Saw this thread and thought I might contribute to it...
So here we go!
Product: Shakespeare Tidewater 2000
Type: Spin Reel
Price: $75.99
Quality: Poor Quality - Drag is rubbish, clunky to wind the handle, handle becomes loose after a few retrieves, but the handle knob is fair.
Experience: Only used it once - caught a couple bream on it fine in close quarters, then started using it on the flats where long casts where needed. And the problems begun, the spool would begin to lock-up on the reel with a loose drag, the bail arm and handle begun to come loose after punching long casts out and putting pressure on the reel trying to get some flathead in made the spool lock-up even worse..
Rating: 1/5 - Complete lemon for that price, don't buy it! not worth it
Ideal Match-Up Rod: Nothing! Leave it in the glass box at the tackle store.