Citica E

[Craiger12]

I know this has been somewhat of a hot topic latly, but I am looking into getting my first baitcaster and I was wondering if the Citica E would be a good baitcaster for a beginer with no prior experience. Any other suggestions are welcome. However, I am looking for a good midlevel reel, not a budget reel, as I have a bad habit of buying lower end gear intially and then upgrading several times and spending more in the end. Thanks.

[Dan:]

what baits will you mostly be using it for?

[Craiger12]

Mostly weighted and unweighted soft plastics, but also I would like to throw some medium sized jigs and spinners. I would love to put it on a BCR GLX if I could find a good deal on one, but I really have not considered rods too much yet.

[seyone]

For a beginner I wouldn't recommend throwing unweighted soft plastics with a baitcaster .

[Stasher1]

For a beginner I wouldn't recommend throwing unweighted soft plastics with a baitcaster .

It depends on the plastics. A weightless Senko weighs as much as a typical 7" worm with an 1/8 oz weight.

[seyone]

Maybe I should have said to avoid lightweight lures.

[Hammer 4]

I would recomend that you "Practice" Alot with say a 3/8 or 1/2 oz plug..train your thumb, as that is KEY to not get overruns/ birdsnest's..Also, spool it with some limper line for starters, once you get the hang of it, then go with whatever line you like.

Oh, and Practice some more..

Also, it's key to set your reel up for the weight of the baits your gonna toss, i.e. the brakes and spool friction.

[Bronzefly]

I think the Citica E is a great beginner mid range reel.  It's performance is solid, has a great price point, and has proven very reliable.  The brake system can be easily adjusted to provide an opportunity to train your thumb to baitcasting and can easily be changed to suit your needs based on the baits you're using.  The 6.3:1 ratio is well suited as an "all purpose" speed that will allow you to utilize a wide range of approaches effectively.  Pairing it with a GLX would be fantastic, but there are alot of excellent rods out there that will work great without spending so much $$.  I'm in no way trying to steer you away from GLX rods... had I known what I know now, I would have certainly started with them.  Powell and Shimano Crucial are both very nice rods that can easily be found for a very reasonable price.  Good luck and enjoy!  

[Dan:]

I think a Citica E would be a good choice then. It has a lot of room to access the spool which will help when you get those birdnests and I personally think the centrifugal brakes are pretty forgiving for beginners.

[looking4structure]

I'm with DAN on this one.The CITICA is a wonderful reel for the price.The brakes are easy to adjust.

[Boogey Man]

I would definately recommend the Citica E. It's hard to beat it for the price. Just start out with 4 or even 6 brakes set and work your way down. Learning to use a baitcaster can take a little time and patience but get out in the back yard and practice before you head out to the water.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I've never fished the Citca but do have two Curado's and from what I have heard, the performance of the Citica isn't far behind the Curado.  I don't think it would be a bad choice at all.

[jasonl]

I have 2 of them and love them both. my favorte part is the durability. havnt cleaned or lubed them once and they cast a mile just like they did when there came out the box

[Craiger12]

Are the IPT enough for soft plastic/jig fishing or burning spinners?

[Stasher1]

Are the IPT enough for soft plastic/jig fishing or burning spinners?

The IPT is fine for soft plastics, but I prefer a slightly faster retrieve for spinnerbaits and jigs. It would work fine, though, if you wanted to use one reel for everything.

[grimlin]

I personally think you'll be very happy with it. I only have one burner reel and that's because the newer Curado doesn't come in a 6.3:1 ratio.

I can always change it out if i want...the citica can be changed out as well.  

[TruflShufl]

Yes. buy the citica!!

[rubba bubba]

Citica E or Revo S would be my recommendations.  I'm not familiar with Daiwa or Flooger and whether they have something similar to these 2.

[Craiger12]

I have been reading some more and have read some great things about the revo STX. I know it is more expensive, but how would this reel compare to the new citica and curados?

[Dan:]

I have been reading some more and have read some great things about the revo STX. I know it is more expensive, but how would this reel compare to the new citica and curados?

The STX casts farther but it is a little bigger and heavier and it is not as good of a beginner reel. The magnetic brakes are less newbie friendly than the centrifugal brakes in my opinion.

You can get the old models of the Revo STX or Premier for around the same price as the Citica E from tackle warehouse. PM me if you want more details.