Choosing an inexpensive non-inertial reel: alternatives to Daiwa and Shimano

This article is a continuation of the previous one on the same topic, here too we will talk about choosing a budget reel, but not only in terms of general rules and principles, but also in relation to specific companies and models. For many years through the hands of an active fisherman passes a lot of different gear, and I have been in the hands of many reels in my life. But today I will try to remember just the most inexpensive of them, without the participation of market leaders – Shimano and Daiwa.

Unfortunately, life is still expensive, money is getting cheaper, and many of us, alas, it is not always affordable to buy the highest quality gear from recognized world brands. But the market of fishing goods is large, and any niche in it is quickly filled, so any gear can find an alternative, let not as durable as the products of Japanese masters, but quite workable.

In order not to look like an advertiser of any brands, I will probably tell my story, telling about the reels of budget class, which I had a chance to use, alphabetically.

Abu Garcia, Allux/ Alcedo

So, I have quite a long list on the letter “A”, and Abu Garcia will start it alphabetically. I have a lot of things connected with the name of this Swedish company in my formation as a fisherman, it is my first wobbler, and much, much more. But if we are talking about reels, especially inexpensive ones, my personal experience is unequivocally in favor of this fishing brand, whose reels confidently occupy the honorable third place in the list of world leaders after Shimano and Daiwa. Time, of course, does not stand still, the lineup of each company is updated, so not all the reels I would like to talk about are available and even in production.

But in general it is Abu Garcia company that has stability in the design of its inertia-free devices, which uses its own scheme of rocker mechanism, which in most models is built into a durable monoblock body with maximum rigidity, which increases the durability of this Swedish mechanics. And if the top models of the company are not much cheaper than their Japanese competitors, then in the budget segment of the company it is quite possible to find inexpensive and very high quality working reels for reasonable money.

For me, for example, two models of budget “Abushka” left the most pleasant memories. The first was the model Orra 2 SX, this reel in its 20th size corresponds to the “Japanese” in size 2500. The reel is equipped just perfect in technical terms, and its mechanics works flawlessly. This thing has served me for many seasons and now it is also used on the fishing rod of a friend. For 99 European “rubles” recommended retail price at the time of its purchase is an excellent tackle, without any problems, like all its closest relatives from the company’s lineup, which differ from each other in design, spool capacity, gear and handles. That is, in the range of the company has a lot of similar reels for plus or minus the same money and you can choose any reel according to those specifications that are more interesting to you.

With Abu Garcia I have a lot to do with my development as an angler

There are quite a few similar reels in the range for plus or minus the same money

The second Abu Garcia reel that I remember and that I still occasionally fish with exclusively mono fishing line is the Abumatic 276Ul closed reel. Closed type reel is best suited for various small rivers and streams, where tall grass and other vegetation mixed with cobwebs and fluff are trying to wind up on the spools of other reels. Closed reel is not threatened by all this. The only limitation when fishing with such reels is the impossibility to use braided cords. The model continues the glorious tradition of closed reels Abumatic, known since the 70s of the last century and became one of the company’s calling cards. For very little money it is an excellent choice for both light spinning and float fishing.

For very little money, it’s a great choice for both spinning and float fishing

Next on my “A” list are several reels from the Italian brand Allux/Alcedo. Not so long ago Italian fishing enthusiasts have revived their old brand, which produced inertia-free reels of their own design at the dawn of modern reel building, so to speak. Perhaps some of the readers still have these cute at that time reels, in the body, which today the company Daiwa would call “Monocoque”. As you can see, much so-called new is often quite forgotten old.

Perhaps some of the readers still have these nice looking reels of those times

Under the brand name Alcedo the company now offers the most budget gear, including a number of reels, of which I quite successfully fished ultralight with the Spin S3 reel, which is equipped with more than solid six bearings in the most correct places and weighs 195 g. The only feature is a rather deep spool, which is due to the European preference for fishing mono fishing, otherwise it is a good reel for light tackle for very, very little money.

I have successfully fished ultralight with the Spin S3 reel

But under the brand Allux you can find a little more expensive, but more interesting reels for a variety of fishing. Among several Allux reels, which I managed to fish with in my life, I was very impressed by their ultralight little ones, especially remembered the Carbon Area Evo model. The reel is equipped with various useful “pluses”, such as protection from water and dirt, shallow spool, all its nodes are equipped with bearings, but the most important thing is that it really works perfectly with the finest braided threads, without any loops and other troubles. With this reel I constantly caught myself thinking that I do not notice it at fishing just like top reels from Daiwa and Shimano, and this is worth a lot, and is not always found among budget reels.

I’ve been catching myself thinking that I don’t notice it when fishing in the same way as the top of the line reels from Daiwa and Shimano

Balzer

On the letter “B” in my list there is something from the Balzer company , once it was an old German brand, and who owns it today, I honestly do not know. But they still make reels with German meticulousness, including very famous feeder reels, even with the support of famous German champions of this fishing, such as Zammataro, the name of which is named after a part of the reels, one of which I successfully used in spinning. It is a weighty and quite powerful reel Master Piece Zammataro 8400. It was just lent to me by a fellow angler when I found myself without a reel by coincidence on one of my fishing trips. By sensations the reel worked not inferior to Zauber and Exia from Ryobi, with which it was close by its TTC, but due to the wider spool the throwing with it was obviously farther. During a few days I fished without problems on that trip with this reel from Balzer, which made me look again with interest and respect at the reels of this ancient brand.

By feel, the reel performed just as well as the Zauber and Exia from Ryobi

DAM

Next in my reel alphabet are reels with the letter “D”. We are talking about reels of another ancient German brand DAM. Their reels I happened to catch a lot and often in my time, back in the early noughties, until now a couple of “DAMochka” lies in my desk, rather shabby, they now continue to serve as devices for rewinding cords and fishing lines on other reels. Of modern reels, DAM products are definitely worth paying attention to. This is a very balanced combination of price and quality in the modern market of budget tackle, this applies not only to reels of all systems, but also to the rest of the range of the company.

From modern reels DAM is definitely worth paying attention to

Mitchell

Now, alphabetically, the turn came to the letter “M” and reels of the old French brand Mitchell. In my humble opinion, this is the second company, after the Swedish Abu Garcia, whose reels should be considered as a very serious alternative to the Japanese market leaders. Once our Leningrad factory LEMZ produced reels based on Mitchell models, and they were definitely the best inertia-free reels of the Soviet time. Today the company is part of an American concern, but under the Mitchell name they continue to create very popular reels on the European market, among which there are many budget models of excellent quality. First of all, I would recommend to choose from three hundred series reels – Mitchell 300, 308, 310 and their more equipped version with the prefix Pro. I have very pleasant memories of owning such a 310 series reel and a lot of different photos from successful fishing trips.

Today, the company is part of the American concern, but continues to create reels that are in demand in the European market

Mitchell’s “MX” series is also undoubtedly good, but there the reels will be more expensive, the top of the series, the MX-9 model, is a top reel for Mitchell, and I have it successfully competing for a couple of seasons with top “Japanese” reels, in no way inferior to them. At the same time, the price of the top “Frenchwoman” weighing 150g in a magnesium case is at the level of Japanese budget reels in graphite composite cases weighing 180-200g.

I have it successfully competes a couple of seasons with the top “Japanese”, in no way inferior to them

Ryobi

Next in my list are alphabetical reels with the letter “R” – Ryobi. Once a famous Japanese brand, which was among the world market leaders, creating the most unkillable reels, in its time gave up its positions and passed from hand to hand. But nevertheless, the design base, laid by the Japanese, continues to give its fruits and today in the market of budget reels Ryobi offer a lot of options for reels of different systems and “caliber”, and not only under its own sign, but also creating reels on the basis of their own for other companies. Sometimes such reels are better than the Ryobi prototypes themselves. I was not original in the choice of reels of this brand and loved the old “Excia”, for me Excia in different sizes, from 1000 to 4000, has always been a model of reliable pulling budget reel in a metal case with an infinitor and impeccable laying of cords with a wide cross pitch, which does not give braids a chance for all sorts of dropping loops and other incomprehensible “beards”.

The design base, laid by the Japanese, continues to bear fruit

Salmo

And at the end of my alphabet there are reels with the letter “S”. These are the reels of the Salmo company . I had a chance to buy one of the first of their inertia-free reels with an endless screw Salmo Grand Confidence. The reel turned out to be quite a good budget, perfectly coping with the laying of any cords, and when throwing added a few meters of range due to its wide spool. In general, it was then that I began to take this brand seriously, whose reels are still in use today among many acquaintances.

The reel turned out to be quite a good budget reel

This is my modest list of budget reels of non-Japanese origin, which I have successfully fished with at different times and have not experienced any problems. In general, you can always find an alternative to more expensive things, if you know where and what to look at when choosing. Surely experienced colleagues can add to my list of options, because no one can try everything in the world, and it is not necessary, it is enough to find something that suits and works without causing problems.

Author: Bob Nudd is an expert fisherman with over 20 years experience and winner of many competitions.