your best casting baitcaster

Hi hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas. I got my son his first Dobyns rod 7' medium heavy. Anyway I wanted some input on your favorite reels.He is a beginner with baitcasters and does pretty good. Out of all my reels the most trouble free as far as casting was a team daiwa tdx don't remember the exact model number. Bought it 20 years ago for $200.I never had trouble with birdsnests and this thing out casted any of my other reels.This reel is no longer functional the threads for the nut that secures the handle are shot. Anyway I am looking for your personal favorites so I can choose a reel for him and maybe get me one too. I appreciate your input!

You have good taste in rods! I own at least 6 myself. Their 805 Flip/Punch rod is a beast!

It sounds like the reels you had were possibly Daiwa TD1 (narrow spool) or TD2 (wide spool). Those were massively successful low-profile products, also possibly the first Daiwa reels to have anti-reverse roller bearings if memory serves me correctly. I have two TD2 reels in almost pristine condition that I may sell one day. (They've been in storage for 20+ years, with no use/abuse.)

With the rapid model turnover ways of today, its getting a little harder to recommend something as anything I've had for years would be out of production today! Of what I do have, I've been pleasantly surprised at the Quantum Speed Freak. I'm sure there will be haters of the brand, but it seems they have been working for years to clean a previously tarnished image. The Speed Freak is super-lightweight, smooth, and has 25# of drag. The 8:1 gearing provides 35 inches per turn on retrieve (when the spool is full of course). To me, that retrieve helps me hurry up to the next cast after I've exited the strike zone, and it sure can take up line if a fish makes a run toward the boat.

Lews super duty is hard to beat. Most user friendly reel I have.

My son learned on an Abu and they do a fine job. But I would have to say that the Shimanos were by far the best casting I have ever thrown as far as control. They are not my farthest casting but the drop off in distance is not an issue. Just make sure it has dual breaking(just my opinion)for learning to cast.

Can never go wrong with lews!

I only own Lew's. I have several different models and they all cast well with no backlashes, everything from weightless to A-rigs. For the price you can't beat them. SO far, never had one go bad.

I can attest that lews has awesome customer service. The problem is you will have to use it.

Ive never had a problem with my daiwa's.

Best casting? Ummmmm. My Daiwa Steez ito tuned reel. Second best? Regular production Daiwa Zillion TWS.

I have the best reels Lews has ever made, and they are nowhere close to the Zillion. And cost is the same.

$500 ? That thing better do alot more than cast a few more feet , like make me dinner or something . IL spend $150 on Lews all day

Having all Shimano's for the last 15-20 years, the Core is the best that I toss.

H2O Mettles

My Daiwa Steez Limited SV is my best casting reel by far. Next would be my Shimano Antares but, it is heavy and doesn't fit in my hand as well as my Steez.

Lew's Tournament Pro and after that Diawa Tatula.

Reels I have: Daiwa... Steez, Zillion, Sol, Alphas, Fuego, Team Daiwa,TDZ, Tatula Type R. and Lexa.
Shimano, Core, Chronarch B&D, Curado B,D,E,&I, Calcutta conquest, Citica.
Lews..Super Duty, BB-1, BB1-pro, Tournament Pro
Out of all of those the one I would choose for your son is the Daiwa Lexa. It is a long casting, smooth reel especially for the price, $80 shipped on ebay. I have 5 of them and you can see what other reels I have used them against.

I learned to throw a baitcaster with a Garcia 5000. Since then I have many many different reels over the years. I didn't even list the Quantum reels I used to have, I just listed the current ones I have and use.

So there you have it.....Get him the LEXA

The lews super duty are probably the best, most user friendly reels to buy. U don't have to take it apart to adjust brakes since it's all magnetic. And just about any lews u buy will cast excellent. I have a core 100mg, quantum tour mg, and a lews team lite that are my personal faves. Given the choice of the 3, I'd pick the lews team lite all day long.

+1. Mine cast great and the price is fantastic.

Abu Garcia Revo SX with 10lb. Fluoro followed closely by a Lews

Shimano Calais, hands down

For a good casting reel and not breaking the bank I would get a young up and Comer a Shimano Curado I series. The best casting reel I have is a Shimano Metanium.

I had a Calais before, good reel but heavy and the metal body got hot in the summer. I have several of the Curado I reels but like the E series that Shimano made better.


A Lews Tournament MB would be my second choice to get your son after the Lexa and when he is ready for his 3rd reel, get him a Lews Super Duty.

My number one is a shimano core I can throw 1/16oz baits all day a mile with no problems at all!

If you intend to resell it at some point go with shimano

example: shimano chronarch 100 mg with box 12 yrs old , I sold for 90 percent of its original price in excellent condition.... not bad

Looks like you must have cast the line right off of that reel.

I have Ardent Apex Elites and really like them the cast like no other and just had a friend come back from South America peacock bass fishing' He said the Ardent Apexes worked great the best of the rest of the reels he took. He brought all to have cleaned and I found no signs of any problem with the Apex reels.

Lews Tournament Pro and BB1

Daiwa Fuego....best new reel for 2016.....only 129.00!!! Packed with most of Daiwas goodies!

check it!

Wow, Daiwa brought the Fuego back....I still have one of the earlier models (red one) that looks brand new, including the box. LOL

Find a Shimano MG50. Its a great reel. Ebay is the only place I can still find them.

Lews speed spool, can chunk a weightless rig a 1/2 mile!

lews speed spool
my fav

is that a country or nautical? Haha. Just think, if you were using a reel with a free floating spool, and decent brakes, it might actually go further.

I have Lew's and Shimano and BPS PQ. Lew's for distance but definitely without question Shimano for control! Even the lower end Shimanos have good cast control. For inexpensive, the BPS Pro Qualifier is a great choice. They have good drags, magnet and centrifical brakes, and they will sell for $49 here in about a month when the fishing classic starts.

Daiwa's are by far my best casting. This is compared to Lew's, Abu's, Shimano, and Quantum. I have slowly been converting everything over to Daiwa.

Shimano scorpions. Can't afford a core

Daiwa Steez, by a mile.

Lews & Shimanos

Me and my Johnny Morris special get along quite well. Me and the KVD, not so much.

Look into the Cabelas Arachnid. Normally $179 but now $109 on sale. And if you go in the store today or tomorrow you get $20 store discount on purchase over $100. That comes to $89.

The arachnid is a Daiwa Tatula-R, but with more ball bearings. I got 4 over the weekend, and I'm getting another on my way home tonight.

For a 100 bucks it a heck of a reel

Since I can't seem to wear out my Shimano Curado B series and Chronarchs, I can't venture too much of an opinion on the newer stuff. My Chronarch MG 50 is the smoothest casting reel I currently own. Longest casting would be my old Lew's BB1-NG upgraded with ceramic bearings. I can rear back and chunk a super spook and have time to eat a sandwich before that sucker hits the water.

Anybody else tried the Cabelas Arachnid? Also, any opinions on a 8.1 gear ratio? $89 sounds like a deal. Thanks.

I'd say Tatula, but rod is 50% of casting ease.

It's $109 till the 6th. Tuesday is the last day to get another $20 off (at least in the Buda store)

I had 3 and bought 5 more this weekend and today. Make several trips in and out to get the $20 off each time.

Daiwa Tatula for smooth casting, retrieval, and long distance. My only dislike is it's a bit on the bulky/wide side for palming all day.

Bought one last year, casts well and very lightweight reel.

JimmyP on this forum got me sold on Lews. Plus their customer service is amazing. I dropped my lews reel while cleaning it and cracked the magnetic brake adjustment knob. They sent me a new one for free and included some stickers and some other free stuff. I even told them it was my fault and would pay for it. They declined my offer and said it should have withstood a fall from a table onto concrete.

I use only Quantum reels (9 in total) because I like the feel in my hand and I haven't had any problems with them. The new smoke is one smooth reel and cast great. I would highly recommend it... Although all the positive talk about Lews has me wanting to try their reels now.

+1 on Steez

Lew's Tournament Pro G Spool or Lew's Magnesium. Best reels I've ever casted. The BB1 Pro is my go to for crankbaits, but the new G Spool is where it's at for me.

I'm a Lew's guy coming from Shimano, for what it's worth.

They fit my hand the best and I've never had one single problem with any of my Lew's reels.

Shimano Metanium


For my personal favorite, I love the Metanium HG. It's such an awesome reel and I've yet to find something wrong with them. They cast further than any other reel I've owned and I've owned every brand. With 3 different models to choose from, there's a reel for every application imaginable. It has such a smooth retrieve and I love the lightweight, sleek design. If money is no issue, then definitely go with a Metanium.

Shimano Citica I

If you're on a budget or you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars, then I recommend the Citica I. It's a phenomenal reel at a great price point. I've owned several Citica reels and I've always been pleased with them. I stopped using them because of Shimano's design in the last model. I just didn't like the feel of the solid metal casing; it was heavy and not very sleek. However, they did away with those and brought out the Citica I this year and I bought one to give em' another try. They're super awesome.

Ambassadeur 4500C.

Gen 1 Revo STX

Love my Quantum smoke speed reels 8:1

Shimano curado is all I use