Like: Shimano Sienna Spinning reels 2500 & 4000- for the money (30-40 dollars) and durabilty it's my favorite frog and jog reel.
Dislike: Daiwa Exceller- after less than 3 months the reel started making sounds and the drag system blows!
Like: Snagproof frogs- even though they aren't the most realistic frog, the durability and hook-up ratio is top notch...plus you can throw them a mile! A close second & third is Kopper's Live Target followed by the Pad Crusher.
Dislike: Trilene Flouro....sucks to cast in my opinion!
Like: Strike King Bitsy Jig- I'm new to fishing the jig consistently but I love the fact that you can catch quanitity and quality!
I just bought a Daiwa exceller bait cast reel. Brand new out of the box I didn't like the way it was reeling. It felt sluggish. I took it apart to find one big glob of grease on the gears. I cleaned it all up and relubed it. It casts and reels smooth.
I have a couple spinning reel Daiwa's and they still perform below my expectations which is why I haven't used them in 3 years. I hope you have better luck with the baitcaster Bud!