Favorite Fishing - Soleus

Although I haven’t fished as much as I’d like this spring, I’ve been out enough to give a fair report on the Soleus baitcast reel from Favorite Fishing. I’ve got both the black and the red versions of this reel. They aren’t very flashy compared to some of the stuff in the Favorite line up. These are workhorse reels and are an excellent blend of value and performance.

From what I’ve seen this reel is a performer at a price point of 129.99 and it has done everything I’ve expected it to do. One thing I’ve really noticed is that it really casts a long ways. That can be attributed to the ceramic bearings (which should never be lubricated). Ceramics provide less friction which equal longer casts. The only drawback is that some people claim ceramic bearings are noisy. I don’t really notice much noise besides I have bigger things to worry about like making long casts and catching more fish. The drag has been smooth, reeling has been smooth, and I haven’t had any screws come loose on anything. Another feature I’ve really like so far is the build in hook keeper on the front of the reel. That has been handy for saving bait rash on the rod and reel.

The only drawback for me is that I prefer to add reel grips to the handle knobs. It makes them a bit more bulky and adds some comfort for me. Basic knobs and no line type/pound test dial are some of the only things you’ll notice separating them from a much higher price point reel. 6:6:1 and 7:3:1 are the available gear ratios for both right or left handed. It is always good to see all the gear ratios offered for a lefty like myself. Stop by the boat during tournament season this year and check them out or find them at any of their Michigan retailers (ClearH2O is carrying a variety of Favorite products).