re: What baitcasters y’all using these days?

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Abu's and Lew's...

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Same. Although mine usually stay in fresh water.

I do have a very old AG Silvermax that I’ve used in salt water many times. Can’t kill that thing.

Diawa Tatula Sv Tw come in 6.3,7.3 & 8.1

Tatula Elite p/f or long cast

They are good casting reels with very low backlash

I throw fluorocarbon,mono & braid...I have grown to love the power pro Super 8 slick v2..

The coastal is smooth too...

Daiwa PT33p’s. Also have a few PT33c’s but they don’t get much use until the summertime when the water heats up.

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Tatula Elite p/f or long cast

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Looking at the specs I think the Elite is just a Coastal SV TW without the corrosion resistant bearings and a slightly smaller spool.

I'm a believer in the Chronarch. Especially the E series. I've got at least 20 of them. They are basically bullet proof.
The Tranx (new one) is a good reel but the jury is still out on it.
The newer Chronarch's cast well and they are light but they're not as durable as my E series.

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Especially the E series

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I've had my E Series Curado forever. Just put in ceramic bearings and carbontex drag discs.

Do you see much of a difference? I still have 5 200E7s that I’d like to upgrade

I've got a curado DC and a Sixhill Hamarr. I prefer the hamarr. I can really sling it compared to the curado.

I have a Revo X that I use in brackish water quite often. Its three years old, and still smooth as eggs. I fling a weightless fluke with that bad boy better than any other reel I have.

Although, I use my two cheapest reels for saltwater and they have held up fine over the past two years. A Lew's American Hero and a Pflueger President. I always rinse my reels really well and add a drop or two of oil after a brackish or saltwater trip. Seems to keep them rolling smooth.

I'll also bring my reels in every 18 to 24 months (depending on the amount of use) to be cleaned real good by Lake Charles Tackle.

I've only had to replace one reel so far because of damage, and thats because I stepped on it. It just so happens that it was my very first baitcaster, a Abu Promax. Worked great until then.

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Ok, so you have two groups that are the same. I forget the exact lineup

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You’re way oversimplifying it. There’s a lot more than two. And within any given name brand, there can two or three manufacturers located in several countries making their reels. The days of ‘just buy shimano or Daiwa’ are long gone. Shimano and Daiwa are now doing the Exact same thing as Lews, Abu, etc. on some of their reels as well.

Reel manufacturers are now located in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and China.

Reel brand names will buy reels from all of these manufacturers and slap their sticker on it. This can even be on a ‘per reel’ basis where a Abu reel model A could be made in Korea while Abu reel model B is made in Malaysia from a completely different manufacturer.

Confused yet?

Now that Shimano and Daiwa have started doing business this way, you basically have o discuss the merits of a brand name on a specific reel to reel basis.

The new Daiwa Zillion 1000 G. It’s $350. You think that’s made in Japan? Nope. Thailand.

That Daiwa CA 80. You think Daiwa makes that reel? Nope. Doyo in Korea.

This shite just goes on and on and on. It’s a cluster frick.

There is one more aspect of ‘brand loyalty’ though and that’s customer service. And Lews is still pretty much the best in that area. Even though they buy their reels elsewhere, they are very good about keeping their customers happy.