best all around spinning reel for the money

[ziemann]

Abu Garcia STX- you can find them on close out at a great price...usually well under $100.00.

[Sakakawea]

Supreme is an Awesome reel. I have the sumpreme XT as well, but prefer the Supreme. If you are looking under the 75 mark, check out the daiwa excellor!!

[Wyo-eye]

My favorite is the Okuma Epixor, Under $50 on ebay.
Very smooth, gears feel like they are running in honey.

[rawcalls]

Pflueger President

[jmiko]

I have had a lot of different reels through out the year but I can say this hype or not I still have all of the Shimano reels that I have purchased. I know some of them are over 20 years old and still work well. I like many of the different brands but I have always been able to depend on Shimano.

[NathanH]

I used to only by Shimano reels now I wouldnt waste my money. I like Diawa Advantage A was a great reel that they dont make but any of those reels in the 130 dollar range are great. Even the Cabelas ZX reels are Diawa made are pretty nice for the money. Even better for 30 dollars on sale.

[Suzuki]

Shimano Sedona or Pflueger President. They are both super cheap and work well.
My collection of gear consists of 90+% Shimano going back well over 20 years as well. Not one Shimano ever broke. From cheap ones to expensive ones. NONE.

[Crawler Killer]

I've found the best deals at garage sales and bargain bins. Really good rods and reels can be found at those places cheap. If you go to garage sales get there early on the first day! The guy stuff sells real fast.

Otherwise I like the Shakespear 66, dependable for a moderate price. And remember maintaining and lubricating all your equipment will greatly extend the usable life of anything.

A lot of times reel problems can be remedied by changing your line or reversing the line on the reel. Its not very hard to do and sometimes its your best and only option when you're on the water.

Check the guides on your rods, especially the tip, for nicks, chips and alignment that can cause tangles and reduce your casting distance. A shot of silicone spray on the guides is a good idea too.

[REW]

Check some of the "house brand" reels at stores like Sheels, Gander Mountain, Dicks, Fleet farm, Bass Pro and Cabelas.

Often these reels are identical to other reels with a more well known name at a considerable savings in cost.

Remember, there are only a couple of things that you need when using a reel.
1. Excellent drag.
2. Ultra smooth gears and bearings.

Everything after that is of a very secondary nature.

REW

[salmonslayer11b]

Im gonna that guy, Ive been using the Mitchell 300xe for the last couple years, best all around reel IMO for 45 bucks!