I am in the market for 3 new baitcaster reels and would like your advice on what brand and type reel to buy.  Looking for a durable reel that is reasonable to help control backlashes.  It's been forever since I've purchased a reel and the prices and projected durability is surprising to me.  I was told at the Academy today that the $50 - $70 range reels will only last a year under normal fishing conditions.  

I'd like to spend less than $120 per reel but if that's unrealistic please let me know.  

I am in the market for 3 new baitcaster reels and would like your advice on what brand and type reel to buy. Looking for a durable reel that is reasonable to help control backlashes. It's been forever since I've purchased a reel and the prices and projected durability is surprising to me. I was told at the Academy today that the $50 - $70 range reels will only last a year under normal fishing conditions.

I'd like to spend less than $120 per reel but if that's unrealistic please let me know.

if $50-$70 is your price range i would be looking for round abu reels on ebay, then sending them to Reel Mechanic for service. the round Abu's will never "wear out". for $120 theres a lot of choices. id do a search on this site for "Bait Caster help" and spend a lot of time reading. endless amount of info here.

The 100 dollar range baitcasting reel market is quite competitive. you can definately get a quality reel that will last you a long time in that range. I would recommend a Revo S myself....

For a 120 each you can get the shimano citica E. VERY durable reel and with the new upgrades and much lighter now i think thats most def your best bet!

well for 100 you can get the revo s which is a very good reel but i would reccomend the quantum catalyst.. a very solid reel for only 150.. i have 2 and love them both

Thank you gentlemen for your responses I will look into all those options.  Does anyone have an opinion on the Daiwa TD Pro and Excellor?

Get yourself a couple Shimano Citica E and don't look back.

This reel is as "strong, smooth, silent and reliant" as any reel

in your price range. With proper manintenance the Citica might

last a lifetime!

8-)

Thank you gentlemen for your responses I will look into all those options. Does anyone have an opinion on the Daiwa TD Pro and Excellor?

I have an opinion on the exceller... A good buddy bought one and it was a great reel at first but didn't make it a full year. Granted he's a little rough on equipment but all his other reels still work fine.

In your price range, I'd look at the Citica E and Revo S depending on which applications this reel will serve.

For a 120 each you can get the shimano citica E. VERY durable reel and with the new upgrades and much lighter now i think thats most def your best bet!

About 15 minuters ago the mailman delivered my new Citica 200E, and I've got say, so far I'm not impressed. It's nowhere near as smooth as I expected, it will hardly free spool at all, and I can't seem to get the drag to back off fully.

This is my first experience with Shimano's baitcasters, and I really, REALLY hope the Curado I ordered is ALOT better than this. :-/

If I had to do it over again, I'd choose the Revo S.

For a 120 each you can get the shimano citica E. VERY durable reel and with the new upgrades and much lighter now i think thats most def your best bet!

About 15 minuters ago the mailman delivered my new Citica 200E, and I've got say, so far I'm not impressed. It's nowhere near as smooth as I expected, it will hardly free spool at all, and I can't seem to get the drag to back off fully.

This is my first experience with Shimano's baitcasters, and I really, REALLY hope the Curado I ordered is ALOT better than this. :-/

If I had to do it over again, I'd choose the Revo S.

Send it back, there is DEFINITELY something wrong.

Send it back, there is DEFINITELY something wrong.

I'm going to give it a chance to loosen up before I contact Shimano for service/replacement. I cracked the seal on the box, so I know it's brand new and hasn't been mis-handled, so I don't feel it's the seller's responsibility to make it right.  

Send Bantam1 a PM if you need some assistance. If the issue is

grease and/or oil, Shimano might just fix it, but I suspect they will

send you a new reel. Don't use the reel thinking it will loosen up, it

should be good-to-go right out of the box. Otherwise, there is a problem.

Send it back, there is DEFINITELY something wrong.

I'm going to give it a chance to loosen up before I contact Shimano for service/replacement. I cracked the seal on the box, so I know it's brand new and hasn't been mis-handled, so I don't feel it's the seller's responsibility to make it right.

Roadwarrior is right, that reel should be good to go out of the box.  If it isn't, I would say the seller/manufacturer definitely has the responsibility to repair/replace.  

But hey, that's your call.  Good luck.

Roadwarrior is right, that reel should be good to go out of the box. If it isn't, I would say the seller/manufacturer definitely has the responsibility to repair/replace.

But hey, that's your call. Good luck.

I agree 100%, but I'm also willing to give it a chance to loosen up a bit on its own. I'm going to take it down to the shop in a little while, clean/lube it, spool it up with some cheap line, and see how it casts. If it doesn't loosen up to what I feel is an acceptable level, it'll go back to Shimano for repair/replacement.

I just wanted the OP to know that buying a Shimano doesn't always guarantee it'll be problem-free. They have their lemons, just like any other company. Now, I'm not saying mine is a lemon...but my first taste of their baitcasters definitely has a tang to it. ;D

I love their spinning reels, though.

I would agree on suggesting the Citica E, very fine reel.

But what does everyone think of the BPS Pro Qualifier?

Later,

My vote is for the Citcia E as well.  In my experience, very reliable reels that cast great and with good maintenance can probably last forever.  

Stasher it sounds to me like you got a dud as well.  I agree, no manufacturer is perfect - lemons happen sometimes.  But overall, I would say Shimano products are generally reliable and ready to go fresh out of the box.  Get them to send you another one and I'm sure you'll have a better experience.    

The Revo S is a good reel as well and I've had some Pflueger Trions with no problems whatsoever.  

I love my Citica.  Adclem, I had a proo qualifier for about 13 months and it was great, but one day it just froze.  I tried everything to fix it, but the handle was frozen, almost like it was super glued. I have a Bass Pro extreme which has plastic gears that were chewed up by a screw falling out inside the reel.  No clue how that happened, those 2 problems within 2 weeks have shied me away from bass pro reels.

TXbass, I got an Ardent Reel 2 years ago, they are a little more expensive than you are looking for, but very dependable.  They have a flip-n-pitch for $150 or another nice reel for $170. those are the cheaper ones.  I heard some people say they would by these reels cause they are US made, but one of the main reasons I bought it was after some bass pro reels breaking after about 13-15 months, the ardents have a 3 year warrenty.  You mentioned you want something that will last, I think the ardent is a little more expensive, but they are great.  

Well, after lubing my new Citica E and spooling it with the cheapest mono I had (10# Cajun Red), I took it out into the yard and made several casts. It's nowhere near as smooth as my Patriarch, but it does cast very well and the drag has loosened up a little bit.

Well, after lubing my new Citica E and spooling it with the cheapest mono I had (10# Cajun Red), I took it out into the yard and made several casts. It's nowhere near as smooth as my Patriarch, but it does cast very well and the drag has loosened up a little bit.

I repeat, "Send the reel back to Shimano."

Well, after lubing my new Citica E and spooling it with the cheapest mono I had (10# Cajun Red), I took it out into the yard and made several casts. It's nowhere near as smooth as my Patriarch, but it does cast very well and the drag has loosened up a little bit.

Why would you go through all this?  Take it back - its defective!  The new Citicas and Curados I've tried in the store are smooth, silent, and effortless.  Is your purpose to simply bash Shimano?  Because I'm a Daiwa fan, and love to pick on the Shimano users, but come on man, you got a dud.  It happens all the time.  Just last week, I picked up a Sol - the last one the store had - and I didn't follow my own advice of checking the reel before paying for it.  The thing made a scraping sound out of the box.  Took it back, found another.  That Shimano reel is head and shoulders a better reel than ANYTHING made by Zebco or Pure Fishing.

Why would you go through all this? Take it back - its defective! The new Citicas and Curados I've tried in the store are smooth, silent, and effortless. Is your purpose to simply bash Shimano?

Yeah, I've really got nothing better to do than troll fishing forums bashing Shimano. : Show me a single post I've made bashing Shimano in the 408 day I've been here...or anywhere else for that matter. I'm simply sharing my personal experience with a brand new Citica. I'm sorry if it offends you.

Because I'm a Daiwa fan, and love to pick on the Shimano users, but come on man, you got a dud. It happens all the time. Just last week, I picked up a Sol - the last one the store had - and I didn't follow my own advice of checking the reel before paying for it. The thing made a scraping sound out of the box. Took it back, found another.

The warranty will still be good if I decide to send it back tomorrow, next week, or next month. Why be so quick to complain when the "problem" may work itself out wth a little break-in time? You guys seem more upset about this than I am.

That Shimano reel is head and shoulders a better reel than ANYTHING made by Zebco or Pure Fishing.

: You know what they say about opinions...

This thread has moved way offline. If you want another few thousand

opinions on reels to buy, scan back through the hundreds of pages

in this section or wait until tomorrow and we'll do it again!

Goodnight Irene

-Kent  a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator