Which reels do you prefer?

[fishyjoe]

Banax,

They are a great reel, tough as nails and are a reasonable price.


They have a reel for all types of fishing.


Joe

[Davemclean]

I like Shimano, cos I can use one reel for more than one fishing style

[finding_time]

Ok i know it's only spin reels you asked for but i'm going to give you my prefered for the whole gamit of fishing ( to show lack of Bais)

Spin reels........................... Daiwa
Small baitcasters................ Daiwa
Light tackle overheads........Alutecnos ( unbelievable reels)
Bottom donging overheads.Shimano
Heavy tackle overheads.......Shimano ( never seen a Heavy tackle Alutecnos in the flesh so i cant comment)
Bait runners.........................Shimano
Jigging reel...........................Daiwa
Surf.......................................Alvey

ian

[Flattie Assassin]

I prefer both Daiwa and Shimano i guess now, after buying a Daiwa spin reel. Depends on the model. I like my twin power cause it's absolutely silent and a treat to use. The Daiwa Capricorn is a sweet lil ride as well. Better drag in my opinion then Shimano out of the box. But you can always upgrade. I look for different features that suit my style of fishing. Waterproof drags and machined handles etc.

[death_ship]

the daiwa saltiga is unbelievable....and so is the price tag. but i will get one one day.

[polky]

Shimano for me, thats offshore,river and flicking lures, have never tried other brads, first reel was ashimano, no probs so stuck with them

[fish-n-dive]

Abu Garcia....good quality and value for money

[Wahoo]

i have voted Daiwa grew up with them, still have my first reel GS9 27yrs old now still going strong

Daz

[Kurichan]

The big problem is of course, different fish , different reels, different strengths & weaknesses...

I've got a big soft spot for my Daiwa reels, but for a big GT I'd probably go a Stella 20 ( right after I sold a body part or two )...

I didn't even know Alvey made a spinning reel ? Where can I buy them ?

[FNQCairns]

i have voted Daiwa grew up with them, still have my first reel GS9 27yrs old now still going strong

Daz

Hey me too, I had one of them bought new from woolworths variety store I think, it was my first ever new reel and expensive also $15 or so, mine is long gone.

cheers fnq

[castlemaine]

I have Shimanos, but heard a guy servicing reels say Daiwa is the go. Shimano 2nd. Too complicated for me, as I'm only a weekend fisho. The real test is when you use it nearly everyday and how you clean it after each fishing trip. I was also told that if you stored reels of aluminium body to your stainless rod winch continuously electrolysis can occur within the reel. Yours truly confused, Castlemaine.

[SIRO]

Diawa , diawa then diawa.

[Sean]

thanks to everyone for their contrib....interesting to see how close they are....espec. since shimano are rubbish!!!! OK OK just stirring

[Dunco]

Shimano for me

[toolman2810]

Going back 25 years, maybe even 30. I had my first spinning reel, a Mitchell for fresh water spinning in Tasmania, I think it was my dads hand me down & he bought the newest model. Alot of the lakes we fished in Tasmania were shallow & we fished off the shore in thigh waders. Hence I was taught the proper way to spin & that is wind with your left hand. Well for that enviroment at least. The idea being for a right handed person you normally cast with your right hand above the reel & your left at the bottom.
Catching trout in Tas lakes by spinning is without a doubt aided by the wind, wether it is because of the chop there is more oxygen in the water & the trout are more active. Or because the tiddleys get smashed about in their hiding spot & have to venture out into more open water I don't know.
But on a calm day you can catch fish in the evening or morning, & you may as well give up fishing for the rest of the day.
When its blowing a gale, fishing into weather, thats almost impossible to fish into you can catch your bag of trout. Thats why I was taught to wind left handed, When your side casting (Horizontal rod with a spinning reel) into the wind in shallow water a fraction of a second means the difference between retrieving your lure before it hits the bottom & loosing 30m of line to the wind. Loosing your lure to the bottom & with freezing uncooperative fingers tying on a new one.

Most people are right handed, & if you have to change hands after you cast the rod to wind there is your 1/2 second you can't afford to loose.
I think we fished with Mitchells because they were the best you could buy at the time (25 yrs ago). A large spool diameter for easy casting, A compact body for light weight. Quick button change spools for different line requirements & if you ever did wear out a gear from thousands of hours use. This happened to me from dads hand me down we were amazed that the local shop stocked the gears for a dollar or two.
25 years later I have my own boat, thinking about trawling for mackeral around mud island & landing. Hoping to land a 5kg fish. Sometimes see the seagulls & the fish working I want something that is the best & won't let me down. I was in BCF today buying some lures to hopefully land that big mackeral & looked at some reels. I was amazed at how cheap they were. Then I started looking at the bail arm, most were wire into plastic. Picked up a few & smooth to wind, But felt cheap & tacky. Diawa were absolute crap when I was a kid, but they were the only brand I Saw today with a lathe spun bail arm.
The amount of times I have cast into the wind with a wire into plastic journal & it has double looped.
Or just a plastic journal that grooves & frays your line. $300 for the reel that I wanted. I can't afford that kind of money. I came on here to see what fisherman thought. Most have an opinion with no reason. I want to be told that this reel is iron clad best you can buy in its range. Then I can search for it & buy it secondhabd