craww

Agreed. I will say the new spool is lighter for what its worth. Maybe the new brake saves some spool weight.

Yeah I was kinda bummed about the centrifugals only being able to be used in pairs also. On my PQT I'll often use only one. You may be able to put a very tiny peice of tape or something over the disc to keep the 2nd brake from from coming out? Or even remove one pin altogether. I dunno I havent played with it much yet.

To be clear to anyone reading this who's in the market for a new reel, take this advice and BUY a E series curado while their NIB and cheap. I own alot of reels and my E7 is my staright up best distance caster. Spooled with #12 hybrid on a 7' rod casting a sammy 100, I have spooled the frigging thing. Note the line capacity of a 200 series reel. When the revos hit in 06', they took alot of the market share initially. Shimano had to get the new citica/curado right and they did, BIG TIME.

I also tore my 7:1 down saturday night. The only plastic stuff inside is the normal clutch/idler/yoke stuff most reels have. Make sure you have an exact match screw driver for the screw heads, they look to get buggered up really easy. I have never seen more grease inside of a reel. The handle sideplate literally had a spot with 1/8'' glob stuck to it lol. I took it out yesterday on its first test run. For what its worth I was using a new to me flouro that has slinky handling characteristics, casting a light bait (RC .05) on a MH rod. So I didnt push it. None the less, I was very impressed. I own alot of reels and have fished this bait on all of them, casting distance was very very good. Once I get a line on it that behaves itself better, I think it'll really launch a light bait. Alot of people griped about it being noisy in store. Part of that is the spool is ported so much that the spool bearings are not as sound insulated until you get line on it. Which does help. The bearings still are audible, but I think the mtl. its made out of is the cause of that. Either way no biggie for me. EDIT* your right about the non handle side plate having the plastic piece, Brad. Forgo about that part.

I was at bass pro last friday when the sale launched. In the time it took the guy at the fishing counter to print the combo upc for the carbonlite I was purchasing, 4 people walked up and asked about the new carbon lite.

The pro qualifier tournament and carbonlite are great reels. I own the pqt. I have more expsensive reels but I like it just as much. I just purchased the new Johnny Morris carbonlite, which has the duralumin also. You have nothing to be concerned with bro.

Duralumin like the main gear. Feels and looks like plastic to be honest. I have heavily used a reel with it for a. Few Years and its help up well.

I agree 100%. A reel that costs over $200 shouldnt have a plastic drag star. Call it a "market adjustment" or whatever, it feels cheap. Fact is, as far as public (consumer) opinion goes, shimano has layed an egg on these. Other companies like Lew's, pinnacle, okuma, and BPS in house stuff are getting folks attention (and $) with more high end features for less.

1. I hate fishing them, I find it really boring fishing them anymore...but a senko style bait just outproduces all other plastics for me. 2. paca craw 3. When I drift streams and rivers a berkley gulp/powerbait shakey worm is awesome for numbers

The dolphin is a great river smallie bait. Kinda like a sammy but more subtle

Tuff call. Last years curado was a cagillion times better. This years? The playing field levels somewhat. I'd still go shimano based on braking system and lighter weight. I own the sx and like it other than it feels heavy in hand.

Carbonlite. Wish they made a 7 MH XF, would be perfect for Jigs. I have a 6'9'' MH XF and a 7'MH F. The microguide models balance better than any rod I've held, which includes everything up to a loomis GLX.

.223 is a bad dude! I use a model 700 for predator hunting and would have no worries taking a whitetail with a good rest. I'll look into the midway site!

Thats awesome, be sure and share your results if you can. I had a guy tell me the other day those rounds arent big enough to consistently drop deer. He then tried to argue you need at least a .280 to hunt around here (where a big deer is 200lb on the hoof). No point in trying to argue with the dumb, lol. I field hunt alot out of a stand where a 450+ yard shot is very possible. Once I figure out the right bullet I'm gonna try some target shooting out of it this summer. Personally I've never taken a deer over 250, so I look forward to getting it dialed in.

It casts really, really far at first. I was throwing 1/16 oz jigs on a rod that has trouble with 1/8, and it just jumped off the spool. I was completely blown away. Very impressive. Handled like alot of flouros on spinning reels. After 3 trips, the casting isnt as good as at first. It has gotten more managable however. Knot strength isnt an issue. Ive been hung a few times and straightened hooks before 6lb broke. All in all, I probaly wont run out and buy a another spool, but it aint THAT bad so far.

I'd take jason's advice and look into the new carbonlite. I couldnt throw anything much lighter than 3/8 on the winch. Throwing a bandit 100 was pitiful. Hooligan claims he can throw 1/4oz cranks into orbit on the new CL.

You use it on whitetails?

Interesting. I didn't know the "drag" greases could be used elsewhere. Looks like a got a order to place

The 20 hour thing is actually pretty accurate. And then I just do the spool bearings, everything else is probably once a season. Dont get out as much as I used to, mainly shorter trips. For as little as I use my gear I've thought about trying one of the versions of rocket fuel, but I get all the distance I need for where I fish. Do you think there would be that much of a preformance increase over what I do now? Keeping in mind I dont mind changing it often.

Your right. I guess I had it in my head that it wasnt called the "6mm Rem" until later. Didnt realise they came out at the same time. I guess since the .243's sold so well initially by the time they changed the name it was too late. It looks like handloading is gonna be my best option on ammo. Off the shelf the 95 grain hornady has the best specs, but didnt perform so hot in the rifle I used. I have some core lokts to try, and may get a box of federals as well.

Man I bet that round obliterated a whistle pig! I found the bull barrel gun didnt like the hornady's I shot that much, couldnt get a consistent group. i may have my stepdad handload some of the 95 grain HP sierra's. Their among my most cherised possesions, being that my grandfather owned them. That heavy barrelled model killed a TON of groundhogs. I have a 2x6 out of his deer stand with about 75 notches in it. Everytime he killed a deer he'd knotch it. The 6mm was all he used for whitetail, my uncles tell stories of him doing some impressive shots with those guns.

Are these reels using the HS grease also? I believe you 100%, but it seems like if you lube properly there should be very very little oil actually inside the body of a reel at a time. Seems like it could be user error somewhere along the line, maybe overlubing? I use the HS oil and reel butter oil/grease along with the abu silocote stuff without any issues. Ive never tried the HS grease for what its worth. According to the chart Ive seen HS oil is a pretty low viscosity, perhaps thats how it works itself out in some reels. Out of curiousity were any of the reels equiped with open shielded bearings? If you think the HS grease is the issue then disregard all that lol

To directly answer your question, the Hot sauce oil is very good stuff. I've used it for 3 years and it works great, zero complaints.

My micro carbonlite just lost an insert today! I've lost 3 inserts in the past year on diffrent rods after never having that issue in my life. I really don't think I'm gonna buy another pac bay guided rod again.

Haha so true. At any rate Mike its a good rod for the $. U mentioned jerkbaits. Today i threw a megabass vision on It and it did okay, though 7' is pushing it For length on a jerkbait rod in my hand.