Hey guys, I bet this same topic is somewhere deep inside bass resource but I might as well ask it here, 

 

Okay, lately Ive been looking for a good reel for freshwater fishing. And I mean A SPINNING REEL.

While I already have one decent one, I need another. 

 

Any good options under the $150 price range??

Thanks

45 minutes ago, Chrismissbass said:

Hey guys, I bet this same topic is somewhere deep inside bass resource but I might as well ask it here, 

 

Okay, lately Ive been looking for a good reel for freshwater fishing. And I mean A SPINNING REEL.

While I already have one decent one, I need another. 

 

Any good options under the $150 price range??

Thanks

 

Yup, this is all over the forums  

 

Under the $150 range, American Legacy.com and

look at the Shimano Stradic FK. Darn great reel

for their prices. Normally $199, they're offering 

$139 for the 1000, and 149 for the 2500. A great,

no, fantastic deal if you ask me.

 

Hat tip to @blckshirt98 for the info on American

Legacy's deal.

I have the limited edition pflueger president and I really like it. You can buy a regular president for $59. For your budget you can get a nice rod to go with it. 

For $200 or less, the Shimano Stradic FK is the best spinning reel available. Shimano put a lot of the best technologies from its higher end reels into it. In a way, Shimano shot itself in the foot with it, because there's no need to spend more.

Agree with the Stradic recommendations, but you could also save yourself some money and pick up a Sahara.

I hear the stradic is awesome, but never used one.

 

I can highly recommend the Okuma Helios! It is a lightweight reel, with good cranking power, its smooth as butter and has a VERY smooth drag.

Because it is light I went with one of the bigger reels so I could have plenty of line.

On 3/9/2017 at 7:06 PM, Darren. said:

 

Yup, this is all over the forums  

 

Under the $150 range, American Legacy.com and

look at the Shimano Stradic FK. Darn great reel

for their prices. Normally $199, they're offering 

$139 for the 1000, and 149 for the 2500. A great,

no, fantastic deal if you ask me.

 

Hat tip to @blckshirt98 for the info on American

Legacy's deal.

$149 for a FK? 

A bit higher than specified price, but Fleet Farm has the Stradic Ci4 on sale for $175.00. The sale appears to be in-store only.

Get a President and spend the rest on a good rod.  Boom!  Done

The President is great, but if you want something nicer you can easily find the Supreme XT in your price range. 

1 hour ago, Chrismissbass said:

$149 for a FK? 

 

Yup!

 

http://www.americanlegacyfishing.com/shimano-stradic-fk-spinning-reels.html

4 minutes ago, Darren. said:

 

Yup!

 

http://www.americanlegacyfishing.com/shimano-stradic-fk-spinning-reels.html

 

No 2500 or 3000 sizes though...

28 minutes ago, jbw252 said:

 

No 2500 or 3000 sizes though...

 

Clearly they've been going fast. They had

every size the other day...

1 hour ago, Darren. said:

 

Clearly they've been going fast. They had

every size the other day...

I'm sure they are going fast. That's a great price for those reels.

There are just so many reels. And so many seemingly quality reels available at the $50-$60 ranges (or below) when on sale.

 

What feature, capability, or feel is that much different that justifies spending an additional $100?

 

i just picked up a few months ago a President (for around $45) and it seems smooth, casts fine, etc.  what am I missing?  

 

Not being snarky...it's an honest question as this was my first spinning reel purchase in about 20 years...just haven't needed one until recently.  

 

Stradic FK Hands down. 

 

 

I am about to purchase my second Stradic; So much power for even the 1000 series. 

 

 

I've caught a 15lb carp on my 1000 series with 4 pound fluoro. 

 

 

If that doesn't impress, I don't know what will.

 

Pflueger Supreme XT...

Stradic, my favourite lines.

16 hours ago, OperationEagle said:

There are just so many reels. And so many seemingly quality reels available at the $50-$60 ranges (or below) when on sale.

 

What feature, capability, or feel is that much different that justifies spending an additional $100?

 

i just picked up a few months ago a President (for around $45) and it seems smooth, casts fine, etc.  what am I missing?  

 

Not being snarky...it's an honest question as this was my first spinning reel purchase in about 20 years...just haven't needed one until recently.  

 

 

Im looking for a very well made reel and smooth, i like the presidents, but so far all these suggestions have been great. Now its time to decide.

16 hours ago, Wewlad said:

Stradic FK Hands down. 

 

 

I am about to purchase my second Stradic; So much power for even the 1000 series. 

 

 

I've caught a 15lb carp on my 1000 series with 4 pound fluoro. 

 

 

If that doesn't impress, I don't know what will.

 

 

I think the stradic FK 2500 looks good to me, thanks for the feedback!

17 hours ago, OperationEagle said:

There are just so many reels. And so many seemingly quality reels available at the $50-$60 ranges (or below) when on sale.

 

What feature, capability, or feel is that much different that justifies spending an additional $100?

 

i just picked up a few months ago a President (for around $45) and it seems smooth, casts fine, etc.  what am I missing?  

 

Not being snarky...it's an honest question as this was my first spinning reel purchase in about 20 years...just haven't needed one until recently.  

 

Nothing.  I don't recall every reading a negative about these reels.  Excellent value for the money.  However, there are higher quality reels available if you want to spend the money.  A fellow member who fishes spinning reels only...Shimano and Pflueger...has stated that none of his Pfluegers have needed repairs while some Shimanos have.  No doubt there are other members with the opposite experience.  Unless you got a lemon, that reel will more than pay for itself over the coming years.

 

BTW, congrats on getting one at a very good price.

OperationEagle  My wife loves to fish her 4 Pflueger President reels, some are over 10 years old and one is less than 1 year old. They have handled many big smallies, largies, stripers and cats ( unintentional catches).

 

One reason to spend more money is to fit a special purpose. My wife only fishes spinning gear.

My arsenal includes several high quality spinning rods for finesse baits. It also includes 13 baitcasters for everything else. Some have 6.3-1 gear ratio reels and others run all the way up to 8-1, like the one on my frog rod.

 

I just set her up with a Dobyns 7 foot heavy action spinning rod to handle frog fishing in heavy cover. That requires a more capable reel with a larger inches of line recovered per turn of the handle. This technique requires a fast line recovery in order to quickly retrieve a bait, missed by a fish, so the angler can quickly fire out another cast. My choice was a Pflueger Supreme in the 35 size. That reel has tougher gears and a line recovery of almost 34 inches. My 8-1 Daiwa Tatula Type R is rated the same. The Supreme reel will fit her needs and it cost $99. Not to expensive to match her $170 rod.  That rod combo could handle a big heavy football jig fished deep, as well as that frog on top. 

25 minutes ago, fishnkamp said:

OperationEagle  My wife loves to fish her 4 Pflueger President reels, some are over 10 years old and one is less than 1 year old. They have handled many big smallies, largies, stripers and cats ( unintentional catches).

 

One reason to spend more money is to fit a special purpose. My wife only fishes spinning gear.

My arsenal includes several high quality spinning rods for finesse baits. It also includes 13 baitcasters for everything else. Some have 6.3-1 gear ratio reels and others run all the way up to 8-1, like the one on my frog rod.

 

I just set her up with a Dobyns 7 foot heavy action spinning rod to handle frog fishing in heavy cover. That requires a more capable reel with a larger inches of line recovered per turn of the handle. This technique requires a fast line recovery in order to quickly retrieve a bait, missed by a fish, so the angler can quickly fire out another cast. My choice was a Pflueger Supreme in the 35 size. That reel has tougher gears and a line recovery of almost 34 inches. My 8-1 Daiwa Tatula Type R is rated the same. The Supreme reel will fit her needs and it cost $99. Not to expensive to match her $170 rod.  That rod combo could handle a big heavy football jig fished deep, as well as that frog on top. 

The supreme also seems like a great reel. Anyone know anything about the Diawa Fuegos? Those seem very similar to the Ci4's and look like they are great quality.

Right now I trust most of the Daiwa products and the Pfluegers. I am holding my breath because I purchased a Shimano Symetre last year and began hearing about Shimano spinning reels locking up. Shimano discontinued the reel, so I hope I did not waste my money.

I have never had a problem with any of my Pfluegers