I think this reel is underrated for it's price point. I got the 5.4:1 version when they were fairly new for mid range crankbaits and loved the reel. The one thing that set me off about it was that I couldn't get a good, long cast with lighter baits like a 3xd. So I ended up trading it to a buddy of mine. He now has a few of them and it seems like his cast much better. So I'm wonder if I just got one that casted a little poorly. I'm once again looking for a new mid range cranking reel and would like it to be fairly light weight and long casting. Any thoughts and experiences you want to share about this reel would be nice to hear. 

I dont know. The first Lews I bought before i started buy the Tourney Pro, was the speed spool. I still use it and it will cast 1/4 oz texas rigs a LONG WAYS. It is a good reel. Smooth for its price.

It may have been the reel, it may have been inexperience or operator error. But i encourage you to give ANY of the Lews reels a chance.

Im not a shimano guy, but my Caius (69.99) casts the smaller cranks quite well on 10lb flouro. I would assume it gets better as you go up the scale. The only beef I have with the Caius is that it doesn't hold much line.

I have mainly shimano's and revo's with a couple reels from other manufacturers. That was my first and only experience with lews and I thought everything was good quality for the price point except for the casting. I'm not new to casting reels and am pretty proficient in using them so I know it wan't user error. I'd like to give lews another shot because they seemed to be well liked, but I need to know they can live up to my expectations. I wouldn't hesitate on getting a bb1 except I don't wan't a reel without infinite anti-reverse

Probably way over lubed from the factory. I know my speed spool was that way. I took it apart and cleaned the bearings and it was better. I like Lews but I sold my speed spool and bought a tourney pro and haven't looked back. Tournament - bb1 - and tournament pro are where it's at. I can't speak for the super duty - or either team lews since I'm a lefty. As much as I like Lews I can say I really didn't care for the regular speed spool.

I'd opt for the tournament all day long if it wasn't for the weight. It's important to me to have my setups balanced. The rod I'm going to be putting it on is a falcon bucoo 7'6 med/mod. And I think at 7.9oz the TSS might be a little too heavy. It's in the running though

yours might have just been a bad one.. i have one and like it alot, its not as nice as some of my higher end reels but it will still cast a weighless senko or fluke a good 25-30 yards with 17lb fluoro, thats pretty far to me.. i like it though, id recommend getting another.

I can't speak for the regular speed spool but the TP casts really well. I think for the $99 I would pay the extra $20 and get a BB1 off ebay. The anti-reverse might be a dealbreaker for some but that seems to be the only complaint about that reel. I'm impressed with Lews reels.....especially being able to easily find them for well under msrp.

Look on ebay. I just got the Tournament Pro today for $100. Cant beat that deal, that's for sure. Plus not a lot of people are bidding on them right now, so jump on it quick.

Same rod, same weight line, same type of line, same lure. A lot more to casting distance than the reel.

I know there's more to casting distance than just the reel. I'm typically using 10-12lb fluoro and a variety of mid range crankbaits, with the lightest being the 3xd. I got the long, whippy rod for this application because it makes it easier to get a good whip cast and launch a smaller crankbait a far distance. I've done it with different reels since and now I want one that has good casting capabilities and balances well on the rod as well.