What is the best buy in baitcasters for 200.00? Someone help me choose- by the way, I need a lefty model...

What is the best buy in baitcasters for 200.00? Someone help me choose- by the way, I need a lefty model...

   I'll say REvo cause i use at Garcia but seriously at 200 shimano,diawa,garcia or ardent you cant really go wriong.

Team Diawa Viento

At that price, just go to a shop and feel which one you like.

Yea, your not going to get anything cheasy at that price!

Yeah, most reels in that range are very nice...but I'd lean towards the Abu Garcia Revo STX

Look at the Revo STX and Revo Premier on ebay.  I got 3 STXs and a Premier this year on Ebay each for well under 200 bucks.  

Now that I've finally got a Revo SX that works I'd recommend that model too and those can be found for under 150 on ebay.

The Shimano Curado is always a good bet! Although the Ardents are looking kinda nice. I know a ton of people who have the Cuardo (green model & the new one) and they LOVE it. But for $200.00 you can't go wrong!

Ike 8-)

Daiwa Advantage HSTA - $120 -150

Daiwa Zillion - $200-250

Curado - $150-180

I vote for the Revo STX as well.  It's a super performer and will handle light baits (1/4 oz) very well as long as you have a it on a rod that will.   It's extremely well made.  And Abu's customer service is outstanding.  

I think the TD-A HSTA is the best deal going this year.  No need to spend $200.

Revo STX

Shimano Curado 201DHSV for $200.  Too bad the $50 rebate deal is no longer available.

I think the TD-A HSTA is the best deal going this year.  No need to spend $200.

Same

Revo STX hands down  

Shimano Mg - 51 smooth lite $209 on ebay check it out.

Shimano Mg - 51 smooth lite $209 on ebay check it out.

Man, if you can get a CH51MG at this price, look no further.

8-)

Man, there are a ton of Revo fans here.  Thats good though...they are awesome.

I would recommend the STX as well.

The major selling point for me is that they are so small and that is coming from someone with pretty big hands.  After fishing with them, nothing else feels right anymore.

I think the magnets are the only real weakness of the reels.  I am not an experienced fisherman by any stretch of the imagination but I can cast about any baitcaster with relative ease but it took me a while to get used to the Revos.  I use mine on very bait specific rods and once I got them dialed in they have performed perfectly.  

I think the TD-A HSTA is the best deal going this year.  No need to spend $200.

Same

x2 I bought a second on yesterday spooled it up with some 50lb braid and was casting a jig pretty far.

I would also recommend the Advantage very nice reel smooth as hell but it is a second to my revo stx.  I love both of these reels and would highly recommend either one.  The Advantage is $50 cheaper i think.  It is probally the best reel in the 150 and under i have ever used.

The more I cast with my Revos, the more I like that magnetic brake.   I thought it was useless at first, now I see how refined it is.  

If you practice with it, consistently, using a practice plug you will see just how effective the brake really is.  I can easily get over 100 ft casts (on any of my Revos) using a 1/4 oz casting practice plug.  The distance is reduced as the brake is turned up.  It seems to be a linear force, too, since the reduction in distance seems to be proportional to the degree of brake setting.   But usually I just set it at about the 1/3 mark and leave it there for all my casting since I rarely need maximum distance.  

Since I have all the models (except the Premier (owned for 2 days)  and Winch (soon)), I can say there is actually very little difference between models.  Once you learn to cast one, you should be able to cast them all.   I think the illusion that there is a problem with the SX and not the STX stems from the fact that most people start with the lesser model, learn to use it, have some complaints based on non-mastery, then graduate to the STX once they are competent.  

nevermind.  

As owners have used the reels over the past several months, it's becoming apparent that the STX is the only model of note.

Once again, all show and very little go.

The only 'bad' press is concerning the SX.  The S is a great reel, the STX is a great reel, the Premier is a great reel.

The S is just as good as your so-called 'best value' Citica.  I should know, I own 6 Citicas.  How many Revo S's do YOU own?  Or Citicas for that matter.   :-X

All show and very little go?  My my... :

The bottom line is that there is a reason Shimano is releasing new models this summer.  That reason is the Revo.  Abu has kicked Shimano's rear-end all over the place in the last 1.5 years.

Why spend your time poo-poo'ing the Revo?  It ain't hurting you.

The more I cast with my Revos, the more I like that magnetic brake.   I thought it was useless at first, now I see how refined it is.  

My experience is similar.  My first few times out with a Premier had me scratching my head.  After a couple of months I've come to be quite fond of the mag brake.  It is certainly different than that of the Daiwa reels I have used/owned in the past.

IMNSPO, Garcia hit a friggin' grand slam.  The more I use the S and Premier, the more I like them.  Perhaps it is a bit of the 'new' factor, that little bit of 'strange'   that Shimano doesn't offer.