Anyone know a reel that can cast 8LB test/light lures REALLY well and is cheap 100-150$.

I need a baitcaster for dropshot and I do not want to go to spinning tackle.

Thanks.

I dropshot with a Citica on a Crucial and it works just fine.

I dropshot with a Calcutta 50 on a Crucial & 12# 

A Daiwa Sol can be had for ~$150 new or lightly used these days and is a great finesse baitcaster. The retrieve is a little slow for my liking with bottom baits at 23.5 IPT, but it is an excellent reel and will cast light baits really well.

A Daiwa Sol can be had for ~$150 new or lightly used these days and is a great finesse baitcaster. The retrieve is a little slow for my liking with bottom baits at 23.5 IPT, but it is an excellent reel and will cast light baits really well.

x2 on the sol.  I would also get a shimano curado.  You can get one for $130 on ebay.

I have a small Calcutta 50 I use on a Loomis drop shot rod.  It handles 8 lb fluorocarbon ok.  I wouldn't say it worked great.  You have to pay attention all the time so that the line doesn't wrap around the tip of the rod.  I don't think that is the reels fault.  I use this rig for fishing deep, relatively close to the boat.  Should I want to fish away from the boat more, the spinning dropshot rig fishes better.  You still have to pay attention to the light line wrapping around the rod tip.

Curado 50E. But your rod is more important when casting light baits than your reel IMO.

Well yeah.  Look on Ebay and buy a round Abu Promax 1600 for around $60-80.  These are small 8.5 oz all metal round 8 bearing reels made in the early 70's and sold for $169.  They are champs at casting 8 lb line and light lures.  Take it apart, clean everything and lube it properly.  It has simple straightforward design so there are no "gotchas" in servicing them.  One white brake or two black brakes on the centrifugal brake posts in the right side of the reel.  Fill the spool until you can see about 1/16" of daylight between the line and the reel's top.  Back off the cast control until there's just a tiny bit of side play in the spool (in other words, the cast control is essentially OFF) - and it will cast light baits all day without a single backlash and without the drama many of today's reels will generate.  The only knock on these reels was they were painted with gray metallic paint that was easily marred and scratched.  If you can see beyond the surface condition to the high quality below, you're in for a treat.  Great casts, smooth retrieve. 

Used to drop shot with a curado 100d but the core 50 quickly replaced it. The core just casts the light stuff a whole lot better! 8-)