which baitcaster

[namyau]

my gf has agreed to pay for a new reel costing no more then $150au,and ive decided i want to get a left handed baitcaster. I havent had much experience with them before and i have been looking at daiwa tierra, daiwa exceler, daiwa megaforce and okuma vs 100 which are all within budget if iam buying from usa. I know i can add extra and get some jdm bling but i dont think i need some high end baitcaster when i use spin gear more, so im happy to get something in the middle.

Ive read a lot of reviews on the above mentioned reels and can not decide which will be best for me - ill just be using it for hb, targeting threaddies,jew and what ever else will take my lure. Has anyone had any experience with the any of the above reels or if anyone has any other suggestions on what to get.

thanks

andy

[toadievoluzion]

i have a shimano curado200DSV and it's one of the best baitcasters i've ever used. i could roll cast a live prawn without sinker around 30m with it.

[namyau]

i dont mind the look of the curado but i had a play with one and i didnt really like it that much - where as with daiwa i have severl spin reals and am very very happy with them

[Mozza]

I have an Abu Revo and its great .. i can easy cast small lures like sx 60's with it without any trouble at all. Plus it has extremely strong drag ... i think equivalent to a TLD 25, up to 12kgs of drag??)

[Tom B]

First off mate are you left or right handed? cos if your right handed then it will be better to get a right handed baitcaster.

Secondly, i dont own any of the above mentioned reels but i do own 5 top of the line daiwas and i cant fault them.

[namyau]

Tom B wrote:

First off mate are you left or right handed? cos if your right handed then it will be better to get a right handed baitcaster.

Secondly, i dont own any of the above mentioned reels but i do own 5 top of the line daiwas and i cant fault them.

i can use both hands to wind but i find it more comfortable to wind with left hand - with a $150 budget from the gf i know there isnt much on offer

[Terry H]

Mozza wrote:

I have an Abu Revo and its great .. i can easy cast small lures like sx 60's with it without any trouble at all. Plus it has extremely strong drag ... i think equivalent to a TLD 25, up to 12kgs of drag??)

if I'm not mistaken, the way revos are advertised thats how much drag it takes to initially pull line off the reel, after that its a bit less drag....

[bigtez]

namyau wrote:

Tom B wrote:

First off mate are you left or right handed? cos if your right handed then it will be better to get a right handed baitcaster.

Secondly, i dont own any of the above mentioned reels but i do own 5 top of the line daiwas and i cant fault them.

i can use both hands to wind but i find it more comfortable to wind with left hand - with a $150 budget from the gf i know there isnt much on offer

With baitcasters, generally the hand you wind with will be the hand you use to cast. So unless you can cast well left handed I would go for a right handed model. I use my left hand to wind in spin/fly reels and right hand to wind BC's as I can then use my dominant hand to cast with.

[WayneD]

I just got the Advantage 153HSTA. More BB's than a tierra and has the swept handle. It's a popular reel for the guys up north chasing barra from the reviews I read. Would suit you to a tee for chasing threadies and jew.

Cost was $160 delivered to my door from a states ebayer. Took under 2 weeks for delivery.

If you want I can PM you the link to the guys store to see if he still has some.

[namyau]

thanks wayne - the last 2 days ive been researching on them all and yeah i have looked at the advantage 153hsta left hand and played with dans as well nice reel but since its my gf buying it for me as a gift and she dosnt have a full time job i dont want to go over the budget she has give me. this is her bday pressie to me (birthdays not for another month though ) and i dont want to look unappreciative and fork out extra $$$

[Mack_attack]

yeh that could be a wise move.

From your list i'd probably go the tierra, Stu had/has one and he said that he liked it.

[namyau]

cool plan is to go to tackle store after work and have a play with the tierra and maybe over to anaconda cos i know they have the megaforce

[TUR82]

Of all the above mentioned reels the tierra would definately be my pick. Although having said that I bought a megaforce for bass and have had no problems with it. And the twitchin' bar is a cool little added extra. For the cost of a megaforce I reckon they're a great little reel. But if i were u and i was using it on threadfin etc. I would get the tierra.

Brock

[Dan23]

I totally disagree with people who say use your right hand to wind if you're right handed. I used to do it like that but trained myself to wind with the left with spinning and BC and I now have far more control of my lure and I'll never look back. Also I can easily cast with my right hand and then just engage the reel with the left hand as I start to wind, it makes complete sense

[adri4n]

I back dan up on this one. For years right handed fishos have used a right handed retrieve on their bait-caster, but that just means you'll need to swap hands after you cast. While some people might like this, personally I like using my left hand on the retrieve as I have my dominant hand (right) holding the rod. But then again, it all boils down to personal preference.

Anyway, I have a shimano curado as well and I'm rather happy with it. haven't used it for a while but I got it rather cheap second hand off ebay. And namyau, if you just want to get a left handed baitcaster to play around with, motackle have still got the trion 46 and 66lh round baitcaster for round about $40. I've got the 66lh and they are big for casting plastics and stuff but I use them for live baiting and I think they are great for the price. just bear in mind the 46 is listed as being only for use in fresh water on the pfleuger website

[namyau]

adri4n wrote:

I back dan up on this one. For years right handed fishos have used a right handed retrieve on their bait-caster, but that just means you'll need to swap hands after you cast. While some people might like this, personally I like using my left hand on the retrieve as I have my dominant hand (right) holding the rod. But then again, it all boils down to personal preference.

Anyway, I have a shimano curado as well and I'm rather happy with it. haven't used it for a while but I got it rather cheap second hand off ebay. And namyau, if you just want to get a left handed baitcaster to play around with, motackle have still got the trion 46 and 66lh round baitcaster for round about $40. I've got the 66lh and they are big for casting plastics and stuff but I use them for live baiting and I think they are great for the price. just bear in mind the 46 is listed as being only for use in fresh water on the pfleuger website

thanks for your tip but yeah ill stick with low profile version reels

[Feral]

I use both left and right handed baitcasters, the hand I cast with is the hand that stays on the rod. Makes casting all day very easy.

I like the daiwa Advantage 153, my favourite reel, but it is touchy. (Change the lure weight and you MUST change the settings), My Curado and Scorpion are not as smooth or nice to cast, but they are bullet proof. Same settings to cast a 50mm lure or 150mm lure!

[Tom B]

I totally disagree with people who say use your right hand to wind if you're right handed. I used to do it like that but trained myself to wind with the left with spinning and BC and I now have far more control of my Lure and I'll never look back. Also I can easily cast with my right hand and then just engage the reel with the left hand as I start to wind, it makes complete sense

This would be true if you used the same grip to cast and retrieve like you can with spin gear.

But when i cast a baitcaster i like my grip to be behind the reel so i can "thumb" the spool, then i can change hands and "palm" the reel with my left hand while i retrieve with my right.

Anyway heres a link that has helped develop my fishing style

http://sportsfish.com.au/fishing/lure-fishing/left-or-right.html

[toadievoluzion]

i agree with tom B. with baitcasters, the way u hold the reel when casting is different from the way u palm the reel when fishing so a switch of hand is essential. also, you can see most reel manufactuers like shimano, daiwa and abu tend to offer more right handed reels and there's a reason for that.

the advantage is a pretty nice reel but i think daiwa advantage coastal inshore would be a better reel in the salt. none of the above mentioned reels are touchy really. reels like steez 103, TD-Z 103M and alphas ITO AI are seriously touchy reels though.

[Feral]

I use the same grip, no problems, and what you call a right handed baitcaster is perfect for a left hander casting with their left hand, winding with their right!

[fishyman]

i know the next BC i buy wil be left hand wind

changing hands gives me the shits, plus that way my dominant hand is imparting the action into the lure and fighting the fish

[namyau]

fishyman wrote:

i know the next BC i buy wil be left hand wind

changing hands gives me the shits, plus that way my dominant hand is imparting the action into the lure and fighting the fish

thats exactly what i think

[fishyman]

[Cowfish13]

It's not really a competiton guys:D haha

I cast right and wind right-handed. Might be wrong, but eh, works for me:)

[pinkey]

I use and love right hand wind for spinning reels as i dont juggle, and it feels natural. But with baitcasters i do juggle, so my next will probs be left hand wind, so i can do one hand casts without juggling.