OT: Favorite baitcasting reel

[M R DAWGS]

I’ve always been a spinning reel guy. I recently bought a Daiwa Tatula CT HSL to try to get into fishing with a baitcaster. It seems pretty smooth and casts well from my limited experience with it. I’m definitely still a novice with this type of reel. If I were to buy another bait casting reel what would you experienced open faced reelers buy?

 

[Bass Chaser]

Shimano

 

[Digging dog]

Curada

 

[M R DAWGS]

I used to be a Shimano fan, but over the years I’ve had several Sedona spinning reel shafts break on me while redfishing. I’ve since switched to Pflueger Presidents and have had no issues. I’ll check out a curado. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5500C.

 

[Cooterpoot]

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 5500C.

Toughest, most dependable ever made

 

[WeHollaAtYa]

Shimano Calcutta for salt water

 

[WeHollaAtYa]

Need to go up to the NASCI level of Shimano for spinners at least for fishing salt or brackish. It cost a lot more but well worth it.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Yeah that,

but not only the 5500 C.

 

[aTotal360]

I have a couple Tatulas (150 and 200). Great reels, but not the workhouse that a Curado is. I've had them for 3 years and they are starting to show wear more quickly than my Curados. IMO, the best bang for you buck are the JDM Shimanos. I have a couple Scorpions (Japanese version of the Curado) that are my favorite reels by a longshot. They are virtually identical except they have lighter spools and better handles. Don't overlook the Citica either. Great value there as well.

 

[aTotal360]

30 years ago they were the king. Now they are mostly plastic on the inside. Plus the drag on a Abu sucks.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Abu Garcia Revo, I’ve had about every brand and model but for my fishing style(jig-n-pig 95% of the time) it just suits me the best.

 

[FreeDawg]

Right now I’m throwing 13 Fishing and Shimano Curados. I love my curados but I hated any shimano baitcaster under the curado level. My favorite reel I have right now is my 13 Concept Z. Also throw a Concept A I like. I have the saltwater origin tx and it’s a really nice $100 price point reel. I also have my “truck” setup and it’s a Abu Garcia black max. It’s cheap as hell and easy to throw. It’s the one I throw in the back of my truck for a few cast on the side of the road.

 

[aTotal360]

I agree with you about Shimano, but the new Citicas are great. I'd say they are on par with the old green Curados.

 

[missouridawg]

Curada

I second these.

 

[dorndawg]

What is the major advantage of baitcast over spinning reels, other than getting really good at unknotting your spool?

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Line control

and less twisting.

 

[M R DAWGS]

What is the major advantage of baitcast over spinning reels, other than getting really good at unknotting your spool?

I don’t know about any advantages. I just want to try something new.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Mine are from 30 years ago.

 

[dorndawg]

I don’t about any advantages. I just want to try something new.

I hear you. I tried one several years back and it made me a lot better at cussin but not much else.

 

[Raiderdawg.sixpack]

I’ve always been a spinning reel guy. I recently bought a Daiwa Tatula CT HSL to try to get into fishing with a baitcaster. It seems pretty smooth and casts well from my limited experience with it. I’m definitely still a novice with this type of reel. If I were to buy another bait casting reel what would you experienced open faced reelers buy?

I was put on Pflueger & Lew’s 25 years ago by a couple of guys from my hometown that both ended up fishing for a living. I have had no issues with multiple reels of either brand.

I used a few shimano at one point, but after some issues with a reel a few years back, I have stuck with Pfluger & Lew’s.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

I fish salt, so the ones I use you can guarantee they last. The Shimano Chronarch is my favorite all time low-profile. I have a 13 fishing concept c that i really like too.
Now casting reels in general, mainly round reels, are my favorite and the Shimano Calcutta is tops. I have a couple Abu Ambassaduer C4s and they are good for about a year.

 

[aTotal360]

Distance control. If you fish from the bank or pier, use a spinning reel.

 

[PineGroveBully]

Yes the line twist is horrible. I’ve got a daiwa spinning reel but the only thing I use it for is drop shotting and I only do that a cpl times a year. I can hit about any target 50-60 yards away within 6-8” with my baitcasters but with a spinning reel I’m doing good to get with 6 feet of where I aim.

Yall may know this but I’ll share a tip for removing line twist. Once it gets bad if you’ll open your spool with nothing tied on and let it trail behind your boat while trolling with 50 -75 yards of line out for 5-6 minutes it will totally remove all twist. It’s a little high but Reel Magic sprayed on before and after your trip will help reduce it from twisting to begin with.

 

[PineGroveBully]

I’ll give ya a tip since you’re new to baitcasters and I can’t explain why this helps but somehow it seems to. When you cast instead of doing so with the spool facing up, if you rotate your wrist 45 degrees so that the spool is facing to the left (or right if you have an Orlando Wilson-esque left handed reel) they don’t seem to backlash near as bad. I don’t do it anymore but when I was learning growing up it was a tip my dad gave me and it helped. As I said I can’t explain the physics of why it works but it seems to.

 

[FreeDawg]

Good to hear they did that because that grey and black citica a few years back was trash

 

[aTotal360]

When Shimano upped the price points on their entire baitcasting lineup, they moved the Citica in the old Curado position. And the Curados became the Cronarchs. The guts of those 3 reels are almost identical. You end up paying for more bearings in the handles, lighter frames, and a lighter spool as you move up in the lineup.

 

[aTotal360]

Correct. The added friction of the spool brushing the side of the bearing on the main shaft is a great anti-backlash trick.

 

[M R DAWGS]

I generally only fish with power pro braided line and put 15lb power pro on the Daiwa reel. Do y’all run into line twist with braid or only monofilament. I’ve had no issues with it on my Pflueger spinning reels.

 

[PineGroveBully]

I started using Power Pro 5-6 years ago and I really like it. I keep 30 pound PP braid on one reel that I basically only throw frogs with and a lot of times you’re having to horse em out with 5lbs of grass or lily pads. I use the Power Pro 15lb fluorocarbon on my jig/worm reels.

 

[Jddrew1142]

Quantum smoke. Best baitcasters ive ever bought

 

[tenureplan]

A SheltonChoked post