My last baitcaster was an Abu Garcia Ultra Mag 2. Bought in Temple when I was young. Fished on lake Buchanan. I could never cast it and used it off a dock. Bran flakes dough balls and carp. No idea whatever happened to it.


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That was actually a very decent reel for it's era. I still have an original Ultra Mag that stays in the shed at the pond with the Silver Max and keep a buzz bait on it. I've also got a Plueger Supreme in the shed that has an ancient Nip i Diddie on it. That was the first baitcaster that I ever owned and my dad told me to learn to throw it and he would pass down his 1958 model ABU 5000 to me. I have used that 5000 all my life. It doesn't stay at the pond; I keep it in the boat and make a few casts with it almost every trip. I added 4 bearings to it and it works better now than it ever did.

I doubt that any of the reels the OP mentioned would still be working 50 or 60 years later the way these reels are, but they would all be more effective than the old reels at catching fish. They all have some type of thumb bar, a faster gear ratio, bearings and other upgrades over the old models. But the old models caught fish back in their era and they will still catch them now.

I think that learning to cast with one of the old Plueger reels would be great training for any beginner now. If you've never seen one, it doesn't have a free spool feature and the handles rotate when you cast. That was the technology back in the 30s and 40s. Learn to cast one of these without a backlash and you will probably feel like you don't need a computer on your reel.

A Kia will get you where you’re going but a BMW will make the drive more enjoyable

A Kia will get you where you’re going but a BMW will make the drive more enjoyable

There is a significant difference A better analogy is a Timex to a Rolex. The quality of materials used, the difference in tolerances, the expected service life…those are a few things that factor into the pricing. My Steez reels don’t have any plastic [censored] for parts, every moving part it supported by a bearing or two, and the fit and finish is in another league.

Will it outcatch a $40 reel? Nope(well maybe…it will out cast a cheap reel and the solidity and lightweight will actually improve sensitivity of the rod/reel combo) . It will outlast one for sure. It will also make the day less stressful.

Those are things that aren’t in a persons head.

But, the real hurdle is getting the hand to pull the money outta your wallet. Once you try a high end reel, the regular stuff kinda sucks.

Thats what I would say also

A Kia will get you where you’re going but a BMW will make the drive more enjoyable

This thread has shown what the TFF has become. A person ask about which is best in $40 to $55 reels he is considering and then almost everyone replies stating he should get $200 to $700 reels. I sure hope no one ask about if they should buy a 17 foot Nitro that they are considering.

Has become?


Maybe we've bought that $40 POS before and it left such a bad flavor.... We suggested not buying it. Nothing in this world will ruin your day more then a low end, Chinese clone of an American reel.

So if you want to buy a toy. Get a Barbie combo. If you want some peace of mind. Breakdown and treat yourself.... By not buying the Barbie.

I enjoy driving my wife's KIA car more than I do my daughters Mercedes car. Now your gonna make me have to get a BMW to compare.