Which Reel? And Rod Opinions Too

[MaineBassFishin]

Im going to be buying a new baitcaster I think I've narrowed it down to 2 reels either a shimano curado 200

or a revo sx which reel is most worth the money and if you know of any better reels please let me know. I'm also buying a new rod and so far I like the Abu Garcia's or a loomis rod my budget is about $250 max for both opinions please?

[MaineBassFishin]

Also I am looking for a rod that can cover most techniques

[deep]

I've fished Bantam Curados, Curado E's, Bantam Citicas, Citica E's. I've also fished Revo STXs, and Revo Winches. Even if I were unbiased, I'd take a Citica over a Revo SX any day. Curado vs Revo SX? No contest at all.

[MaineBassFishin]

No contest as in curado wins or revo sx

[deep]

No contest as in curado wins or revo sx

Curado wins!

P.S. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, lol. I own 5 shimano baitcasters, I have 5 baitcasters. I guess there's a reason for that though

[ChrisAW]

If it were me, I would step down a bit on the reel and go for a Citica or Revo S, or other comparable reels, and then spend a little more on the rod. I have Two SX's, two S', a Citica' and a Curado, and I personally don't see a need to step up from the S or Citica for your budget. They all work equally well for me.

As for rods, I do have both Vendetta's and Veritas and both have been great rods for me. But going with a less expensive reel will open up a few more options for rods.

[MaineBassFishin]

Thanks guys i may go with a curado I think would it be a bad idea to get it In 7.1:1?

[deep]

I think a 6.3:1 is a more all-around gear ratio. Do the RH curado Es come in that ratio? (I use lefty reels only). Otherwise, the 200E7 is just fine. I think it picks up 3 or 4 inches of more line per turn. Not a big deal, just reel a wee bit slower.

If you're set on a Curado, I'd tell you to look for good condition used bantam curados. Those are some serious reels. I bought another one last week; and you can save 30 to 40 bucks (at least).

[MaineBassFishin]

I think a 6.3:1 is a more all-around gear ratio. Do the RH curado Es come in that ratio? (I use lefty reels only). Otherwise, the 200E7 is just fine. I think it picks up 3 or 4 inches of more line per turn. Not a big deal, just reel a wee bit slower.

If you're set on a Curado, I'd tell you to look for good condition used bantam curados. Those are some serious reels. I bought another one last week; and you can save 30 to 40 bucks (at least).

What are the Bantam Curados? the ones I see on ebay look like there pretty old? Are these the right reels and if so whats so great about them?

EDIT: And sorry I meant 7.0:1 TW has them on sale for $119 for left hand retrieve and $140 for Right retrieve 5:0:1which I thought would be a bit slow for me.

[deep]

What are the Bantam Curados? the ones I see on ebay look like there pretty old? Are these the right reels and if so whats so great about them?

EDIT: And sorry I meant 7.0:1 TW has them on sale for $119 for left hand retrieve and $140 for Right retrieve 5:0:1which I thought would be a bit slow for me.

Bantam Curados are the old greenies. Slightly heavier than the new E's, but they come in all gear ratios, for RH and LH retrieves. And they are good reels. You can buy a used one, super-tune it, and still have some cash left over, and have a comparable reel to the stock Curado E, or better. I saw a post somewhere that even today, a few pros use them.

So do you want a RH or an LH reel? Honestly, if you want a new/ newish Curado E, look around. Mr Franchot had two NIB Curado E's for $80 each shipped a month ago.

P.S. looks like RH reels cost more than LH ones. Good thing I use leftys. Much have saved a bunch of money down the road, and not even realized it

EDIT: PM sent.

[MaineBassFishin]

also what rod specs would make the best all around rod ? such as actiion and tip speed and rod length

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

$119 is a great deal on the Curado. I bought one myself. 7:1 ratio is not mandatory but neither will it hurt anything comapared to a 6.3:1. The Curado 201B is a classic reel that is sturdy and casts well. They are also a prime cadidate for tuning for even better performance and can be bought for $60 +/-.

The Revo line are quality reels too. I personally prefer centrifugal braking so would go to the STX which has dual braking or stick with an S model.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Seems like you have gotten some pretty good reel advice, so I will chime in on the rod. Buy as good of a rod as you can afford. As far as a multi-purpose rod goes, you cant beat a 7' MH/F rod.

[Khong]

Thanks guys i may go with a curado I think would it be a bad idea to get it In 7.1:1?

You can reel slower all the time and won't get tired.

Always go with a higher gear ratio. Yes, go with the Curado 200e7. Now lefty or righty is your preference. Right is 200e7 and left is 201e7.

Get the G Loomis, you won't regret it if you have the $$$

[webertime]

MBM.

Go to American Legacy Fishing Company's website and sign up for their email newsletter and get a $25 off code. They have Curado E's for $125, so they'd be $100+shipping from there.

That leaves $125-$140 for a rod. You could get a clearence Crucial from them or a Veritas or a Powell or a Dobyns Savvy or a Loomis GL2, there are a ton of awesome rods in that range.

[FishinTN]

For reels, the curado is a very good reel if your fine with not having a 6.? ratio. The STX revo is a very good reel, i think much better than the sx. Seem like I saw them around $150.00 somewhere. I have both and like both, have had no issues with either, but I lean toward abu's.

Rods, I can't get on the loomis bandwagon. I tried their crankbait tods and a nrx, sold all. For a less expensive quality rod, like mentioned above the powell's are great. For a little more than that, St. Croix is a great company and the LTB is a great rod. Most of what you'll hear is personal preferance, after a certain price point most rods do very well and it comes down to prefeance.

[ChrisAW]

Getting the Curado at 119.99? That is definitely the way to go. That should leave you with plenty to play with for a nice rod, new or used.