Favorite Shimano Casting Reel?

[wdp]

Kinda hard to say. I like my Curado 200E7s and 50Es (got 2 of each). I also like my Citica Es, got like 5 or 6. I really like my newer Curado 200Is also. Still got a Citica I that I haven't put on a rod yet. I had a Core Mg that I loved - so lightweight & smooth. But it got run over by an 18 wheeler on I55 one day ? - long story. 

The only 2 Shimanos that aren't great are my Curado 200G and an older Curado 200D. That 200D is just bulky and little heavy. It casts & reels smooth, just bulky by today's standards. 

[ghost]

I don't hear too many Shimano JDM casting reels on this thread.

 

[Deleted account]

22 hours ago, Catt said:

You forgot to drop the mike and walk away. Yup. I'll give up every one of my LP bait casters before my Calcuttas. These kids don't know...

[Bluebasser86]

21 minutes ago, reason said:

You forgot to drop the mike and walk away. Yup. I'll give up every one of my LP bait casters before my Calcuttas. These kids don't know...

I have 3 Calcuttas now, I understand. I actually have more "old" Shimanos than new ones. The Calcuttas, a few 200B greenies, and a 200BSF. They aren't as light, aren't as flashy, aren't as fast, but the fish don't know that.  

[Catt]

1 hour ago, reason said:

You forgot to drop the mike and walk away. Yup. I'll give up every one of my LP bait casters before my Calcuttas. These kids don't know...

 

57 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I have 3 Calcuttas now, I understand. I actually have more "old" Shimanos than new ones. The Calcuttas, a few 200B greenies, and a 200BSF. They aren't as light, aren't as flashy, aren't as fast, but the fish don't know that.  

Calcutta: solid as an anvil, versatile as a pair of Channellocks®, & dependable as a 30/30

[RMax]

Chronarchs are really nice.

[freelancer27]

Calcutta Conquest 401 and 2016 DC Antares!

[onetime]

MGL

[NHBull]

I have 2 C14's on the way......love them

[Jeff H]

All I have left are my old Castaic's.  Back in the day, loved them!  They are still good for what they were designed, still like to use them a little bit.

I keep thinking I'll get me a new one, but I always end up buying another Daiwa

[basham1988]

Just did a pretty thorough search trying to see what kind of used Curado 51e's were on the market and there are none anywhere! Must be a pretty good little reel. I have the new 71's but the gear ratios are up in the 7's and 8's and I'd like to get something slower but in a small package. Anybody know what ratios they marketed the 50e/51e's in? Or know of one for sale? ?

[Big-Bass]

You can get a Scorpion 70/71 (JDM Curado 70/71) in 6.3:1, 7.4:1, and 8.2:1 and with the yen prices, they are currently cheaper than the Curado 70/71.  Plus the color combo is awesome...I may at some get one.

[Bluebasser86]

7 hours ago, Big-Bass said:

You can get a Scorpion 70/71 (JDM Curado 70/71) in 6.3:1, 7.4:1, and 8.2:1 and with the yen prices, they are currently cheaper than the Curado 70/71.  Plus the color combo is awesome...I may at some get one.

They do look nice

[Catt]

[JustJames]

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

They do look nice

Not really, I think curado match the white chornarch 50e better, do you wanna trade yr scorpion with my chronarch? ???

[Bluebasser86]

3 minutes ago, JustJames said:

Not really, I think curado match the white chornarch 50e better, do you wanna trade yr scorpion with my chronarch? ???

Nope, the 50e's didn't fit my hands right. The 70's seem to be just right. 

["hamma"]

I have many shimano baitcasters, old, new, expensive, inexpensive. For bass, stripers, trout, trolling etc. low profile, rounds, I think you get it. probably 30 to 40 of them. And every one is a left handed model.

 I must say that I think there is no better reel than the older, 90's green curados. I have abused, beat up and just wore a couple out while tourney fishing to the point I figured they were about to be shelved just for nostalgia. I sent them to Mike At DVT to be serviced, (they were making a nasty whine when cast) when I got them back? they were as good as new or even better. 

I re-introduced them into service this year and they seem to cast and retrieve better than the brand new curados I bought to replace them.

 Is there a "better" reel?,..I highly doubt it,.... my calcutta's, I love, but those curados, just out and out, continue to amaze me

[Big-Bass]

1 hour ago, "hamma" said:

I have many shimano baitcasters, old, new, expensive, inexpensive. For bass, stripers, trout, trolling etc. low profile, rounds, I think you get it. probably 30 to 40 of them. And every one is a left handed model.

 I must say that I think there is no better reel than the older, 90's green curados. I have abused, beat up and just wore a couple out while tourney fishing to the point I figured they were about to be shelved just for nostalgia. I sent them to Mike At DVT to be serviced, (they were making a nasty whine when cast) when I got them back? they were as good as new or even better. 

I re-introduced them into service this year and they seem to cast and retrieve better than the brand new curados I bought to replace them.

 Is there a "better" reel?,..I highly doubt it,.... my calcutta's, I love, but those curados, just out and out, continue to amaze me

The green Curado B series that ran from about 1994 - 2004 were the most solid workhorse reels around.  I owned a 200B, a 100B, a 200BSF and while I no longer have them, they truly are awesome reels.  But often bells and whistles catch us as anglers and new reviews often out market the old standbys.  Those reels put Shimano back on the map after a hiatus of popularity from Abu and Daiwa in the 80s.  Along with the Curado B series was the Calcutta and Chronarch A series.  A solid lineup for about a decade and many of those reels are still daily fishers out on the water!

[Mike L]

Curado 200 E7 / Chronarch 100 SF

 

Mike 

 

 

[SJex]

Core 50mg7 / Curado 100D

[Mumbly]

17 hours ago, basham1988 said:

Just did a pretty thorough search trying to see what kind of used Curado 51e's were on the market and there are none anywhere! Must be a pretty good little reel. I have the new 71's but the gear ratios are up in the 7's and 8's and I'd like to get something slower but in a small package. Anybody know what ratios they marketed the 50e/51e's in? Or know of one for sale? ?

The 50e/51e are 6.4:1 ratio stock.

[Ohio Archer]

All of the left hand Bantams from the '80s I'm still using. 101s, 251s, etc. Still working reel well. ;-)

[ghost]

I wanted the Calcutta Stogie way back then, but it was not available in left hand. that was a cool and unique reel, color ways at the time.

[Big-Bass]

2 hours ago, ghost said:

I wanted the Calcutta Stogie way back then, but it was not available in left hand. that was a cool and unique reel, color ways at the time.

Ahhh the Stogie!  Very cool reel indeed!

[The Next KVD]

My current favorite is the Metanium 13 XG.  Fits my hands perfect and I love the longer handle that it comes with.  Weighs just right and is smoother than anything I've ever tested.  Definitely a reel that will last a long time and won't need to be replaced anytime soon.