I’ve got a couple lews LFS speedspool gen 2 I love. I mean love. And a gen 3 LFS speed spool that I like. It’s not on par with the gen 2 in my opinion.

But my slx xt and slx 71 I’m just not in love with. Great quality. But idk if I’m in love with them. Anyone else made the switch to lews? Or recommend a lews besides the LFS speedspools? And yes I know they are doyo reels lol.

Or anyone have a recomendation on something else in that $100-150 range.

I have lots of experience with the reels you're talking about. I much prefer the Shimano over the Lews in that price range.

However, I would also look hard Tatula SV reels. They are my all time fav for general use and can be found used for that price range fairly easily.

4 minutes ago, JackstrawIII said:

I have lots of experience with the reels you're talking about. I much prefer the Shimano over the Lews in that price range.

However, I would also look hard Tatula SV reels. They are my all time fav for general use and can be found used for that price range fairly easily.

I’ll check out the sv stuff. Not gonna lie Daiwa has always confused me having a million models lol.

BB1 pro is pretty nice - kinda sucks for lighter baits and line though - I like it for heavier baits and line.

I think the one you currently use is sort of the standard for lews and what most people use for the bread and butter day in day out stuff.

Lews product line is as varied and complex and difficult to understand as any brands currently and you can get anything they make with a shallow or deeper spool and different speeds and stuff of that nature - different price points are all pretty much the same until you really shell out some loot for bait casters. Like 350$ and up are definitely in a different world from the 100-300$ reels which all feel pretty similar to me +\-

I’d look at the Daiwa Tatula 100 and the Fuego both of which are nice and pretty cheap - I like em better than Lews or SLX stuff.

1 minute ago, Pat Brown said:

BB1 pro is pretty nice - kinda sucks for lighter baits and line though - I like it for heavier baits and line.

I think the one you currently use is sort of the standard for lews and what most people use for the bread and butter day in day out stuff.

Lews product line is as varied and complex and difficult to understand as any brands currently and you can get anything they make with a shallow or deeper spool and different speeds and stuff of that nature - different price points are all pretty much the same until you really shell out some loot for bait casters. Like 350$ and up are definitely in a different world from the 100-300$ reels which all feel pretty similar to me +\-

I’d look at the Daiwa Tatula 100 and the Fuego both of which are nice and pretty cheap - I like em better than Lews or SLX stuff.

Thanks Pat I’ll check those out!!! Yeah all lews really are basically The same just different spools and features. I feel like Daiwa is the one hard to understand lol. I don’t have a real issue with my slx reels just not a huge fan of them.

What exactly are you not crazy about? That could certainly help dial in what kinds of things might help you out.

I owned a gen 2 lfs and a gen 3. I thought the gen 2 was better than the gen 3 actually. It just palmed much smaller and they actually kept the price at 100. The thing that I didn’t like about either one of them is the graphite grey finish and the mag trax brakes. They are fine for heavier lures but for lighter lures I feel like my Daiwas did better and my shimanos definitely could outcast the lews. Saying all this I still enjoyed the lews reels I’ve owned and don’t want to discourage you from buying any brand.

1 minute ago, Brycecover said:

I owned a gen 2 lfs and a gen 3. I thought the gen 2 was better than the gen 3 actually. It just palmed much smaller and they actually kept the price at 100. The thing that I didn’t like about either one of them is the graphite grey finish and the mag trax brakes. They are fine for heavier lures but for lighter lures I feel like my Daiwas did better and my shimanos definitely could outcast the lews. Saying all this I still enjoyed the lews reels I’ve owned and don’t want to discourage you from buying any brand.

I agree. I love my gen 2 lews a lot more than the gen 3.

10 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

What exactly are you not crazy about? That could certainly help dial in what kinds of things might help you out.

Honestly I just do not like the drag on them. They cast well. They are a lil geary but I’ve never complained to myself about that. Mostly the drag. I could take it apart and upgrade the drag washers.

Interesting - if that’s the only thing bad about them - that’s not too bad - I feel like with bait casters my line is usually heavy enough that drag only really comes into play when I hook a pretty dang big one etc.

The BB1 pro has a cool drag clicker and feel pretty nice to me but it’s so picky about the weight of the bait you’re trying to throw.

But yeah mostly - drag doesn’t come into play much with a baitcaster for me - so it’s lower on my list of considerations- maybe someone else will see this new development and have something new to offer.

Just now, Pat Brown said:

Interesting - if that’s the only thing bad about them - that’s not too bad - I feel like with bait casters my line is usually heavy enough that drag only really comes into play when I hook a pretty dang big one etc.

The BB1 pro has a cool drag clicker and feel pretty nice to me but it’s so picky about the weight of the bait you’re trying to throw.

But yeah mostly - drag doesn’t come into play much with a baitcaster for me - so it’s lower on my list of considerations- maybe someone else will see this new development and have something new to offer.

One of them slips constantly you have to thumb the spool on a hook set. Which is fine. Again trivial stuff lol. And I agree unless it’s a big fish or the occasional foul hook how many actualy pull drag lol

I feel like I had a spool that did that and I googled it and I had to loosen the drag all the way and then tighten it all the way down and then it worked normally again - maybe. Haha

It was a long time ago - but I feel like that worked.

1 minute ago, Pat Brown said:

I feel like I had a spool that did that and I googled it and I had to loosen the drag all the way and then tighten it all the way down and then it worked normally again - maybe. Haha

It was a long time ago - but I feel like that worked.

Be headed out to the garage in about 10 mins to play with it lol. I never thought of that. Thanks once again Pat.

I don’t have the reels which you mentioned ( Shimano fan boy) so I can’t speak to them. I use 8# line on many of my setups so I have all of the reels both spinning and bait casters set so that the drag slips a little on the hook set. That way I don’t break off when I swing for the fence.

8 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

One of them slips constantly you have to thumb the spool on a hook set. Which is fine. Again trivial stuff lol. And I agree unless it’s a big fish or the occasional foul hook how many actualy pull drag lol

Is that with it tightened down all the way? I don’t have my slx xt anymore, but I remember when I had it I used it a lot. Mine did get Geary and I think it just needed a bearing replaced. I never had any issues with the drag and it was plenty tight at its full setting for hooksets.

7 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

Be headed out to the garage in about 10 mins to play with it lol. I never thought of that. Thanks once again Pat.

What knots did you use to tie to the spool? And what kind of line?

Check out the Tatula 80/100.

Something funny- I googled the word 'Tatula' to get the meaning/origin to maybe shed some light on why they named it that. Here is what Google said: "Tatula" is primarily a slang Spanish term used in Paraguay, according to Tureng, which refers to a woman with a large vulva.

I have owned the shimano curado 200, curado 70 mgl, slx 70 mgl, and Daiwa fuego, alphas, and now have two Lews lfs speed spools gen 2, and a BPS JM Carbonlite 2.0 (black).

I also really liked the lfs gen 2 reels. Something simple, consistent, and overall feel. I no longer have any Shimano reels, not because they are bad. I actually have nothing bad at all to say about Shimano. Just kind of liked the lfs that much. Amazing value for the money. I do find that the lfs is best 3/8oz and up. Shimano and Daiwa do better on the lower end, at a cost.

That being said, I really want to pick up a jdm zillion. Just waiting to see if they update it this year.

Like many have already said I don’t want to dissuade you from using any brand but having owned or still own Daiwa, Shimano, Okuma (knock off) Dream Tackle, Bps Carbonlite 2.0 (white & gold) and a couple CDM reels the only one I truly regret selling was my first gen SLX with the 6 pin SVS brakes. I still think about looking for a used one as I liked it that much. With that said I have a Curado MGL that I bought used and I’m thankful I did as I don’t know if it’s my personal reel but I’m not that impressed with it even though it doesn’t do anything wrong. I also sold my Carbonlite which I believe was based on the LFS 2nd gen as I just didn’t like the way it felt in my hand. I still have my Dream Tackle reels which are a rebranded Okuma Hakai and have nothing but praise for them. With that as I’ve said in the past and I’ll continue to say to me Daiwa has the friendliest brake system out of any manufacturer and again maybe it’s just me but they have a frame especially in the 100/150 sized spool that fits for me somewhere in the lineup, as much as I want to like and buy the new Tatula 100 based on the improvements made I just can’t help but feel it’s not as comfortable as my Tatula 100 HS which I believe is the same frame and braking system as the new Tatula X which I believe falls into your price range. Sorry for the long winded reply.

The newest Tats are the king at the price range, but i have no idea how much they go for with the tariffs.

5 hours ago, Brycecover said:

Is that with it tightened down all the way? I don’t have my slx xt anymore, but I remember when I had it I used it a lot. Mine did get Geary and I think it just needed a bearing replaced. I never had any issues with the drag and it was plenty tight at its full setting for hooksets.

What knots did you use to tie to the spool? And what kind of line?

I’ve had mono and braid and flouro on them. Backed with mono with the spool electrical taped and generally a uni to uni knot for main line to backing.

Thanks everyone. It may just be me wanting something different and being picky. Who knows. Takes a lot for me to fall in love with something lol.

I just bought a Lews Accell RX ($100) about 2 months ago. I’ve used it three times so far and it’s a great reel. Not sure about the durability yet, but it casts my Crankbaits like a bomb and it’s smooth.

I have as well thought about switching away from Shimano once my E series and Mg reels are kaput, but we’ll see.

8 minutes ago, Backroad Angler said:

I just bought a Lews Accell RX ($100) about 2 months ago. I’ve used it three times so far and it’s a great reel. Not sure about the durability yet, but it casts my Crankbaits like a bomb and it’s smooth.

I have as well thought about switching away from Shimano once my E series and Mg reels are kaput, but we’ll see.

I’ve actually been eyeing those. They look great. I know some guys don’t like the non aluminum frames on Reels. But I think personally if ya use the reel correctly and fight the fish with the rod. They can last a long time.

Just to bring a point of view from the opposite direction.

I am all in on Shimano.

And I'd rather fight than switch

That was for the other OGs.

😎

A-Jay

10 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Just to bring a point of view from the opposite direction.

I am all in on Shimano.

And I'd rather fight than switch

That was for the other OGs.

😎

A-Jay

Dannngggggg

I might as well jump in. I ain't no brand junky. If you spend $100 on a reel, you'll probably get a $100 reel. If you spend $200, you'll get a better reel, maybe. If you spend over $300, you can brag to your buddys. I've gone to Lew's for a while, particularly for the Super Duty 300, but I have reels by most of the big guys. They all work well. Some fit me better than others, particularly the SD300. I like the big reel. It's overpriced, but a very fine reel.

I will add that I have bought several of the cheaper KastKing reels. (Under $100). Very pleased. My first string jerk bait reel, and I'm a jerk bait addict, is a $50 Kast King. It's on it's third season now. Some guys would find it geary, but it flat fishes as well as reels that cost 4 time as much. If it wasn't for my fetish for the SD300, I'd buy more KK's , and try some of their higher end reels.

Yeah, I’m with @A-Jay . There are 3 zillions in there, but the rest are shimanos of some ilk. That that isn’t all of them.