# Best Bay Fishing Reel By Far



## POC SPEC

I have used just about every quality bay fishing reel on the market... from the curado's, cronarch's, calias, calcuttas, MG, Daiwa, etc... but the best reel by far is the Shimano Calcutta 200DC TE. This reel has been on the market for about 4 years and I was very skepital at first. (digital brake and salt water scared the heck out of me). But about 18 months ago, I finally broke down and bought one and boy am I glad I did! I have fished at least 30-40 times with this reel and have not had one problem at all. The reason it is the best reel is the digital braking system. This system allows the spool to spin faster than any other standard brake system. The 200 DC spool can do 30,000+ revolutons per minute compared to 15-20,000 RPM (curado, mg, etc). This allows you to cast FAR! With a full spool of 12lb test and a topwater on, I can cast just about all the line off the spool. The digital brake also allows you to also have far less backlashes casting into a crosswind or into the wind. There are 6 brake settings on the side of the reel (min-max). If you need to cast into the wind simply set it on max (resistance) and it will NOT BACKLASH. I even did a test to where I had a big ole shrimp and a poppin cork on and had a 20+ MPH wind. I set it to Max and did a firm cast it directly into the wind... not only did it not backlash but I didnt even have to put my thumb on the spool when the cork hit the water. 

The reel does retail for $500 but I have bought numerous brand new in the box off of Ebay from $285-$365 range. (I only have one of these reels but I have bought others from friends and Dad... once they saw the performace of the reel they had to have one too.) I do know that there is a Calias with the digital brake but it is another $100 more.

Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to share this info with yall.


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## fishsmart

I have a number of the CTE 250DC's and they perform just great with 20lb sufix braid on GLoomis PR844-3C travel rods and reconfigured HS9000-3C rods made from HSR9000-3S rods. I can still manage a few "professional over-runs" when reaching for the last yard while heading slightly upwind into a crosswind.

Charles


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## POC SPEC

I have also had a few "professional over-runs" when I get a little greedy and adjust the setting towards the "min" setting. I usually just keep the setting in the middle and I still get PLENTY of distance and no backlash. I also wanted to mention that the drag on this reel is supurb. This past September I landed a 45'' red on 12lb test in about 12-15 min. I didnt even have to chase him. By the way, I caught him on plum chart tail in the deeper water near Pass Cavailo.

Here is a pretty good article on the reel.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewshimanocalcuttatedc.html


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## bluefin

POC SPEC,
The article you referenced specifically said freshwater for the TE.
Would the CTE then be for salt water?

The article didn't elaborate on the difference between 'TE' and 'CTE'.


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## bluefin

I decided to call Shimano on this directly. I like new toys and wanted to find some more info on this. Spoke with Matt there and he said while it's ok to use in saltwater it's not really designed for it. I questioned the salt water usage only because the specs said it had 10 ball bearings. The more ball bearings the more apt something is to go wrong.
Again, he did say it was ok for salt water but to 'maintain it properly'. Well, those kind of statements always raise a red flag with me. He did say they were great reels which Shimano has made really good reels for years. Just be cautious and 'maintain it properly'....


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## POC SPEC

Your are right, Shimano told me the same thing... that saltwater use is perfectly ok, just make sure you rinse it after every use and oil it from time to time. I have had mine for 18+ months in some harsh conditions... and it casts and "reels" like it is brand new. I do think I am going to get it professionally cleaned/oil soon just to be safe.


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## Bantam1

Any reel used in saltwater must be properly maitained. Salt can cause corrosion no matter what. The CTE DC has proven to be very durable in harsh saltwater environments. The reel is designed for both fresh and saltwater. The DC unit is 100% sealed with epoxy. I have never seen one come in with a corroded DC unit.


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## bluefin

Bantam,
I see you're in SoCal. How much wade fishing happens in SoCal? 
Fishing from a boat on the coast is a lot different than actually fishing in the water. The chances of dunking a reel while fishing from a boat are about nil compared with wade fishing. 
Not trying to set up an arguement. It's just that we have to look at how the equipment is physically being used. Again, I'm sure they are excellent reels. But anything with 10 ball bearings that would be dunked 2 or 3 times a day is just asking for trouble.


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## fishsmart

Mine have been dunked and I clean them when I come in. The spool bearings were changed to ceramics a long time ago.

People that maintain their equipment will most likely enjoy these reels.

Charles


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## Bantam1

Bluefin-

Yes I am in So-Cal but I fished out of Corpus a couple of years ago. I waded in from the shoreline and fished for a few hours. I also fished from a boat while I was there. I am well aware of wading and the potential damage to reels from being dunked. I am not ignorant as to what you guys do on the coast to catch fish. I know that many anglers wade fish in your area. Just because I'm a sissy CA boy it doesn't mean I am not fully aware of your fishery  Its pretty tough to wade fish here when the water drops from 2 feet deep to 300+ feet in less than 100 yards from the beach lol.

If you are buying a $500 reel I would imagine that you would take care of it. You would wash your boat and flush the outboard after fishing for a day right? The same care should be performed to all of the gear you use when fishing. I am not telling you to run out and buy a CTE DC, but if you had the itch then you know it will be OK to use. 

The reel has our ARB bearings which are more resistant to corrosion. They are also easier to clean and lubricate. The DC unit is sealed which tends to be the part that makes everyone nervous about using it in saltwater. I am simply stating that the reel can be safely used in saltwater. It just may not be the best choice for the person that lacks on performing the routine maintenance. Then again any reel not properly cleaned after each trip will eventually have problems.


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## POC SPEC

85% of my time fishing is wade fishing... and I have dunked my reel several times. No problems at all... I dont know why, but it seems like this reel actually holds up better than my curado did its first year or so.


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## dyan.am.

I decided to contact Shimano directly about this. I enjoy new toys and wanted to learn more about them. I spoke with Matt there, and he stated that while it is safe to use in saltwater, it was not designed for it. The only reason I questioned the use of salt water was because the specifications stated that it had ten ball bearings. The more ball bearings there are, the more likely something will go wrong.


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## Sgrem

......reels have come a long way in 13 years.....


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## Aggieangler

I can't imagine throwing a reel that weighs almost 10 ounces without line all day long. I am sure this reel is great for what you are doing. My rod, reel, and line don't weigh 10 oz I don't believe total. Nevermind....I see this is one of those old 2009 posts that this **** new 2cool software dredges up for folks. What a wonderful "feature".


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## thirdcoastangler

If Pro Ti’s weren’t around 13 years ago I recommend OP nabbing one


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