Curado BFS Casting Reel - I Gots Me One!

[ghost]

Actually I just ordered one a few minutes ago, in left hand. 

 

I actually wanted the SLX BFS. Don't know if it will be available to the U.S. market. Sure not gonna pass the Curado BFS since I got it on sale.

 

I should get the Curado BFS end of next week. Now I need to get the Phenix Feather in Light action casting rod. Both should pair real good!

 

So much for TW, Love You guys but not offering a holiday sale and not offering Shimano for any sale...ya gots to look else where...?☹

 

 

[inferiorfisherman]

let us know what you think about it once you use it.  I just got an alert today that it was in stock and was thinking about picking one up with a dobyns SA 740.  

[ghost]

Will do! I heard the Dobyns is just a little too light action. The Phenix Feather is perfect for me

[inferiorfisherman]

What weights do you plan to toss?  

[ghost]

Up to 1/4 and maybe push it to 3/8oz.

[ghost]

The Phenix Feather casting I'm wanting to get, the specs are at the lure weight range I want.

 

Phenix Feather Casting Rod 7'1" Light
Taper	Line Wt.	Lure Wt.	Guides	Handle Type	Handle Length	Stock	Price	Qty
Fast	4-10lb	1/8-3/8oz	10+Tip	Feather A	***/2"	In Stock: 5+

[inferiorfisherman]

That is roughly the same range as the dobyns dx702c I have on order.  I was planning to target 3/16- 5/15 with that, and assumed I didn’t need a dedicated BFS reel for that range.  Thought I could do it on a metanium MGL or similar reel.  I didn’t think I would need a BFS reel until I tried to get down to 1/16 - 1/8 range and that is what I was looking at the dobyns ultra finesse for.  For me the BFS setup wasn’t really for targeting bass, more for panfish.  I’ll wait until more people like get a chance to get it in their hands.  i am currently a bit confused by where the line is drawn between BFS and reels that are good with light lures, but I can’t start testing it until I get a rod that can load at these weights.

[fishwizzard]

2 hours ago, inferiorfisherman said:

  i am currently a bit confused by where the line is drawn between BFS and reels that are good with light lures, but I can’t start testing it until I get a rod that can load at these weights.

 Looking at the line capacity is a good metric.  A lot of the newer "BFS" reels are more suited to UL trout/panfish applications due to the limited line capacity.   Most of the older finesse reels are much more suited to the 1/4-3/8oz range and have deeper spools, iirc the old Daiwa Pixy would hold 75-80y of 10lb mono, so more then enough capacity to run 7-10lb line for most any common finesse bass presentation.  

 

I have one of the Dobyn's SA 740C and while I am really liking it, it's super light tip and strong midsection/backbone conspire to make it a fairly niche rod.  To me it straddles the line between BFS and UL casting and I have yet to find a reel I really like on it.  Right now I have a more traditional BFS reel on it and I am starting to think about picking up a more UL capable reel for it as it's not a rod I am ever going to want to use line much thicker than 6lb Supernatural mono on.  

[BaitFinesse]

Rods with BFS on them pair better to reels with a little more line capacity than the reels coming from Shimano with BFS in the name IMO.  I can empty a Pixy Airy Red of 20# braid with a 1/10 oz ned head and TRD on a Volkey BFS 68L.  The Shimano BFS reels are suited to the little trout rods which really isn't BFS.  Strange.  

[new2BC4bass]

20 hours ago, ghost said:

The Phenix Feather casting I'm wanting to get, the specs are at the lure weight range I want.

 

Phenix Feather Casting Rod 7'1" Light
Taper	Line Wt.	Lure Wt.	Guides	Handle Type	Handle Length	Stock	Price	Qty
Fast	4-10lb	1/8-3/8oz	10+Tip	Feather A	***/2"	In Stock: 5+

Wouldn't mind one of these rods myself.  From what I've read both Dobyns and Phenix fish a bit light.

[Big Hands]

I picked up a Curado BFS/XG yesterday, and tried it out today. I paired it with a 7'7" rod from a local gun/fishing store chain that has their own house brand rods that is listed as a MH, but in reality fishes like a M. I have another rod from them that is listed as an H, but it fishes like a MH, which is why I had a feeling that I would be OK with expecting that a MH will fish like a M. I spooled it up with #8 Invisix and was easily able to get 60 yards on it. 

 

It took very little time to dial it in this morning, and it did eventually loosen up a little as the morning wore on. I started with a 4" finesse paddle tail texas rigged on a #2 worm hook and a 1/4 oz tungsten worm weight. Later in the morning, it loosend up enough for me to dial the spool tension in about five times, but only had some minor fluffing  before I got it dialed back in.

 

I could easily & accurately send that t-rigged worm as far as I wanted to fish it (well over 100 feet, closer to 120. I could cast it far enough to see the lettering painted on the spool through the line at the end of the cast. I planned to try a dropshot rig too, but they wouldn't leave the texas rig alone long enough for me to want to try it out. 

 

Tried five different baits and caught fish on all of them that I tried and used three different hook styles. I'm looking forward to trying some other baits on this rig like a weightless Senko and other finesse-ish baits/rigs. 

 

My first impression is that this combo is not going to be an all-around workhorse, but will be excellent at what it does, which is casting lightweight baits on light-ish line. At only 60 yards, I can easily get 3 refills out of a 200 yard spool. The drag was very smooth. I cranked down on the drag harder than I that I would need to, but it was super smooth even if it probably wouldn't be great for much over #10 or #12 line. The #8 Invisix seemed perfect for this reel. All in all, I am very pleased to have a rig like this to compliment the rest of my quiver.

 

TL/DR version: Two thumbs up if you're looking for something that will easily cast lighter baits a country mile compared to reels like my SLX MGL 70, SV TW 103, Tatula 100, and a Curado 200 to name the other more popular reels I have in my collection.

[inferiorfisherman]

Tell me if I am starting to understand this or not.  At least how it is discussed in the US

 

BFS = finesse bass fishing gear. Maybe as low as 1/8th oz plus a bait of some sort, so probably 3/16 - 3/8oz total weight.  Relatively light line, like 7# FC or 20# braid. something in that ballpark.  This can be accomplished without a designated BFS reel as long as it is on the finesse end of the spectrum like a shimano MGL, or daiwa SV.  Even better if you get an aftermarket spool for one of these reels.

 

UL casting = panfish/trout fishing gear.  as low as 1/32 oz plus bait of some sort, so probably 1/16 1/4 oz total weight.  Very light line like 4# FC or 8# braid.  This seems to be what they call BFS is japan where it began where when they say BFS they don't plan to be bass fishing.  Shimano BFS is more intended for this use case, because of line capacity.  

 

Dobyns ultra finesse - it is trying to straddle the line between the 2 by having a super soft tip that can cast very light lures, but has a bass friendly backbone.  I actually have one of their panfish rods.  The sa 741sf.  it sounds very similar.  I can toss 1/16oz jigs with ease, but I also can handle a 12lb drum.  The rod really only flexes at the tip while catching crappie and because of this doesn't keep them pinned as well as a more parabolic rod.  This rod is good for general purpose light line fishing where you are just trying to catch whatever is biting, but not necessarily perfect for any one type.  

 

Does this line up with how you see it?

[bulldog1935]

@inferiorfisherman

BFS means bait finesse system.  

In the US, we're mostly talking about bass fishing.  

 

In Japan, they use them for stream trout, bass and salt light game. 

Some people in the US also fish trout and salt light game, but most here are talking about bass and bass BFS rods.  

 

In small streams for trout, the rods are shorter and reels aimed for this niche have smaller diameter spools, not really intended for casting distance, but the lightest weight - with finesse.  Traditional small stream UL rods are more para taper, and flex deep into the butt and handle., and typically shorter rods to fish in tight spaces.    

 

The bass and salt small game reels and rods are for casting farther, the spools usually larger diameter, and the rods faster, progressive taper - more like a fly rod - with a fast mid and stiff butt section.  The longer the rod, the wider the lure weight range.  

 

I have a Steez SV-TW set up for BFS using a Roro-X spool that weighs 6 g, and holds 100 m PE#0.8 (16-lb test in X-braid).  I swap it between two rods, a 6'7" Valleyhill bass rod that's very fast and versatile for most niches from 1/16 to 5/8 oz - not even the tip feels soft on this rod, but it's made for light weights, and to protect 5-lb test.  The rod action will fish Ned rigs, 1/4-oz spinner baits, and lipless crank baits even to 1/2 oz.  

I also use the reel in the salt on an 8'2" Yamaga Blanks small game rod, made for shore fishing and casting out of sight, and also rated up to 20 g, which is almost 3/4 oz, though I don't fish it there.  My target for it is 100+' accurate casts with a 3-g plug - the same lures stream trout fishers use, but casting a lot farther (trout trebles swapped for salt singles).  

With either rod, the speedy reel will cast 2 g to 100', and 3 g well beyond. 

When you're casting that light, really don't need anything more than linear mag brake for mid-cast wind backlash.  The nonlinear start-up brake becomes important with heavier weights.  

 

I don't have a Dobyns Ultra Finesse rod, but do have two solid-tip Japan and Korea small game spinning rods - have fished one of those along with a faster tubular tip rod in salt UL niche more than a dozen years.  Solid-tip fits the bill of a fast rod with a super-soft tip, and bass or small game version has reinforced butt section.  The solid tip XUL rods cast a fraction of a gram, and protect line down to 2-lb test.  No one has ever imported these rods to the US - they're really a Japan thing.  Don't think I'd want a solid tip rod in any but XUL spinning, and definitely wouldn't want one in a bass BFS rod.  I would think Dobyns has homogenized the formula a bit for American tastes and for more functional bass fishing - not quite so soft-tip and not quite so XUL, which you should see in the low-end of lure and line ratings.  My newer 8' Korean solid-tip rockfish UL has a much faster tip and not quite the light lure and line ratings of Japan rods, and I would guess it's closer to what Dobyns is offering.  

[Big Hands]

22 hours ago, inferiorfisherman said:

Tell me if I am starting to understand this or not.  At least how it is discussed in the US

 

BFS = finesse bass fishing gear. Maybe as low as 1/8th oz plus a bait of some sort, so probably 3/16 - 3/8oz total weight.  Relatively light line, like 7# FC or 20# braid. something in that ballpark.  This can be accomplished without a designated BFS reel as long as it is on the finesse end of the spectrum like a shimano MGL, or daiwa SV.  Even better if you get an aftermarket spool for one of these reels.

 

UL casting = panfish/trout fishing gear.  as low as 1/32 oz plus bait of some sort, so probably 1/16 1/4 oz total weight.  Very light line like 4# FC or 8# braid.  This seems to be what they call BFS is japan where it began where when they say BFS they don't plan to be bass fishing.  Shimano BFS is more intended for this use case, because of line capacity.  

 

Dobyns ultra finesse - it is trying to straddle the line between the 2 by having a super soft tip that can cast very light lures, but has a bass friendly backbone.  I actually have one of their panfish rods.  The sa 741sf.  it sounds very similar.  I can toss 1/16oz jigs with ease, but I also can handle a 12lb drum.  The rod really only flexes at the tip while catching crappie and because of this doesn't keep them pinned as well as a more parabolic rod.  This rod is good for general purpose light line fishing where you are just trying to catch whatever is biting, but not necessarily perfect for any one type.  

 

Does this line up with how you see it?

I have an MGL 70 and an SV. The BFS Curado was noticeably better for me casting lightweight baits in my initial use. Maybe I am being a 'prisoner of the moment', but at the very least it was easier to cast the lightweight baits. I will need some more time on the water with it to know for sure. 

 

That said, I have fished finesse rigs on baitcasters since the 80's using mostly #6 mono. It can be done without too much trouble and many reels will at least get by. But in this day and age of very specialized rod/reel combinations, some may want to give this a look for that specific use. For me, this isn't something I plan to use to fish super-tiny baits, just 'normal' finesse-ish baits.

[Big Hands]

Been out a couple more times with this rig and I am liking it a lot so far and have some additional thoughts.

 

The drag is awesome, but it is definitely designed for more than 8 lb, or possibly 10 lb line. Even with 8 lb, I need to tighten down the drag (what feels like) pretty hard. I estimate that the drag's sweet spot is 4 lb to 8 lb line, and in that range it is sublime, smooth and well controlled. I don't think I would get one to use with a 10 lb or heavier leader.

 

The first one being that there might not be a lot of great rod choices for the design intent of this reel. . . . . even from Shimano (at least here in the states). It's also possible that maybe I just don't understand how casting baits that are lighter than 'normal' stuff people are throwing.

 

The rod I have it currently paired with fishes much closer to a M/F than the MH/F it's rated as, and I like it a lot, but I could see having a second rig with a slightly lighter power, but still a fast action that can drive a worm hook or small jig hook home.

 

Medium/Fast casting rods rated for a 6 lb to 15 lb range (or no more that 8 lb test at the lower end of the range) and that are 7' or preferably a little longer are not easy to come by. Maybe that is because there hasn't been many reels designed for that niche. . . until now. I see a few more ML offerings, but many of them are mod-fast or regular action. And I'm pretty sure I don't want an XF action. 

 

Dobyns makes a 702c (Champion HP & XP) and and a 742c (Champion XP) that look like they may be what I will look for when I get another of these reels. I love the ease and accuracy of casting this reel, and would like to see if it can handle more of the tasks that I currently use a spinning setup for. 

 

I am currently using 8 lb Invisix, but I am planning to try some 15 lb power Pro braid with either 6 lb or 8 lb leader. After using braid (with either mono or fluoro leader) for most things recently, even fluoro as a main line feels pretty stretchy, and I am hoping that the super shallow spool will alleviate potential digging in that lighter weight braids can suffer from on casting reels.