Is it me or is the newer version of Pflueger President spinning reels not as good as the older ones with the wooden knobs. They just don’t seem as smooth and feel like there cheaper made. I had an older one but gave it to a friend. So I bought a newer one. Man I think I made a mistake. Might have to find a used one. 

Revisited topic

 

Yes, the Presidents have gone downhill the last few years....2019 seems to be the last halfway decent model....

 

After 2021, they all kind of slipped - even the Patriarch....and they all lost the anti-reverse switch too.

 

I've been a Pflueger fan-boy since the 70s...but now I'm looking at Shimano - specifically the Nasci FC for my upgrades from $40-$50 reels.

The one with the wooden handle, to me, was the last one they made that was of good quality. 

 

And like MN Fisher said, this has been revisited a few times. 

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

they all lost the anti-reverse switch too.

 

Every sports store i go into and see the presidents in stock they still have the A-R switch.

Huh - just looked at Pflueger's site...seems the President and Pres-XT are the only ones that they left the switch on.

 

Trion, Supreme & XT, and Patriarch new models are missing the switch.

I have an older wooden knob Triton that's probably ten or twelve years old, still working good. I agree the new Phlueger Presidents are not that good. They should have just stayed with the original design.