# Best Bass Fishing Reels



## gottafish (Oct 6, 2007)

I plan to buy a couple of reels for freshwater fishing. Should I still go with spinning or baitcaster. If spinning, then which Shimano reel for bass fishing?


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

About all i have is shimano spinning reels i think we have 6. They're all quality reels just get the best one to fit your budget. As far as baitcasters go i have abu garcias and love them.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

pinnacle makes a decent baitcaster for the price and bass pro shops brand is also good; however it seems you can't hardly find a reel now that doesn't have the pawl or worm gear go out within a year or so...


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

I mostly fish baitcasters and I have used a bunch of them in all different price ranges. I currently use a shimano calais, daiwa zillion cosatal, quantum energy pt, and a shimano curado 200. In my opinion the curado is the best reel for the money. The curado is made with a 7:1 or 5:1 retrieve. They cast a mile and operate smoothly. I bought one a Academy about a month ago on sale for $129. I think that they are still on sale for $149 and you may be able to get them for less on ebay.

If price is not an issue then I would go with the daiwa zillion coastal or the shimano calais. However, if I lost all of my baitcasters today I would buy all curados. You can buy two curados for the price of one calais.

For spinning reels the shimano stradics are hard to beat. You may also want to look at the daiwa advantage. They are priced a little lower than the stradics and are one tough little reel.


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## J Smithers (Jun 27, 2008)

+1 on the curado. It is a very good reel. My new favorite reel is the Lews speed spool. Mike's Gun Shop has them for $89 and it is the best reel I've ever bought for < $100. I've got 2 of these reels now and am planning to buy another. They are very smooth and will cast a mile.


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## tabasco40 (May 25, 2008)

What style of fishing will you be doing? What kind of lures will you use?


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## gottafish (Oct 6, 2007)

Most of my fishing would be using plastic worms or jerk baits. I would also be using spinner baits and topwaters some. Would a baitcaster be better for one and a spinner be better for the other? Does braid work equally as good for each? Is braid the way to go with bass fishing these days. Which model of the Shimano Stradic would be best for bass fishing and which model would you recommend for the Curado?


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## roanokeriverrunner (Jul 13, 2011)

Well this is a broaad subject b/c it all depends on the fisher and teh type of fisihing. But abu garcia is the best in my opinion, but you cant argue with shimano though . I like the abu garcia revo reels the have different variations to fit your needs, and some specialty models like their Frog reel the Winch, and prices arent as bad as the curados. The REVO SX is the one of the smoothest reels Ive ever fished snd what i prefer, they are kinda pricey but still cheaper then most shimano upper models. If your on a budget than go with a Pinnacle they got some reels for 40 to 60 dollars at wal mart. I also like the Bass Pro brands for the price. Bottom line is look for the reel that has the most ball bearings and the best price try it and live and learn. Also if you like flip plastics in heavy cover then the Ardent flipping reels are the best


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## Badbagger (Apr 27, 2011)

Baitcasters are my choice. Have a look at BPS online and then fleabay for pricing. Once you get the hang of it, not so bad.


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## gottafish (Oct 6, 2007)

Thanks for the advice! Here is what I got:

1. Shimano Stratic 2500 Spinning reel with a Shimano Crucial Rod
2. Shimano Curado 200E7 Baitcaster reel with a Shimano Crucial Rod

I moved to the Collierville/Germantown, TN area in August from Navarre. I decided to take a break from the job search (Marketing/Marketing Research field) one morning this week to an undisclosed pond that someone told me about to see if the combos worked. 

On the very 1st cast, I catch this 2.5lb bass below! Within 15 minutes I land 6 bass between 2lbs and 3.5lbs! A few bass later I catch this 4-pounder and 5-pounder!! Within 1.5hrs I caught 13 bass between 2lbs and 5lbs. It was an exciting way to start TN bass fishing again after 12 years of FL saltwater fishing. I caught them on plasic worms, jerkbaits and frogs and spinnerbait.

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