Curado or chornarch?

[Wiscobowhunt]

What is the difference between the two besides gear ratios ? Is the chronarch worth the extra money in your opinion?

[PhishLI]

52 minutes ago, Wiscobowhunt said:

What is the difference between the two besides gear ratios ? Is the chronarch worth the extra money in your opinion?

If you wish to understand comparisons between the two then the question becomes which Curado. There are several models. Personally I'd pick most anything Shimano over the Curado K, so I'd pick the Chronarch over the K. If I were starting from zero I'd pick the Curado 150 MGL over the Chronarch. There aren't any real upsides to the Chronarch over the 150 except for the Chronarch's plastic frame. Most wouldn't consider that an upside, but if you fish in very cold weather a plastic frame is a plus. Besides that, the Curado 150 MGL will do what the Chronarch does at a lower price and it has an aluminum frame.

[Wiscobowhunt]

For an all around one reel one rod setup, I fish to pass time until deer season mostly just summer I’m not a very serious fisherman but I just want decent reliable gear for when I do get out 

[SmugOne]

If a decent and dependable reel is what you are looking for and you are only fishing summers the K may be a good choice.  I have 5 Curado Ks and have not had any issues at all.  The K is a bit heavier and won’t cast the lighter lures like the more expensive reels, but they are solid, tried and true.  

 

But honestly at only $10 more, the 150 MGL needs to be strongly considered. I assume it will be just as dependable as the my Ks, Chronarchs, and Metanium, but I have only had it for a month so time will tell for sure, 
 

Now If money is not an issue, just go with the Metanium. 

 

 

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, PhishLI said:

There aren't any real upsides to the Chronarch over the 150 except for the Chronarch's plastic frame. Most wouldn't consider that an upside, but if you fish in very cold weather a plastic frame is a plus.

Yup, It's amazing how much colder a metal side plate feels. I fish all winter fresh and salt without gloves, so I have cold weather reels.

[PhishLI]

21 minutes ago, SmugOne said:

 The K is a bit heavier and won’t cast the lighter lures like the more expensive reels

...or as well as the 150 MGL.

[newapti5]

I would go with the Chronarch MGL. Despite the carbon frame, it's really smooth thanks to the micro gear, and the casting performance is amazing without any upgrades. I don't have Curado 150 MGL, but the casting performance of Scorpion MGL 150, although impressive, is not as good and stable as the Chronarch.  

 

The only thing with Chronarch MGL is that it's a 5 years old reel. Pretty soon Shimano will probably push out a new version of it. 

[GReb]

Save the money and get the Curado mgl

[FishTank]

I have the Curado K and the Chronarch MGL.  Both are great reels but the Chronarch is smoother and slightly more powerful.  Is it worth the extra money? Maybe.  I like the feel of the Chronarch better but not by much over the Curado.  

 

Which would I choose?  The Chronarch but if money is a factor I would get the Curado and invest the extra cash in a good rod. 

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, GReb said:

Save the money and get the Curado mgl

^^^X2

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, newapti5 said:

I don't have Curado 150 MGL, but the casting performance of Scorpion MGL 150, although impressive, is not as good and stable as the Chronarch.  

I spent some time with a Curado 150 MGL zipping out a 4.2" Hazedong Shad with a 3/32oz Owner hook. There was nothing quirky about it. It casted great, and it's a smoooooth cranker. Casting this bait with the K is a chore, especially with fluoro/mono/copoly. Even the SLX MGL is way better than the K here.

 

The OP is an occasional fisherman. If, and this is a big if, the Chronarch MGL has slightly better casting performance, what are we talking about really? If he needs a one-rod all around setup where switching baits requires brake block adjustments on the water does he want a reel with a detachable side plate? Doubtful.

[newapti5]

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I spent some time with a Curado 150 MGL zipping out a 4.2" Hazedong Shad with a 3/32oz Owner hook. There was nothing quirky about it. It casted great, and it's a smoooooth cranker. Casting this bait with the K is a chore, especially with fluoro/mono/copoly. Even the SLX MGL is way better than the K here.

 

The OP is an occasional fisherman. If, and this is a big if, the Chronarch MGL has slightly better casting performance, what are we talking about really? If he needs a one-rod all around setup where switching baits requires brake block adjustments on the water does he want a reel with a detachable side plate? Doubtful.

 

Actually because I assumed the OP is an occasional fisherman, I suggested the Chronarch. Occasional fisherman doesn't have to buy half a dozen of the same reel like tournament fisherman does; usually one or two is enough. Why not save up and get the Chronarch so that you don't have to keep wondering "what if?" 

 

Regarding Chronarch MGL performance, it can cast almost as far as the last gen Metanium MGL, which was the pinnacle of Shimano casting performance before the new version came along.

 

And it's not just the distance; it's also the range of lure weights it can handle. From 1/6oz Ned rig to 3/8oz jig with trailer, or 1/4oz to 3/4oz jerkbait, it can handle them all, WITHOUT changing much of the brake setting. My Chronarch brake setting is always set at 2 on 2, and that setting could pretty much handle all the above weights and lures. I only need to occasionally change the outside dial a bit when windy, but no need to open the side plate and change the brake shoes. 

 

Also the casting of Chronarch is very user-friendly and stable. I could pretty much cast the 1/6oz Ned rig thumb-free, and that is with 12lb fluoro. Not many reels can do that while still maintaining a great casting distance.

 

Chronarch MGL is carbon frame + brass gears, and Curado 150 is aluminum frame + brass gears(?). Yet they have the same weight. I don't know how Shimano keeps the weight of Curado 150 down, maybe smaller frame?  One of the reasons for Chronarch (and last gen Metanium) great casting performance, is the long distance between spool and line guide, which is made possible due to its larger size frame.  Some may not like the bigger size; it's a trade-off no doubt.

 

I am sure Curado 150 MGL is a great reel that performs, maybe as well as the Chronarch. But again, since the OP is probably only getting one reel, why not get the Chronarch so the bait monkey would shut up for a longer while. 

[The Bassman]

I recently bought a Curado 150 MGL and have owned a Chronarch 150 MGL for a while. I haven't fished the Curado yet but am absolutely blown away with it. The Chronarch is a great reel but this new Curado seems incredible as far as smoothness, castability, and ergos.

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, newapti5 said:

I am sure Curado 150 MGL is a great reel that performs, maybe as well as the Chronarch. But again, since the OP is probably only getting one reel, why not get the Chronarch so the bait monkey would shut up for a longer while. 

This is a good discussion that could easily continue for several pages I'm sure, but that would be way more about our reel geek-dom. That's quite detached from the OP's request. Re-read the OP's second post in this thread. He said he's not a serious fisherman. Just a way to pass time. He doesn't have a bait monkey.

 

Nobody's throwing a 1/6 Ned on an all-around utility rod (Dobyns 735?) with 17lb test, which is what I'm assuming this dude is aiming for. The point is that without several specific setups it's highly unlikely he'll escape needing to adjust brake blocks if he's throwing a very wide range of baits on a rod like that.

 

BTW, a 12-ish gram MGL spool doesn't assume supernatural qualities because it's in a Met or Chronarch frame instead of a Curado frame. Click the thumbar, cast, and the platform is out of the equation for the most part. What minor differences found thereafter, like line guide orientation and shape, are minor for most practical purposes. This is reel geek stuff, not guy passing time until deer hunting season stuff.

 

At the end of the day he shouldn't opt for any of the reels we've lobbied for here and should probably wait for the new SLX DC XT. It'll probably be a near headache-free solution that's far better suited to the serious hunter who's an unserious fisherman.