Please help me decide....I am currently in the market for a new spinning reel and a new baitcast reel for general purpose fishing.  Both will be going on 6'6" avid's medium power, fast tips.

today at Dick's they are running a special on the Daiwa Capricorn XTC spinng and baitcasting reels for $79.99.  Does anybody have these or fished with them or just have any opinion on them?  Is that a good deal?  They say original price for was $119.99 for the spinning and $139.99 for the baitcaster.   Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Shimano Stradic 2500 on sale for $97 at reeds I believe and dicks.

Shimano Citica 100DSV if you have small hands and want to palm it with ease, or the 200 if that's not an issue.

both are incredible reels, and by far the best for the price. I wouldn't mess with daiwa if it's under $150 or $200 .

I have a capricorn xtc reel.  It does ok, but I only bought it cause I was out of town and needed a cheap reel to go fishing with a friend.  I have used it a couple times since I bought it in August and it started to make a squealing noise, so I tried to take it apart and lube it up, and the screws holding it together stripped out, so I cant get it apart.  Now it just sits in my garage.  Save your money, and get a better reel.

I've used the old capricorn, and that would have been a good deal for $80.  But it looks like the Capricorn XTC is a totally different reel.  The XTC looks like it is off the same base as the exceler and Tiarra (which both use the same base), and it looks more like the exceler than like the tiarra (chrome plastic trim pieces vs. machined, etc).  To me, the jury is still out on those models.  Even if they are good I think the exceler may be even cheaper than $80 so the XTC isn't such a great deal.  

Shimano Stradic 2500 on sale for $97 at reeds I believe and dicks.

Shimano Citica 100DSV if you have small hands and want to palm it with ease, or the 200 if that's not an issue.

both are incredible reels, and by far the best for the price. I wouldn't mess with daiwa if it's under $150 or $200 .

what he said

thanks for the help guys...I just picked up a stradic 2500FH.  can't wait to try out my new setup!

I've got a 2 yr old capricorn that worked fine until a couple months ago . now the bail spring has weakened to the point that I have to close the bail by hand to get it completely seated .Other than that it works  fine...

Ken Blevins

I've got a 2 yr old capricorn that worked fine until a couple months ago . now the bail spring has weakened to the point that I have to close the bail by hand to get it completely seated .Other than that it works fine...

Ken Blevins

You should ALWAYS close the bail by hand.

Actually I almost always flip it closed by hand ,rarely by the handle,. Even doing this the bail spring won't seat it snugly.All in all  it's still a good reel

Ken Blevins