Reel recommendations

[uplandhunter870]

so ive been out of a reel since late november,  drag mechanism stripped out fighting a big steely.  been putting off getting a new reel mainly because my play money fund is pretty much dead but i got some tax money coming in and decided to use some of it to buy a new reel since spring fishing is starting to pick up around here.

im a novice when it comes to fishing gear other than tackle.  so gear gurus what would a good all purpose spinning reel be.  its going to be paired with a 7' medium action ugly stick and will be used for everything freshwater; steelhead (makes up about 70% of my fishing), salmon, spinning/trolling trout, walleyes im sure you get the point.

i know quality costs money and you get what you pay for all in the same im not looking to spend a fortune.  i want a decently priced reel that will hold up.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

[Gobble]

For a baitcaster I would recommend the Ambassador reels, they have many avail in many different price ranges, the 5500 C3 are what I mostly use, I have reeled in hundreds of salmon/steelhead on them with very little problems. You can usually get them around 50-60 bucks if you look around.

[Antlershed]

I believe he's looking for a spinning reel    I would say, figure out just how much you can spend, and then look at the shimano line of spinning reels and get the best one you can afford. Just make sure you don't get a rear drag model.

[Gobble]

I believe he's looking for a spinning reel    I would say, figure out just how much you can spend, and then look at the shimano line of spinning reels and get the best one you can afford. Just make sure you don't get a rear drag model.

I guessed I missed that    Yeah, Shimano is a good way to go, great reels. Make sure you get one that can handle 12lb line, I kind of use that as a all round guidline for my reels, you can always use lighter line but for the larger salmon/steelhead I like to use 12lb mainline as a standard. 

[snocohunter]

I don't see where you mentioned spin or baitcaster, but I will echo what the other people have said. For the money, you can't go wrong with the ambassadors in a baitcaster. Otherwise, anything shimano is going to be great quality. I started this year with an old shimano bantam that is probably as old as I am and it worked beautifully. I then upgraded to a curado 300 because I got a deal of a lifetime on one. The next spinning reel i buy will be a shimano as well. You can't go wrong with their reels.

[ribka]

Go Shimano look at the TR series reels. I picked up a model 200-G, 2 years ago. About $70.
I fished it over 100 days in salt water last year when I was working in Texas. No problems. Salt water is tough on reels!!
Will last many years.
 

[Curly]

Okuma reels are a pretty good value for what you get.......at least the last time I bought some which was several years ago when they first started becoming popular.  I'm not sure if they are still reasonably priced, but they might be worth researching.

[MtnMuley]

Shimano stradic would be my choice, but if that's a little pricey, the Pfleuger President series reels are absolutely great.  I have one going into it's 4th year now, and it still is as smooth as ever.   

[7mmfan]

As is mentioned above, shimano is a great brand. If your looking for a decent real and lets say, under $100 go with the Sahara, or maybe step up to the Symetre. Both should be under $100 with the Symetre getting close though. The sizes run 10 being the smallest on up to a 50. For what you are doing i'd get a size 30. It will handle enough 12# line to make it worthwhile without being oversized for your 7' rod. I've guided with these reels for a long time and have been impressed with their durability. If I had to recommend a reel to stay away from it would be Okuma's. They feel great out of the box and are smooth initially but they fade quickly. If you fish a lot they probably won't last you much longer than a year or so.

[Sneaky]

Steer clear of anything penn unless you're willing to spend the big bucks or have some of their old reels like the 109's and 209's. I fish hard in saltwater and all of my new penn 320's and 330's have failed due to nylon gears and bad engineering. For a good all around real I would have to agree with the others and recommend a medium-range Shimano spinning reel.

[BigGoonTuna]

daiwa makes some great stuff too.  cabelas' prodigy is a rebadged daiwa tierra for less money.

[Curly]

If I had to recommend a reel to stay away from it would be Okuma's. They feel great out of the box and are smooth initially but they fade quickly. If you fish a lot they probably won't last you much longer than a year or so.

I disagree, but everyone has an opinion.  I've had great results with the Okuma Spinning reels I have.  I have the Epixor and Inspira models.  I think you get more reel for your money with those.  (The Okuma models I mentioned you can get for around $70).  Some Shimano reels are great but you pay a little more for the name.

Here is a link to a thread with some more advice:  Spinning reel advice

[Intruder]

I've fished a ton of Shimano in saltwater situations.  They are good reals as are Diawas.  However, I believe Quantum makes a superior product for the money.  Titanium bails, ceramic drags, and magnetic bail trips (rather than springs) are fantastic features.  The Cabo for just over 100$ is an awesome reel.

[Alchase]

I am another fan of Okuma, the Epixor EB with the flip switch is awesome, I have four of them. A true multiple use spincast reel.

I also like the Shimono 4000 series spincast.

I also still have a couple Mitchel 300A that work great, lol

[uplandhunter870]

thanks for the input everyone looks like i got plenty of choices to look over

thanks again
Steve