Up front, must add the Tica Cetus SS500 for a micron-size spinning reel, and a $45 price point.
I've fished mine 10 years now on my salt XUL.


This reel is also made in a slightly larger 800 size.
A friend on corpusfishing has this reel and also recommends Daiwa BG 1500, which steps us up to pretty much all the modern 1000-2000 UL size reels.

The Daiwa 500C "was" the goto reel for threadlining. I have about 20 of these little jewels along with another couple dozen of the Shimano MLZ 10. I had aquired several AXUL 500's as well. Tinkering with the Daiwa and the MLZ, I pitted them against each other. To my surprise I found the Shimano MLZ to be a much more superior reel to the 500C. Much bigger diameter shaft, bigger main bearing, one more gear on the ratio, the pinion reaches all the way back to the frame support for incredible strength. Little longer handle on the MLZ They each have their own "distinctive" different drag system designs. Steel anodized oscillator, cold forged spool also on the MLZ. A little further tinkering with the AXUL and I found out it is the NEW graphite version of the all metal MLZ with a more conventional drag system. They are tough as nails and IMO are one of the best out there ever made unless you get into the worm gear driven reels. They have no instant anti-reverse either. I have never had a Tica Cetus 500 YET!
I have the Sahara 500 with the Hagane gears for about $75 and have added bearings in the handle and CF Drags and it performs flawless, I bought two more I'm hoarding back.

there's something to be said for going to the 1000 and 2000 size reels.
Especially in Shimano and Daiwa, the 500, 1000 and 2000 size reels use the same size reel bodies, different length handles.

A slight difference in spool diameter, but a significant difference in spool stroke (and spindle).

If your goal is casting distance, you gain a lot more with a 1000-2000 size reel,

If you're looking at high grade light materials like the composite CI or magnesium (Vanquish), there's no real weight difference
(the Vanquish is the lowest inertia - lowest moving mass - reel ever made).
And of course you also gain worm-gear oscillation with the higher grade reels, and the excellent line management that brings


The Soare CI4+500S weighs 140g,
while in C2000 sizes, it weighs 160-180-g, depending on which longer spool/stroke.
The Vanquish C2000S is 145g.
These are Shimano's two highest-grade UL reels.

If you want most of these features for half the cost of those flagship models, look at the Shimano Stradic 1000 sizes, FK, FL, and CI4+

you're welcome - except picking up Ticas beginning 10 years ago, I was happy with my Penn 4200SS, but I've really fished through it.
As smooth as Ticas are for $45-95 reels, when you get to $200 reels, they'll bowl you over, and built so you are unlikely to fish through them.
Yes, they keep it confusing by giving flashy names to common technology applied by different companies.
As a metallurgist and PE, it's pretty easy for me to look past the hype and see the technology.
"Hagne gears" = forged alloy
"X-Protect" = labyrinth seals, etc.
I also have a thing for metal reels.

that's a pretty combo MtPisgah.. a Shakespeare 2052 would be the perfect reel for the rod though ;-)

recently acquired a hand-down Mitchell Avocet 500, it's functional, smooth with a decent drag. But nothing like a classic Mitchell. I'll give it to my son for his Boundary Waters trip, load up with 8lb in case they run into pike..



It was on a Berkley graphite with a busted tip, pitched that rod and bought a Bass Pro Microlite glass rod for $20, 6'6" for 2-6lb line. It's surprisingly nice, not a quick action still faster than a Wonderod, and classic glass flex. Hopefully it will be tough enough to survive the portages..

One reel that i'm curious about is the Daiwa SS 700 tournament. Never tried it, but it seems popular with people who wants a new old school reel.

The 700SS is arguably one of the best reels ever made and they still making them. And they are a puzzle inside, but fun to tinker with and supertune. Worm gear drive, excellent drag, (better with CF replacement), readily available bearing upgrades, the turn off for most folks is no instant anti-reverse.

Already thinking about the ss700, the responses made me finally going after one.

And i got my Tica Cetus SS500 two weeks ago, have not tried it yet. In size it feels much like my Micron, but spool diameter is remarkable smaller.

Perfect for me then, I only do freshwater and mono. Except for occasionally using nanofil.