Reel Advice, bait caster low profile. Which one?

[cavemann]

Alright, it's sale season and have some money to burn on a new reel..  I primarily fish kings/silvers in local rivers.  Picked up a 9.5' Lami Infinity last year and time to put a decent reel on.  I looked at the Daiwa Tatula and Shimano Curado 201xg..  What do you guys suggest, willing to spend $175.

I have always used Abu Garcia 6500 but it's a beast throwing corkies all day.  The low profiles are lighter and much faster retrieve.  Any down side to the higher gear ratios and do the low profiles have decent drag raiting?

[jimmyt]

Curado

[blackpowderhunter]

daiwa lexa has some nice offerings in that price range.

[carpsniperg2]

I like the curado of the two you listed.

I run a lot of abu. I just picked up a new servo sx and liking it a lot. The revo winch is my all time fave.

[Parasite]

The TranX will give you a few extra pounds of drag over the Curado. It's more of a saltwater reel than a freshwater bass reel.

Also, depending on the reel, the higher gear ratios might have a different, longer handle.

[hunthard]

Curado, you won't regret it.

[cavemann]

Any opinions on the 8.5, 7.4 or 6.2 gear ratios for the Curado?  as I understand it this is mostly for retrieval speed/line intake.  Is there and upside or down side for drag and fighting fish between the three?

[7mmfan]

Any opinions on the 8.5, 7.4 or 6.2 gear ratios for the Curado?  as I understand it this is mostly for retrieval speed/line intake.  Is there and upside or down side for drag and fighting fish between the three?

For the most part, the faster gear ratios will just allow you to spend more time in the water, and less time reeling. High gear ratios in lower quality reels will lead to burned up reels in a hurry though when fighting big fish. As long as you stick to a quality reel like the ones mentioned (I'm fond of the Curado) I think you'll be good to go. It will take some getting used to fighting fish on one if you're used to an old 6500 though, it will be like driving a Ferrari after driving a Honda Accord for 20 years.

[upperleft]

You can go and buy the Daiwa or the Curado and you'll probably be happy with either one of them. But if I were you I wouldn't screw around and I'd spend the money on a Shimano Tranx. the Tranx comes in three sizes but I'd only look at the 200 or the 300 if I were you. you never know there might be a time where your gear could touch saltwater and Tranx is a 100% saltwater rated reel. for kings and silvers, the 6.2-7.2 will work. know with all that being said if you set on either the Tatula or the Curado I'd suggest the Curado, there's nothing as smooth as a Shimano drag.

[2MANY]

Any opinions on the 8.5, 7.4 or 6.2 gear ratios for the Curado?  as I understand it this is mostly for retrieval speed/line intake.  Is there and upside or down side for drag and fighting fish between the three?

For the most part, the faster gear ratios will just allow you to spend more time in the water, and less time reeling. High gear ratios in lower quality reels will lead to burned up reels in a hurry though when fighting big fish. As long as you stick to a quality reel like the ones mentioned (I'm fond of the Curado) I think you'll be good to go. It will take some getting used to fighting fish on one if you're used to an old 6500 though, it will be like driving a Ferrari after driving a Honda Accord for 20 years.

Shimano 201SG

Left hand reel so no rod transfer to reel, direct drive switch for full on thumb drag fish fighting, and a smooth drag if your a drag guy.

The best bait caster of all time!!!!
Unfortunately that was the 80's dude.

[7mmfan]

Any opinions on the 8.5, 7.4 or 6.2 gear ratios for the Curado?  as I understand it this is mostly for retrieval speed/line intake.  Is there and upside or down side for drag and fighting fish between the three?

For the most part, the faster gear ratios will just allow you to spend more time in the water, and less time reeling. High gear ratios in lower quality reels will lead to burned up reels in a hurry though when fighting big fish. As long as you stick to a quality reel like the ones mentioned (I'm fond of the Curado) I think you'll be good to go. It will take some getting used to fighting fish on one if you're used to an old 6500 though, it will be like driving a Ferrari after driving a Honda Accord for 20 years.

Shimano 201SG

Left hand reel so no rod transfer to reel, direct drive switch for full on thumb drag fish fighting, and a smooth drag if your a drag guy.

The best bait caster of all time!!!!
Unfortunately that was the 80's dude.

Was this the model with the reel lock as well? I've seen some pretty spectacular break offs associated with an inadvertent spool locking. 

[2MANY]

The switch was either direct drive or it would switch to the drag setting.

If you had your drag cranked down to have no spool slippage when reeling and hit the rocker switch accidentally then bad things could happen.

[7mmfan]

The switch was either direct drive or it would switch to the drag setting.

If you had your drag cranked down to have no spool slippage when reeling and hit the rocker switch accidentally then bad things could happen.

A friend of mine had an old Shimano with that feature, but it also had a spool lock. It did exactly what it sounds like. Twice I've seen him hook fish and inadvertently flip the pool lock. Both big mid teens wild hens that absolutely came unglued. The results were catastrophic and hilarious.