I'm looking to buy a new reel for skipping and all around jig fishing. I've tried several companies, but I can't find a reel (and company) that I can completely trust. The closest company to my trust is Shimano. Even them, I've had or have had friends that has had problems with shimano. I work my gear hard, and most of the reels I get cannot hold up.  What's your most reliable and favorite baitcast reel?

I've recently gotten back into fishing, so I honestly can not testify to durability. I have 3 Shimano curado 70 series that I adore though. They cast a mile and are smooth as silk.

 

What kind of fishing are you doing and what baits are you throwing that is beating your gear to death?

If "work hard" includes neglect, you won't be satisfied with any modern reel. If cared for, any of the major brands models at the $100 and up price points should give years of reliable performance. Features for particular applications are pretty much personal preference. 

TDZ 103H, Shimano Chronarch 50 Mg. Those are my ”favorite” reels.

I typically stay in the $130-150 range and the Lews Tournament MB is probably my favorite reel to date. It very compact and super smooth. 

No idea which reel of mine would hold up the best for your use.  Maybe you should look into getting some older Swedish made Ambassadeurs.  I hear they are tanks and easy to repair if necessary.  Personally it is doubtful I would ever wear out one of my reels.  Don't get to fish that much.    Plus I try to rotate them so most see some use.....occasionally.

 

All my reels are reliable.  None see excessive use or abuse.  My favorites list just keeps getting longer.  One of my "first" favorites is a Zillion 50th Anniversary.  Recently got a new SV103 and new-2-me Exsence DC and expect both to make that list.  In the meantime I am rather fond of my Alphas, Primmus, Helios Air, Curado 201E7, TD-Z 105H, Gen 1 STX and Chronarch 100B reels to name a few.  

The only baitcasting reel I’ve ever been able to consistently use for skipping is a Daiwa SV spool.  I’ve had every other brand and they all backlash on me fairly regularly...

Both Daiwa and Shimano offer excellent bass reels in both spinning and bait casting models. Totally agree with DVT on this topic, no mfr can overcome neglect.

Tom

2 hours ago, Dtrombly said:

I typically stay in the $130-150 range and the Lews Tournament MB is probably my favorite reel to date. It very compact and super smooth. 

I also use mostly the Lews Tournament MB. Haven’t had any issues with any of mine.

2 favorites right now would be my Zillion TWS SV or Okuma Helios TCS. My old green Curados and white Chronarch all hold special places with me too though. 

Calcutta: solid as an anvil, versatile as a pair of Channellocks®, & dependable as a 30/30!

 

35+ years & still kicking bass  ?

I have only ever used one baitcast reel a Lew's American Hero Laser AH1SHG Speed Spool with a 7.1:1 gear ratio. However, I love it and would definitely get another of these or any Lew's baitcasting reel. 

1 hour ago, Catt said:

Calcutta: solid as an anvil, versatile as a pair of Channellocks®, & dependable as a 30/30!

 

35+ years & still kicking bass  ?

I have the CTE100GT (10+ years) and a CTE200GT (15+). Both reels have been serviced over the years and

are MUCH better today than the day they came out of the box! I would rate them a dead solid 10.

 

10 hours ago, NEBasser101 said:

I'm looking to buy a new reel for skipping and all around jig fishing. I've tried several companies, but I can't find a reel (and company) that I can completely trust. The closest company to my trust is Shimano. Even them, I've had or have had friends that has had problems with shimano. I work my gear hard, and most of the reels I get cannot hold up.  What's your most reliable and favorite baitcast reel?

"Quantas, Quantas never crashed..."

 

If you aren't going to fish reels from manufacturers that someone had a problem with, you're going to end up with a hand line. Oh and real (and reel) trust comes from first hand experience, so jump in there and start chucking and winding (what are you fishing with now?) "Tis better to have reeled and prematurely worn a pawl than never to have reeled at all.."

My "Favorite" reels are the Abu Garcia Revo STX (not the gen 3 though) and the Okuma Helios LP. I think for skipping and flipping jigs I would go with another honorable mention the Pinnacle Optimus LTE.

Thanks for the responses. What I mean by saying I work my gear hard is that I fish 5-7 days a week every week except for the winter. Right now I am mostly fishing Daiwa and shimano. I have a phlueger too but I don’t really like it. Quick question, can you skip with an open faced reel? I’ve never used one before.

2 minutes ago, NEBasser101 said:

 Quick question, can you skip with an open faced reel? I’ve never used one before.

 

What do you mean by open faced? Spinning and baitcasting reels can both be skipped with very well. 

3 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

 

What do you mean by open faced? Spinning and baitcasting reels can both be skipped with very well. 

Open faced baitcaster, like the Calcutta 

11 minutes ago, NEBasser101 said:

Open faced baitcaster, like the Calcutta 

Yes, you can skip with a Calcutta, but it wouldn't be my first choice. 

Never heard a baitcaster referred to as open face. Back in the day we called zebcos as closed face, spinning reels as open face.

 

As for baitcasters, we referred to them with whatever profane expletives seemed appropriate at the time. 

Although there's been many advances since then, my favorite is still the E-Series Chronarchs.  I'm really starting to enjoy the Daiwa SV's as well. 

Lew's SuperDuty. What I have found is that these are pretty bullet proof. Designed for deep diving crankbaits and A-Rigs they stay tight and solid with normal presentations.

Problems with Shimanos?  I admit I am a Shimano junkie with 100B's 11 years old and subsequent Curados and Chronarchs to date, except the Curado "G" and wish I could hear what the problems are.  My 100B's have hundreds of hours on them and still fish like the day I took them out of the box and nothing has needed to be replaced on them, as is the case with the rest of my inventory.  I do maintain my own reels.  With regard to skipping a baitcaster, I hope you realize that it requires resetting your brakes and cast control cap and hours of practice. Even then the pros confess that it is a backlash high risk technique with a baitcaster.

31 minutes ago, OnthePotomac said:

Problems with Shimanos?  I admit I am a Shimano junkie with 100B's 11 years old and subsequent Curados and Chronarchs to date, except the Curado "G" and wish I could hear what the problems are.  My 100B's have hundreds of hours on them and still fish like the day I took them out of the box and nothing has needed to be replaced on them, as is the case with the rest of my inventory.  I do maintain my own reels.  With regard to skipping a baitcaster, I hope you realize that it requires resetting your brakes and cast control cap and hours of practice. Even then the pros confess that it is a backlash high risk technique with a baitcaster.

The I series had issues with constantly needing to have a small amount of oil added or they'd become very noisy and lose casting distance. This was part of the reason I got rid of all mine. I was a Shimano guy for years, but their new stuff recently has not been impressive and it's gotten to where I feel like a lot of what I was paying for was the Shimano name. I don't think I'd ever get rid of my old B Curados, Chronarchs, or Calcuttas though. 

12 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The I series had issues with constantly needing to have a small amount of oil added or they'd become very noisy and lose casting distance. This was part of the reason I got rid of all mine. I was a Shimano guy for years, but their new stuff recently has not been impressive and it's gotten to where I feel like a lot of what I was paying for was the Shimano name. I don't think I'd ever get rid of my old B Curados, Chronarchs, or Calcuttas though. 

What do you mostly run with now?