Daiwa Ballistic EX Spinning Reels

If you're looking to buy a reel in the $200 range, this is the reel to buy. It's very light and smooth with plenty of power and has held up to plenty of abuse with little to no maintenance. I've had it for two years and have used it for everything from freshwater bass to schoolie dolphin and everything in between, and it's been nothing but a pleasure to fish. I look forward to Daiwa's Ballistic LT coming this October.

Happy with this reel so far , nothing beats the test of time . finish is beautiful , aluminum spool with typical line lock on spool rim. Handle stem is a beautiful anodized finish , handle / knob is a hard material that feels good in the hand . I have not "dunked" the reel ion fresh or saltwater so I can't speak to the MAGNASEAL feature ..as I said ,time will tell. A side by side comparison with the Shimano CI4 ...selo ita a Ford chevy thing . I Fisher the Shimano CI4 is an outstanding reel But after looking at both in person ,side by side and talking with a three tacle shop owners (one in MA. one in FL and one in CT. and all three Said the DAIWA was more durable with constant use and overall.

great light weight reel use both freshwater and salt water.. very smooth and light weight

A local tackle shop owner recommended I try this reel out and I'm sure glad he did. It is the smoothest reeling reel I have ever owned and light enough to cast all day. I used it mainly for speckled trout this fall, the drag was super smooth and handled 22" specks with ease.

I use this reel inshore fishing for reds and specs. I went up to the 2500 size to take advantage of the powerful drag, 15.4 lbs max, which is more than I need, while keeping the weight very low 8.6 oz. The light weight allows not only helps me fight fatigue, but it balances well with my rod so I can feel even the tiniest bite. Sometimes you get that bite from behind where the trout hits the lure and runs straight at you. With this reel, I have more than enough speed to keep that line tight in these situations. I really love this reel. I have used it about 15 times and have dunked it in the saltwater on a few trips. This was accidental and I was very glad that the dunk into the saltwater caused no problems. I guess that magseal really works. Oh, and with a flip of my wrist, I can cast farther than my friends. I wade fish, so I cast all day long and I don't have tangles. Zero wind knots, never. The only problem I have and this might be partly user error is that about 2-3 times per day, I wind up to cast and I find that somehow the bail has not been opened and has slipped back shut on me. I don't know if this is because it is in just the right position where it closes easily or what is going on, but occasionally this happens and it looks a little funny. A couple of times it has caused my flourocarbon leader to snap and my soft plastic and jig go flying. But this is minor and I think if I pay more attention I can completely eliminate this. I have had it about 3months, which is not enough time to tell yet, but so far the anti-reverse is still working correctly. I have had problems with other reels where it gets sticky and quits working. I really wish there was not a switch to ever turn the anti-reverse off as I don't use it, especially when fishing inshore.

With this reel set up with g loomis pro greens 883. Works out great

smooth drag and handle, light but very delicate

Great for light inshore and freshwater super smooth

Great reel for the price I wish it was a little cheaper though

I was looking for a lightweight reel to pair with my St. Croix Mojo surf 9 footer (MSS90MM2), and decided to give this Ballistic EX a go. Couldn't be happier with this reel. Though it's light in weight, it has a very solid feel to it. The drag is silky smooth, and it lays down braid quite evenly. The handle is comfortable, as well. Overall, this is a great reel for the money.

I purchased the 3000 and I have to say I am impressed. I am a shimano guy mostly however after picking up this reel I had to have it. I have been fishing it heavily for inshore and light offshore applications for the past 7 months and it is a sturdy well made reel. I fish salt water only and have caught 20-40+ lb inshore species with this reel with out any issues. I paired it with a 7 ft star seagis fishing mostly for snook, small tarpon, red fish, and large black drum. The drag is smooth and the reel is light weight. You can throw this thing all day