HIGH END SPINNING REELS

I just built myself 2 new rods (Rainshadow 7’spinning)and having a hard time deciding weather to go to a higher end reel,lets say the Shimano Stradic ,which is only 4 BB,for around a $100.00 or lets say the AV-20 Okuma which is 7 BB for only around $35.00.. I was using the TICA /LIBRA SA2500 series, but looking for a bit lighter reel..I will be using these rods strictly for jigging 5/16 on down to 1/32oz jigs with plastics..I would like to hear what other fisherpersons have for advice or sugestions on reels.. Im leaning towards the Okuma reels for now , have herd all good about them.BUT ARE THE HIGHER DOLLAR REELS REALY WORTH THE EXTRA $$$$..Thanks inadvance Jeff

I think like most fishing equipment we buy is a matter of ones opinion. I prefer to use the Shimano Stradic’s simply cause I have no complaints with the reel itself and the overall satisfaction of Shimano as a company! Is a Stradic a better reel that the ones your describing???? In my opinion yes!!! Is it worth the extra money???? NO!
Will I continue to use the shimano reels??? YES!
I guess I am bias towards shimano and not to mention they are really great reels!!!!

Just my opinion!!!

My choice of reels before I started guiding were mostly Shimano, and higher end Shimanos like the Symetre. Six years ago on my inaugural visit to Lake Pepin/Pool#4 I booked a trip with James Holst(IDA GUIDES). He was on the water 200+ days per year and the Shimanos wouldn’t last a season for him. He turned me on to Fin Nors. Jame’s favorite AHAB LITE is a top ender at 100$+, but I have three Fin Nor Lite 100s and a Steel River(7 ball bearing)that have been flawless for six years of heavy use.
I have been a St.Croix rod lover since I was a young boy.(Dad used to take us to Park Falls Wi.)They introduced a series of reels last year that I am very impressed with the St.Croix Avid(made by Diawa).

I landed this 75-80# Lake Sturgeon with this reel last May with only 6# test line!!! She took numerous “drag screaming” runs during the 50 minute battle.
They run about $100 and are backed by St. Croix’s impeccable service reputation.

St. Croix Avid

Fin Nor

I want to add here I do NOT intend to rebuff Cal’s opinions either…as I respect everyone’s right to an opinion.

If you are not fortunate enough to get on the water 150-200 days(thats MOST of the REAL WORLD) you will probably NOT wear out a Shimano reel.

A PS…the NUMBER of ball bearings means absolutely NADA…it is the QUALITY OF THOSE BEARINGS. I’m sure you’ve seen $24.95 reels with 8-10 ball bearings(the Avocets come to mind). While they(Avocets)are seviceable reels, the Stradic’s bearings are of a much higher quality (polished finish/metal content)

Shimano reels are WORTH the extra money!! This is my honest opinion and the fact that I have been fishing with the same Stradic’s for over 8 years now. I am on the water over 100 days a year from ice-up to ice-out and I have NEVER had a Shimano reel fail for me, friends, or clients! I would not focus on the # of ball-bearings as much as the components and the construction of the reel. Shimano is a gear company and that is alot of what your reel is built on. I think that there are some good reels out there as well, but I will keep my Shimano Stradic’s 690reece

All of my St. Croix Avids and Shimano Compres have Shimano Stradics on them. In my opinion, they are the best reel for the money hands down. The symetre is also a very good model if you are looking to spend a bit less.
Nate

The entire line of Shimano reels has improved greatly in the past 2 – 3 years. Prior to that I could kill a stradic in short order throwing deep diving cranks on wing dams. This is a tough test for any spinning reel. Since most walleye guys rarely do anything more exhausting than reeling up a jig or lindy rig, it doesn’t surprise me that most guys would say reels from the same time period performed wonderfully for them. The Fin-Nors would withstand this punishment and come back for me.

Currently I’ve gone back to shimanos after they redesigned some of the fin-nors and couldn’t be happier. The worm gears stopped shelling out and all is well. I still have an occassional issue with a weak bail spring with the shimanos that allows the bail to close mid-cast… not a good thing when a 1/2 ounce blade bait is coming back at your head at twice the speed of sound but nobody has been maimed or seriously injured, yet.

I’ve got a boat load of saharas and sedonas and haven’t seen a need to spend any more money on the more expensive models.

my objective is buy 2 reels that will give me years of use and not go broke doing it ,Are the Symetre’s instant anti reverse reels,,I do like those aslo.. Thanks for the responses so far Jeff

building your own rods trminal tackle what ever has great rewards most of all over whelming confidence.there are to many reels to mention.i would certainly start with matching weight of reel versus rod type.shim,flueg,diaw,abu,okum,etc…. my prefrence would of course reliable line capacity descent drag system. over emphasize good drag take a good look at shim flueg.these companies. well machined parts and are well recommended by many fisherman.your cost for a great reel or rod.depends of course your pocket.also these reels work very well in cold weather conditions.very smooth an reliable… fish eat sleep see ya on the waves……

I have been slowly replacing all my reels with Symmetre’s. Have 3 so for. I love em.

big g

I use two Stradics, one fh series and one mfg series, and I find myself leaving those in the rod lockers and using my Pluegers more often than not. For me both the Medalist and the President seem to be better quality reels.
My two cents.

OK,So a few of you are using the Symetre reel ,which i do like ,,my next question is : which model do have /like ??…Thanks Jeff

I have 2 2500’s one front drag and one rear, I use for jiggin’ eyes, and a 4000 rear drag, that is my canadian northerns reel. The first one I bought was the 2500 frt drag, but I prefer the rear drags, cause its easier to adjust in a pinch (middle of a fight) if you have to.

big g

2500 rear drag Symmetre

Symetre 2500FI. Haven’t used it yet, got it as a gift. Several sure rave about it.

I am a Shimano fan, and have had great luck with Saharas and Stradics.

I wanted to comment on the Avid reels, though. I’ve had two of them for about a year and a half now, and they have not been good for me at all. My biggest beef is with the bails. They don’t close properly anymore at all on either reel. The bail springs are fine. I’ve taken them apart several times and cleaned them and they work again for a couple weeks, then back to not closing all the way. I believe there is some rubbing going on at the bail joint opposite of the roller, and that rubbing removes lubrication and causes buildup which prevents the bail from closing properly. Before I solidified the habit of closing the bail by hand I got bloody knuckles all the time from the bail not closing when I turned the handle and getting my right middle finger dinged by the roller. That feels especially good when your hands are frozen in the first place, let me tell you.

I’ve also had a lot of problems with the handles coming loose. At this point I have to re-tighten them 2-3 times per day when I’m casting. I’m now starting to have problems with the screw than holds the roller in place coming loose as well. The other day the bail started acting goofy on one of the reels and I figured out that a loose screw on the roller was the problem. I checked for that problem on the other reel and sure enough the screw was starting to come loose on that one, too.

I think St. Croix is an awesome company. I just got back a warranty replacement rod today, in fact. I broke it on Thursday, sent it in on Friday, and got the replacement today! I love St. Croix. But the Avid reels (made by Diawa, I believe) have been no good for me. When I first got them I really liked them, but at 6 months or so I started having the problems described above and they never quit (well, I guess the handles came loose once in a while but it happens all the time now). I know St. Croix would fix/replace the reels, but I don’t think there’s anything broken. I think these are design flaws, pure and simple.

Get a Saraha 1500 and you won’t be disappointed. Get a stradic if you want a smoother reel for twice the money.

John

I bought a stradic the 1st year they came out. I think it was 11 years ago now? Its been a long time. I still use the reel today and the only problem I have had with it the clutch bearing got dirty and I had to clean it out.. that was 3 weeks ago. There was absolutely no wear to any of the gears within the reel. I use this reel for anything from crappies to catfish and walleyes.. it has landed many monsters over time of many species including muskies. I use mine for open water and ice fishing and it gets used and abused. I fish anywhere from 250-300+ days a year, that reel gets used 200 of them one way or another.

Yes, they are worth every penny. More expensive doesnt mean better, but I definitely got what I paid for.

I would buy the smallest reel possible. For example I have all Shimano Stradic 1000’s. I fish mainly walleyes and use 4lb-8lb mono and fireline up to 20lb/6lb dia.. You really do not need more than 70-100 yards of line. A small reel will usually weigh less and that in turn makes the rod more sensitive! For most instances a size 1000 will suffice. Good Luck! 690reece

I have yet to break a Shimano reel and that’s all I buy. My oldest is from 1988.

why buy a top of the line shimmano when you can get one thats at the middle of the pack or at the end? im not real firmiliar with shimmanos products but i own a sedona and i like that just fine! not as nice as a quantum however

Trumar – which Rainshadow blanks did you build? I bought a number of them on clearance and will build this spring yet. As far as reels go I like the center drag of the Abu-garcia cardinal 600U (now 700U) – excellent drags – the antireverse always works – they are lighter than anything except a stella (and they are too rich for my blood). I’ll start buying shimanos when they get them down in the lower 6 ounce range like the garcias – although they are heading the right direction with the 750’s. As others mentioned above – a lighter reel makes for a more responsive rod – since there is less mass to move when a strike occurs. My 2 cents – your results may vary, Chuckles

I use Sedonas and have at least 1 thats pushing 10 years old thats never failed me, and I don’t baby my equipment. I also run Advocets and going on year 3 with some of those with no breakdowns yet. For crank casting, bottombouncers and trolling, I use a baitaster though.