Top Notch Fishing Reels: What's your favorite?

[JD Spydo]

With fishing season coming into full swing here in the Northern Hemisphere I thought it was time for us to chat about fishing equipment>> i.e. especially what your favorite fishing reel and rod might be.

I'm sort of old school in a sense and I"ve clung onto what my favorite uncle taught me when I was a kid. He told me that with Fishing reels like anything else you want a quality unit. Back in the late 60s my Uncle Harry used nothing but D.A.M. Quick German made fishing reels and he got me hooked on them at an early age and I've been loyal to the brand ever since. When I was really young I had a lot of Zebco equipment when it was still made here in the USA. But their quality went downhill in my opinion and over the years I pretty much went to the German made D.A.M. Quick equipment.

About the only deviation I've had from D.A.M. Quick are a couple of American made PENN reels I've played with over the years which are also built very ridgid. But I truly treasure all of my German made D.A.M Quick fishing reels and rods and I don't care to even try anything else at this point.

I have found them to be built with the quality of a Swiss made watch and the durability of a Spyderco knife

But what the heck I don't know everything about fishing equipment and would like to learn more so I would like to know from all you guys and gals here on the Spyderco Forum who love going fishing what your favorite brand of fishing reel is and why? Also I like some of the older D.A.M Quick rods as well. They also made some great fly fishing equipment as well.

OK what's your favorite reel and rod?

[maa14]

Do you mean like bass fishing or deep sea fishing?

[JD Spydo]

Do you mean like bass fishing or deep sea fishing?

Both!! Either-or>> or whatever type of fishing you do in your region. Personally I'm so far inland here in the North American continent I'm pretty well confined to lake and river fishing which we have plenty of here in our region

The brand of fishing equipment I spoke of i.e. D.A.M. Quick out of Germany made both deep sea equipment all the way down the line to very small ultra-light equipment as well. I own some deep sea equipment but I don't go deep sea fishing very often>> maybe about once in ten years.

I'm anxious to find out what some of you all over in Europe and Asia fish with. I'm also curious to know what my Brothers/Sisters up on Canada prefer to use.

[Evil D]

I'm pretty easy to please. I use an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6000-C from about 1991 or so on a Shakespeare Ugly Stick Lite Pro rod. It's small, light, extremely strong and pretty easy to use. I usually only fish in lakes but i haven't met the fish that it can't reel in.

[maa14]

Both!! Either-or>> or whatever type of fishing you do in your region. Personally I'm so far inland here in the North American continent I'm pretty well confined to lake and river fishing which we have plenty of here in our region

The brand of fishing equipment I spoke of i.e. D.A.M. Quick out of Germany made both deep sea equipment all the way down the line to very small ultra-light equipment as well. I own some deep sea equipment but I don't go deep sea fishing very often>> maybe about once in ten years.

I'm anxious to find out what some of you all over in Europe and Asia fish with. I'm also curious to know what my Brothers/Sisters up on Canada prefer to use.

ah ok. well I live in Texas so I am mainly into bass fishing(largemouth).Here is my choice of reel...any Shimano or any ardent reel. I feel that the shimano's I have tried (curado, chronarch, core) are insanely smooth but I have not tried the new ones they came out with, the G's (not made in Japan any more, i.e. cheaper, at least not the curado and chronarch) but the Ardents seem to cast further. I have not tried the new ardent edge series so will have to try them, but the XS600 that I have is not very smooth. I traded my curado to my bro for a pair of oakley m frames and some lenses...I love the glasses but I wish I wouldnt have traded the reel. I will just have to get another one
Now about the rod. I used to use a medium action fenwick hmx 6'6" rod and it was ok. now I use a dobyns savvy series 7'0" Medium heavy and it is AMAZING especally for the price(compared to some other "high end" production rods such as G. Loomis) they also make the champion series, and the Extreme series, which go up in price a lot but also in sensitivity. also dobyns had great CS, my dad accedently broke my rod in the car door when we were on a trip and all we had to do was cut a piece of the rod off with the Info on it, send it to them w/a check for $60 and they sent back a new one.
Saltwater reels= PENN... that is about all I know about saltwater fishing...as of now.
Well. there you go

[MachSchnell]

I tend to use my lightweight rod/reel combo the most often. (mostly river and pond fishing)
That being said, the Pfueger President series reels are silky smooth and reasonably priced. My favorite reel to date!

[thog94]

I fish mainly trout and salmon, on occasion I'll do bass. I've used just about every brand under the sun in the last 30 years or so and I keep going back to Shimano and Quantum. About 4 years ago I purchased a couple of Shimano Symetres, they are mid level reels and they have been working like a champ. I also love the Quantum Energy Pti, very smooth and balanced. All my reels have braid on them, one of the best fishing choices I've made. I love spinning reels, can't use baitcasters as they just don't feel right to me. I have a slew of rods but prefer the good old Ugly Stick or a St Croix, usually use a ML 4-10 or 6-12. I like 2 piece so I can break them down and fit them in the trunk and don't use anything bigger than 6' 6". All of them are cork, I hate foam.

My fly set up is a generic LL Bean rod and reel. For a $100 with a life time guarantee you can't beat it. I don't use it much at all, but it's there if I need it.

Inshore salt I'll either use my bigger Quantum or Cabo. I have a custom made rod or use a Cabelas Salt Striker. If I go offshore I'll use my Penn International, nothing like them in that category along with a Tuna stick.

[JD Spydo]

I fish mainly trout and salmon, on occasion I'll do bass. I've used just about every brand under the sun in the last 30 years or so and I keep going back to Shimano and Quantum. About 4 years ago I purchased a couple of Shimano Symetres, they are mid level reels and they have been working like a champ. I also love the Quantum Energy Pti, very smooth and balanced. All my reels have braid on them, one of the best fishing choices I've made. I love spinning reels, can't use baitcasters as they just don't feel right to me. I have a slew of rods but prefer the good old Ugly Stick or a St Croix, usually use a ML 4-10 or 6-12. I like 2 piece so I can break them down and fit them in the trunk and don't use anything bigger than 6' 6". All of them are cork, I hate foam.

My fly set up is a generic LL Bean rod and reel. For a $100 with a life time guarantee you can't beat it. I don't use it much at all, but it's there if I need it.

Inshore salt I'll either use my bigger Quantum or Cabo. I have a custom made rod or use a Cabelas Salt Striker. If I go offshore I'll use my Penn International, nothing like them in that category along with a Tuna stick.

I'm sort of surprised that some of you fly-fishing guys/gals haven't mentioned "ORVIS"

Hey I won't argue with you concerning the quality of PENN reels but I will immediately put up the German made D.A.M. Quick reels against them any day of the week. I won't go as far as to say that the QUICK reels would overtake PENN reels but I will say that they can do anything a PENN can do.

I guess since D.A.M. Quick no longer makes a lot of their stuff in Germany anymore a lot of you younger guys and gals have probably never had a chance to test drive the D.A.M. Quick German made quality reels. Even their ultra light stuff is at the top of the line.

[thog94]

Not big on fly fishing, don't have the patience to deal with the art form. I do enjoy trolling with it once in a while, it's fun to land a fish that way. I do know that Orvis make nice stuff and have a couple of friends who use their reels.

I have used D.A.M. reels in the past but never owned one.

[hawaiihunter]

In Hawaii for trolling, easily the Shimano 80W

[Rwb1500]

I tend to use my lightweight rod/reel combo the most often. (mostly river and pond fishing)
That being said, the Pfueger President series reels are silky smooth and reasonably priced. My favorite reel to date!

The President for me too, the smallest, lightest model with 4lb for trout in the creek. On an Ugly Stick Lite. I usually also carry a Shimano Sedona with 6lb to swap with the Pfluger. I have a Shimano Stradic too but it doesn't get much use since I almost exclusively fish small trout streams.

[xceptnl]

I love my vintage all metal construction Zebco 44 Underspin. It was my grandfathers and was rusted solid when I got it as a young teen. After soaking it in machine oil for over a month I was able to free it and the rest is history. I really love that reel because it is immediately identifiable whenever it is amongst a stack of others.
Not to mention it is super comfortable (borrowed pic).

[JD Spydo]

I love my vintage all metal construction Zebco 44 Underspin. It was my grandfathers and was rusted solid when I got it as a young teen. After soaking it in machine oil for over a month I was able to free it and the rest is history. I really love that reel because it is immediately identifiable whenever it is amongst a stack of others.

Thanks for bringing up that older Zebco Brother . As I said in my opening post I pretty much cut my teeth on Zebco reels before I got into the premium made stuff. The older Zebco reels were made here in the USA most of them and were very dependable units for no more that you would pay for them. My very first open faced spinning reel was a Zebco 777 and the only reason I put it down is because I got a D.A.M. Quick model 110N which I still own by the way.

My dad had a Zebco model 66 which is a really rare bird for collectors and I think they only made that reel for a couple of years. And who can forget the ever popular Zebco 33>> I bet there were 50 million of those reels made.

[Evil D]

I love my vintage all metal construction Zebco 44 Underspin. It was my grandfathers and was rusted solid when I got it as a young teen. After soaking it in machine oil for over a month I was able to free it and the rest is history. I really love that reel because it is immediately identifiable whenever it is amongst a stack of others.
Not to mention it is super comfortable (borrowed pic).

I have a deep inner lust for old all metal 33s. I have a little 33 on an old vintage Browning rod that i play around catching bluegill and other bait fish with, but i've pulled in 10lb+ channel cat with it that stray into the shallows and bite my line. It makes for a wild catch because the rod is so small it feels like i'm pulling in moby dick.

[rg02]

I am an avid fly fisherman and fly tyer as well. I am a big fan of TFO(temple fork outfitters)Sage, and St Croix for my fly rods. As for reels, I am very loyal to Ross Reels as they are based here in CO.

As for Orvis---- I only own one Orvis fly reel (battenkill bar stock #0) for my 6ft 2wt fly rod for my tiny creek brookie rod. My 3,4,5, and 6 weight rods all have Ross CLA reels on 'em. Best bang for your buck$ I have found....

[JD Spydo]

I was just watching the show "River Monsters" on the Animal Planet channel here in the USA this evening. The host's name is Jeremy Wade and let me tell you this guy has truly got some top notch fishing equipment.

I'm wondering if any of you know what brands of reels Mr. Wade uses on that show?

Also I've been watching on the National Geographic channel a show on catching tuna "Tuna Wars" I believe was the name of the show. And those guys had some really nice looking rod & reel hardware as well.

[fuzzydog]

I use a 3000 series Shimano Sustain (last edition not the current one) with a TFO travel rod (a 704?)...10 lb braided line and have done fine with it for all my spin fishing....prefer to sight fish with a fly rod...have a 10 and a 8 wt Sage Xi3 with older VT 2's as back-up. I love Galvan reels have 2 of each with a few extra spools as well.

[Rwb1500]

I was just watching the show "River Monsters" on the Animal Planet channel here in the USA this evening. The host's name is Jeremy Wade and let me tell you this guy has truly got some top notch fishing equipment.

I'm wondering if any of you know what brands of reels Mr. Wade uses on that show?

Also I've been watching on the National Geographic channel a show on catching tuna "Tuna Wars" I believe was the name of the show. And those guys had some really nice looking rod & reel hardware as well.

I love River Monsters. My wife hates it though because I'm usually jumping on the couch screaming, "LOOK AT THAT! HOLY @#$(#&%(#&%(!!! WE AIN'T GOT THEM IN THE CRICKS AROUND HERE HUNNY!!!!"

[xceptnl]

I love River Monsters. My wife hates it though because I'm usually jumping on the couch screaming, "LOOK AT THAT! HOLY @#$(#&%(#&%(!!! WE AIN'T GOT THEM IN THE CRICKS AROUND HERE HUNNY!!!!"

LOL now that's funny. My wife hates that I love shows like that.

[C.L.L 97]

I use a Quantum AVS youth reel that I bought from basspro when I was 11. I haven't used it that much lately, because it's kinda hard to get a fishin license for non-residents up here... I want to go fishing so bad.

My brother got an Abu Garcia fishing rod for his birthday last week, and he wants an Ardent Edge reel but couldn't get it yet, because of the $.