Daiwa SSII Spinning Reel (Guest Review)
by Duane Richards

I never have been a huge fan of spinning reels, but with that said, I still needed one. Don't we all need what we don't have when it comes to fishing? I settled on an upper price range Shimano and purchased 2. Buy having 2 identical rods and reels, this made transition from one bait to the next extremely easy just by dropping one rod and picking up the other.

After using the reels for nearly a year, I decided that there HAD to be better out there, thus, began my search for the "right" spinning reel for me. I put my Shimano's up for sale and hit the Cabela's and the like wish books, right away, looking for all the right bells and whistles.

After wishbooking about every reel out there, I decided that the Daiwa SSII 2000C was worth taking a ride to the local tackle shop and feeling. Yes, I said feeling. After all, if it doesn't feel good to you, numbers and stats mean near nothing, right?

I jumped in the truck and went shopping, something us "men" rarely do unless forced to do so by the better half. Once at the local bait hole, there were many spinning reels to choose from. I fondled each and every one at the shop several times, on so many occasions, the owner, which I had known for years, just let me pop behind the counter and tear them all out to play.

Each and every time I picked up the Daiwa SSII 2000C, it just had a totally different personality compared to all the others. I knew in the back of my mind it was the reel for me. Forking over the $149.99 was the hard part! Each time I touched the reel, it spoke this sweet feeling to my old paws. Kinda like some of the local weather and news girls, some are "easy" on the eyes and others are not.

I soon sold my Shimano's and knew right away what had to be done. I went back to the local fishing hole and told the owner there was no looking this trip, it was time for his patience to be rewarded. With a smile that you will not see at smallmart, the deed was done. I had one brand new Daiwa SS II 2000C and it was time to hit the net for the second one (bait shop owner only had one).

At the recomendation of a friend, I found www.eangler.com, a site I now highly recommend. They have free shipping on all orders, I might add. I placed the order and it arrived in 2 days with no special shipping, and a $50.00 free gift certificate (that I knew nothing of) for any new order! Not bad, huh?

Since then, I have put these reels to the test on several lakes, rivers, and streams. They have been dunked on float trips, dropped, used and abused, without one single problem at all, not one. They have landed everything from 40" Muskies to 30lb. Flathead Catfish, all on 10lb. line. The drag on the 2000C is by far the smoothest drag on any spinning reel I have ever had the pleasure of touching. The word "smooth" just doesn't do it any justice. "Unreal" does a better job in my opinion. The drag is more like that of a $300.00 baitcasting reel, a pleasure to use, and even better, listen to it "sing" as Mr. Smalljaws pulls your string.

Rather than go into every little stat issue, I'll just list them below. After all, like I said before........to "feel" this reel in your hand, compared to any other in its price range, is where it shines the best.

Thats what we all want, isn't it? A fine product for a fair price? This one surely fits that bill!