Reel review
The reel is spooled with Spiderwire Stealth 15lb braid and connected to Black Magic 20lb Fluorocarbon leader using a FG knot. I've got largish hands and it feels just nice, holding the whole reel with the thumb on the release clip. As this was my first time using baitcast reels, I was rather scared of getting 'bee hoon' aka birds nest on the reel. After several casts, I thought I got the hang of it and then it happened! Bloody backlash and wind caused a massive 'bee hoon' on the reel. Sat down and slowly untangled the whole mess. Fortunately, the braid was new and still stiff so I could untangle it in a short time. So, I'm categorizing this as 'user error' and not a reel fault. I also have to ensure that I don't reel past the FG knot into the spool as it will 'jam' when it hits the level wind entry. The drag was quite smooth when a Sagai was peeling out line. Whether I was reeling in fast or slow, the level wind helps tremendously in maintaining an even spool.
Rod review
The Shimano TCurve Revolution Travel Bait Cast rod is rated at 6-10kg, PE 1.3-2.2. When I was holding the rod in the tackle shop, I felt that it could be a tad heavy. It definitely felt heavier than the spinning TCurve Tropical that I've been using all these while. After pairing it with the Curado reel, it felt a bit unbalanced. The rod was 'too heavy' for the reel. I think the reel needs to be paired with a lighter rod for better balance. Bait cast reels are made for tossing lures or micro jigs around and fished one-handed. The rod loads up pretty well when the fish is on and it had no problem controlling and bringing up a Sagai but the wrist and hand became tired after a while. Rod butt was also short and basically meant you had to use your arm strength to do the lifting/controlling. Maybe I should try pairing it with my Shimano Talica II.
No comments:
Post a Comment