First baitcaster? What are you planning on doing with it? Lots of room for plenty of discussion on makes and models and speeds and feeds. I use Calcutta's a lot but my Lews get a BUNCH of abuse and I have only had one of my five die in ten years of fishing and even it isn't really dead. Stay away from Quantum,Abu,and cheap! and if you can't afford the big buck stuff,then keep saving as those reels will make you happier for a longer time...My .02...Then of course theres the rod! ever notice that it might just be tackle that makes the differance between angling and fishing? Thats why 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. However one must make allowences for the clueless bigbucks guy who looks good while he's throwing cranks into 70 feet of water.