Looking for a first time baitcasting reel

[gearheart]

+1 on the lefy reel.  The right handed reels are for us leftys and those righties who are so hopelessly right handed that they have to cast right and crank right too. 

[danny b]

I regret getting my daiwa in right hand retrieve

[Jethro]

90% of them are right hand retrieves and it seems crazy to me. Lucky for me, the first one I bought I was stubborn and insisted on left hand.

I will tell you that the Bass Pro Shop reels are very reasonable and as good as most of us mere mortals need. $130 and it will be a very, very nice baitcasting reel. Do not submit to your temptation to get a cheap bait cast reel! An inexpensive spinning reel is something you can get away with, but a baitcaster is a different animal with the internal brake system. You will regret it if you buy a cheapo!

[danny b]

Got my Johnny Morris carbonlite on sale for $109 (normally $130) and its cast every bit as far as my $250 daiwa. With that being said the daiwa is still a lot better quality than the $130 bps reel