Pharticus

That's precisely what I plan to do once I whittle it down. There's no store that's gonna offer me service that justifies paying extra (or even sales tax for that matter), so lowest price wins.

When funds are limited and I get one shot at getting this right, reviews are crucial. The risk involved in buying a reel that 500 people have reviewed and loved is much lower than the risk of buying a reel that you heard 3 people liked. It's not a perfect method, but it is certainly the most logical in my position. I'm sure there are a dozen and a half reels on that list that I'd probably be nothing-less-than-thrilled with... but I need to pick one - and I'm going for what gives me the best odds of a terrific longterm investment.

Here's one of the reviews from BassPro regarding this issue:

It had zero reviews, so it got cut. A fine example of why this isn't exactly a flawless method of choosing...

Haven't whittled it down yet. Clearly, the 3 highlighted models are a cut above the rest. So now I'll need to look at their non-standard features and read the reviews to try to determine which is my best bet.

Perhaps some will laugh, but in my efforts to sort through all the $130 or less baitcasters for that perfect first purchase, I began gathering data. This list is based on the offerings from Cabela's and Bass Pro Shop. I have eliminated all reels that had ZERO reviews, and all reels that failed to achieve a 4.0 out of 5 (or higher). I also didn't bother with anything under $50. Obviously, this isn't a perfect solution, but when there are 17 bajillion reels to choose from, this DOES help 'cull the herd' a bit. Hope it helps any of you others out there in the same happy predicament as me!

My first one lasted 1 cast. Hooked into a tiger muskie that snapped my line and swam away from the side of the boat. Hooks seemed A-OK to me!

Haha. Maybe if you type in "Rage Craw" once or twice more, they'll make you a sponsor.

I just started using a Zebco Delta (a near twin). So far, I'm enjoying it.

I'm out west on the UT/ID border. I went out and broke up the ice on my pond a week and a half ago. It's all melted now. I've fished in my pond and fished in a local reservoir that's thawed (because of the river's flow) - struck out both times. I tried everything. No luck. Not even with nightcrawlers. Here's hoping it improves quickly.