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Spartankidfishing
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Shimano makes so if the best reels on the market. Is there any other brand that makes just as good if not better reel for an affordable price? I think yes see for yourself.
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Shimano vs Kastking
troutdude
Moderator
Abu Garcia. They have stood the test, of time. And are greatly favored, by many guides.
The ones made in Sweden. Not the new Chinese made crap.
The ones made in Sweden. Not the new Chinese made crap.
4labs
Active member
So almost everything is made in china or malaysia or who knows ? For the price they are really tempting and longevity is the unknown. I almost pulled the trigger on the lexa 300 for salt but after seeing a comment on Justins Reel repair I held back. The shimano's that came from Jodys guild service were in for a major rebuild and the comment was some of the reels had been in use for yrs and had fought 100's of sturgeon. I have a older corsair 400 that just failed with very few hrs on it the plastic line guild broke. So until you get the high dollar Avent's or comparable I feel any reel under $200 isn't a 20 yr lifespan .My older shamono tr200 went 22 yrs before the drags gave out and that was a $50 reel back then but that was the exception. Older penns are great reels and easy to rebuild but I gave up on the newer ones after a 209 and a 20m didn't make through 2 bottom fishing trips.
Will take my 2 6500's that are over 20yrs old to Justins after this season to be gutted and rebuilt.
The kastking would make a great topwater reel for blacks loaded with 50lb braid and will pick up a couple next yr and the drag rating is unreal
Will take my 2 6500's that are over 20yrs old to Justins after this season to be gutted and rebuilt.
The kastking would make a great topwater reel for blacks loaded with 50lb braid and will pick up a couple next yr and the drag rating is unreal
Troutski
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Moderator
The bitterness of pour quality remains long after the sweetness of cheap price is forgotten.... Shimano has never let me down for over 30 years... just sayin
Chuck
Chuck
troutdude
Moderator
Ha! I have used that line, as a sales rep. And I feel that way, about the Abu Garcia line. Those, and the Shimano's, are built to last.
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markasd
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I'll chime in for Abu.. the amount of fish per reel maintenance is crazy. I have gone through a three seasons of springers and fall fishing hard for kings and silvers with my 6500's and after 20+ yrs they still rock. Easy to break down and clean up n grease.
Curious how long those cork knobs last though. Seems like a poor material choice for longevity, but look darn comfy.
Curious how long those cork knobs last though. Seems like a poor material choice for longevity, but look darn comfy.
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Don Fischer
Member
I love my ABU's. Also just came back into the first Shamino I'd ever had, a 100. One really nice reel that somehow ended up at my sons! Have a few other's I really like but the other mentioned was a Kastking. Yea, got one of them too. Round Rover 40 and so far it is one very nice reel. I think it's a piece of that stuff called crap that was made in China, I'd get another in a heart beat if I needed one, I must like crap. I suspect the guy's calling China stuff crap have either little experience with them of none at all but saying China makes crap is a popular saying. Think I'll just go look at a low profile from Kastking now just for kicks!
Casting Call
Active member
Guys let's not forget PENN reels. Freshwater, topwater, and saltwater. The only ones I have are single piece spools either turned from three or four inch solid brass bars. Please don't forget penns drag systems they are the disc brakes of the century. Tony
NKlamerus
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Most Featured
I'm a Shimano guy through and through, even ordered their hat from Australia and had it shipped to the states. Fan boy status for sure
With that being said I spent 20 years fishing with my dad who is a die hard Penn guy, a Penn Senator 3/0 is the bread and butter for offshore dropping in Florida, and they rarely have an issue, my dad once found one in a wall while he was remodeling a house, this was early 2000s and it's still spooled and ready to go! I would bet money that the "Z" series spinning reels we have will be used by my great grandkids, they are heavy, slow, and ugly but they are built like a bomb shelter
I have a lot of friends who use kast king, one of them is actually sponsored by them. They make a great price point reel that gets people on the water, but that's it. They are usable but you'll be carrying oil with you for the bearings about every 15 casts.
Surprisingly not a lot of experience with Abu, a few guys I know fish the silver max but I've weened them over to Curado's and SLX reels
Can't believe how much Pflueger presence there is up here, we grew up in the "friends don't let friends fish Pflueger" zone
With that being said I spent 20 years fishing with my dad who is a die hard Penn guy, a Penn Senator 3/0 is the bread and butter for offshore dropping in Florida, and they rarely have an issue, my dad once found one in a wall while he was remodeling a house, this was early 2000s and it's still spooled and ready to go! I would bet money that the "Z" series spinning reels we have will be used by my great grandkids, they are heavy, slow, and ugly but they are built like a bomb shelter
I have a lot of friends who use kast king, one of them is actually sponsored by them. They make a great price point reel that gets people on the water, but that's it. They are usable but you'll be carrying oil with you for the bearings about every 15 casts.
Surprisingly not a lot of experience with Abu, a few guys I know fish the silver max but I've weened them over to Curado's and SLX reels
Can't believe how much Pflueger presence there is up here, we grew up in the "friends don't let friends fish Pflueger" zone
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DonF
Active member
Not only got a new low profile but an UL spinning also. Put the low profile on a 6' Shakespere ugly stick and put on 4# test mono, just for bull heads and small mouth bass. Well liked it so much, kastking had a sale so I got another low profile and Shakespere rod. Got the Kastking Rover 40, round reel, after reading some guy bashing the tar out of it. Looked it up and then it was something like $40 and for $40 I had to find out for myself. Tell ya what, I'm an ABU snob but if I'd had this Rover 40 before to ABU's I may never have got an ABU to start with!Don Fischer said:
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DonF
Active member
I believe it's called Chinese crap mostly because it's made in China and we don't like China. Only way you'll ever really know is to buy one and try it!troutdude said:
troutdude
Moderator
I did that. The Chinese versions are NOT the high quality as the original Swedish models. Period.DonF said:
Casting Call
Active member
Which would you rather have Chinese (soda pop can metal/plastic/decals) Swedish or German metal? All three countries are smart/good at what they do. Tony
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DonF
Active member
I think comparing Schmino to Kastking is bad. Can't deny Schmino, they have a long well deserved history! kastking in the other hand is a new commer with a relatively short history. I don't hear anyone speak bad about reels like Schmino, ABU and Penn but good and bad about Kastking. Only way anyone will know is to try the new guy while you can still afford the product! Imagine if Schmino, ABU and Penn came around in the computer era! Wonder how many would have bad mouthed them?