Just my personal preference...but for a freshwater spinning reel I would go with a Shimano. The Shimano Sahara is around $80 and in my opinion, the best reel on the market for the money. The Symetre is in the same price range and is a solid reel as well. If you're going to up your price tag to $150, I'd agree with the Saros, and since I'm a fan of overspending and pricey gear
, the Ci4 would be my reel. The Ci4 is super-light as it has a carbon fiber frame that is substantially lighter and stronger than aluminum. These reels were designed for finesse fishing to handle super light lines. They're pretty sweet if you ask me.
That being said, I have a bunch of Saharas and they're the most dependable reels I own for their price point. I've tested hundreds of spinning reels in my lifetime and I have zero faith in anything that says Daiwa on it. Spend $80 on a Sahara and you'll have it for the rest of your life if you don't totally beat on it and send it in for service every few years.
