Bought my first in 95′, then several more over the next year. Shimano Curado CU201 are light, cast light weight with easy and enough drag with an upgrade to stop steelhead. Wonderful reels to fish.
Daiwa Tatula 8.1:1
Light and smooth. Spool is a thing of beauty. Fine gears to produce the 8:1 ratio. Great for throwing 1/8 jigs. Many use it for steelhead fishing in the PNW. Not the greatest drags for that application but you could do it, I worry about the gear and pinion after a few hot steelhead but […]
Review: CorrosionX Marine Grease, TSI 321 oil and Cal’s drag grease
After two seasons, anti reverse pawls are worn but not failing.Greased screws all came out perfectly.Anti rust bearing a little rusty… …and drags were all in good shape. Anti reverse bearing and the ARBB were a little messy. All in all I would say that the regiment of CorrosionX marine grease, TSI 321 oil on […]
Reels today
Always amazes me the engineering that went into these old reels. This Penn 350 is weird by today’s standards. Then turn to a bucket of Shimano Tekota’s Last on the list this weekend is a badly corroded Shimano Torium 30. This has been a project as every step of the way corrosion has ate at […]
What do you use for lube?
Fishing Reel Grease vs Oil
Shimano Tekota Weekend
Shimano Tekota Fishing Reels – Excellent level wind reels in a good range of sizes.
Shimano Chronarch 201E7
Low profile casting reel with high speed gears and 7 bearings. Local reel that has been used hard and dunked in the local glacial streams more than once. Outside looks dirty and silty if that is a word. Worm gear is filled and every crevasse is filled. Im not optimistic about the inside at this […]
Shimano 1500LC Trolling Reel
Shimano 1500LC is a great salmon trolling reel. Direct drive with a line counter. No longer being made and parts are hard to come by but these old reels are valuable to the salmon angler in the Puget Sound. Two ball bearings and a simple drag. Not many parts on these reels. Bearings need constant […]
More bearings, more maintenance!
Today’s marvels of modern engineering are producing reels that have up to 12 or more bearings! Friction is radically reduced and smoothness is enhanced. But man, you really need to stay on top of the maintenance to keep them optimized. Some manufacture install Anti-rust bearings. Don’t be lulled into thinking that they are maintenance free. […]