daiwa bg spinning reel 4000 BG4000 Saltwater Reel, 4000, 5.7: 1 Gear Ratio, 6+1 Bearings, 39.90" Retrieve Rate, 17.60 lb Max Drag, black/gold ABS causes less casting friction for longer and easier casting Daiwa Reel BG Spinning

I was a little skeptical about the retail price being that it's at the same price point as high performance Japanese reels but I've been blown away by the performance

Pros & Cons Pro: Highest review rating in this guide (4.6) across the largest sample after the Lew's Pro: $110 puts it in beater-budget territory while still feeling like a real reel Pro: Aluminum frame at this price is uncommon Con: Stock magnetic brake is on the conservative side

12, 9 to 11 a.m

At times a Striped Bass will miss your topwater plug or short strike

Better yet, go for auto-tuning systems like Svivlos CastGuard , which eliminates backlash entirely