Setting Up Curado DC

[Brett's_daddy]

Okay, I have a new Shimano Curado DC and I love it (typical Shimano quality) but...I don't believe I'm seeing the benefit of the DC system which leads me to wonder if I've set it up properly. I adjusted the spool tension knob to the point where there's just a little side to side play in the spool. I have it spooled with 65lb. Sufix 832 braid so I have it set on the braid setting, #2 position. When I cast I have to apply thumb at the end...if I don't I'll get a birds nest. I see on YouTube people casting into the side of their garage doors and not getting a birds nest, there's no way i could do that. Is there something I'm not doing right? I mean one of the major reasons of buying this reel was for the ability to cast without thumbing it with no fear of birds nest. Thanks for any who can help!!!

[diehardbassfishing]

Understanding how the DC cast control system works will help in understanding it's limitations. I have the earlier Calcutta Conquest DC round reels. They have at least twice the settings as the current reels. Your frustration comes from marketing that has brought a false sense of what this type of cast control sytem is capable of doing.

Some of my biggest bird's nests have come from using my DC reels! And I still like 'em...

 

Here's what makes them tick. They really don't operate much different from any other mechanical (magnetic or flying weights) system. Operator dials in a level of "control", and the reel behaves in a range of being "tight" or "lose" in it's cast control to achieve a certain cast, hopefully w/o backlash.

 

The DC reels use programmed settings to achieve this. The reel ONLY knows spool RPM, and your dial setting. The dial setting calls up a pre-programmed casting "profile". This profile tells the brake system how much brake to apply when, and at what RPM. The DC advantage here over "conventional" braking systems, is the word WHEN. The spool can achieve very high start up speeds that can not be achieved by any "non-smart" system. Breaking with a DC reel is actively achieved through mid and final cast.

 

Understand there is no feed-back loop in the reel that can say DANGER a backlash can happen here. None.

That is my rub with the newest DC cast control settings. Too few settings. Like the reel is soooo smart. They are not, really.

 

Do I use the full scale of my (10 or so) settings with my early Conquest DC reels, not really, not much. Shimano is counting on this reality to simplify the settings - and making it seem that the reel is smarter than it is, and "all you gotta do is set it this way" and all is good to go!

 

Nope. Not going to happen.

 

As for casting into a garage door w/o backlash. You may guess - nope. Not at full throttle anyway!!

 

It truly - and simply - comes down to this. You need to practice and learn the reel. I enjoy my DC's - they allow me to cast huge distances very accurately. Much more so than my simple classic Abu's or my favorite Daiwa Mag Z reels. But you need to learn the reel. And YES, you can get crazy distance with no thumb...

 

I hope you too can experiance this with the somewhat limited settings offererd with the newest DC reels. Start off with "tight" casting settings. Work slowly into the danger zone. I think you'll enjoy getting the feel of it! And of course the distance!!

 

Karl

 

 

 

 

 

[Brett's_daddy]

5 hours ago, diehardbassfishing said:

Understanding how the DC cast control system works will help in understanding it's limitations. I have the earlier Calcutta Conquest DC round reels. They have at least twice the settings as the current reels. Your frustration comes from marketing that has brought a false sense of what this type of cast control sytem is capable of doing.

Some of my biggest bird's nests have come from using my DC reels! And I still like 'em...

 

Here's what makes them tick. They really don't operate much different from any other mechanical (magnetic or flying weights) system. Operator dials in a level of "control", and the reel behaves in a range of being "tight" or "lose" in it's cast control to achieve a certain cast, hopefully w/o backlash.

 

The DC reels use programmed settings to achieve this. The reel ONLY knows spool RPM, and your dial setting. The dial setting calls up a pre-programmed casting "profile". This profile tells the brake system how much brake to apply when, and at what RPM. The DC advantage here over "conventional" braking systems, is the word WHEN. The spool can achieve very high start up speeds that can not be achieved by any "non-smart" system. Breaking with a DC reel is actively achieved through mid and final cast.

 

Understand there is no feed-back loop in the reel that can say DANGER a backlash can happen here. None.

That is my rub with the newest DC cast control settings. Too few settings. Like the reel is soooo smart. They are not, really.

 

Do I use the full scale of my (10 or so) settings with my early Conquest DC reels, not really, not much. Shimano is counting on this reality to simplify the settings - and making it seem that the reel is smarter than it is, and "all you gotta do is set it this way" and all is good to go!

 

Nope. Not going to happen.

 

As for casting into a garage door w/o backlash. You may guess - nope. Not at full throttle anyway!!

 

It truly - and simply - comes down to this. You need to practice and learn the reel. I enjoy my DC's - they allow me to cast huge distances very accurately. Much more so than my simple classic Abu's or my favorite Daiwa Mag Z reels. But you need to learn the reel. And YES, you can get crazy distance with no thumb...

 

I hope you too can experiance this with the somewhat limited settings offererd with the newest DC reels. Start off with "tight" casting settings. Work slowly into the danger zone. I think you'll enjoy getting the feel of it! And of course the distance!!

 

Karl

 

 

 

 

 

The thing is I do love the reel but as you have stated I think myself and a few hundred thousand other customers got sucked in with the premise that even a beginning angler could cast this reel without using the thumb (I mean how many YouTube videos showed exactly that...pros making cast after cast and holding the reel up so you could see they never once applied any thumb). This reel was also marketed as allowing you to cast in windy conditions with minimal effort where "non-dc" reels would be extremely hard to dial in. I mean I can use my thumb alright but the premise being this reel was you didn't have to or at least very little and in my experience you have to every cast like a non-dc reel if you don't want a birds nest. Now I could tighten down the spool control knob and achieve this but you could do that on almost any reel. Maybe the weight of the baits were an issue, I was tossing a 1/2oz. spinner bait, 1/2oz buzz bait and a 1/2oz jig (w/trailer)...maybe those are too light but I don't think so as I see many anglers who have the DC using jigs. I don't know, I just don't see any difference between this reel and let's say a Curado K which doesn't have the DC braking system. I hope things will change for me, I still like the reel but as of right now I can't help but think I was sucked in my some fancy marketing with false promises!

[Derek1]

The spool tension wants to be a little tighter then you think  you’ll find the sweet spot and it won’t sacrifice distance. The distance is not a huge difference then the k but is pretty effortless. I still use my thumb at the end of the cast, the sweet spot requires it. It’s the not feathering it in the middle of the cast that gives the distance imo. Put a half ounce lipless on and go play with it. You’ll find the sweet spot with the spool tension and it will be a whoa, moment. Then you won’t have to change much at all with baits in the 3/8-3/4 range. Hope this helps, you’ll get used to it and like it. I casted off a few lures in the beginning, now it’s just fun. 

I could be wrong here but even with my k, the spool tension just a touch tighter then I think seems to give better distance because it stays more in control throughout the entire cast giving better overall distance. Don’t know how to properly explain that, but that’s been my experience. 

More of a rifling effect if that makes sense. 

[Mikeltee]

I agree with your assessment on the DC. I have 50# braid and I think the big stuff is more susceptible to a birdsnest. My 100$ reels cast further. I did turn it to 4 and learned to skip. I usually have it on 2 and with a little wind in my face, I get birdsnest about 3% of the time. These birdsnest are stupid easy to pick out. I think once you get a birdsnest your chances of getting another increase exponentially with braid until you change your spool. I'll be damned if I change a $30 spool after a month. This reel will be good to teach my kids to use a BC. It's for newbs not pros. I wish I would have known before I bought it. The smart man would buy the SLX as I see no advantage to the Curado vs SLX in terms of using it for performance. You are better off with a non-DC if performance is your goal. Your only goal to a DC should be to learning to use a BC. I dont know about the upper end DCs. I would assume the non-DC would offer better performance but maybe not. I know its wider and heavier. Maybe someone would like to comment on the Mentanium DC.

[dodgeguy]

Buy a Lews with externally adjustable 27 position centrifugal brake if you want to minimize your thumb use.

[rangerjockey]

The DC can be set to where you don't need to thumb the spool at all.

I would  take the side to side play out of the spool and give it another 1/8 turn or so. It seems there's a point where the spool can get to tight for the DC system to charge.

I have  several of both the DC and the K . I don't think there's a ton of difference in distance between them but I usually cast at structure or some target rather than just heave it .

The DC will never blow up during the cast but I usually thumb it out of habit when the bait hits the water.

50lb. Braid should be easy. Remember , a wheelbarrow has too many moving parts  for some folks.

 

[Derek1]

29 minutes ago, rangerjockey said:

The DC can be set to where you don't need to thumb the spool at all.

I would  take the side to side play out of the spool and give it another 1/8 turn or so. It seems there's a point where the spool can get to tight for the DC system to charge.

I have  several of both the DC and the K . I don't think there's a ton of difference in distance between them but I usually cast at structure or some target rather than just heave it .

The DC will never blow up during the cast but I usually thumb it out of habit when the bait hits the water.

50lb. Braid should be easy. Remember , a wheelbarrow has too many moving parts  for some folks.

 

Well said. 

[DanielG]

I got a Curado DC awhile back and wrote about my experiences here. I too had the frustrations you've had. I figured out the way it really needs to be adjusted. This really works and I don't know why Shimano doesn't explain it this way. I learned it by researching other curado dc owners online who have written about it.

1. With braided (I have it too) put it on the #2 setting.
2. Each time you put a different bait on you'll have to do a simple adjustment. Forget about the  side to side play adjustment in the instructions that came with it.
3. Put your bait on and reel it to the tip of the pole. Loosen the tension knob slowly until it begins to drop slowly. Do this again but this time slightly tighten the tension knob so that you have to shake the pole a little to get it to drop some each time you shake it.

Cast and you won't have a backlash... probably at all. The only time I might is if I cast into a stiff wind but I keep my thumb handy when I do that.

 

For fun, put on a heavy bait. I have a larger crankbait I use. Cast and watch it go a mile especially if cast with the wind. It's astonishing to see just how far it will cast when you do this.

 

I'm still learning but getting there slow but sure.

Good luck.

[Brett's_daddy]

On 9/20/2019 at 9:55 PM, DanielG said:

Each time you put a different bait on you'll have to do a simple adjustment. Forget about the  side to side play adjustment in the instructions that came with it.

Isn't this limiting the reels performance though? I understand what you're saying and I used to do this when first learning casting reels but I thought it sort of retards the performance and to get maximum performance you need to adjust until barely a little play in the spool?

[Junger]

22 minutes ago, Brett's_daddy said:

Isn't this limiting the reels performance though?

No.

[DanielG]

1 hour ago, Brett's_daddy said:

Isn't this limiting the reels performance though? I understand what you're saying and I used to do this when first learning casting reels but I thought it sort of retards the performance and to get maximum performance you need to adjust until barely a little play in the spool?

No, it doesn't seem to. With this setting the brakes appear to control the cast properly and give you the longest cast. If I open up the tension control and use my thumb to help the digital control, because it's opened up looser than it should be with a reel like this, the cast doesn't seem to be much different.

 

Right now, with the boat out and my delegated to casting from the dock, I'm just going down there a couple times a day to throw a crankbait just for the fun of it. The fish have gone away lately and they're going to lower the dam to work on it (reason the boat is in my driveway). In a week or so I'll be casting onto dry lake bed.

 

Long casts, no thumb, absolutely no consideration that I'll bet a backlash. I've forgotten about them and unless I'm casting into a stiff wind I don't even place my thumb. Even then I don't need to apply it. Just scared for a nest. I think the change to braid has helped with that though.

[jbsoonerfan]

It amazes me that people think if they buy a DC reel they can just set spool tension to any size lure and set the brake on any number and it should throw everything from 1/8 oz up to 1 oz flawlessly with no thumb action or backlash. I don't want to be the spoiler here, but when you watch a video on the internet they have already set whatever product they are showcasing up to perform to the best of its ability. If you show me a video of someone flinging a 1/6 ned rig into a wall with no backlash and then tying on a 1 oz punch weight with the same results then I might believe it. I own a DC and it is a GREAT reel but it does need some adjustment. It's like the people who see a commercial where someone sheds 40lbs taking the newest weight loss pill. They go buy the pill and have no idea why they aren't losing weight. There are plenty of factors involved when it comes to fishing or losing weight, all of which need to be done properly to achieve the desired result.

[Brett's_daddy]

32 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

It amazes me that people think if they buy a DC reel they can just set spool tension to any size lure and set the brake on any number and it should throw everything from 1/8 oz up to 1 oz flawlessly with no thumb action or backlash. I don't want to be the spoiler here, but when you watch a video on the internet they have already set whatever product they are showcasing up to perform to the best of its ability. If you show me a video of someone flinging a 1/6 ned rig into a wall with no backlash and then tying on a 1 oz punch weight with the same results then I might believe it. I own a DC and it is a GREAT reel but it does need some adjustment. It's like the people who see a commercial where someone sheds 40lbs taking the newest weight loss pill. They go buy the pill and have no idea why they aren't losing weight. There are plenty of factors involved when it comes to fishing or losing weight, all of which need to be done properly to achieve the desired result.

I used to do this for every different lure I'd tie on I'd adjust the spool tension knob until I got a slow drop and it gently touched down on the ground with no overrun. Then somebody said that's the wrong way and you should just set the tension knob until there's a slight side to side play and leave it regardless of the bait being used and just use your thumb for added braking.

[scbassin]

There are many good answers here. Time on the water will get you there.

[OG Crankster]

How is this reel casting a light lure, say 1/8oz?

[DanielG]

41 minutes ago, OG Crankster said:

How is this reel casting a light lure, say 1/8oz?

Good question. Since the fishing here has been really bad this fall I decided to put a plastic worm on a hook and cast it into the weeds. We don't have much of that here but I thought that it's where the fish might be. This isn't very heavy. Not sure of the weight but it cast much farther than I anticipated.

[Junger]

1 hour ago, OG Crankster said:

How is this reel casting a light lure, say 1/8oz?

I'd say it's low end sweet spot is 3/8oz.

[Jamie Kosza]

Hi all, i have been using a slx dc a whole season now. 300plus fish on it. mostly bass and pike and a few 30+ catfish

using setting 2.  30lb suffix braid lures 1/4 to 1 Oz, all sorts of sizes and types and drop shots etc..

if you set the spool tension like they say (no side to side,) you get wicked distance. (i need this where i fish (100 to 150 ft+ and use this setting 90% of the time) with it set like this you only have to put thumb on spool just before you hit water. that's it. only the last 10 to 5 ft do i touch spool. i run like this for all wind conditions and lure types etc.. never adjusted for 4 months. (only every changed to setting 4 to skip lures or let a new person try reel.)

 

you know how many times i have gone out for the day with just one rod and reel and no spare line. most baitcasting people wont do that due to fear of birds nest and then day would be ruined.

 

if you want true thumbless operation. you have to increase spool tension another 1/8 to1/4 turn. But you loose 10 to 20% of distance. putting you back into conventional baitcasting reel category.

 

i think this is why shimano tells you set up side to side play. because they emphasize on the casting distance on dc reels. and that is the only way to get it. usually casting distance order is spinning then bait caster.  i could cast farther with my dc vs my ci4+ stradic

[ATA]

On 9/19/2019 at 4:45 PM, Brett's_daddy said:

Okay, I have a new Shimano Curado DC and I love it (typical Shimano quality) but...I don't believe I'm seeing the benefit of the DC system which leads me to wonder if I've set it up properly. I adjusted the spool tension knob to the point where there's just a little side to side play in the spool. I have it spooled with 65lb. Sufix 832 braid so I have it set on the braid setting, #2 position. When I cast I have to apply thumb at the end...if I don't I'll get a birds nest. I see on YouTube people casting into the side of their garage doors and not getting a birds nest, there's no way i could do that. Is there something I'm not doing right? I mean one of the major reasons of buying this reel was for the ability to cast without thumbing it with no fear of birds nest. Thanks for any who can help!!!

I think you have the issue solved already, But if not just start to cast and cast and the DC system will start to work correctly. just play with your break till you get the sweet spot. I never had any backlash with it and I have it spooled with 65lb maxcuatro. I am using that combo for frogging and I really enjoy the distance I am getting with this reel.