LuS

Here it is: https://www.meltontackle.com/shimano-curado-k-300-baitcasting-reels.html# release date Oct 22 2020. Regular and HG model coming, 10.6 oz, 22 lb max drag on regular gear model.

And the answer to the slx pg question is... almost no. While the gears from the curado I and 70 are the right pitch and diameter to fit (so would the engetsu’s), the pinion off an i or a 70 or anything with x ship has a longer nose. See pics attached, curado I/70 pinion on left. That being said... if I had a lathe and some patience, I could modify the x ship gears to fit, but not happening today. Also of note - the curado 70 brake discs are bigger. A good upgrade could be swapping to 70 discs. Final note... curado 70 pinion was a tighter fit than the slx pinion. That may be a tighter tolerance... shimano marketing dept making sure you feel the extra bucks in a curado 70...:P

You’re right, 200I PGs are cheap, but nothing like having that cranking power on the frame of a 70 or similar small reel (ie SLX). If the conversion works, I might give an SLX some PG gears to throw smaller swimbaits, like MS Slammers. Also, micromodule, because micromodule. I warned you I was a nut

Bronze is a great material for wear. The only reason stainless comes to mind is that when I used to do industrial part design, when we needed something that would survive the worst conditions (eg high precision pistons for injecting chemicals in automotive manufacturing), we used hardened 440 stainless, nitrided and ground. Of course, this is an insane solution for fishing: we’re chasing bass, not bluefins. But being insane, this does not phase me

Thanks for the micromodule suggestion!! Unfortunately at the SLX price point I’d be shocked if they let it be any smoother long term than the curado line... Unless the K line is a significant bump in quality vs the I, shimano marketing would’ve made a small (but welcome) error releasing a reel that improves on the i and the 70 at $99 US. that being said - higher gear ratios put larger loads on fewer pinion gear teeth. I find XGs get geary and loose relatively soon in their life, probably due to this... insane me contemplated getting hardened stainless or carbide tooth gears cut for this reason.

Has anyone tried a PG conversion for their SLX? I see it uses the main gears from a curado I but the pinion is a different part number. May just try to fit gears from my curado 70 to test... if a pg upgrade works tho.... SLX XT/MGL/DC crankbait reel!!

How has this rod done with slammers? Will be using it myself...