Best fishing reel ever made.

[Wreckfish]

In your opinion what is the best fishing reel ever made.  It can be old, new. conventinal, spinning, what ever critera, your choice, just give a few reasons why.

My vote would be the Penn Jigmaster.  I have two that are almost 30 years old and they work just as well today as they did 30 years ago.
I can still get parts for them. I use them for offshore/inshore bottom fishing, jigging blues. stripers. They don't have all the bells and whistles like today's reels but they are solid workhorses and you can pick them up on Ebay for $30 

[Art Berkman]

The Penn Squidder  !

Why ?

Because I said so 

[Pops Soul]

  Glad to see I'm not the only guy who loves those old Penns, Plus they are easy to service   I still use a couple Jig masters, and a couple Long Beach 65's and also a 210. I have seen them at some of the flea markets from 20 to 30 bucks depending on condition.

[bassnblues]

I second the Jigmaster.

Penn is the Harley-Davidson of fishing to me. There's better technolgy out there but they have staying power.

[CapBob]

Love the older Penn's

[Bucktail]

Love the older Penn's

That looks like a newer model to me!

[CapBob]

Love the older Penn's

That looks like a newer model to me!

If you take care of them they hold up well

[Pfishingruven]

I am going with the Penn 700 series...the greenies and first year of black colored reels.  Great spinning/surf reels.  They are all work horses, easy to service and maintain and fish nicely.  However, they are not cheap to buy any longer.  With collectors and those just wanting the limited number to actually use, it is hard to find them less than $75, but they are still worth it.

Only older model Penns.  The "newer" models cost more in the long run and are very high maintenance .

 

[Capt -Jerry P]

I gotta agree with the Penn s/s jigmaster...

I actually look for the older ones with the metal spool they hold up better than the newer plastic ones.

They can take some abuse and are very easy to fix if they do break! You can also add many feature part to a jigmaster like handles etc.

Dont get me wrong there is a lot of nice new reels out there that work well and have great features!!!

But ya gotta give old faithful some respect!

[Treebeard]

In the category of all around SW conventionals,  I wholeheartedly agree with the Penns.. I would also add the Senator series to the list already mentioned.. In the lighter tackle category, my vote goes to the Abu-Garcia Ambassadeurs.. Lightwight, strong, smooth, and great casting.. And they stand the test of time.. I still have my 1st baitcaster.. an Abu 5500 I bought when I was a teenager ( i just turned 47).  IMO a 6500 with a power handle and some braid may be the perfect fluke reel    .. In spinning, I agree the Penn Z's are classics.. But from the standpoint of function, durability, and  versatility, I'll choose Shimano's Baitrunner series... IMO these where a true innovation and provided an extremely useful feature, at a time when other makers where competing to add glitz and gizmos to reels , that in reality did very little to aid in catching fish.   

[bassnblues]

How could I forget the Abu-Garcia Ambassadeurs 6500?...Good for everything from largemouth bass to stripers...I'm switching my vote.

[Capt -Jerry P]

Although i agree that the abu garicia is good reel

Over time some of the models had problems... some didnt... Like the push in bail button on the side plate which would stick... I also had problems with there drags going.

Maybe its just me but when i just private/fun fished years back i burnt through 4 reels from them pretty quickly between me and my father... although i loved the reel when working properly

Wrote the company and got no response... Then called i wasnt to happy with there customer service and never owned one since.

But i do hear most who use them love them.

[Bucktail]

I'll agree with everyone that the old Penns were just plain tanks!  I have a 160 that's probably 40 years old and still works great!  I don't use it all that much anymore, but I did bring it aboard the Cock Robin last year just to let it kick some bluefish butt!   I still have a 704 and a 550SS that are still in great shape as well.

Having said that, my pick is going to be the Shimano Calcutta.  I have a 400, 250 and a 150.  They were all bought in the 90s (the oldest being the 400 which is over 15 years old) and all three are as smooth as the day I got them.  I have, just recently, added some new bearings and drag washers. 

They are excellent casting reels, with strong drags, smooth retrieves and strong gears.  And I have caught everything from fluke to tog to stripers on them.

They definitely require more maintenance than the old Penns (or even the ABUs).  But I'm OK with that.

One testament to these reels are the countless knock-offs that they inspired since their introduction back in the early 90s.  Some examples are the AbuGarcia Morrum, Penn International 900 series, Daiwa Luna, as well as others by Tica, Okuma, etc.

Love 'em!

[bassnblues]

I'd have to knock the Calcutta's for a lack of power handle availability.

I loved my Penn 965 before it went for a swim.

[Capt -Jerry P]

They definitely require more maintenance than the old Penns (or even the ABUs).  But I'm OK with that.

One testament to these reels are the countless knock-offs that they inspired since their introduction back in the early 90s.  Some examples are the AbuGarcia Morrum, Penn International 900 series, Daiwa Luna, as well as others by Tica, Okuma, etc.

Love 'em!

Wow Myself and those i know must have very bad luck with reels...they def dont hold up to salted clam seabassing for us

Waynes Big calcutta spends more time in the shop then on his rod and two of the small ones couldnt even hold up to river fluking and Flounder fishing.

For the price ya pay its even more frustrating... Better off with a knock off for a quarter the price and throw it out when it breaks throw it out... because imho opinion
Ya get around the the same life span.

I factor cost into what makes a reel good and how its holds up/ durability and how ya have to maintain it.

i dont want to take a shower and go to sleep witha reel to have it work next i use it!!!

Dont extensively wash an expensive calcutta and it breaks...

Never wash a $30 used ss jigmaster and its last forever.
And one was made way before the other it doesnt make much sense to me...

Great post i love seeing all the options and how products work for others.

Surprised nobody said their avet yet

[Capt. Birch]

How could I forget the Abu-Garcia Ambassadeurs 6500?...Good for everything from largemouth bass to stripers...I'm switching my vote.

Also very good for yellowfin tuna and dorado   will post picks when I get a chance  

[bassnblues]

The big Penn's are workhorses without a doubt...

I'm looking at it as if I had to choose one reel to use for everything I like to do for the rest of my life...I'd have to go with an Abu 6500.

[Capt. Birch]

Most reels are good if they don't get used much
I like Jerry have to look at things a little different when it come to reels. A  Penn 525 mag is a nice reel right out of the box... but it becomes a nice coffee grinder after a few weeks of bottom fishing. The jigmaster,squidder and senators are pretty much indestructible. Abu 6500 is also a true work horse and worth every penny. Last season I tested a few 6500 knock offs(half the price) that performed great and were built as well as the originals. Bottom line is I need a reel  that can handle  4 or 5 hundred fish a week,reel against a very tight drag, not scratch easily, is not affected by gobs of clam and saltwater, only needs a quick rinse and that I can complain about when it breaks. Squidder and jigmaster fit the bill very well.

[Bucktail]

I'd have to knock the Calcutta's for a lack of power handle availability.

I loved my Penn 965 before it went for a swim.

Not sure what you mean about that B&B.  I have the older power handle (top pic).  The bottom pic is the newer one.  You should be able to order it directly from Shimano.

I have the Penn 955.  It's a nice reel too, but I still prefer my Calcuttas.

[bassnblues]

Capt Birch: Yes, a charter Capt definitly has different concerns than a weekender like myself.

bucktail: those look like Calcutta TE's. Is a power handle available for the regular Calcutta 400's?