Shimano Question

[BarryBobPosthole]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new rod/reel combo and it will be a Shimano/Falcon combination again. I've got four years out of my two original Stradic/Falcon Lowrider combos and they're just as smooth as the day they came out of the box. So why do I need a new one? Well, it has been four years since I've broken in a new set. Also, I keep one rigged with braid and one rigged with flouro and I think I need a third I can set up for even lighter line for dropshotting.

Anyway, just when I thought I had my mind made up I see this Shimano Stradic CI4. Lighter weight, stronger supposedly and even smoother supposedly. It costs more, OF COURSE. I was wondering if anybody here had actually fished with one and if there's any noticeable difference.

BKB

[Thumper]

Get what you want ... I'll still out-fish you with my Zebco 33 and Ugly Stik. :D

[BarryBobPosthole]

You might do it. But you won't look half good doing it. Especially with a cat draped around your neck.

BKB

[LJ3]

I have the C4i in both 1000 and 2500 sizes. They are by far the best reels I have in every way. Do it. Action is still as smoove as the day I bought them.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I was thinking you might have told me you'd gotten that model. Thanks Len. The 1000 is what I'm looking at. Line capacity is pretty low on them though. Of course I ain't gonna be longline trolling a big crank with it.

BKB

[LJ3]

I use 4lb fireline braid and it holds about 17 miles on the 1000. It's a pretty small unit, though. I wouldn't put in on anything longer than a 6' pole with medium light/light action. Just my preference, though. The 2500 on my Loomis bronzeback rod is really well balanced.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I have given a lot of thought to getting the 2500 this time. My other two are 1000s. I could actually troll with a 2500 but its just so much fun landing a 8 or 9 pound fish on that ultralight stuff. Its like trying to land a seal with a crappie pole.

BKB

[LJ3]

I have mine on a 6ft medium light Fenwick XMS and it's great fun nailing a river smallie with that thing on 4lb braid!

[BarryBobPosthole]

You have any new baits you'll give up this year? I'm going retro and hitting the smallies up north hard with some old school Rebel Pop-R action. And of course the usual cornucopia of soft plastic shit.

BKB

[LJ3]

I'm finna try some drop shotting this weekend if all goes well. I have senkos and a new really wiggly sort of floating worm I'ma try. Sadly, I haven't done much river fishing yet. My go tos are always my twin tail hula skirt grubs and mizmo tubes. I have yet to see anything that catches more large smallies in our rivers.

Cap'n E has perfected his "old faithful" that almost always produces. colored jig head, berkley power grub (brown w/chartreuse tail) on a jig spinner with a single copper blade. When they're in the mood for that, all hell breaks loose.

If I show up dead, you know it's because I have divulged these closely held secrets!

I'm committing to more xRap and jerk baits this year as well.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I haven't fallen prey to the X-Rap yet. I try to stay at least one release behind Rapala so I'm still on the Minnow Raps. When they move from X-Rap to some other latest greatest I may try them. Have looked at the scatter Rap Minnow but haven't bought any yet. Might buy a couple of test baits. I like the concept.

BKB

[Thumper]

You girls need to get a room! I think there should be a fishing forum someplace with a vacancy. ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Okay, we'll let you get back to discussing open wheel racing and pussy cats.

BKB

[Egghead]

You guys need to try the Rapala Scatter Rap. I have now used the Shallow Crank version on the Potomac, and on that first day I held even with my fishing partner using Mizmo tubes. The Shallow Crank one works perfect in the shallow water we fish, it floats if you stop cranking, and you can twitch it or constant retrieve, the later seeming to get it down to 4 or 5 feet. Like Big Skyz said in that other forum, it has some pretty cool action, different from most others.

[Niner]

I can't speak to those high dollar Shimano's, but my Spirex's are (to me) the cat's ass. I do wish they'd put the Quickfire into some of their fancy schmancy reels, but I reckon that ain't gonna happen. I've got two 2500s and two 1000s. One of each is a front and one is a rear drag. Personally, I prefer a reel with the rear "fighting drag" on it.

Posthole, if you are gonna go Old School with your lures this year check out the offerings over at www.lurenet.com.

[Egghead]

... but my Spirex's are (to me) the cat's ass. I do wish they'd put the Quickfire into some of their fancy schmancy reels, but I reckon that ain't gonna happen. I've got two 2500s and two 1000s. One of each is a front and one is a rear drag. Personally, I prefer a reel with the rear "fighting drag" on it.

Niner, you just described my predominant fresh water (and light tackle saltware) reel! I have 4 of those Spirex 2500 (of different vintages) rear-drag, quickfire reels in my current rotation. :)

[Big Skyz]

The Stradic CI4 2500 will be my next reel as soon as I can scrap together enough scratch. They are darn nice reels and I like the feel of them better than my two Quantum Smoke reels. Unlike Len I prefer a 6'6" medium fast rod or even a 7'. Try those Rapala Scatter Raps out, they are pretty dang cool.

[Buckrub]

$220 for 7 bearings when you can have 10 and smoother than anything Shimano makes for $70????

The Mitchell 300/308/310xe was great. The upgraded 300/308/310Pro is better. Way better. You can get THREE of them for $220........

And if you are fishing braided line, Power Pro is the way to go. Plus, they make it in yellow so you can see it.

[Chicken Dinner]

He lives!

[BarryBobPosthole]

Garsh! I've fished with Mitchell reels and while I won't claim to have used the latest, that to me is like comparing a model A with a Porsche. Nothing I've ever used compares to the quality and durability of a Shimano spincast. In baitcasters they have competition, but not much in the spinning reel products. And I try not to be a snob about fishing gear but you wouldn't call it that if it was a rifle.
I haven't used PowerOro. I'll give it a try.

BKB

[Captain]

I fish Power Pro and Fireline. Same, same. Whichever I can find at buying time in the weight I'm looking for is what I use.
There is a WORLD of difference in the reels mentioned.
They have never put a Mitchell reel together that can hold a candle to a Shimano reel. In open face that is.
I am NO expert on bait casters. Got em use them rarely for certain kinds of fishing but don't like em.
Take Care, Captain

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[LJ3]

Now before everyone goes piling on Bucky... Who has fished with a Mitchell n the last 15 years?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Not I.

BKB

[LJ3]

Me either... Looks like a piece of crap.

Kidding!

I'd have to fish with one to really know but I can't see myself getting one. I know it's stupid to say but it just doesn't appear that well built from the pics.

http://www.basspro.com/Mitchell-300-Pro-Spinning-Reels/product/1306040811053/

[BarryBobPosthole]

Good reviews. I'll fondle one next time I'm at BPS.

BKB

[quercus alba]

I still fish a Garcia 5000 on an Uglystik with the original Stren. I chunk it out there and more times than not it'll reel it back in. Guess I'm the anti yuppie

[Captain]

Now before everyone goes piling on Bucky... Who has fished with a Mitchell n the last 15 years?
WTF??? Now we got to justify what and how we have formed our opinions? I've had probably 6 different Mitchell reels over the last 35 years. And they have all been fair reels but not near Shimano quality. Most are tossed aside within a year or so for broken bail springs, shaking (unbalanced) and the like.

Len why the hell didn't you ask Bucky how many Shimano reels he's fished with in the past 15 years to form HIS opinion.
He can make an opinion statement like:
"smoother than anything Shimano makes"
Without any justifier and skate by.
I can give my opinion on the same subject and get called out to qualify my statement and accused of piling on?

[Niner]

I have a Mitchell 300, and a 301. BUT they were made in France and are regarded as "collectables" these days.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Well now. I never knew that Mitchell was made in France. You learn somethin every day!

BKB

[LJ3]

WTF??? Now we got to justify what and how we have formed our opinions? I've had probably 6 different Mitchell reels over the last 35 years. And they have all been fair reels but not near Shimano quality. Most are tossed aside within a year or so for broken bail springs, shaking (unbalanced) and the like.

Len why the hell didn't you ask Bucky how many Shimano reels he's fished with in the past 15 years to form HIS opinion.
He can make an opinion statement like:
"smoother than anything Shimano makes"
Without any justifier and skate by.
I can give my opinion on the same subject and get called out to qualify my statement and accused of piling on?

Cap'n, are you getting laid on a regular basis? :)

[Niner]

Barry, the OLD Mitchell reels (like the one in my Acatar) were made in France. I think the new ones are made in China or Lower Slobovia or somesuch.

[BarryBobPosthole]

What a tangled web it is these days. Its awful hard to have much brand loyalty when these companies are owned by big daddy corporations. Mitchell, it turns out, was owned and operated by ABU Garcia when Mitchell was a French company. Then they were bought by Johnson in the 80's when the fishing industry conglomerated into two or three real companies. Johnson today owns Minnkota, Humminbird, LakeMaster, and a bunch of other outdoor rrelated companies. Mitchell somewhere along the line was sold to Jarden Companies who make kitchen appliances and so forth (Oster is one), and they own Berkely, Fenwick, Coleman, Penn, among many many others. Its weird. Pradco owns most of the familiar lure manufacturers nowadays.

BKB

[LJ3]

I thought the Chinese owned everything now. I guess the Frogs are more stealthy.

[Captain]

Cap'n, are you getting laid on a regular basis? :)
Probably getting more by accident than most get on purpose. But what's that got to do with my point?
I'm serious here. Why am I called out for giving an opinion and others are not?

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[Thumper]

Ummm, maybe 'cause you're a redneck, short-shit dufus-butt? :D

[Captain]

That's a good possibility, but I notice there are no real answers given?

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[Thumper]

Mine's real. ;)

[Captain]

Bite me

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[Thumper]

:biggrin

[Big Skyz]

You two are cracking me up. :D

[Captain]

Yea, my side is hurting from laughing too!

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[LJ3]

Probably getting more by accident than most get on purpose. But what's that got to do with my point?
I'm serious here. Why am I called out for giving an opinion and others are not?

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I wasn't saying anything about a particular person. Just trying to keep everyone from getting sand in their vaginas again.

I'll butt out next time, sorry.

[Captain]

Everyone? Or just one?

Cause it was sure one sided

Asking people to qualify THEIR opinions/comments by how many Mitchell reels they fish in the past 15 years and not asking Bucky to qualify his opinion/comment of "smoother than anything Shimano makes" by asking how many Shimano reels he's fish sure seems one sided.
And perhaps I took it the way I did because it was posted right after my comment.
Anyway my opinion stands....
If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Once in 56 years ain't bad.

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[Niner]

So Bucky.......
How many Shimano's (and what models) have you had in the last 15 years?
:poke

[quercus alba]

I don't know any of you well enough to say much, the only one of you I've ever met was Bert. Just seems to me that too many here want to get pissy too easy. It ain't no fun any more. We need Cornholio to show up with some large dead critters or Carnie with a fresh stripe on his drawers just to lighten the mood a little bit. Even mule writer would be an improvement over the last few months

[Captain]

Or Matt and a squirrel killing at the office. Or was that a rat?

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[BarryBobPosthole]

I agree the sensitivity knobs get turned up too high sometimes. I also think that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. There is the distinct possibility that the actual level of persecution around here is pretty evenly distributed.

BKB

[Niner]

Ok, here's a question....and I am dead serious:
How does one judge the "smoothness" of a spinning reel?

I DO know that more ball bearings does not necessarily make for a "smoother" reel.

[Captain]

I agree the sensitivity knobs get turned up too high sometimes. I also think that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. There is the distinct possibility that the actual level of persecution around here is pretty evenly distributed. BKB

Well said. That good for Goose, good for Gander is my point.
That's kinda how this site got started. Getting kicked out of All Outdoors and the flame wars that use to go on over there.
There is a LOT of history and friendships made here. WONDERFUL connections and even greater meetings and trips.
The part about us fighting like brothers/sisters in engrained In the roots of this place.
I might be showing my age but I think of this place like a modern CB radio fad that went around in the 70's. You talked to and got to "know" a lot of people without ever meeting them. And it seemed like when you did finally get to meet one of them face to face you already knew so much about them. And had a lot to talk about from the get go.
But the one disadvantage to THIS form of meeting and chatting with each other is the lack of being able to hear a voice. A LOT is said in a tone or inference in the spoken word, and many things can be taken or read with a different intent.
It's happened to me several time here and will again. Most of them harmless. But if the same conversation took place face to face around a campfire there would have not been a misunderstanding.

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[Buckrub]

So Bucky.......
How many Shimano's (and what models) have you had in the last 15 years?
:poke

Two, but I didn't say anything negative to anyone, just gave an opinion, nothing more.

I won't be giving many more opinions here.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Niner, I just the smoothness by two things: First how solid the action feels when you're reeling. On some reels, they just feel like there are heavy or light spots in a revolution of the handle. In other words it kind of feels like the spool has a tire weight on it or something. Kind of oscillates if that makes sense. On a really smooth reel you hardly feel the bail trip and you'd never know the spool was connected to the handle by pinion gears and drive gears because there's just that good of a connection. The other thing I judge the smoothness on is under a heavy load. How much slack is in it when you set the hook, how far can you backreel with the brake on. Both of those should be zero. It should be SOLID.

Bucky, the other thing I was about to edit my post and say is that your skin isn't half as thin as we sometimes think it is. But I guess it is thin on this deal for some reason. I disagreed with your opinion and I thought I did it pretty much forthrightly. Sorry if that got under your skin because it wasn't meant that way. Understand, I don't apologize for not agreeing, I am just sorry you fell that way. I don't know what to friggin' say any more.

BKB

[LJ3]

I always want everyone to get along and it's always been my achilles and probably will be until I die. I'll just mind my own bidness and continue to fuck with everyone :)

[Thumper]

Sheeesh! It's like ya' have to friggin' walk on egg shells around this joint lately. WTF is in the water these days?

[LJ3]

Screw you Jimmy! That's hurtful!

[Thumper]

I don't discriminate, I mess with EVERYBODY! :D

[Captain]

I don't discriminate, I mess with EVERYBODY! :D
Ah go pet your pussy....

Have you ever noticed threads where a difference of opinions get the most replies?

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[Thumper]

Yeah, a thread gets real boring when they run like Democrats agreeing with everything Obama said during his first term. Odd how, now that he can't run again, some are trying to distance themselves. Frigging brown-nosers!

BTW, my pussy is a little sore tonight.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Oh yeah, all this thread needs is politics to make it perfect.

BKB

[Buckrub]

Niner, I just the smoothness by two things: First how solid the action feels when you're reeling. On some reels, they just feel like there are heavy or light spots in a revolution of the handle. In other words it kind of feels like the spool has a tire weight on it or something. Kind of oscillates if that makes sense. On a really smooth reel you hardly feel the bail trip and you'd never know the spool was connected to the handle by pinion gears and drive gears because there's just that good of a connection. The other thing I judge the smoothness on is under a heavy load. How much slack is in it when you set the hook, how far can you backreel with the brake on. Both of those should be zero. It should be SOLID.

Bucky, the other thing I was about to edit my post and say is that your skin isn't half as thin as we sometimes think it is. But I guess it is thin on this deal for some reason. I disagreed with your opinion and I thought I did it pretty much forthrightly. Sorry if that got under your skin because it wasn't meant that way. Understand, I don't apologize for not agreeing, I am just sorry you fell that way. I don't know what to friggin' say any more.

BKB

To be the third smartest man I ever met, you are a dumbass at times. Sorry!! I watched the Cardinals, and came in here to sign off and read this. And I got lost. I LITERALLY scratched my head. I wasn't talking to you, about you, from you, around you, under you, over you, or nuttin' of the sort.

What I MEANT WAS...............I simply said that I thought Mitchell 300's were a better reel and deal than Shimano's high priced stuff, and that was all I said. Nothing more. Later, Len jumped Cappy. I don't know why, I wasn't paying a lot of attention at the time, so sue me. Then Cappy said he was apparently being called out to justify his opinion when I didn't have to justify mine about Mitchells. Well, never mind the fact that you can't justify an opinion about mundane stuff, it's just an opinion. You can disagree with it, or agree, or ignore it, or whatever. But it's your opinion. As it turns out, I am in fact the world's FOREMOST authority on my own opinion, as I'm sure you are about yours. No one can tell me that my opinion is not mine. So neener neener on that one. Where was I? Oh.......y'all bantered back and forth about something, Cappy all the while hollering that he wanted an answer as to why he was called out but no one else..........and finally Niner asked me a direct question.

I was trying to stay out of this whole thread EXCEPT for my one injected opinion about Shimano's vs. Mitchell 300's (not the whole Mitchell line, BTW). But if you ask me a direct opinion, I give it. So I did.

You keeping up here?

That's all I said, the answer to that question. Stuff kept flying and so I started actually reading all this, and it seemed as if somehow, some magic crazy stupid way, I had caused this row.......even though I never asked anyone to justify their opinion, and I never challenged anyone's opinion directly, other than to say my opinion differed from y'all's on that brand of reels. Shimano makes great reels. Toyota makes great trucks. Carolina BBQ is for danged sure worth eating. Gators are good UTV's. None or all of those may be MY choice of purchase, but they're great stuff.

So, I'm lost as to why you think I was upset at you. You guys are more of a pro (at almost everything) than I am, and I value your opinions, whether I agree with them or not. So it wasn't the Reel Deal that I used to state I wasn't going to make any more opinions here. It was the fact that some dadgum crazy way, if I say anything here, somehow it causes everyone to argue. And I'm danged tired of it. I've been called an asshole and a jerk, and other invalid statements made. Yet, I have not run off, and I have not completely stopped posting. I am not going to miss reading about Bwana's kids or Big Sky's exploits or Conine's progress or all that.......but I'm done giving my opinion......heckfire, in fact, I THOUGHT I made a most innocuous statement about a flipping fishing reel, and look what it caused!!! So, I don't want that. I be's done with that.

And that's what I think about that.

[Thumper]

I still fish a Garcia 5000 on an Uglystik with the original Stren. I chunk it out there and more times than not it'll reel it back in. Guess I'm the anti yuppie

I'm with ya' QA ... if I need a rod & reel combo ... I head to Kmart and pick up whatever the Blue Light Special is for that particular day and I can STILL out fish all these fishing-snob yuppies around here. ;)

[LJ3]

Here's a spy cam picture captured just this morning. A team of webcam seal soldiers penetrated the Plyler complex and were able to get this image from inside the Cap'ns tackle box.

http://www.fishusa.com/assets/product_images/221260000/Variations/500-0.jpg

[Captain]

LOL, everyone likes to go slumin' sometimes. :D

And how many times in the last 15 years have you used this spy cam service? After all they may not be dependable. ;)

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[Big Skyz]

"I'm with ya' QA ... if I need a rod & reel combo ... I head to Kmart and pick up whatever the Blue Light Special is for that particular day and I can STILL out fish all these fishing-snob yuppies around here. "

Wanna bet? ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Funny he calls someone a snob for buying quality fishing stuff but if it was a rifle he wouldn't be a snob, he'd be a great white hunter, or in his case a 'great big white hunter'.

BKB

[Thumper]

Naaa, as B/S can attest, anything I shoot is hunted with persactly the way it came out of the box and shooting Wally-World "whatever's on sale" ammo. I'm a pretty basic guy and not much into fancy-schmancy stuff. ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

If you're that generic, you need to get a tattoo of a bar code on your ass.

BKB

[Captain]

If you're that generic, you need to get a tattoo of a bar code on your ass. BKB
That would be a very large Bar Code and would cause a run on tattoo ink in the state of Florida! :)

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[Thumper]

I have a couple'a tall stools here and they're reserved for bof'a youse.

[LJ3]

Are the stools from Crate & Barrel? Restoration Hardware?

[BarryBobPosthole]

Likely the specimen lab at the VA.

BKB

[Thumper]

Just keep ONE thing in mind ... I gots my eye on bof'a youse dufes.

[Captain]

Just keep ONE thing in mind ... I gots my eye on bof'a youse dufes.

Yea you better watch THEM two. ;)

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[LJ3]

Hey!