Curado E

[hoglaw]

I have a citica that casts like a dream, reels and pays drag as smooth as silk, but when a fish gets on it, it BINDS UP COMPLETELY. This pisses me off to no end. There are times when I'll hang it on a tree in the yard and play with it, and I'll feel like the tight tolerances have ground themselves out, only to take it out on the water and have the exact same thing happen again. It almost wound up at the bottom of the Buffalo after I hooked a great largemouth only to have it wrap itself around a limb because I couldn't take up any line. I guess these are what they're calling the shi-bindo's, but I got the thing used for a song and now I know why.

I can't believe how well it casts - first day I fished it I was throwing weightless trick worms right before a monster cold front. The temp dropped 20 degrees while I was fishing and the fish were going ape $&%*. Even in the heavy winds that came with the front, I didn't backlash the thing once. Unfortunately, I was just as well off hand-lining each fish I hooked. It was a miracle I landed any of them. I had to have slack in order to get the thing reeling again. I don't know how to fix it, and I'm sure it's not under warranty since I'm not the original owner, but I don't have much in it and wouldn't mind paying for a decent fix.

Anyway, I just got a gift certificate to Southtown and I'm about to go grab a new baitcaster for my starting rod (my JV rods are adequately outfitted). I want a premium reel, but I do my fishing either wading or canoeing. My reels inevitably get wet. The greatest reel in the world isn't worth a thing to me if it turns to a heap of crap when it gets splashed. Anyone have any models they would reccommend?

[eric1978]

I have a citica that casts like a dream, reels and pays drag as smooth as silk, but when a fish gets on it, it BINDS UP COMPLETELY. This pisses me off to no end. There are times when I'll hang it on a tree in the yard and play with it, and I'll feel like the tight tolerances have ground themselves out, only to take it out on the water and have the exact same thing happen again. It almost wound up at the bottom of the Buffalo after I hooked a great largemouth only to have it wrap itself around a limb because I couldn't take up any line. I guess these are what they're calling the shi-bindo's, but I got the thing used for a song and now I know why.

I can't believe how well it casts - first day I fished it I was throwing weightless trick worms right before a monster cold front. The temp dropped 20 degrees while I was fishing and the fish were going ape $&%*. Even in the heavy winds that came with the front, I didn't backlash the thing once. Unfortunately, I was just as well off hand-lining each fish I hooked. It was a miracle I landed any of them. I had to have slack in order to get the thing reeling again. I don't know how to fix it, and I'm sure it's not under warranty since I'm not the original owner, but I don't have much in it and wouldn't mind paying for a decent fix.

Anyway, I just got a gift certificate to Southtown and I'm about to go grab a new baitcaster for my starting rod (my JV rods are adequately outfitted). I want a premium reel, but I do my fishing either wading or canoeing. My reels inevitably get wet. The greatest reel in the world isn't worth a thing to me if it turns to a heap of crap when it gets splashed. Anyone have any models they would reccommend?

Hoglaw, I also do about 90% of my fishing in streams and have used just about every Shimano reel made from mid-quality to the most expensive. I would classify a Citica as a very mediocre reel and would only recommend it to someone who is buying their first reel or someone who doesn't fish much. I don't think I would spend the money to get it serviced, but instead put that money toward a new, better reel. For cost to quality ratio, I think the Curado is the way to go. If you compare it to the Chronarch, it's essentially the same reel with some slight differences, but to me it's not worth the extra money for the Chronarch. Like I said in my earlier post, I've never used the new 200E models, but I did just buy a 200E7 from eBay for $149.00, which is a very reasonable price for a good quality reel. For spinning I use only Sustains, and have had very few problems. Had a Stella for a while, but it was so expensive and pretty I hardly ever used it. I felt more like setting it in a platinum ring like a diamond and wearing it as jewelry than I did beating it up on float trips, so I sold it.

[Wayne SW/MO]

UPDATE: I have fished this reel for almost a month. I can say hands down it is once of the best reels I have ever used.

Have you ever used the 100b? This is not a taunt, I'm curious as to how they would compare. I think the 100b was one of the best and was probably only surpassed by the

Japanese Scorpion. I've never handle the new E.

[eric1978]

Have you ever used the 100b? This is not a taunt, I'm curious as to how they would compare. I think the 100b was one of the best and was probably only surpassed by the

Japanese Scorpion. I've never handle the new E.

I've used a Scorpion, and really didn't see how it was that much better than a Curado, especially given the prices. Just used the new 200E7 Curado and it works like a dream. Really low profile, too. Great for streams.

[troutgnat]

Gentlemen,

Read my brand new post about my Curados and you'll see how pissed I am at Shimano!!!