Introducing the Pflueger President Spinning Reel – One of the Finest Budget Spinning Reels I’ve Used

The Pflueger President Spinning Reel has become my primary reel ever since I purchased it a couple years ago.

I was doing some research on the best spinning reels and the President kept coming up as one for the price.

Since I’m always in the market for a deal and wanted to really see if this one was worth the praise it received, I picked it up for myself. I’m glad I did as it has been my trusted reel of choice ever since.

Smooth reeling, durable yet lightweight construction, and great stats have made it an easy choice and one I’m happy to have made.

Tale of the Tape for the Pflueger President Spinning Reel

When anglers are shopping for a new spinning reel they look for a reel that can handle the type of fishing they like to do. You can be very specific what type of reel you buy based on the species you like to fish for.

I’m the type of angler that likes my equipment to be versatile. I only want to pack one rod, one reel, and an assortment of baits depending on the fish.

While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the Pflueger President Spinning Reel for those interested in fishing offshore, you can target multiple species of inshore fish and several nearshore species with just the right sized reel.

The Pflueger President Spinning Reel is offered in five sizes. Here are the sizes and their general differences:

MODEL: PRESSP20X
MONO CAPACITY YD/LB – 200/2   100/4   80/6    MAX DRAG LB – 6 lbs    GEAR RATIO – 5.2:1    WEIGHT – 6.2 oz    RETRIEVE RATE – 20.2″	BEARINGS – 7 BRAID CAPACITY YD/LB – 180/4   125/6   100/8 ANTI-REVERSE  – Instant Anti-Reverse
MODEL: PRESSP25X
MONO CAPACITY YD/LB – 220/2   110/4   90/6    MAX DRAG LB – 8 lbs    GEAR RATIO – 5.2:1    WEIGHT – 7.5 oz    RETRIEVE RATE – 22.4″	BEARINGS – 10 BRAID CAPACITY YD/LB – 200/4   140/6   110/8 ANTI-REVERSE – Instant Anti-Reverse
MODEL: PRESSP30X
MONO CAPACITY YD/LB – 255/4   145/6   130/8    MAX DRAG LB – 10 lbs    GEAR RATIO – 5.2:1    WEIGHT – 8.8 oz    RETRIEVE RATE – 25.3″	BEARINGS – 10 BRAID CAPACITY YD/LB – 275/6   190/8   160/10 ANTI-REVERSE – Instant Anti-Reverse
MODEL: PRESSP35X
MONO CAPACITY YD/LB – 230/6   185/8   155/10    MAX DRAG LB – 12 lbs    GEAR RATIO – 5.2:1    WEIGHT – 10.7 oz    RETRIEVE RATE – 28.1″	BEARINGS – 10 BRAID CAPACITY YD/LB – 250/8   220/10   160/14 ANTI-REVERSE – Instant Anti-Reverse
MODEL: PRESSP40X
MONO CAPACITY YD/LB – 285/8   230/10   195/12    MAX DRAG LB – 14 lbs    GEAR RATIO – 5.2:1    WEIGHT – 11.5 oz    RETRIEVE RATE – 31.6″	BEARINGS – 10 BRAID CAPACITY YD/LB – 320/10   280/14   200/20 ANTI-REVERSE – Instant Anti-Reverse

By reviewing the table you can see, Pflueger makes a President reel for just about every freshwater species. Whether you’re fishing for Crappies and Bluegill or landlocked striped bass, you can find a President reel that will get the job done for you.

I use my reel primarily for trout and salmon fishing but have had no problem spooling braided line and hunting big largemouth. The drag gives me ultimate control on either species so I don’t have to worry about stressing the hardware too much or the line.

The Pflueger President Spinning Reel Feels Great In Your Hands

I love the fact this reel isn’t heavy at all. One of my biggest problems fishing is arm fatigue.

If you’re spending quite a bit of time casting you’re inevitably going to feel a little fatigued, which is only exasperated by heavy equipment. The Pflueger President is made with a graphite body which shaves the weight down to a comfortable range between 6 and 11 ounces.

Most of us eat more weight in steak than what this reel weighs.

You can be sure to smile after a few hours of fishing, searching for the next catch of a lifetime that the only soreness in your arm will be from pulling those great fish out of the water.

Despite its reduced weight, don’t think for a second that means flimsy. The president reelis solidly constructed made with quality parts and assembled nice and tightly. Everything about it feels solid, from the reel arm and the bail down to the casing.

Despite its budget price, the President feels anything but cheap. And with ten bearings (seven on the smallest reel), you can expect nothing less than smooth retrieval after each cast.

How Does The Pflueger President Spinning Reel Compare to the Competition?

Maybe you’re thinking of some of the other, more expensive name brand reels. That’s fine. Most reels are pretty high quality. But when it comes to pure price, there are not many better than the President. Let’s compare a few different reels…

Pflueger President PRESSP25X vs Penn Battle II BTLII1000

Penn reels is a very popular brand that has earned its reputation as one of the best reel manufacturers in the world. But, compared to the President line, does it warrant a price twice that of the President Spinning Reels?

Pflueger President PRESSP25X	Penn Battle II BTLII1000
Mono/Braid Capacity	Mono/Braid Capacity
Bearing Count	Bearing Count
Retrieve Rate	Retrieve Rate
Max Drag	Max Drag
Weight	Weight
Gear Ratio	Gear Ratio
Anti-Reverse	Anti-Reverse
Price	Price
More Details	More Details

As you can see, while the Penn Battle II gives you more room for line and a stronger drag, it falls short in most other categories against the President Spinning Reel.

Not a great comparison, especially considering the Penn Battle II is almost twice the price!

It is a Penn reel so you know it’s quality, but I’d pick the President over it.

Pflueger President PRESSP25X vs Okuma Avenger ABF ABF-20b

Okuma is another brand that has really penetrated the spinning reel market over the last decade.

Quality design and manufacturing separates the Avenger ABF from most other reels. But how does it stack up to the President?

Pflueger President PRESSP25X	Okuma Avenger ABF ABF-20b
Mono/Braid Capacity	Mono/Braid Capacity
Bearing Count	Bearing Count
Retrieve Rate	Retrieve Rate
Max Drag	Max Drag
Weight	Weight
Gear Ratio	Gear Ratio
Anti-Reverse	Anti-Reverse
Price	Price
More Details	More Details

This happens to be a pretty close comparison between reels, but I’d still give the edge to the President. In this case, the Okuma is priced slightly lower than the President but for the money you’re getting a much smoother, stronger, and lighter reel. Plus, the difference in price is nominal.

Pflueger President PRESSP25X vs Shimano Stradic ST1000HGFK

For our final comparison, I wanted to see how the President reel matched up against a much more expensive, well known brand reel. I chose the Shimano Stradic for its quality construction, worldwide name recognition, and stellar reputation as a great spinning reel.

Price is a big factor here and the Stradic is almost three times more expensive. Is it worth the tremendous price difference?

Let’s find out!

Pflueger President PRESSP25X	Shimano Stradic ST1000HGFK
Mono/Braid Capacity	Mono/Braid Capacity
Bearing Count	Bearing Count
Retrieve Rate	Retrieve Rate
Max Drag	Max Drag
Weight	Weight
Gear Ratio	Gear Ratio
Anti-Reverse	Anti-Reverse
Price	Price
More Details	More Details

If price were equal, I’d pick the Shimano based on the reduced weight and higher gear ratio. But given they are so drastically different, I feel I have to give the nod to the President. Both are certainly good choices but for the money, the President holds its own extremely well.

The Pflueger President Spinning Reel – More Than Just a Budget Reel

Fishing equipment is often talked about, debated, and compared by enthusiasts all over the world.

Anglers, like most other people, stay loyal to brands and products once they’ve enjoyed using them. There’s nothing wrong with that, because most often you’ll find a really good product.

But if you are looking to try something different, and you really don’t want to spend premium prices for a quality spinning reel, I highly recommend you try the Pflueger President Spinning Reel.

I believe I’ve shown throughout this article that as far as budget reels go, this one is tops.

This page was last updated on 2022-08-29. Affiliate links and Product Images are from Amazon PAAPI