The shimano speedmaster and the Daiwa 50 h are both very good casting reels.I've used both for about 10 years down by Eagle Cliff in the county line area.They cast a mile.The Speedmaster has a better retrieve at 6:1,and a terrific drag.But some people say the daiwa is built better.Pretty comparable reels though.
They dont have the line guides but after a couple uses it will be second nature to use your thumb for a guide.
The Penns mentioned are alll good reels.They cast decent.Not as good as the others though.But have a little slower retrieve at 4 or 4.5 to 1.Speed on the retrieval is a must in the places I bank fish. so I went to the other reels mentioned.I use the Penns in the boats or where a slower reel is o.k.

A little trick if you have a slow reel is to use a canning jar lid.Drill 2 holes across from each other.Put a split ring with a swivel on both places where the holes are.And run it off your mainline ahead of your dropper or slider and your leader.This setup may take a little more weight to hold it down in heavy current.But will plane your gear up super fast so you have better chance of getting your setup back.

Another trick I have used for my sinkers is to turn them into a grappling hook that will release.
I pour my own weights so heres how I do it.

I use my teardrop molds in 8-12 oz weights.Drill a 3/8" hole through the mold so it will point straight to the fatter bottom part the sinker.Cut 16 gauge wire in 7"-8" lengths, bend about 1/8 of an inch on 1 end of the wire.either hold or tape 4 of these wires together.Insert the bent end into the mold,through the hole I drilled.so that they are about 1/2 way in to the fat part of the sinker.Then pour my weight.
When I get to the river I bend the wires so they look like a grappling hook.I like to leave a fairly lomg shank,then about A 2" gap between the tip of the wire and the shank.I run a dropper of 12-15 lb test to my sinker just in case your in a spot that absolutely will not give up your sinker.This will usually save your terminal gear.I have run these with a slider and Bonneville style.They work best with a slight upstream cast so that the grapples have a chance to grab.

These sinkers will hold as well as a weight that is almost double what your using. i.e. An 8 instead of a 16 oz.And usually when you give your rod a good pull the wire will straighten out and let your sinker come free.

I have cut the amount of sinkers I lose in about 1/2.and these work better than any of the commercial ones I have seen.

I hope these ideas are of some help to you guys.