I like my Shimanos.

I do too...but I get a little fed up with shimanobots thinking their reels can walk on water or don't have some the same issues they HAMMER other reel makers about.


they do make VERY good reels though

Not a pure "Shimanobot" LOL! I just work on between 1500-2000 reels a year and they are the least of all the brands with problems in:

1.Catastrophic Failure-(Broken or worn parts caused)

2.Corrosion (I have to admit the Garcia 4000-7500 series is the best as far as being repairable)(not including the BCX which is Korean Junk).

3.Parts availability.

Also keep in mind that 75% of my business comes from Brackish or Saltwater environments and that is a testimony to quality in my opinion.


Now back to the parts subject. I buy a lot of parts. If I need a main gear for a CU200B I order 12 and I order the pinions with them.

This part of the world is HEAVY Shimano country. If you look in Charter and guides boats you will see HEAVY percentage of Shimano Reels albeit they may be Charter Specials. The other most poplular is the GT series from Penn and the Garcia Big Games and 6500 series reels but by far the Calcutta is the most poplular for the Redfish and Trout anglers and the Guides.

The most poplular Spinning reel is the Stradic from Shimano followed by the SS series from Penn (Junk again in my opinion although pretty durable if maintained)

Why is that?

well, I'm sure yankees and left coasters would tell you it's because nobody in the South can spell Daiwa...

Funny, Daiwa gets billed as Shimano's equal/superior on forum, but I can count on no fingers the numbers of boats filled with Daiwa reels that I've seen in my life. In north LA and even with folks I've seen in SE Texas it's all Shimano and Abu.

Oh, and the BCX isn't even Korean junk, that POS is made in China...I can't count the numbers of those I've seen broken as a for sale new display in a store. At least half of them had a major issue at my local Gander while they were still on display.