Help Picking a new spinning reel

[12 Volt Man]

spend the money and get a stradic, either the FK 3000, or the new FL 3000. 

 

[BillM]

Nick, I always keep an eye open for used Shimano Sustain FEs..   To me you aren't going to find a better reel for the price.   I've got 2 now, a 1000 and a 3000.   Kijiji and Ebay

[NAW]

i got a line on a new Stradic 1000 FK for $209 new from a store.

 

I fish mostly for walleye and pike.  Sometime pan fish.  Nothing really big anyways. 

2. questions.  

 

1.  is the FK model any good?    I can't really find a good breakdown of their models online. 

2.  Will the 1000 be big enough?  The guy at the store said there is only about 20 yards difference in the line capacity.   

 

I don't like heavy reels.  I have tendinitis in my elbow and arthritis in my wrist.    So if I can get a way with a 1000, that would be perfect. 

 

Thoughts? 

[dave524]

25 minutes ago, NAW said:

i got a line on a new Stradic 1000 FK for $209 new from a store.

 

 

I don't like heavy reels.  I have tendinitis in my elbow and arthritis in my wrist.    So if I can get a way with a 1000, that would be perfect. 

 

Thoughts? 

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/82464/shimano-stradic-fk-spinning-reels

 

140 yds of 4 lb. and only 7 lbs of drag, that's pretty tiny, I'd feel better with the 2500 or 3000 with 20 lbs of drag and heavier line.

[BillM]

Nick I vertical jig lakers with a 1000 series Sustain and 6lb Nanofil.   Haven't been spooled yet, you'll be fine.  

[12 Volt Man]

the FKs are fantastic. i have a 3000 size. the new FL is essentially the same reel but with a long stroke spool. 

[Dan668]

I am a fan of 2500/3000 size reels. Less line twist issues. And in most cases on the rods I am using, have better balance and feel. 

I always recommend the Daiwa BG to friends, they love them. And so far have held up. Although, this reel doesn't have that nice air bail. Need to move up a model. 

Shimano makes great reels, i have a few Vanquish C3000's. I am a fan of Daiwa's though as i love the airbail. Not a fan of the thin bails, for whatever reason lol. But if you don't mind em, the Stradic is a great reel. A bit over your budget though. 

The pflueger president is a good option on a budget. That's what I buy for my Dad, he doesn't take care of any gear and most are almost ten years old and still kicking. 

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Dan668

[Lape0019]

Alright, I think you have a good handle on what is being said here but I guess I will reiterate.

1. Give Paddletales in Winchester a call and see if he has any FK's left in the 2500 size. He will ship if you ask.  I know he did the last time I was there but he has them on sale as a new model is coming out. So now would be a perfect time to buy a new FK. I would also not even attempt to fish pike with a 1000 size reel but I do not jig. I am usually casting. For dropshotting, it might work alreat but I prefer 2500-3000 sized reels.

2. If you are worried abut weight, look into the CI4+ stradic instead of the FK. Even used. You can always send it to shimano and they will replace any worn our parts and service it for around $30.

3. I will not touch a quantum reel. I have a Pflueger President and would be willing to bet you would not find it any better than what you currently have. Good reel for the price, but better options out there for a bit more money, My dad has a magnesium supreme and it has been a great reel for him.

4. in your price range, the BG and other Daiwa reel that Smitty recommended are actually great options. I never fished the BG but man was I impressed with it at the store (I tell people this type of information to make it know I have not used the reel.). It felt great! I just don't know how long that would last. And the tournament SS has been around forever for a reason.

5. I am a Shimano guy so I would lean towards a Nasci if you absolutely do not want to spend more than $150. IMO, You will never regret buying a stradic though. No matter which model.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Lape0019

[Rustic-Fisher]

I have a few reels i won't part with ... My Stradics , my 9 year old pounds them and the keep going !(10 years now) and my favourite is my good ole Diawa whisker lol, may be a nostalgia thing though lol.

I also own pflueger presidents , decent reel and when i worked at BPS back in the day we sold a TON!

 

 

[misfish]

29 minutes ago, Rustic-Fisher said:

and my favourite is my good ole Diawa whisker lol, may be a nostalgia thing though lol.

Na, they are work horses RY.

[porkpie]

6 hours ago, NAW said:

i got a line on a new Stradic 1000 FK for $209 new from a store.

 

I fish mostly for walleye and pike.  Sometime pan fish.  Nothing really big anyways. 

2. questions.  

 

1.  is the FK model any good?    I can't really find a good breakdown of their models online. 

2.  Will the 1000 be big enough?  The guy at the store said there is only about 20 yards difference in the line capacity.   

 

I don't like heavy reels.  I have tendinitis in my elbow and arthritis in my wrist.    So if I can get a way with a 1000, that would be perfect. 

 

Thoughts? 

What do you mainly fish for?  Salmon, then no it’s not nearly enough.  If you fish for walleye bass and occasionally pike and use braid, it’s plenty.  All of my spinning reels are 1000 size these days, with the exception of those I use for salmon and steelhead.  I own a couple 1000 size Stradics and not once have I had an issue with line capacity and I actually prefer the more compact lighter reels. I’d go for it.

[Moosebunk]

Stradics taxes in are like pushing $300.  So $209 ain't bad but it is a 1000.  You'd have better versatility here and a stronger drag on a 2500 to 3000.  The 1000 for pike and lakers is better suited to ice fishing, you'd wear it out too quick for serious lakers and pike.

Symetre are obviously out and the last few years they were making them they turned 'em into junk.  I own eight and the last two stood up to nothing.  Once upon a time they were workhorses and my oldest in the bunch are the ones still working best.  Put those through Hell a thousand times over.  So like you, I look around this price range and right now Shimano has the Nasci.  Four SAIL store employees recommended this over the Quantum Smoke which had been marked down to close to the same price.  I just put a 3000 Nasci to the first tests on arctic char and a 4000 on lakers.  They started rough at the reel handle, like a slight little burr every third crank or so, but that's smoothing out a little now.  If these reels fail I'll likely quit with Shimano awhile and move to Pfleuger or other options, but so far they seem OK. 

The Pleuger Patriarch is usually $269 but it's marked down to $149 at SAIL this week.  

Edited August 28, 2019 by Moosebunk

[AKRISONER]

10 hours ago, Moosebunk said:

Four SAIL store employees recommended this over the Quantum Smoke which had been marked down to close to the same price. 

these reels have literally gone to complete trash. Ive seen two purchased brand new this year have their drag systems completely fail.

[JoshS]

I have a few older stradics and the older green symetre. Haven't had to consider a new reel in a long time! Solid reels. I'd get 3000 size so it's more versatile for you.

[Moosebunk]

40 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

these reels have literally gone to complete trash. Ive seen two purchased brand new this year have their drag systems completely fail.

Sad.  One of the best 1000 series reels I had, for a good while was that Quantum PT with all the rainbow colors on it.  

It was the last two Symetres that both failed. One basically within weeks, the other months. Shimano took 'em in, supposedly fixed some faulty part, gave 'em back and one was done within the year. The other sees lighter use.  Anyways, for what they are, paying $150 you'd expect better than a season or two out of them.

[NAW]

I have a Symetre that's about 10 years old (the green one).  It seizes up randomly, and I can't seem to find out how to fix it.   I tear it apart, and grease everything.  It works for a few times out, then starts seizing again.    Maybe worth taking to rocky's or somewhere to have a professional look at it.   Not sure how much they charge though.   I always assumed more then what the reel is worth in it's current state. 

[smitty55]

6 hours ago, NAW said:

I have a Symetre that's about 10 years old (the green one).  It seizes up randomly, and I can't seem to find out how to fix it.   I tear it apart, and grease everything.  It works for a few times out, then starts seizing again.    Maybe worth taking to rocky's or somewhere to have a professional look at it.   Not sure how much they charge though.   I always assumed more then what the reel is worth in it's current state. 

You may be surprised, a lot of cleaning and repairs are like $30 from what I've heard.

[J Roelofsen]

If your used to doing your own maintenance then the Pfluegers can't be beat IMO. They are a very simple design and that's a good thing IMO. A little grease once a season and theyre good to go.

If you want a bargain reel thats has the feel of much more expensive models have a look at the Okuma Ceymar. My local shop owner turned me onto them and I've beat the living snot out of a couple of them (size 30 and 40) for 3 seasons now without a stutter.....the one is used for chucking hardware for Steelies and Salmon and gets booted around the boat, dragged through the mud, dunked and frozen....no problems whatsoever for $60 they are a bargain! I've also picked up the giant 65 size for a lender when passengers would prefer a spinning reel for musky and a few of the 10 and 20 sizes to replace Siennas for ice fishing. 

Josh 

[David Chong]

I use a bunch of them & I believe that the Daiwa Fuego LT is the best spinning reel for under $150! I do believe that they retail for about $130-140

[OhioFisherman]

On 8/27/2019 at 12:12 PM, NAW said:

i got a line on a new Stradic 1000 FK for $209 new from a store.

 

I fish mostly for walleye and pike.  Sometime pan fish.  Nothing really big anyways. 

2. questions.  

 

1.  is the FK model any good?    I can't really find a good breakdown of their models online. 

2.  Will the 1000 be big enough?  The guy at the store said there is only about 20 yards difference in the line capacity.   

 

I don't like heavy reels.  I have tendinitis in my elbow and arthritis in my wrist.    So if I can get a way with a 1000, that would be perfect. 

 

Thoughts? 

http://fish.shimano.com/content/fish/northamerica/us/en/homepage/Shimano_Product_Page.P-STRADIC.html

According to this the 2500 and 3000 models weigh the same, 8.3 ounces, 1.4 ounces more than the 1000, just me? 3000.

[Sinker]

On 8/26/2019 at 6:41 AM, dave524 said:

Them and Zebco Cardinal 3's and 4's were hung on every serious steelheaders rods in the 80's?

I still have mine from the late 80's. Got my first centre pin in 91, ordered it from the UK. Cost me a fortune. I sold it for more than I paid for it 20 years later lol.....Haven't fished the tribs in over 20 years, but used to be hardcore into it! Got my boat in 93 and never went back. 

Those diawa reels were, and still are bullet proof. 

The stradics are awesome. 

I have a couple symetres that have been amazing too. 

A decent shimano will last you along time. Pay more once, or less over and over and over and over......kind like yamaha's.  

My dad always told me it takes a rich man to buy cheap tools. 

 

S. 

[dave524]

59 minutes ago, Sinker said:

I still have mine from the late 80's. Got my first centre pin in 91, ordered it from the UK. Cost me a fortune. I sold it for more than I paid for it 20 years later lol.....Haven't fished the tribs in over 20 years, but used to be hardcore into it! Got my boat in 93 and never went back. 

Moved to Grimsby  in '84 and a couple of guys here got me into centre pins. It was probably that first autumn that I got a Grice and Young , Avon Royal Supreme ( supreme POS ?) , next fall I had a non anodized clickerless Stanton which I loved and still use and the following year I got a Smith and Smith 2nd generation Stream Master. I still kick myself for not putting out the 4 bills or so for a Clough in the late 80's, those thing go for over 2 grand today to collectors.  We had good Canadian made reels by '91, the Stream Master is mine.

 

 

[Old Ironmaker]

On 8/27/2019 at 12:12 PM, NAW said:

i got a line on a new Stradic 1000 FK for $209 new from a store.

 

 

 

I don't like heavy reels.  I have tendinitis in my elbow and arthritis in my wrist.    So if I can get a way with a 1000, that would be perfect. 

 

Thoughts? 

I go to the Doc's and tell him my elbow is killing me. He looks at it and says " You have tendonitis, tennis elbow." I tell him "Doc I don't play anymore I got this from trolling for fish." He says " I fish so OK you have trolling elbow, not much you can do but wear a band and rest it." "How about writing a script for me?" he replies "For exactly what?""  I snap back. "For a downrigger of course." All you can do is ask. The elbow band does help Nick. For the wrist use the other hand. 

[Old Ironmaker]

On 8/27/2019 at 3:39 PM, Lape0019 said:

 

5. I am a Shimano guy so I would lean towards a Nasci if you absolutely do not want to spend more than $150. IMO, You will never regret buying a stradic though. No matter which model.

I have a Stradic, never a better reel at any price. Somehow a Daiwa ended up on a rod of mine. Oh yea I was given it as a gift. I have 17 spinning reels, 16 are Shimano. 

Edited August 31, 2019 by Old Ironmaker

[BillM]

On 8/30/2019 at 8:35 PM, dave524 said:

Moved to Grimsby  in '84 and a couple of guys here got me into centre pins. It was probably that first autumn that I got a Grice and Young , Avon Royal Supreme ( supreme POS ?) , next fall I had a non anodized clickerless Stanton which I loved and still use and the following year I got a Smith and Smith 2nd generation Stream Master. I still kick myself for not putting out the 4 bills or so for a Clough in the late 80's, those thing go for over 2 grand today to collectors.  We had good Canadian made reels by '91, the Stream Master is mine.

Dave, Cloughs are going for a lot more then 2k these days    More like 5-7k.    Insanity.