Christmas present to me was $150 to put towards a nice baitcaster combo set. I bought this one today but honestly my cabelas didn't have much and it seems like the reviews aren't great, so I'm considering returning it.
I fish freshwater bass almost exclusively but wouldn't mind something more versatile as my lake is stocked with tons of stuff. Usually I just use some hand me down spinning reels, this is my first bait caster although I'm somewhat familiar with them.
Is this a good combo? Or is there better value with something else? I read some basic recommendations online forums but they just seem like ads, looking for some real opinions. Thanks
Posted by kyle007US
2 Comments
I see Daiwan Tatulas marked down to $100 which is a great price. I’d grab one of those and throw it on an ugly stick gx2 or an abundance Garcia vengeance rod.
Best bang for your buck is gonna be a daiwa aird-x rod for $60 paired with a shimano slx (115), Daiwa Fuego (130) or a Daiwa tatula if you can find a sale. That puts you at $175-$190 which is 25-40 over budget.
What you get for that extra though is an aluminum framed reel, much smoother casting, a much better braking system, and a more sensitive rod with more premium parts.
In practical terms you’re looking at the mlf which you can expect to work decently for a season or two, or the shimano/daiwa that will last much longer and perform much better under harsher conditions.