Fishing on a budget.
Like most things here in 2026, bass fishing gear has gotten pretty expensive. It is incredibly easy to walk into a tackle shop and be completely overwhelmed by both the number of options, and the price tags, when it comes to selecting a reel. Fishing gear in general is overwhelming, and in many cases, “you get what you pay for” does hold true. But let’s be honest, you’re not fishing in the Bassmaster Elite Series… you don’t actually need to empty your life savings into a rod and reel combo.
Thanks to massive leaps in manufacturing technology over the last decade, the performance gap between “budget” and “premium” tackle has shrunk significantly. Today, you can easily find a durable, smooth-casting reel with good brakes and a solid drag system for less than a $100 bucks. Full stop. So if you want to build out your rod locker on a serious budget, here are the best baitcasting reels you can buy right now for under $100.
Here’s a few that I love from a handful of different brands:
KastKing
KastKing partnered with pro bass legend, Skeet Reese, in early 2024 on a new line of reels, to go with Reese Fishing’s line of rods, and the reels are pretty damn good. MLF angler Alton Jones Jr. uses them, I’ve seen MLF Bass Pro Series champ, Jacob Wheeler, using them in tournaments, plenty more top pros… but for $100 bucks, it’s a great option.
KastKing Skeet Reese Icon – $99.99
Abu Garcia
Abu Garcia is a staple in the bass industry with rods and reels at every price point. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional tournament angler, Abu Garcia has a reel to get the job done. I probably have about 5 or 6 different Abu reels across all levels of the pricing spectrum, and I promise you, you don’t have to spend $300 to get a really good real from them.
The Max5 Pro jumped up over $100, so no longer qualifies, but the Max5 X comes in at a shockingly low $65 bucks, and still gets the job done. I threw one of these on a cheap combo I was using for a power shot rig and I caught a TON of big fish on it this year.
Daiwa
Daiwa makes some of the best fishing reels in the world. Full stop. Personally, the Tatula Series is my bread and butter, but starting at $150 and going up, it is a little beyond the budget target that we’re trying to achieve in this particular gear guide. That being said, they have some phenomenal options for a bargain including the new-ish Aird 80.
If you’ve ever used their Aird X rod line, it’s extremely affordable for a quality rod, and now, we have the reel to go along with it.
Shimano
It’s hard to argue that the Shimano SLX isn’t one of the best bang for your buck reels in all of bass fishing. Ask anyone who has ever held one and they swear by them. But now at $115, we’re out of the $100 price range. So if you want to go just a little bit cheaper, the Caius is a great option too. That premium Shimano quality in a very affordable package.
*This post contains links through the Tackle Warehouse Affiliate Program. While all products are independently selected by our expert Riff Outdoors team, if you use these links to make a purchase, we may earn a commission.
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