Best spinning reel for around $100

I have all brands, if u had $100 to spend on a size 2500 spinning reel, what are you going with?

Shimano

Pflueger President or Abu Garcia Revo

Okuma epixor, slowly switched most mine over once the Daiwas, Pflugers and shimanos gave out, all too soon.

Okuma Ceymar’s are the best bang for the buck spinning reels imo…

bigstorm wrote:

Pflueger President or Abu Garcia Revo

You can get 2 presidents for 100$
Agree on a revo x.

Don’t overlook the Daiwa Legalis.

Buffalo Fishhead

The best would be a $150-$200 reel on sale for $100

Call the Marine General and see what’s moving

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Okuma Ceymar’s are the best bang for the buck spinning reels imo…

I saw FBRM uses the hell out of these when I fish with him – I picked one up last week to compare to my pfluegers . They are going to be my new go to . Great real for the money ! 30 size

I’ve used to be all about the Shimano Stradics. They’re great reels, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not cheap! I still prefer Shimano for my baitcasters; Curado for bass and Tranx for musky.

I’ve been incorporating more Daiwa spinning reels into my arsenal. Honestly, I’m very impressed by their value. They feel like a much more expensive reel, their weight is comparable, and they appear to be just as durable.

I’d recommend a Legalis LT or a Fuego. You could probably get 2 Legalis for $100 if you play your cards right.

100% accurate! Unless you’re going to spend a lot stay away from shimano. I used to buy the $100 shimanos and they used to be great, not anymore. Not in the slightest. I’ll go as far as saying junk. On the other hand 100% of the Diawa’s I’ve purchased have been phenomenal.

Bass Thumb wrote:

I’ve used to be all about the Shimano Stradics. They’re great reels, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not cheap! I still prefer Shimano for my baitcasters; Curado for bass and Tranx for musky.

I’ve been incorporating more Daiwa spinning reels into my arsenal. Honestly, I’m very impressed by their value. They feel like a much more expensive reel, their weight is comparable, and they appear to be just as durable.

I’d recommend a Legalis LT or a Fuego. You could probably get 2 Legalis for $100 if you play your cards right.

I have slowly been switching over to Daiwa the past few years. I second the Legalis or Fuego being the best reels you can buy in that $100 range.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Okuma Ceymar’s are the best bang for the buck spinning reels imo…

x100! I have a ceymar and a couple of their baitfeeders and they are phenomenal reels.

Bass Thumb wrote:

I’ve used to be all about the Shimano Stradics. They’re great reels, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not cheap! I still prefer Shimano for my baitcasters; Curado for bass and Tranx for musky.

I’ve been incorporating more Daiwa spinning reels into my arsenal. Honestly, I’m very impressed by their value. They feel like a much more expensive reel, their weight is comparable, and they appear to be just as durable.

I agree with this as well. Stradic is the only reel from shimano I’ll buy. I’ve had terrible luck with all their mid-range reels. The stradic is one of the lightest out there and is a rock solid reel.

Steer clear of shimano in that price range.

I would not hesitate to check piscifun either. I’m going on 3 years with a carbon x and it’s still as smooth as day 1

I tend to compare everything to Okuma which for the past few years for me have been the best value for the money.

I’d vote for the Daiwa Exceler. Excellent bang for your buck.

Daiwa Fuego

Daiwa. I jumped on the president bandwagon years ago and although they are alright in warm weather, the drags are trash in cold weather. I feel like daiwa provides best bang for your buck at all price points. I was even talked out of more shimanos for the daiwa regal and absolutely love it for a $50ish dollar reel. Have a few Shimano sedonas and they don’t even compare to the regal..The stradics of old were fantastic but I won’t buy another. The piscifun carbon x is only popular because of tom boley…ok reel but better options for the price.

I haven’t bought a spinning reel in years now so maybe quality components have changed but I have a couple Shimano Saharas that haven’t failed in at least a decade and I am still using them.

I take my reels in for complete disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication every few years though.

Diawa. If you don’t like the reel, I’ll buy it from you.

-J.

Don’t know how they are to mail order from. But went to a Sportsmans Warehouse in Florida today. Daiwa BG’s $79.95 any size 2000-8000. Regular $129-$149. Think they are selling off as they are pushing the new BG MQs I picked up a 4000 for surf fishing a few days a year, usually use Stradics. Seems like a nice reel for the price. Smoother and more machined parts than the 2 Fuegos I bought to feed saltwater. $80 for the reel, $60 to spool it with braid!!

gimruis wrote:

I haven’t bought a spinning reel in years now so maybe quality components have changed but I have a couple Shimano Saharas that haven’t failed in at least a decade and I am still using them.

I take my reels in for complete disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication every few years though.

How much does that cost per reel ?

I bought up a bunch of Shimanos back when they were a better quality, so mine are still holding up to this day, my favorites being a trio of Stradic Mag 1500s. As Shimano dropped, I got into Pflueger Presidents and Supremes, and those too, are holding up. Every Daiwa I’ve tried has not lasted, so I’m glad to hear they’re treating somebody right; I’m just not that guy I guess.
I have been using Okuma line counters for over 20 years and except for the “wandering drag setting,” those have been rock solid. If they’re putting the same quality into their spinning reels, I can see why some are happy with them.

Like a handful of guys have said the diawa fuego is a great reel in price point.

Daiwa regal ($40-50), Legalis ($60-80), Fuego ($70-99). All great options IMO.

Get yourself one of them 10$ spring coupons for Fleet from the spring fishing catalog, and when the Presidents go on sale get 2 of em. If a spinning reel doesn’t have a bearing for the spool its junk. Period. Daiwa also has a mid priced reel with a bearing for about the same price but it weighs twice as much. I think it was the regal but not quite sure. Pull the spools before buying and check them. See if that bearing on the line retrieve actually moves or just sits there. Check the anti reverse, if it goes backward to the same position every time skip it for something that stops immediately when reversed. The drag discs, well the only way I know to check those is to fish.

Bearcat89 wrote:

How much does that cost per reel ?

$15 per spinning reel and $25 per bait caster.

I use Wayzata Bait & Tackle. They’re closed now but one of the owners who handled the reel maintenance is continuing to do it out of his home. I have his phone number. I did all mine in 2022 before they closed so I don’t need to do it again until next year.

I usually did it in the middle of winter when I wasn’t using any of them, obviously. It took about a month to do all of them. I figured reel maintenance every once in a while was better than just never doing anything and having to buy a new reel.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

Okuma Ceymar’s are the best bang for the buck spinning reels imo…

I have 3 and they are holding up well.

I’m referring to salt instead fresh water. But I got rid of Shimano (I have a few Symetre 3000 and Socorro 8000 reels floating around still in use). But like others, when Shimano dropped quality I switched to Penn and Diawa. As the Symetre die, I’ll be going to Diawa Saltist MQ.

Check the Penn Battle III. Great reel in that price point. I have a number of them including a Battle III 10000 and a few 5000. It is a very smooth reel for its size. I bet the 2000 would be smooth as hell.