Past years or new?

[Theripper666]

When it comes to reels these days I am disappointed so my question is do u like the new gens or the past gens?I find my best gear is 06-15 era,how about u guys?

[Scott F]

What makes you so disappointed with equipment made in the last few years? I’m pretty happy with my newer gear.

[A-Jay]

May depend on how far back you want to go.

This one  . . 

fishes a whole better than these two ever did . . 

A-Jay

[Theripper666]

14 minutes ago, Scott F said:

What makes you so disappointed with equipment made in the last few years? I’m pretty happy with my newer gear.

Just seems some are just made with cheap internals ect unless u go into insane cost 

[new2BC4bass]

I like both.   Had Scorpion 70 out once.  SVS not as easy to set up as older Curado 201E7, Chronarch 101A and 100B.  Tatula SV great.  So are the TD-Z 105H, Zillion and Alphas reels.  Older Shimano Exsence is a pleasure to use.  Think age is right around your cut-off year.

 

Enjoy older gold colored CarbonLites and Abu 1600C and new Okuma Helios SX and new Supreme XT.  There are good (and bad) reels from every era.  Don't think I have found the bad ones yet.    Need a few dozen more models in my arsenal. 

[Tennessee Boy]

Newer reels are smaller and lighter.  That’s what the market demands.  Older (pre 2000) reels were well made but bigger and heavier.   I grew up in rough era.  If you wanted someone’s phone number,  you had to look it up in a phone book that weighted 9 pounds.  Fishing with a reel that weighted 8 oz didn’t bother my generation ?

[OnthePotomac]

I clean my own reels and there is nothing different in the quality of the "internals " today from my 15 year old Curados, except variations in brakes systems.  My old Citicas had bushings on the drive shaft (easily replaced) as is the case with the new SLX, which is  a dream for $99.   Reel design/architecture is the key in the variation in performance and the   evolution of materials in weight. 

[Log Catcher]

I like the older models better. I am still using some old Curado B reels and wish they would make them again. I am not saying new gear is bad but I am tired of everything seeing how fast they can go to and not make anything in slower speeds. I still like my slower speed reels and will keep using them as long as I can.

[Big Rick]

The older ones pale in comparison to the SV spools on Tatula's. I own Lews, Abu's, Shimano's, and Daiwa's. None of the others can compete with the function of the SV spool, regardless of age. Even the DC reels can't skip a lure as well as the SV spools IMHO. 

[hwright38]

I'm of the opinion the Curado K is the best Curado Shimano has made, ever. I know that rustles the jimmies of a lot of people on this board, but if you honestly fish both side by side, the K is better than any other Curado they've made (granted, we don't know how well it will hold up in 10 years, but the 2 years I've had mine, it's still just as good as brand new). I mean think about it, if the B or E series were so great, why'd they stop making them? Or even why don't they bring them back as like an anniversary special edition or something? There's something to be said about comparatively, the K isn't head and shoulders above the competition's reels like a hypothetical days of past reel, but that doesn't mean there haven't been improvements made from it's predecessors.

 

I think most people saying how good those old reels were are looking back with rose-colored glasses. I've personally not encountered someone who honestly says the old reels are better and chooses to fish them over their newer reels that are in the equivalent performance bracket. I've met a lot of people that swear by their old reels, but never tried a new one, and met even more that exclusively fish new reels and lament about the "good ol' days".

 

Obviously a 15 year old Calcutta or whatever is going to fish way better than a brand new Shakespeare or Zebco, but what about a 15 year old, $150 low profile vs a modern $150 low profile? Not to mention you can get a DC reel for under $200 now, when just 5 years ago you'd be shelling out triple that, and probably making a trip to Japan. 

 

Another minor point is $100 in 1999 went a lot further than $100 now. Grandpa complaining about the price of a Chronarch doesn't have too much say when a soda cost a nickel the last time he seriously bought new gear. 

 

Fishing technology, like pretty much all technology in general, is the best it's ever been, and in a year it will be even better, and in 10 years there will be hologram forum post about how good the Curado K and DC were, and how "they just don't make them like they used to" anymore.

[jbsoonerfan]

@hwright38 Great post! I feel the same way.

[Hammer 4]

Loved my older 301 Curado's. Think I got them in 2006 or 7, same with the Chronarch's.

[mrpao]

I like many of my older reels. Core 50, curado 50e, calcutta 50b, conguest 50, Core 100mg7, etc

I also like my newer reels. Aldebaran  MGL, conguest 100, Lews TI mag, Lews hyper mag, curado 70, etc.

If I like a certain reel, I hang on to it. No need to get rid of what works for me just because something else came out. Just buy the new reel too.

[PourMyOwn]

I have an older reel in .y boat at a times-a Pflueger Supreme 5.1:1. I probably bought it from 98-02. It's my cranking reel, and is surprisingly smooth for a reel with that many miles on it. 

That being said,  a 75 dollar Fuego from 2017 makes it seem heavy and awkward.  The true question is will my Fuego still perform flawlessly in 20 years?

[waymont]

I go back to the first gen Stradics. I used them for over 10 years and sold them for the exact price bought them for. My stradic Fk and Tatula LT are both better, lighter and have tighter tolerances and in general operate more efficiently. My old shimano bantam is slow and not the smoothest, but at the time it was tops. I have to say new reels are better for me.

[Crankin4Bass]

I prefer the older Shimano 6 pin VBS braking system on my Chronarch E series and Calcutta D reels than the new systems on my Shimano Chronarch G and Curado 70. I am not a fan of the little fine adjustment dial on the newer reels. On the older reels I just turned 2 brakes on the Chronarch's and 3 brakes on the Calcutta's on and never have needed to adjust them. I also prefer the way the Chronarch E's open and that the side plates are attached.

[Randy Price]

I’m still regularly using my Shimano Stradic FG 2000 from around 2000.

[VolFan]

Still using 4 Curado 200Ds. Never had a reason to switch. Theyre smooth as butter and built like tanks.

 

Its not that i dont think reels today are/could be better, its that i love the ones i have.

[JustJames]

I’ve learnt to appreciate the old and adapt to the new. I normally do not keep my old reel, but ever since I sold my old Calcutta 50, I’ve since looked to replace it.

 

OP, all new reels ain’t bad, it depends on what you pick, these day there are a few OEM reels come into play and make reels for every body. Some use cheaper parts than other, some just copy major brand out right. Some say Kastking is good but trash favorite, they might came from the same OEM company, who knows? Even daiwa now have OEM make their cheap reel to complete in this market.

[fvogel67]

Made in Japan Old Symetres FG and FH

[YoTone]

funny i was just watching some metanium 13's going up on ebay. never tried one but ive heard theyre pretty sweet. i wonder how they would compare against  a curado k since theyre going for around the same price used around $150.