Shimano Nexave 3000HG FE Spinning Reel

I own some over 20 different Shimano reels ranging from the IX to the Ultegra. Some discontinued. My favorite two reels are the Nexave (2nd gen, this one) and a size 500 Sienna I’ve had for years. I love my Nasci and Sahara FG and HGs.

The Nexave is what I think the best reel in the Shimano line. It’s at a very good price point for performance, if not the best. I use it for inshore fishing. I paired the Nexave 3000HG with a Diawa Aird-X coastal rod for a great performing rod at a low cost.

Let’s face it, the price point is the key factor in selecting a reel. Everyone wants the highest performing rod and reel setup at the lowest cost... but don’t want to go too low and skimp on quality but also don’t want to drop $300+ on a rod and reel for inshore (unless they are at that point). Well there’s no need for it. This reel is a workhorse.

The first thing to notice is the spool has changed completely from the first gen Nexave. It’s lighter, prettier, and just overall different. The first gen felt like a rebranded Sierra FG. Same with the Catana, which felt like a red Nexave. In fact they were almost completely identical. I think the Catana has one less bearing, replaced with a nylon bushing but I can’t be 100% on that right now.

The 2nd gen Nexave (HG series) dropped on the market and I HAD to pick one up. Or two. I love it. The 3000HG has the T handle and the 2500HG has the small thumb&finger knob style handle, interchangeable between the models. I like T handles for salt, knob style for fresh. I don’t recommend anything bigger than a 2500 for bass. For inshore I stay between 3000 and 4000 for Shimano reels. They are compact reels so balancing a setup might be tricky if you are used to fiberglass rods and metal reels.

I forgot how much 20# braid I slapped on the reel but it held a ton. It has plenty of drag for anything that will eat shrimp. Big trout, small reds, mangrove snappers, you name it. 2 weeks ago we caught over 8 different species on the Nexave 3000HG totaling in at 27 fish overall in the short time we were out. It definitely gets the job done.

It holds up to saltwater well. No seizing. No windknots. A side note on windknots. I personally thing reel companies and fanboys blame windknots on the wind. Should be called reelknots because I have some spinning reels that get knots on casting with braid. I think it’s the shape of the casting side of the spool and how the retrieve spools line back on the reel. Even with shimming the spools and changing line size, some spools just don’t like braid AT ALL! The Nexave HG loves braid. No issues in casting.

What I don’t like:
It’s Shimano so replacement parts are a pain. The cheapest part is $1 minimum for like a tiny screw. I’m a parts guy. That’s what I do for a living. Shimano has a terrible price on replacement parts. Other brands like Fin-Nor, awesome. They sell screws for what they should be sold for... $0.02. The factory I work at, we sell big bolts for less than what a little tiny plastic screw from Shimano cost. It’s sickening. If you buy each part needed to build a Shimano reel, you’ll spend 10 times what a new reel would cost. If you need 4 bearings at $10-15 each, you might as well buy a new reel at $50... so Shimano doesn’t seem to support rebuilding reels. Sounds stupid but these are machines that can be fixed in under 10 minutes.

Why do I care? Because reels aren’t disposable. I have a reel from 1992 that still works good. I rebuilt it a few years ago and it’s still hardy.

I haven’t tore down a Nexave yet. Other Shimano reels yes... I just haven’t gotten around to cleaning a Nexave. They still run good after 2 a little over years (i think).