Shimano Citica 200e Gear/pinion upgrade

[gbell1577]

Good afternoon,

I’ve got 3 Citica 200e’s and I would like to upgrade 2 to a 7: ration and 1 to a 8: ratio. I know the 7: is possible, is there a part number out there that would fit in it? I know the curados 200es are 7:, I’m just having problems finding those parts on eBay. Is there a compatible gear off another reel that would get me to 8:, or is it even possible to get higher than a 7:?

[gbell1577]

Update:

I did find 2 pinion/gear from a Curado that will fit my Citica.

Is there a way to make one Citica 200e an 8: for frogging, or am I better off buying a better reel?

[Bantam1]

There was no 8:1 gear ratio option around when those reels were designed and built. You'll need to buy a different reel. I would suggest a Curado 200HGK.

[gbell1577]

Would you recommend the CU200XGK for finesse fishing (bfs)?

[Bantam1]

The 200 size spool will be the challenge due to the weight. BFS reels have very light and shallow spools to keep the weight down for BFS type applications. This is why there are dedicated reels for BFS fishing techniques.

1/4 ounce will be about the lightest most are able to cast with a 200 size reel. Even with a 1/4 ounce you will need to have the correct rod and be good at casting in most cases. I'm sure others can cast slightly lighter, but the overall weight of the spool and line makes it challenging.

Fishing a frog and BFS are opposite ends of the spectrum for bass fishing typically. BFS is finesse with 4-6# line and light lures. Frogs tend to be 1/2 ounce+ (with exceptions) and typically using 50-80# braided line. Very different rods and reels for each application.