Trouble Free Spinning Reel?

[JimmyJ]

I am in a quandry over what spinning reel to buy for new st.croix rod. Seems every time I get it figured out I read about the problems people are having with Deadbolts, Shimanos, etc. I have come so close to buying a Shimano Sahara but local store sold out. So here I am with a new rod with no reel yet. Is there a reel in the $60.00 dollar range that no one has had problems with? Your Help is Most Appreciated !! Jim

[Phil T.]

I bought a Penn 4300SS this spring, and it seems durable. Stainless shaft, bronze gears, aluminum spool. The internals seem as high quality as the inside of my old Cardinal C-3. Not total antireverse, but that's available in the Prion model for a lot more $$.

[Bret N]

You would be hard to go wrong w/ the Sahara. For $60 they are hard to beat. When they redesigned them this year, they made them nearly identical to the Symetre. The difference is that the Sahara has a plastic/graphite frame and the Symetre has a metal frame. However, the extra spool on the sahara is aluminum and the extra spool on the sahara is plastic.

I work at a Gander Mtn part time and get to spin/look at many reels. For the money the Sahara is hard to beat. Others worth noting in that range include the Deadbolt. I own one and haven't had problems with them, but we do see more of them returned than the Shimano. Also the Finn Nor Ahab reels are very nice. We've sold a ton of them and get very few complaints.

My advice is to always spend more on the rod, most any spinning reel will do. You've already got a good rod. I'd get a $30-45 reel and use the money you saved and get another rod. You can never have too many. Most of my rods have $15-35 reels on them. As long as the reel has a smooth drag, I'm happy. Sorry for the long post. Bret

[Bret N]

Opps. The sahara's extra spool is aluminum and the Symetre's extra spool is plastic. I wrote sahara twice before. any questions email me. Bret

[Sculpin]

I have two Saharas that I am pleased with. I was told that the Sahara had a metal frame and was the reason that I selected it over another.
Haven't had either long but the larger 4000 really did me a great job on one of those special days bass fishing when I caught over 20 bass up to 5 pounds. Matched it with a 7 1/2 foot Falcon medium action spinning rod, great combo.
Sculpin

[Jeff]

Finn Nor!!!

[walleyerod]

Abu-Garcia Tournament Series Reels, in my opinion (for what it's worth) there is no better reel at any price!

[Dave in Mpls]

Where can a person buy the Abu Tournament series reels other than mail order?

Thanks

[Backwater Eddy]

I like the Shimano Symetre for a lot of reasons. If you are a rear drag fan, they have a good one with a working fighting drag. I like the fighting drag as a shock absorber for fire line more then anything else.

I have used the heck out of mine and it still is smooth as glass.

Good rig for the cash!

Backwater Eddy..~~><,>

[Beach]

I feel that you can't go wrong with the Sahara's. I have had mine for some time now and have abused it in just about every way. I fish 100-120 days a year and have dropped this reel in sand, muck and all the traveling this thing does in the rod box. Go with the Sahara!!! :D