Baitcast Reel

[Chris Barlage]

Have never really used BC too much but figured it is time I start since I do a lot of bass fishing. What would be a good reel to put on a flipping stick. I know I can get great reels in the 200-300 range but don't want to spend that much. Would like to stay 100 or less. Is that even an option to get a nice on that wont rats nest on me every flip or cast. I owned one in the past before and it was just to low quality I got rat nests and very poor casting distance from it.

[bassfshin24]

There are a few that would be good choices:

Abu Garcia Revo S = $129.99

Shimano Citica = $129.99

Lews Speed Spool = $99.00

I haven't used the Lews reels but have heard great things. I would also check the bay of e for slightly used ones. I don't think you could go wrong with any of those three brands.

[Superduty]

If you want to stay under $100 I would look at the Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier's. Nice aluminum reel that has the same guts as the Revo's from ABU Garcia. I use one as my crankbait reel since it is the only reel I could find with a low (4.7:1) gear ratio. They are sometimes on sale for $79 but normally list for $99.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Its strange, you can get a fantastic Spinning reel for under or right at $100.. But with Baitcasterrs its just not as easy.

The list on the first reply is a very good one, if you can budget another $20 or so, the quality really does up.

The Citica is a very good real in the price point, but I have ties to them so I am biased.

[riverrat63]

When I first started I went with the Abu black max and silver max reels there good reels there under 100$ I never had a prob with them , I agree with supper duty bass pro shop reels is another good option they seem to have some sort of reel on sale

[RK]

As Deitz pointed out, the tipping point for a significant jump in quality with BC reels seems to be @ $120 with a few notable exceptions...

One exception, and for $100, what might be your absolute best option, is the Pflueger Trion. For some reason Pfluegers fly under the radar, but they're great reels, and Steve Quinn from the In-Fisherman claims the Trion is indestructible. Available in low gear ratio for cranking too, plus a wide spool version also, which is cool. They really are great reels, especially for $100.

Beyond that...

The Lews Tournament MG is a solid option, as is the Lews Speed Spool, and if you look around you can even find the Lews Tournament, which is a fantastic reel, for around that range too. I've become a big Lews fan...

Revo S is a solid option, and although I haven't used one, the Daiwa Lexa 100 gets good reviews and on sale should land in your price range.

The Pro Qualifiers do have a huge following, and as someone else said, internally it's more or less a Revo.

[Todd S.]

I have 4 of the Lew's speed spool's, they are right at the $100 mark, I think they are great. Seems they pack them pretty tight with grease and take a while at first to "loosen" up, but once they loosen up they are awesome! Other's have told me they "degrease" them and oil them with reel oil, I haven't taken it to that level yet, but would it probably be worth it.

[RuddyDuck]

I have a Quantum Kinetic that I like alot. It retails for $120 and has the Aluminum frame. I just bought a Shimano Caenan that I have limited time with, but does seem to cast nice. It does get knocked in a review from TackleTour cause of the Graphite frame. It retails for $90, but I got one online for $57, so I figured it would be worth the money, graphite frame and all. You also can find the Kinetic for less if you look around.

I also have several $50 dollars reels(Daiwa Strikeforces and others) that are decent, but $50 reels can be hit or miss as far as quality. I am just an average joe angler who fishes 1 or 2 times a week, so these reels seem to work for me. If a guy fishes 4+ times a week and does tourneys, then I could see the $50 ones not lasting very long. I did have a Garcia Silvermax(not the new Max2 style), that didn't last long at all. Pawl broke and then the reverse bearing went out a bit.

The biggest thing with a BC reel is to learn to set the brakes properly. If that isn't done correctly a $200 reel will birdnest just as good as a $50 reel!! Good luck in your search.

[Juan Grande]

Shimano usually has a spring sale on last year's Citicas and Curados. You can usually get a new Citica for $30 off the regular price.

[clm]

i just ordered a quantum kinetic high speed from the big c. in the bargain cave for $70, normally $120. i already have the 6.3:1 and it is smooth as butter. another thing, if you plan on flipping with it you may want to look at the max drag on each reel. bps pro qualifier only has a max drag of 10 lbs. i use braid alot and i set the h311 out of the hook when flipping. i also have a few revo's and have had good luck with them smooth and strong.

[NateD]

trion and speed spool are solid! not a whole lot of time with the lews, but seems solid so far. I have a trion from 2 years ago and the thing still works like a champ. I havent taken the best care of it's still money.

[corncob]

I have a trion, citica ,and a speed spool....All very good reels....Luv my Calcutta TE, but it is a notch or two higher priced.

[kstephes033]

One thing to keep in mind is the rod you are putting it on too. Balance is something that is overlooked sometimes, but makes a big difference while using a heavier setup all day. Some people don't care much if its balanced or not but see if you can try the reels on the rod at the store to see how it is. Like one of the posts earlier said make sure there is a good enough drag system on it so you don't get stuck having a reel that doesn't have the strength to get them up on a hook set. Last thing I will say is think about gear ratio. I use 7:1 ratios for my flipping so that I can get them up on top of the junk and "ski" them over it. Others will tell you go with a lower ratio such as a 5.4:1 so that it acts more like a winch and you have more power. Comes down to preference then. Food for thought.

Ps I love both my quantums (all newer) and abu's.

[rmkod]

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_133325_-1

These are pretty solid for the price. I have one and works well, granted it probably won't last for years, it works well. I have Curado's and Citicas on all my other rods. These express work well for the money.

[jac714]

The Diawa Exceller is a nice Aluminum framed reel for about $90.00

[Jared_P]

I started off with a Pflueger Echelon as my first bait casting real and I had nothing but good luck. I still use them today and started using a Lew's speed spool last year with very good success. I would recommend both of those if you are staying under $100.

JP