Back To Indian Point Again. Another Success! 9/24

[troutgnat]

Launched out of Indian Point again before pink light with my brother-n-law. Fished many of the main lake and secondary points with topwater until noon. I was throwing a Lucky Craft Sammy and my partner a Spook in bone color. There was good wind this morning till around noon and then it died off. The bite was on and we had a lot of fun. Caught numerous Kentucky's though many were short. Our two best on top were a 17" smallie and a 17" kentucky.

As the wind began to die we started dragging the doctor and throwing jigs on the same points and were having good success on the smallies with Kentucky's mixed in.

THEN THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED!!!........I had a hard bite on a Eakins jig, set the hook and broke my Shimano Curado. The side plate to the braking system just sheered right off and fell to the deck. Upon looking this particular piece is fragilly connected to the housing which you unscrew to access the brakes. There are two screws that come through the inside of the brake houses and screw into two PLASTIC pillars on the outside which then connects to the side plate as mentioned.

SO, after a few curse words and holding back before throwing it over board(actually thought about it....) I removed the reel set aside and restringed with my other Curado 200, retied my Eakings jig and began again.

If you thought that sucked! I swear within 5 minutes and a couple of casts later I got bit again and went to set the hook and broke my other Curado in the same exact spot as the other, identical.

Both of these reels were not bought at the same time but are a couple of years old. But they have been babied! Theres not even a scratch on them. They always cast' like a dream and had performed flawlessly up until now.

So, what the hell??? CAN ANYONE GIVE ME ANY INSIGHT AS TO WHAT HAPPENED? Clearly looking at the reels this is a manufacturer defect.

Well Shimano will be getting a call from me shortly.

BTW.......I stopped by Bass Pro in Branson on the way home and they would not take them back due to being over the 1 yr warranty.

[smallmouthjoe]

Two of them back to back, that's crazy. I've never owned a Shimano, so I couldn't tell you what happened. Bad Luck.

[troutgnat]

Bad luck, more like a curse! The really bad new it put a damper on my jig fishin'. My partner was using my other baitcaiter for topwater so I had to resort to dragging with my spinning rod. I had my mind set on really working some jigs.

[Champ188]

Gnat, not doubting you one bit but very strange. I've used nothing but Curados for the past 10 years or more and have never had that happen. I own a bunch of the old green 200s and two of the new silver ones. That really does suck. I hope Shimano makes it right.

[mosouthpaw]

hmm i wonder if some corrosion happened during storage?

sometimes luck is good and in your case the luck was bad.

[gitnby]

Launched out of Indian Point again before pink light with my brother-n-law. Fished many of the main lake and secondary points with topwater until noon. I was throwing a Lucky Craft Sammy and my partner a Spook in bone color. There was good wind this morning till around noon and then it died off. The bite was on and we had a lot of fun. Caught numerous Kentucky's though many were short. Our two best on top were a 17" smallie and a 17" kentucky.

As the wind began to die we started dragging the doctor and throwing jigs on the same points and were having good success on the smallies with Kentucky's mixed in.

THEN THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED!!!........I had a hard bite on a Eakins jig, set the hook and broke my Shimano Curado. The side plate to the braking system just sheered right off and fell to the deck. Upon looking this particular piece is fragilly connected to the housing which you unscrew to access the brakes. There are two screws that come through the inside of the brake houses and screw into two PLASTIC pillars on the outside which then connects to the side plate as mentioned.

SO, after a few curse words and holding back before throwing it over board(actually thought about it....) I removed the reel set aside and restringed with my other Curado 200, retied my Eakings jig and began again.

If you thought that sucked! I swear within 5 minutes and a couple of casts later I got bit again and went to set the hook and broke my other Curado in the same exact spot as the other, identical.

Both of these reels were not bought at the same time but are a couple of years old. But they have been babied! Theres not even a scratch on them. They always cast' like a dream and had performed flawlessly up until now.

So, what the hell??? CAN ANYONE GIVE ME ANY INSIGHT AS TO WHAT HAPPENED? Clearly looking at the reels this is a manufacturer defect.

Well Shimano will be getting a call from me shortly.

BTW.......I stopped by Bass Pro in Branson on the way home and they would not take them back due to being over the 1 yr warranty.

Sure sorry to hear about your reels!

I have a Curado that has never had a problem, and a BP reel I received as a gift that must be made by Shimano, as it looks almost identical?

The only thing I can think of is that if you are cupping the left side of reel with your left hand, then possibly you end up 'twisting' the housing as you set the hook? That would explain why that piece would break off. Certainly the reel should be able to withstand that, though!

I never really thought about where my hands were when I set the hook? After simulating it, I realized that I have only my thumb and forefinger actually on the reel, middle finger under the reel and the other 2 fingers wrapped under the rod at the reel seat.

It didn't seem as though I was putting any stress on the piece you mentioned?

I had an old Shakespeare reel that literally broke into pieces on a hook set. I wrote a letter to them and they sent me a newer version of the same reel AND a new rod!

[Flippin]

That is some kind of bad luck. I throw the Calais and the Citica and have never had any problems with them. Especially nothing like that. I am curious to find out what Shimano tells you.

[NuB2TR]

I'd be watchin' that brother-n-law real close from now on....

[MstStudent10]

I'd be watchin' that brother-n-law real close from now on....

NuB2TR...That was hilarious! I don't know, that must've just hit me right...Here I am reading this post and conversation very diligently and serious and all of a sudden I read what u threw in. I burst out laughing and spit my soda all over my lap in order to keep it off my computer...But I agree, most definitely the brother in law...

[Whack'emGood]

That sux troutgnat...

I would think that Shimano would definitely make it right for you... Bill (Babler) knows alot about Shimano-- I'll bet he can (and will) tell you the best way to go about dealing with your problem. They are a great company from all I have heard.

I don't own any Curados (I wish), but I have a couple of Citicas and I love them. I hold the reel in the palm of my hand also. I set the hook like a barbarian when I fish certain baits, and I have never had a problem with mine.

I think this is very strange and unusual indeed... and I do not mean to imply anything about misuse or anything when I say that. I'll bet Shimano makes it right for sure.

Please keep us up-to-date on how it goes... I will be interested to hear what they do (hopefully) for you.

Good luck!

Whack'em