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What To Look For
The Shimano R 2000 spinning reel is an inexpensive reel that can fulfill the needs of the average angler. It has a line capacity of 170 yards for six-pound test and 100 yards for the ten-pound variety. The gear ratio is 4.1 to 1 and one turn of the handle brings in 21 inches of line. The reel comes with an anti-reverse button on the back and a bottom drag adjuster. The reel easily handles fish as large as 15-pound carp and holds up over the course of a fishing season to the typical wear and tear that reels go through. As a first fishing reel for a child or novice angler the Shimano R 2000 is a solid choice. It also serves well as a back-up reel that the angler does not have to baby when in the field.
Common Pitfalls
After a great deal of use, the Shimano R 2000 will begin to feel "loose" to the angler and not retain much of its original smoothness as the angler reels in line. This will take approximately a season and a half of very hard fishing action to occur. Over time, the angler will more than likely have to flip the bail to the closed position by hand, as it will not go automatically.
Where To Buy
Walmart occasionally carries the Shimano R 2000, typically at the beginning of the fishing season. Your neighborhood tackle shop owner can order this reel from her Shimano catalogs if you cannot find it elsewhere. The Tackle Direct online fishing site carries this reel.
Cost
The cost of a Shimano R 2000 is around $10. The reel will work best on a medium action fishing rod. Such a rod appropriate for this type of reel costs around $15 making the combo quite inexpensive at $25.
Comparison Shopping
The Shimano R 2000 is inferior engineering wise to reels with similar line capacity and gear ratios created by other name companies such as Shakespeare and Penn. However, it is an excellent purchase for the money, coming in far less expensive but still having a brand name. The reel will last the angler for a couple of fishing seasons before beginning to deteriorate and perform poorly. For the price paid for it that is more than an angler should expect.
