# baitcasters that will stand up to salt?



## BondBroker (Aug 1, 2008)

Are there any off shore equivalents to the Curado 200 or Citica 200? We took them out a couple of weeks ago and caught smacks on them and they were a blast. I cleaned every bit of the old grease off and soaked them in oil just like I always do then regreased and put them back together. After a trip to the bay or river they feel like new once I clean and lubricate them. After this trip off shore they got salty. I cleaned and lubed them in the same way I do after any other trip and fear they will never be the same. All the metal gears are corroded black and green and they still feel rough and gritty after 3 cleanings. I took them down to the last screw and soaked all parts individually in Remoil dried them, regreased and they still feel awful. I want a reel that gives the same fun fight with smacks and small kings but will hold up to the salt. Any suggestions? I'm still partial to shimano.


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Curado 300E is what I would use. I use mine in saltwater every week and have caught fish much larger than they were designed for. As with any reel routine maintenance is important and nothing will hold up to saltwater forever.


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## Tombo (Mar 15, 2005)

I have been replacing my curado/citica's with the gold Calcutta. Seems to be more oriented towards salt water use and they have more capacity in the larger sizes.


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## hotmiller (Nov 14, 2007)

The Calcutta. Period. Or if you can find an old Catala, grab it. 
I wade surf and bay two-to-three times a week, year 'round, using only the Calcutta 250 and the Ctala 300. Even after trying the low-profile reels. 
Like "BondBreaker" I was very dissapointed with the Curado/Citica products and in their blind legion of fans. Fine reels on the lakes, but JUNK in the salt.


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

*Junk?*

OK hotmiller that comment tweaked me a little. The Calcutta, Curado and Citica all use the same gear materials. They also use the same bearings. Brass can tarnish from salt exposure. Aluminum corrodes, even if its been anodized. If you do not take care of your stuff it will break down. Does this mean that all of our reels are JUNK hotmiller? Yes yo do have the right to think one product is not up to your expectations, but calling it junk downright ******** me off.

There are thousands of Curados in use. Some are over 10 years old and still function. I know because we see them for service still. I have seen Chronarch 100Mg's that have been fished so much that the customers thumb wore the magnesium down and there were grooves where his thumb sits on the frame. Yes he still uses the reel in saltwater. The difference is that the reels are well taken care of. They are sent in annually for service like all reels should be.


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

One of my favorite little reels has been running in nothing but salt for about 25 years now. It's done more than it's share in the surf and around the jetties, still works like the day I got it. Of course you can't get them at walmart anymore. I think they quit making them because they wouldn't fall apart fast enough. (-:}
Have an old "black MAX" I'm pretty fond of too..

Wish Shimano or someone would come out with something that's just dead simple and nothing but brass and stainless inside. Get rid of all the bells and whistles, make them dead simple to take down.
Yea, and increase the tolerances a little so they can eat some sand. I love the watch like precision of some of the new reels as long as they are at the house but they are horrible when they get a grain of sand in them.

The little ambassadeur mag power has lasted so long because they are so simple to take apart to clean. Just takes a few seconds to get into them enough to get all the salt and sand out.


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## LaAngler (Mar 11, 2008)

BondBroker said:


> Are there any off shore equivalents to the Curado 200 or Citica 200? We took them out a couple of weeks ago and caught smacks on them and they were a blast. I cleaned every bit of the old grease off and soaked them in oil just like I always do then regreased and put them back together. After a trip to the bay or river they feel like new once I clean and lubricate them. After this trip off shore they got salty. I cleaned and lubed them in the same way I do after any other trip and fear they will never be the same. All the metal gears are corroded black and green and they still feel rough and gritty after 3 cleanings. I took them down to the last screw and soaked all parts individually in Remoil dried them, regreased and they still feel awful. I want a reel that gives the same fun fight with smacks and small kings but will hold up to the salt. Any suggestions? I'm still partial to shimano.


I always used Calcutta 250, 400, and 700 in the gulf for snapper, ling, chicken dolphin, tripletails, and other misc fish. These reels held up great. For inshore stuff i love chronarch.

If i had to pick just one I would say the 400, strong enough for a 10 pound snapper or 25 pound ling but light enough to cast a jig a mile.


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## TranTheMan (Aug 17, 2009)

I mostly do wade-fishing in salt water and most of my reels are Shimanos; they hold up well for years with routine maintenance. The Shimano casting reels that I have are Calaises, Chronarches, a green Curado 100, Calcutta TE 100DC, Calcutta Conquests (that I bought in while in Japan), Calcutta 250 and a very old Calcutta 200 (silver color -- 20 years old?). But I always come back to either the Calcutta 250 or 200 with Falcon medium light rods. They are just like trusted buddies that are such a pleasure to use. They may not cast as far as the newer and fancier reels that I have, but they always works, are smooth like the day I bought them and much easier to maintain!


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

Arlon said:


> One of my favorite little reels has been running in nothing but salt for about 25 years now. It's done more than it's share in the surf and around the jetties, still works like the day I got it. Of course you can't get them at walmart anymore. I think they quit making them because they wouldn't fall apart fast enough. (-:}
> Have an old "black MAX" I'm pretty fond of too..
> 
> Wish Shimano or someone would come out with something that's just dead simple and nothing but brass and stainless inside. Get rid of all the bells and whistles, make them dead simple to take down.
> ...


good story. now go tell it on an abu garcia forum.


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## BondBroker (Aug 1, 2008)

hotmiller said:


> The Calcutta. Period. Or if you can find an old Catala, grab it.
> I wade surf and bay two-to-three times a week, year 'round, using only the Calcutta 250 and the Ctala 300. Even after trying the low-profile reels.
> Like "BondBreaker" I was very dissapointed with the Curado/Citica products and in their blind legion of fans. Fine reels on the lakes, but JUNK in the salt.


"BondBreaker" I love it. My freinds say that I can destroy a steel ball in a sandbox with a rubber mallet. Maybe it's just me and my intestine hands.

Thanks for all the input. I have an old calcutta 200. It's about 15 yrs old and has caught more kingfish than I can count. I do take care of my reels after every trip. I just thought there might be something that would hold up a little better in salt. As far as the Calcuttas go they just seem to make me into the backlash king of the day. I'm really partial to the fun fight on the 200 sized low profile reals. I know they won't last as long as if you use them for just trout but the bigger reels just seem like overkill on smacks king and school dolphin. I have taken them surf fishing and they seem to do ok but I'm pretty careful to not get them wet. When the kings come in and I can't find a ride out we take a zodiac out past the breakers and that's what seems to turn them into rust buckets quick (2 trips with a good cleaning after each).


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## rohn jamsour (Jul 25, 2008)

I HAVE HAD GREAT LUCK WITH THE DIAWI SOL IN SALT WATER. I USE THEM WHEN A WADE WITH THE WATERLOO HP LIGHT 6.6'. HONESTLY IT DOES NOT CAST AS WELL AS THE CORE OR IS AS SMOOTH BUT AFTER THREE YEARS WITH THE DIAWI SOL THEY HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE SHOP EVEN AFTER SUBMERSION. THE CORE FOR THE BOAT AND SHALLOW WATER WADES, THE DIAWI SOL FOR DEEP WATER WADES AND WINDY DAYS


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## Specks&Spots (Aug 26, 2007)

I have been using Chronarch B's for 3 years. They are easy enough to break down and clean yourself, and they are as smooth as the day I got them. I went with the B's over the MG because I didn't want to have the potential for corrosion. With the new Chronarch being closer in weight to the MG reels, It would be a no brainer on what reel I would purchase if these ever wear out.


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