Best reel on Reddit
262 reviews from r/Fishing_Gear, r/flyfishing, r/FishingForBeginners and 12 more subreddits
262 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Shimano
4.5
(67)
"Just get a shimano slx xt and pair it with the same slx rod."
"They’re like $150."
"Those are both great reels for the money!"
"I'd go for the mgl unless you want more line capacity."
"I’d recommend the Shimano Vanquish."
"Buy a Shimano spinner in 1000."
"It’s really nice and light."
"Other nice reels are the stradic 4k."
"Shimano Nasci reel + Daiwa Seabass rod."
"You’ll still have money left over for braid, leader and lures."
#2
Daiwa
4.5
(33)
"It’s hands down one of the best values out there."
"The diawa bg is a tough ass reel well worth the money."
"Other nice reels are the daiwa bg mq."
"The best value combo that you can get for that price imo."
"Should be $280 for both if you shop around."
"It's just easy to use and casts very nicely."
"My daiwa BG has put the hammer down on quite a few."
"I highly recommend the new 24 Daiwa Luvias in a 2000-p size."
"All great reels."
"The regalis is so incredibly smooth."
#3
Pflueger
4.4
(11)
"I'd list that one high on the list based on what you're looking for."
"I pulled the trigger on a pfluger president, very happy."
"The pflueger president is my go-to recommendation for a budget spinning reel."
"Pflueger president if anyone doesn’t agree they are complete buffoons."
"3 or 4k reel, pflueger, shimano, or daiwa reels in that price range are all about the same quality wise."
"Can recommend a Pflueger president XT."
"Pfluger or Okuma are my go-to light rig reels."
"Toss a pflueger president on there."
"Pfleuger president 20 or 500 sized ceymar baitfeeder."
"Pfleufger president."
#4
Okuma
4.1
(10)
"Is the best $50 reel on the market."
"I think the Okuma Stratus 7 is a very good reel to learn on."
"I have an Okuma SLV I’ve had for 15 years absolutely abused and it’s still trucking."
"Okuma ceymar, great reel and it matches with the black and red."
"Okuma Ceymar C-10, or if you wanna go real cheap Piscifun Flame 500."
"Ceymar is tough to beat for the price."
"I like the okuma Coldwater 203d."
"Okuma Ceymar is really solid at around $45-50."
"They're great!"
"I also threw a cheap okuma reel on there and it works great."
#5
Penn
4.6
(9)
"I am a huge fan of the Penn Spinfisher series."
"The Penn Pursuit 4 is a reliable workhorse and budget-friendly."
"My Penn saltwater (gold/black) reels have outlasted all my other reels by far."
"Penn slammer or spinfisher 10500."
"I had mine paired with a 20 size level wind Penn Squall II."
"I'll get him a Pursuit 3000/4000 and an 8ft rod."
"They're value for money and are amongst the better-sealed designs at their price point."
"You can find a Penn Battle III for about $100 new on closeout right now."
"Get him a used spinfisher or BG."
#6
Lamson
4.4
(9)
"It’s sealed, can get the 7 +- for $246."
"The lamson reels are the best general duty reels."
"I love my Lamson reels."
"Lampson makes a very reliable reel and a good price."
"I use a Lampson Liquid. Around $140."
"Sierra trading post has a lamson remix for $119 right now."
"For $150 you might still be able to find a liquid or remix with 3 spools."
"Was skeptical when I got mine but so far it’s held up great."
"Grab a Lamson and be done with it."
#7
Piscifun
4.1
(7)
"Absolute best bang for your buck."
"Piscifun sword if you want something cheap and durable, it’s held up better than my Lamson liquid."
"Under 75: Piscifun Sword."
"Have you considered a piscifun round reel? I’ve had good experiences with them."
"I’ve had good luck with the piscifun reels."
"$50-60 retail."
"Piscifun Carbon X II - 2000."
#8
Abu Garcia
4.6
(5)
"Outstanding rod for the money and a dang good baitcasting reel to learn on."
"Cheap, reliable, great first reel for a beginner."
"This setup will set you back around 120 euro and it's perfect."
"I’d cap the budget at $70-$100. You don’t need any more than that."
"Not a bad reel..I hear the Shimano SLX isn't bad."
#9
Shimano Nasci
4.8
(4)
"Reel - starting out go nasci, get stradic if more experienced bc price."
"I got one the other week (I tried and loved both, the Raider being $30 cheaper helped get it over the line) and paired it with a Nasci 3000 reel."
"I recently picked up a 500 and 1000 Shimano Nasci for my UL rods and absolutely love them."
"Anything more $$ than a nasci or a daiwa Exceler is unlikely to be worth it."
#10
Lamson Liquid
4.5
(4)
"Lamson liquid all day."
"I have a Lamson Liquid and Guru and like the both."
"I've been impressed with my liquid s so far."
#11
Battenkill
4.0
(4)
"Love my Battenkill click 3-5 good price works perfect."
"Battenkill works great for me"
"Two good options there."
"I find I like my battenkill III click better."
#12
KastKing
4.0
(4)
"I have a kastking rover and I love it."
"I've been spying some KastKing spinning reels for sub-$100 that look pretty decent."
"The Brutus for $24ish."
"Thinking the KastKing Centron 500 maybe?"
#13
BG
4.0
(3)
"3000 BG or a saltist mq 4000 would do a great job."
"I recommend the BG4000 with 20# braid to a 15 flouro topshot."
"BG 4000 sounds good if that’s your budget."
#14
Lamson Guru
5.0
(2)
"Lamson Guru"
"Lamson guru. Love mine the drag system design and weight are perfect for me."
#15
Danielsson
5.0
(2)
"Danielsson is the best value out there."
"The best reels for the money are made by Danielsson."
#16
Orvis
5.0
(2)
"Orvis battenkill is an amazing reel."
"Either a CFO IV or a CFO III/ I,II,III."
#17
Rugged Creek
4.5
(2)
"Check out the rugged creek GRProto. Full cage design, smoothest drag."
"Super solid drag and build quality."
#18
Shimano Stradic
4.5
(2)
"Imo the best mid priced reel for sw."
"Reel - starting out go nasci, get stradic if more experienced bc price."
#19
Hydros
4.0
(2)
"I will +1 the Hydros and the Lamson Guru, which is currently on sale."
"The most robust reel I have and is mid range is the Hydros."
#20
Shimano Saragosa
4.0
(2)
"I would not get a reel cheaper than a saragosa or slammer."
"It’s only like another $100 and it’s a huge step up."
#21
Pflueger President
4.0
(2)
"I use a pflueger president, personally."
"I really like my pflueger president."
#22
Shimano Sienna
4.0
(2)
"Mate buy a shimano sienna, bulletproof, almost as good as waaaay more expensive reels and cost ya $80."
"I recently bought a Shimano Sienna size 1000 and a Daiwa Laguna LT size 2000 and both are pretty solid for under $50."
#23
Echo
3.5
(2)
"Echo has some good options in that range."
"The cheapest Echo Reel will work just fine."
#24
Shimano Miravel C2000S
5.0
(1)
"I recently tested a Shimano Miravel C2000S with an Atec Crazee Trout Game 5’6” rod and it was a stellar combo."
#25
Shimano Chronarch 201E7
5.0
(1)
"Shimano chronarch 201E7 things bullet proof… put so many fish on this reel and it keeps going."
#26
Penn Conflict 2500 II
5.0
(1)
"I love my Penn Conflict 2500 II. It's been through hell and still performs perfectly after a few years of hard use."
#27
Tibor
5.0
(1)
"Tibor reels tougher than woodpecker lips!"
#28
Taylor Reels
5.0
(1)
"I’ve always loved Taylor reels. Smooth actions, sick colors, and good machining !"
#29
Galvan
5.0
(1)
"Really happy with my new Galvan. Feels super durable."
#30
Lamson Litespeed
5.0
(1)
"Anything lamson has always done me well and they have all been very smooth."
#31
Okuma Saion Spinning Reel Series
5.0
(1)
"The Okuma Saion spinning reel series, including the SN-20, features a strong aluminum spool."
#32
Larson
5.0
(1)
"I’ve been blown away by Larson’s remix reels."
#33
Bass Pro
5.0
(1)
"That is a smoking deal on a quality reel."
#34
Lamiglas
5.0
(1)
"Can’t beat a 9’ lamiglas gsb."
#35
Max Catch
5.0
(1)
"Get a max catch avid pro youll be impressed"
#36
Ross
5.0
(1)
"Ross. Lifetime warranty. Enough said."
#37
Nautilus
5.0
(1)
"Get a Nautilus."
#38
Penn Slammer 6500
5.0
(1)
"We filled the boat with big yellowfin until the we could not fit any more fish."
#39
Piscifun Sword
5.0
(1)
"Can take more abuse than more expensive cast reels."
#40
Teton Tioga
5.0
(1)
"Unbelivable performance for the price."
#41
Shimano Nexave
5.0
(1)
"Your best options would be a Shimano Nexave or a Daiwa Laguna."
#42
Daiwa Laguna
5.0
(1)
"Your best options would be a Shimano Nexave or a Daiwa Laguna."
#43
Shimano Miravel
5.0
(1)
"I've paired one up with a Shimano Miravel 2500."
#44
Abu RayRex 2
5.0
(1)
"Abu RayRex 2 on clearance at Anaconda for $59."
#45
Daiwa Gekkabijin LT2000s
5.0
(1)
"I use a daiwa Gekkabijin LT2000s because it's a rigid body saltwater ready ultralight."
#46
Daiwa Legalis
5.0
(1)
"Matched that with a Daiwa Legalis 6'6ft 1-3kg rod light action beautiful rod good quality guides light weight."
#47
Intrepid
5.0
(1)
"Intrepid rimfly regulations if you can find one. Indestructible and reliable."
#48
Ark
5.0
(1)
"Ark gravity is my baby. Best reel for bfs standards especially at its price."
#49
Denali
5.0
(1)
"Denali Bottom Feeder rods are great as well."
#50
Van Staal
5.0
(1)
"If you wanna spend the money."
#51
Daiwa Tatula 1000
4.0
(1)
"For reels I like the 1000 size Tatula with 4 lb. mono, but you can also get good results with Shimano, Okuma, Pflueger, and so on."
#52
Daiwa BG
4.0
(1)
"Daiwa BG and Shimano Nasci are good value, I reckon."
#53
Echo Ion
4.0
(1)
"Get an Echo ion reel at that price point."
#54
Behemoth
4.0
(1)
"Anything machined will be stronger against dumb mistakes, and a lot prettier to look at as well."
#55
Reddington Rise
4.0
(1)
"I have a couple reddington rise reels, and I love them."
#56
Torques
4.0
(1)
"I've had Torques and I've had the cheapest cast aluminum Okuma reels."
#57
DMK MIIEC Reel
4.0
(1)
"DMK MIIEC REEL, it's gained much reputation."
#58
Daiwa Saltist PE Special
4.0
(1)
"Daiwa Saltist PE special is right at 200. That's my bet."
#59
TFO
4.0
(1)
"TFO NTR."
#60
Majorcraft
4.0
(1)
"Great budget brand is Majorcraft."
#61
Orvis Battenkill
4.0
(1)
"Can likely find a used one on eBay to save even more."
#62
Redington Rises
4.0
(1)
"I have some redington rises that have lasted through the years."
#63
Redington Behemoth
4.0
(1)
"The Redington Behemoth is a good choice too."
#64
LL Bean Click
4.0
(1)
"Worth the money."
#65
Okuma SLV
4.0
(1)
"It puts the lamson to shame."
#66
Sage Spectrum C
4.0
(1)
"Solid drag, quality metal build and sage support."
#67
Loop Q Series
4.0
(1)
"They’re good for pretty much everything."
#68
Landon Liquid
4.0
(1)
"Landon liquid is the probably the best budget reel."
#69
Allen Reels
4.0
(1)
#70
Mavrk Stinger
4.0
(1)
"Cost $75 with there tracer line."
#71
Maxcatch Avid
4.0
(1)
#72
Orvis Hydros
4.0
(1)
"Super solid and doesn’t totally break the bank."
#73
Redington Run
4.0
(1)
"Redington Run and Lamson Liquid although I hate noisy reels."
#74
Redington GD 5/6
4.0
(1)
"It’s a sold, well made reel."
#75
Orvis Clearwater
4.0
(1)
"Metal reel, good drag, can beat it up."
#76
Okuma C30 or C40
4.0
(1)
"Lots of guides in Washington state use them."
#77
Daiwa Regal
4.0
(1)
"Daiwa regal all day."
#78
Okuma Inspira ISX 4K
4.0
(1)
"It’s pretty good light reel."
#79
Daiwa BG MQ
4.0
(1)
"Daiwa bg mq and shimano spheros."
#80
Daiwa Crossfire
4.0
(1)
"You can find a daiwa crossfire for $30 at most places."
#81
Kast King
4.0
(1)
"I also think kast king makes great spinning reels."
#82
Daiwa Laguna LT
4.0
(1)
"I recently bought a Shimano Sienna size 1000 and a Daiwa Laguna LT size 2000 and both are pretty solid for under $50."
#83
Daiwa Exceller
4.0
(1)
"Daiwa Exceller 2500."
#84
Daiwa Regal LT
4.0
(1)
"Personally, I'd get a Daiwa Regal LT at that price."
#85
Abu Cardinal 33
4.0
(1)
"Really liking my Vanford C2000S and Abu Cardinal 33."
#86
Ozark Trail
4.0
(1)
"The $50 'Ozark Trail Saltwater Resistant Spinning Reel 4000 from Walmart is often praised for its price point value."
#87
Quantum
4.0
(1)
"Quantum reliance 45 (well under $100) is what I use when travelling."
#88
Mr Crappie
4.0
(1)
"I use Mr Crappie 4lb HiVis."
#89
Micro Monster Pro
4.0
(1)
"They have a new micro monster pro reel that has a metal frame."
#90
Centron
4.0
(1)
"It's decent and for $26 or less with coupons, it's great for a guest."
#91
Kapstan
4.0
(1)
"I have 2 of the Kapstans i believe is the name if the reels that I use for bumping."
#92
Abu
4.0
(1)
"Get a Abu Max STX spinning reel."
#93
Tsunami
4.0
(1)
"Best bang for your buck."
#94
Aurora
4.0
(1)
"I like it. It's mostly plastic so it's lightweight."
#95
Ugly Stik
3.0
(1)
"Get an ugly tuff. May as well stick to the brand."
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