Hey guys, I just got an email for Cabela of a sale they were having and saw this reel. Quantum® Catalyst PTi® Spinning Reel

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0036220&type=pod

Seems like a pretty good discount but I was just about to pull the trigger on this real as a Combo. Shimano® Sahara® FD Spinning Reel

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0060373123663a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=shimano+2500+fd+spinning+real&Ntk=Products&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&_D%3Asort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

I am really new to fishing so I don't really know how to compare them myself.

Any thoughts or experience on which reel is better?

Thanks as always

Harpoon

I realize this may bump your spending cap, but check this one out, it's also Shimano, but gets alot of positive feedback from users.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=SEARCH_all-cat20333&id=0060367123667a&navCount=2&podId=0060367&parentId=cat20333&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IK&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601233&hasJS=true

Check with different sellers, you should  be able find get it a little cheaper than the Cabela's price.  I just passed on a suggestion in another thread.  Check out Dolilfishie and Poorfish on Ebay.  Use them extensively, as they have cecent pricing, and sometimes free shipping.

Good luck!

There are a lot of happy Sahara owners on here. I have one and I like it a lot. I actually really like the PT series reels by Quantum but I have not used any of their spinning reels...baitcasters only.

Get the Sahara.  Great reel.  Well made.

Between those two, I'd go with the Sahara.  Use to have a Quantum Kinetic, nice and smooth but a little heavy.

I have both reels and I've put the Quantum PTI 20 thru a good season last year with no problems at all. I have the reel spooled with P-Line CXX copolymer and no problems at all. It is a little heavier than the Shimano I'm sure but a very solid reel. I have mine paired witha a Cabelas Mag Touch 6'6" M rod also.

I just purchased the Shimano Sahara 1000FD and haven't had a chance to use it yet here in Chicago. The reel is very smooth but no extra spool and it is graphite as opposed to aluminum like the Quantum. The bigger models are aluminum and still lighter than the Quantum. I have the reel paired with a Cabelas XML 7' ML rod.

Like someone suggested you can probably get the Quantum cheaper off ebay. Not sure on the Shimano and I don't think you can go wrong with either.

Hummmm n watching a Catalyst now on ebay for $30

Good luck with your choice

i'd go with the new sahara. it comes with even better features than before and the accurist is quite heavy at 9.5 oz

Thanks everyone for all you great responses..  I am going to stick with the Sahara.

Harpoon