Affordable performance: Shimano Symetre 1000FL spinning reel

The Symetre is a decently-priced freshwater spinning reel

The Shimano perfection

My first Shimano spinning reel was a Biomaster 1000.
I bought this from a tackle shop in Jalan Ipoh more than 20 years ago. It's still in my keeps and nothing beats a reel that is made in Japan.
As far as terminal tackle is concerned, Shimano is one of the leading producers of fishing reels for salt and freshwater angling.

Symetre: love at first sight

Shimano's symetre spinning reel was re-designed for release in 2014.
When I first saw this at Tacklebox Adventures in SS15, Subang Jaya, I jumped into the opportunity to purchase the symetre 2500FL.
This reel has 4+1 ball-bearings for smooth retrieval of lure and line and certain aspects of its design were tweaked and what I like about this reel: is it's classic design and looks.
The dark-green body certainly gets my approval as it is not flashy.

"Made in Malaysia"

As a Malaysian, I am proud to own a Shimano reel that is manufactured in Johor.
On the line-up, the symetre is a mid-range reel. 
So, the asking price is between RM290 - RM350, which is not expensive compared to the higher-end spinning reels with the Shimano Stella leading the pack.
On the hierarchy, the symetre ranks at number 18 out of 23. But do not underestimate this reel in terms of performance.
There are five sizes: 500, 1000, 2500, 4000 and 5000. All of these can be found in Malaysia.

Samo's pick: symetre 1000FL

I am a big fan of ultralight tackle.
Doesn't matter if I lose the fish, bust a line or even break a rod.
What's in for me: is the thrill of the fight and landing a fish on a light line.
My choice reel is the symetre 1000FL. It's just the right size and I paired it with a Storm Discovery 6'2" - 2piece (2-6lb line weight) spinning rod.

For Asian market: the Storm Discovery rod

I spooled-in reel with a Maxima gray 4lb tournament line and my target specie is the Asian Grass Carp.
Straight out of the box, the symetre is an attractive spinning reel.
And when put to test, the ultralight rig was able to handle a 3kg grass carp.
The drag was really strong and smooth and reeling action on the symetre is as good as other higher-end reels of its class.
It's lightweight body made casting the line easy without much worry about fatigue.

This table-sized Asian Grass Carp was landed with the symetre 1000FL

For its compact size and lightweight body, this reel is perfect for cyclofishing. It's easy to stash in your pack or bike pannier. What you need, is a good four-piece pack rod (2-6lb, fast action) and you are in business!