So I was pulling reels apart the other day and cleaning them and oiling them, all the good stuff you should do. I pulled apart a few cheaper spinning reels, wiped them down and greased them and they ran a little better. Then I started wiping down my Stradic reels. These things were grimey! I noticed that they still felt smooth as out of the box though. So I pulled them apart to oil a little and noticed that there is an o-ring around the bail assembly keeping dust and dirt out. As dirty as the outers were, the inners were spotless! I also realized that they had a bearing assembly far superior to the others I had messed with.

I realized now why they were more expensive than other reels. Long story short.... you get what you pay for. If you spend little on reels, you'll most likely get little. Who cares if you can buy 3 reels for the price of a quality one if they last maybe a year?? I bought 5 Curados SP's in 2005 and everyone of them still work today without a hitch. The Stradics were used that I bought from Smitty in 2006 I think and still flawless.

Now I am not being partial to Shimano, even though that is the only reel I buy. I'm sure other companies make quality reels. I'm just saying to save your money and buy a better reel and I'm sure it will pay off for years to come. With the rain on the west side and dust on the east side, and a pass to cross in between, our reels take a beating. Buy ones with quality parts that will last. And be sure to keep up your maintenance. So next time you go fishing you won't hear that click when you cast or reel in the fish of a life time.