Can you handle the truth about fishing reels?
Well, the truth is that you really do get what you pay for when buying a reel. So, yes, those $150 to $500 reels are worth the money — if you've got it to spend.
But according to some of our Bassmaster readers, not all of you do, or you feel your limited fishing time doesn't justify the expense.
Don't fret. Bassmaster can help you with that, too.
We surveyed trustworthy retailers from across the country who sell a variety of brands and asked them for their recommendations of the best bass fishing baitcast reels under $80 and spinning reels under $70.
And they delivered.
Remarkably, many of the same models were mentioned by most of the dealers we contacted. Those choices are noted later in this story.
We settled on those price ceilings because they are well below premium reel prices, yet offer the kind of features and quality that bass anglers expect.
We asked the retailers to base their choices on three major issues:
1. Reels that sell best under those price points.
2. Reels that produce the fewest warranty claims and can withstand the rigors of bass fishing.
3. Reels that offer the best quality and features for the price.
Naturally, this kind of survey is subjective and not scientific. However, we believe that if anglers are consistently buying reels and not complaining about them, they must be pretty good for the price.
And finally, prices mentioned within this story may vary from one retailer to another. Many prices were taken from 2007 retail catalogs and are subject to change.
BAITCAST REELS
Brands like Abu Garcia's Revo, Shimano's Curado, Quantum's Tour Edition, Team Daiwa's X Series and Ardent's XS 1000 reels continue to be the preferred reels of serious anglers.