it sounds expencive, think of all those cheaper reels you have paid for over the years and add them up. You probably could have bought yourself one great reel, with all that money you've spent on the cheap ones.

JMHO!

"Ace"

[JRedig]

The saltwater reels are mainly used for burning big blades and they don't really work that well for anything else. At $350 to $450 a pop, you better throw a lot a cowgirls to get your monies worth out of them.

If you're looking for a very good all purpose reel, that will last, you will find it hard to beat a 400te Calcutta from Shimano.

RE: saltwater reels. Daiwa Saltist line of reels are under $200 and are not just for burning big blades. Based on how well their built, I think a 20 or 30 series with a levelwind could easily take over for my calcutta's as the workhorses.

[urban cowboy]

Shimano calcutta 400b.. Go buy one.

[JimBuck]

Saltist in the 20 is a great all around reel for under 200. Takes a little time to get used to but a great reel for the price.

[Muskyhunter23]

St.croix avid AC300A!

[PDXFisher]

I've gone through many different reels, and each season a different one was on the rod I used the most. My first years were spent with a Calcutta 400B. Then I went to a couple Luna 300's, followed by a Calcutta 400TE. I tried to go Okuma Red Isis for a while, but it broke very quickly. It's fixed now, but is on a trolling rod (the one that doesn't get used as much because the other has a Tekota 600LC). Now, I'd say at least 90% of my casts are with a Curado 300DSV. I have one on my bucktail rod and my JB rod.

I like all my reels. The only reels I've used I didn't like were ABU 6500C3 and Pete Maina Bass Pro Shops, two of which broke within the first couple casts.

In general, if you need an all-around reel, the Calcutta 400TE is a workhorse. If you want a little cheaper, I strongly prefer the Luna to the Calcutta 400B. The components on the Luna seem a little sturdier (I've had to repair the 400B, never a Luna) and casting is a bit smoother. Heck, my fishing partner prefers the Luna to the 400TE, I think because he gets more distance with the Luna. The 400TE is definitely easier to crank, so it's all down to preference. I'm really loving the Curado/Luna/TE/Tekota combo, though. Different tools for different jobs.

[SJMyers32]

I have a trion and thats a hot rod for $50 Pflueger, for skis and a reel I love my Avu Record reasonably price and has the bait clicker for trolling. Geared down a little too, C4's burn up to quick with big inline spinners.

[Apex]

Abu Garcia C4 for the money or a curado 300dsv for the best and most durable reel you can buy.