shimano 8 gear ratio

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
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lifeofRiley
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shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by lifeofRiley » Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:32 am

I've always been a believer in the older reels being better reels. I've got plenty of 7:1 ratio reels and slower, but if looking to buy a few 8:1 ratio shimano casting reels right now, what do I go with, curado k?

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by DirtyD64 » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:04 am

They should be fine. Technology now keeps even high gear ratio reels smooth and strong. Having a well supported pinion/main gear with a rigid frame helps.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by ss30378 » Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:11 am

The new Metanium and Bantam XGs are nice.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by filthyPhil » Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:45 pm

The Met and Bantam are great reels if you want to spend the money. The Curado K XG is a great reel, I used one last year for texas rigs and jigs. The Curado has an attached side plate which I prefer.

lifeofRiley
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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by lifeofRiley » Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:05 am

It's funny, I have the met and the bantam and hardly use them. I just ordered the curado K in whatever the 8 ratio variant is. I like a "200" reel a little better due to the higher line capacity. I'm slinging 3/4 ounce lures on 65lb. braid, so a 100 or 150 size shimano spool might not be enough line capacity. If they had made a CU200E8, I wouldn't have had to look any further.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by Slazmo » Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:02 am

65lb that's crazy... Whats the diameter of that rope :lol:

I just couldn't fathom using anything over 40lb on a baitcaster.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by LowRange » Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:26 am

Slazmo wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:02 am
65lb that's crazy... Whats the diameter of that rope :lol:

I just couldn't fathom using anything over 40lb on a baitcaster.
65# braid is pretty standard when throwing frogs in heavy vegetation in the US. Lock the drag slam in a hard hookset and winch in the fish in. Gear buzz develops sometime after.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by Slazmo » Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:21 pm

LowRange wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:26 am
Lock the drag slam in a hard hookset and winch in the fish in. Gear buzz develops sometime after.
When you sit down and tear a reel apart and think of all the small parts that interact with each other to perform the drag function - it's no wonder they're not holding up overall...

One day when someone can miniaturise an electro fluid coupler then you may see progress through the drive train.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by lifeofRiley » Sat Apr 17, 2021 11:12 pm

Slazmo wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:02 am
65lb that's crazy... Whats the diameter of that rope :lol:

I just couldn't fathom using anything over 40lb on a baitcaster.
Not sure, but for certain presentations 50lb power pro snaps pretty easy. Mainly frogging in heavy vegetation and flipping in heavy vegetation. If there were largemouth bass and lily pads in Oz you'd understand :D

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by Real » Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:53 am

I also use 65 pound braid for frogs, but for other reasons than breakage. First 65 pound is not much bigger than 40 pound. Most of the time it cast better because of less line dig-in. It floats better and that's good with frogs. I use yellow line and when it floats I can instantly see where my frog is. It cuts through grass better and gets less tangle in the V of pads. I use a Bantam and have no problems with gear buzz.
I think a lot of the problems (what all brands of reels) with gears come when you get a braided line dig-in and the lures stops suddenly in mid-air during a hard cast.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by lifeofRiley » Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:31 pm

Yeah, that's another big issue, line digging into the spool. I use a lot of 50 and 65lb. I've used everything from 20lb. braid and up, but that light stuff really digs in on a hard hookset or when fighting a large fish. Also the 65 manages so much better when skipping heavy lures. I used some lighter stuff for a while and backlashes were way more common and out of control.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by Slazmo » Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:42 pm

I've watched a couple of US / Japan based LMB / SMB / bass in general fishing videos on YouTube and it's wild, the rods are so long and heavy and the reels seem almost out of place on them, then the couple the heavy line and the lures etc you could come to an understanding of the system.

Just that hookset is crazy, so much power into it.

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by Real » Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:07 pm

What is a NORMAL rod for you ? :D

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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by Slazmo » Sun Apr 18, 2021 9:44 pm

I've got freshwater (small brackish, creeks, rivers and dams) to the west of me and saltwater (small creeks, canals, rivers, man made saltwater lakes and the Broadwater - not including the Pacific Ocean which it all drains to) to the east of me all within a gentle 20km drive from one another typically*.

Freshwater (only Baitcast preference 99% of the time ((unless super windy)) & I usually only take 2 rod's as its thick scrub)
2-4kg 6'6" moderate fast baitcast - Curado 50, 70, Chronarch 100D etc - 6 to 12lb line & 10lb / 14lb FC / Ultragreen leader
3-6kg 6'1" Curado 200e, 200i, 200k, Calais DC etc - 15 to 20lb line & 14lb / 20lb FC leader
4-8kg 6'1" (or there about) Curado or Calais or whatever else I feel like for the day - 20 to 40lb line & 20 / 40lb mono (mostly towards night / larger walking lures)

Saltwater (spin primarily for flats walking / Baitcast for structure casting) - will take all 3 rods if going by boat inshore style.
1-3kg 7'2" moderate fast - Stradic 1000 FJ, Ultegra C2000S anywhere between 3lb to 6lb - 4lb to 6lb FC or mono leader
2-4/5kg 6'8 / 7'0" fast - Stradic 2500 FA Ci4+, Sustain 3000 FG - 6lb to 10lb line & 6lb / 12lb FC leader
4-7kg 7'0 - Stradic 4000 FA Ci4+, Stradic 5000FJ - 15lb to 25lb line and 20 to 50lb FC leader
Casting at structures from a boat its a baitcaster - typically go the heavier rod and reel 3-6 / 4-8kg as above.

Up Northern latitudes its a bit different again for the fish encountered but primarily what I use is normal for what you'd take around these parts and handle nearly everything presented and cast everything from 3gr to 30gr lures as vibes, surface and diving of all styles; swim and glides are getting popular but not generally that popular that most cast.

We generally get structural elements like fallen timber in the creeks but not that much in regards to lilly pads as the water generally flows, in standing water like lakes you'll get standing timber either sub surface and or poking out of and lilly pads around the perimeter of the dams, however the lilly pads I've encountered aren't that thick to be too bothersome - not alike our northern species or that of your US varieties.

Saltwater is generally pretty easy over the flats, some oyster encrusted rocks and beds and mangroves to play around and be wary of, however the pontoons and jetties where a swath of good fish hang around are the ussie for line and leader wear... Boats and their stern drives and props pose another PITA as a fish will wrap you around and around...

lifeofRiley
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Re: shimano 8 gear ratio

Post by lifeofRiley » Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:06 pm

LowRange wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:26 am
Slazmo wrote:
Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:02 am
65lb that's crazy... Whats the diameter of that rope :lol:

I just couldn't fathom using anything over 40lb on a baitcaster.
65# braid is pretty standard when throwing frogs in heavy vegetation in the US. Lock the drag slam in a hard hookset and winch in the fish in. Gear buzz develops sometime after.
I use the rod to fight the fish first. But there are times when it's imperative to keep a tight line and the fish has caught you with a bad rod angle, or put slack in your line, I'm going to do everything I can to catch the fish, and if that means cranking hard on the handle and putting pressure on the gears, then gasp, I'm going to use the reel for its intended function 8-). I maintain all my reels so am very aware of function. No shelf queens here, just reels that are workhorses. One reason I lean Shimano over Daiwa.

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