Looking for Decent quality fishing reel

PAOK11 on 05/02/2018 - 09:43

Amateur trying his hand at fishing.
I have two rods & reels that I got for free from a friend but one of the reels is old. It's quite likely nothing is wrong with the reel expect that it needs a service. If someone could please recommend a cheap reel or alternatively a rod & reel combo for an amateur ? I have been looking at the Shimano Sienna but understand the latest version is of lower quality than the original and also the Shimano Hyper loop.

I'm mostly land based and fish in rivers but will eventually fish jettys & harbors into salt water .

Thanks :)

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • ironxylophone on 05/02/2018 - 10:13
    +2

    Daiwa Crossfire combo - $129 at BCF
    Reel only - $70 at BCF

    • PAOK11 on 05/02/2018 - 10:35

      Do you use Daiwa ?

      • ironxylophone on 05/02/2018 - 17:10

        I have an old Abu Garcia reel (don't fish often anymore) however Daiwa is probably the most reputable fishing brand around these days.

  • singlemalt72 on 05/02/2018 - 12:35

    What you want will depend a lot on what you are fishing for and where you are fishing.

    • singlemalt72 on 05/02/2018 - 12:41
      +1

      Read the original post in full …. feel like a moron now.

  • Some Guy on 05/02/2018 - 13:17

    The quality of all shimano reels is inferior to the original versions. Swapping out metal parts for plastic is common now unfortunately. However, with the exception of the $300+ daiwa baitcasters, I don't buy anything else.

    Seeing as though you're just starting, I'd suggest a daiwa or shimano combo. Buy the one with the reel with the most ball bearings. Keep the weight to 4-7kgs. Length should be 6 to 7 foot. Up to $200 should get you something that would be quite versatile and last 10+ years.

    • PAOK11 on 05/02/2018 - 13:30

      i'm targeting bream at the moment. I'm thinking I should get a baitrunner ?

      • ironxylophone on 05/02/2018 - 17:11
        +1

        Baitrunner's have a steep learning curve to use. Stick with spinning reels, they are more versatile anyway. also they can't be used on the same rod as spinning reels

  • IIGnomeII on 05/02/2018 - 18:09
    +1

    Hopefully I don't dribble on too much here but lets see how I go…

    1) Depending on your rods you may be using a baitcaster or a spinning (egg beater) reel.
    2) For the type of fish you are hitting (bream) you should go light gear as they spook pretty quickly but they also dive straight down to the rocks to try and break off your line - so line is important as well.
    3) If you are starting out (or getting back into it) I would recommend going with a spinning reel. Easy to use, easy to maintain.
    4) Not knowing your budget I would be sticking with the main trustworthy brands - Shimano and Daiwa
    5) Not sure if you are beach fishing as well which is a completely different setup.
    6) Reels go up in price based on things like amount and type of ball bearings used, the material the reel is made up of and the drag rating.
    7) Gear ratio is important as that is how quickly you are going to pull the fish in and the amount of effort required. E.g. 5:1 means for every 1 turn the reel will do 5 revolutions.
    8) Line capacity on the reel is usually written in a format like "mono 4/130" which means 4lb line will fit 130meters on the spool, this should be labelled similar for braid.
    9) While on that topic - braid vs mono. Unless you know how to tie up mono to braid properly (which isn't hard to learn) I would stick to mono and use a leader line of a desired size. Braid can be a bastard to unravel if you happen to get a knot, learn the basics and move on up from there.

    So if I was looking for a reel that covers a bit of everything and will last a good amount of time I would be having a look at a Shimano Sedona 2500, spool it with 8lb maxima mono or a bit of a jump up to a Sedona 4000 and spool it with 10-12lb maxima mono. I got an email from bcf that they were running a sale on reels so you might be able to pick up a decent 7ft rod for a good price as well.

  • PAOK11 on 05/02/2018 - 22:25

    Thank-you for the effort that went into your comment.
    It's great to have all the information in one place as I keep forgetting what everything means with the learning curve being a little overwhelming at times.

    The rod I want to put a new reel on is a 5'10 2-4 kilo. The reel I have is surprisingly decent Shakespeare Sigma LX35 Long Cast EZ Cast 5.6.1 Gear Ratio. Max Drag (lbs.): 8 & Line Capacity (lb-yds.): 140/10. Just old & probs need a good greasing. Anyway I'm still in the market for a reel as the Shakespeare reel I have is about 10 years old. I'm looking at this one but can't work out the line capacity for the 3000 http://www.bcf.com.au/Product/Daiwa-Revros-Dx-Spinning-Reels…

    • IIGnomeII on 05/02/2018 - 23:35

      By the size I am assuming the rod is a one piece?
      The Daiwa reel looks good, just don't go for the reel because it has a higher ball bearing count.
      The stats on the website say 3.6kg/220m, 5.4kg/150m - that would be mono on the left and braid on the right

  • bargaaan on 13/02/2018 - 04:13
    +1

    I love fishing and I love a fishing bargain….
    spinning reels the way to go and the Daiwa BG is well reviewed. My larger model one (6500) seems great and I have used it alonsude reels costing 5x more.
    A 3000 size would suit you for now, plus a rod around the 7 foot mark or longer for land based. The world of fishing reel value can be hard to navigate and their may be some models as stand outs that are worth looking at used. A Stradic FI or FJ in good condition could be good. Mine are still kicking. Try and find a rod with Fuji guides for a reasonable price, 2 or 3 piece rods a good idea so you can easily hike into spots. I have no love for the cheaper guides often used on budget rods, annoying to replace rusted and chipped guides. Ignore most of the marketing on the rods, most will be fine until you get into specific styles / lures and start being fussy.
    Try the major online sites like motackle, ray and Anne’s, dinga, etc.

  • bargaaan on 13/02/2018 - 04:24

    http://www.rayannes.com.au/shop-online/rods-and-reels/daiwa/…

    A bit more but nice gear also.

  • bargaaan on 13/02/2018 - 04:26

    Also don’t bother with bcf / anaconda etc unless they are doing 20% off or better.

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