Pflueger President, hands down.

I have had a shimano sahara and would say good things about it too. But the President is better.

My favorite spinning reel for under $100 has to be the Shimano Symetre.

 

I have a 1000, a 2500 and a 4000 ranging from 10 years old to 6 years old and I have never had a problem with any of them. 

 

For maintenance all I do is an annual lube job and they are just as smooth (if not smoother) than the day they were purchased.  

Has anyone played with the new Penn Battles yet?

Pfleuger President.  You will NOT be disappointed.  Shimano makes some very good reels, but in the price range you are speaking of, the President blows everything away.

That is good news, because I am just about to pick one up.

And on this topic, the Shimano Sienna has performed very well for me.

Has anyone played with the new Penn Battles yet?

Many times!  Where I fish Penn is the predominate brand, but that is a saltwater reel not freshwater, not that makes much difference.  The battle is slightly more than $100 but I'm sure it can be bought a little cheaper.  Not personally owning one I wouldn't give a review except to look at the stats of the reel, for a smaller reel for freshwater use l I would prefer something a bit lighter in weight, Penn's are not known for strong drags, but they are smooth, efficient and more than adequate if one is using their drag properly.  

 

I can honestly say I don't have a favorite reel or consider one as being the best, If I don't like a reel I get rid of it or it sits unused.  As far as I'm concerned if my reels require a minimum of service and work as expected I got a winner, regardless of the price paid.

My favorite spinning reel for under $100 has to be the Shimano Symetre.

 

I have a 1000, a 2500 and a 4000 ranging from 10 years old to 6 years old and I have never had a problem with any of them. 

 

For maintenance all I do is an annual lube job and they are just as smooth (if not smoother) than the day they were purchased.  

Those were way better than their price suggest. Back then up till the FI they were primarily a Stradic inside and out, which use the same gearing and bodies as the Stradics, Sustains, and first Stellas of the time, give up a bearing to the Stradic. Then with the FI they quit using the same spool oscillation gearing, and went to the type used on there less expensive, then with the FL they quit using the one piece bail and went with a graphite body again, the first models used graphite then they upgraded them to Aluminum in my opinion a better frame material, till now, not the carbon of the CI4, they are good reels do now have X-SHIP which is a plus, but at the cost of an indestructible bail and a solid frame, but another model Shimano keeps cheapening up more and more to widen the gap between it and the Stradic, which were at one time up the the FH series practically the same as far as parts and bodies. No more like the Curado, they are hearing about it. Keep you FG and FH's they wont be built like them again.  

My favorite spinning reel for under $100 has to be the Shimano Symetre.

 

I have a 1000, a 2500 and a 4000 ranging from 10 years old to 6 years old and I have never had a problem with any of them. 

 

For maintenance all I do is an annual lube job and they are just as smooth (if not smoother) than the day they were purchased.  

A lot of places you can find the old version going on clearance now.  Lowest I've seen is 64.99.  Regretting I didn't pull the trigger on it two weeks later. 

Shimano symetre FJ

A lot of places you can find the old version going on clearance now.  Lowest I've seen is 64.99.  Regretting I didn't pull the trigger on it two weeks later. 

 

 

Shimano symetre FJ

great price and would get the FJ over the FL to have the Aluminum frame and one piece bail, even though they don't have X-SHIP, Iike the FJ better.

Daiwa Aird 2500 or 3000. 

 

I looked at the Shimano's and Pflueger's and felt Aird was just as smooth and I prefer Daiwa over both Shimano (never really cared for their products) and Pflueger (questionable durability from past experience).  It's also nice that the Aird comes with a spare spool 1 size up.  Meaning the 2500 comes with an extra 3000 spool and the 3000 comes with an extra 3500 spool.  I keep my 2500 on all the time with 8 lb fluoro but its nice to have the 3000 b/c I can easily put on the 3000 with 10 lb fluoro if I wanted to.

Just a FYI - you can by a Symetre FJ for 59.99 at American Fishing Legacy.

Just a FYI - you can by a Symetre FJ for 59.99 at American Fishing Legacy.

That would be as good as it get's out of all these suggestions!!!! The buy of the century! 

Stradic on ebay, 139