Shakespeare
Shakespeare ATS Size 20 Conventional Trolling Fishing Reel, Right Handle
$49.71200+ bought last month
View on Amazon
Shakespeare ATS15LCX Spinning Reel Review
Our verdict
The Shakespeare ATS15LCX spinning reel earns its keep at $45, backed by a 4.4-star average across 244 reviews and a multi-disc drag system that most reels near this price skip entirely. It won't out-spec the pricier Shimano SC2500FG, but for anglers trolling on a budget, the parts you get for the money are hard to beat.
Check price on AmazonBest for
Anglers who troll for panfish or bass on a budget and want a multi-disc drag system without paying Shimano prices. A solid fit for casual weekend trips where a 244-review track record at 4.4 stars offers enough reassurance to buy.
Skip if
Skip it if you fish heavier saltwater techniques or want the deepest review history available at this price. The Shimano SC2500FG carries 1,418 reviews at 4.6 stars, giving you far more data to lean on before deciding.
- Material Blend
- Weight 0.42 Kilograms
- Technique Trolling
- Size 15
- Color Black
- Pieces 10
Our scorecard
4.3/5
overall
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Owner rating4.4/5
4.4 average across 244 owner ratings
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Popularity1.7/5
244 owner reviews, fewer than most models here
The overall score is owner satisfaction weighted by how many reviews back it, so a high rating from few reviews counts for less. The bars below show where this model stands against the other fishing gear and tackle we track in this category on price, popularity and size. Context, not marks against it, and our read of the data, not a lab test.
Overview
Trolling a lake edge for hours means your reel's drag has to hold up under steady pressure, not just the sudden runs a topwater strike produces. That's the scenario the Shakespeare ATS15LCX seems built around, with a multi-disc drag system listed as its headline feature and a blend-material body that keeps the package to 0.42 kilograms.
At $45, the ATS15LCX sits almost exactly at the same price as the Shimano SC2500FG's $44.99, while asking more than budget picks like the Blakemore 86's $15 or the IX reel's $19.99. What you get for the difference over those cheaper options is a size-15 reel with ten listed pieces, a black finish, and a drag system built for sustained pressure rather than short bursts, a detail that matters if trolling is actually how you plan to use it.
The review record backs up the price point without matching the giants. A 4.4-star average across 244 reviews and 100+ units bought last month puts it in solid, unspectacular territory, behind the Shimano SC2500FG's 4.6 stars over 1,418 reviews and the unbranded IX reel's 4.6 stars over 1,700 reviews at a lower $19.99 price. The ATS15LCX earns its spot on drag design and price, not on review volume.
Pros
- Multi-disc drag system built for sustained trolling pressure, not just short strikes
- Blend-material build keeps the reel to 0.42 kilograms for a manageable outfit
- 244 reviews at a 4.4-star average is a real, sizable sample to judge by
- 100+ units bought last month shows steady, current demand
- At $45, it's priced almost identically to the $44.99 Shimano SC2500FG while adding a dedicated multi-disc drag system for trolling
- Ten listed pieces suggest a more complete package than single-piece budget reels
Cons
- 4.4 stars trails the Shimano SC2500FG's 4.6 across nearly six times the reviews
- At $45, it's three times the price of the $15 Blakemore 86
- Listed technique is trolling, so anglers wanting an all-purpose spinning setup should compare against their own target technique
- No stated gear ratio or line capacity makes it harder to compare directly on retrieve speed
Specifications
| Material | Blend |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.42 Kilograms |
| Technique | Trolling |
| Size | 15 |
| Color | Black |
| Pieces | 10 |
| Feature | Multi-Disc Drag System |
Performance notes
The multi-disc drag system is the spec worth paying attention to here. Trolling puts continuous, low-grade tension on a drag rather than the quick spikes a hook-set produces, and multiple discs generally spread that load more evenly than a single-disc setup, which should translate to smoother, more consistent pressure over a long pull. At 0.42 kilograms, the ATS15LCX sits on the heavier side for a size-15 reel, which can matter over a long day of repeated casts but matters less when the reel spends most of its time in a rod holder trolling rather than being worked by hand. The blend-material construction is a middle ground, not the metal body of the Shimano SC2500FG, but built to keep weight and cost down. Ten listed pieces suggest spare parts or accessories are included, though the spec sheet doesn't break down exactly what they are.
What buyers say
A 4.4-star average across 244 reviews is a healthy number, enough volume to smooth out one-off complaints without approaching the scale of the Shimano SC2500FG's 1,418 reviews or the IX reel's 1,700. The 100+ bought last month figure signals the ATS15LCX is still moving at a steady, unspectacular clip rather than surging or stalling. Compared to the other reels in this set, its rating sits two-tenths of a star below the two highest performers, which usually means most buyers are satisfied but a slightly larger share report a gripe than with the top-rated options. For a mid-priced reel aimed at a specific technique like trolling, that pattern reads as reliable rather than exceptional.
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Shakespeare ATS Size 20 Conventional Trolling Fishing Reel, Right Handle
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Shakespeare ATS15LCX good for trolling?
Yes, based on the spec sheet. Its listed technique is trolling and it features a multi-disc drag system, built to handle the sustained pressure trolling puts on a reel better than a single-disc design meant for short bursts. That combination is the main reason it fits this specific use case well.
How does the ATS15LCX compare to the Shimano SC2500FG?
The Shimano costs about the same at $44.99 but carries a higher 4.6-star rating across 1,418 reviews, nearly six times the ATS15LCX's 244. If review volume matters most to you, the Shimano offers a much deeper track record to lean on.
Is $45 a fair price for this reel?
It's a mid-range price in this set. It costs three times the $15 Blakemore 86 and slightly more than the $19.99 IX reel, but sits almost exactly level with the $44.99 Shimano SC2500FG, positioning it alongside the priciest option here rather than the budget end.