I'm due for a new caster any suggestions?

Shimano Corsair, we bought two this summer for Kings up here in Alaska, and they worked great!

I'd go for the curado. Good reel for a lower price than the high end type calcutta's. Great investment for tghe money. I dunno about the corsairs, a friend of mine had two of them go bad in two days, right after they were bought.

I have four Corsair's that I use for salmon out of my drift boat and have had no trouble at all but for the money I would go for the Curado. Great reel for the money. Keep the lines wet....Nooch kid.

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My favotite reel is a Curado.Smooth drag,6:1 retreive and casts very well. It covers almost all the salmon and steelhead fishing I do. I did get a Corsair for the extra line capacity for large kings. I have heard of drag problems with the Corsair, but havn't had any myself. I used to use Abu 5501's and 6501's, but have pretty much switched to Shimano. It' kind of like trading the family sedan in on a corvette.

Loomis Man, I've got a # of Shimanos and love most of them, 1 tip though if you buy Shimano, make sure its made in Japan(can't believe I'm saying that) some, mainly I believe the Corsair are made in Malaysia or Taiwan and its been my experience that there crap, hope this helps, good fishing.

I prefer my Browning Aggressors great casting and drag. Also not a bad price a $100 a pop.

Thanks for all the input guys!

My vote goes for the calcutta mines been though hell and back not 1 problem ,I've heard the same complaints about the cosair,if your going on the lower end take take the curado for the money no complaints..

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Tight Lines
<*)>><------FISH ON!!!

Curado, calcutta or Chronarch........cant go wrong with these reels....... DONT!!!!!!!! buy a corsair.........cheaps ass stamped piece of garabage........

Here is my .02. I own a few bait casting reels. I like my old Bantan 201 but well we all know that Shimano really screwed up by discountinuing this reel. I like the 5501C3 Abu Garcia. These things are only $60.00 and they are virtually indestructable. The use metal components unlike alot of the Shimano reels. I also own a Corsair and have had no problems with it yet, key word is yet. I trust my 5501 over most other reels. The Morrums look nice also.

Andy http://The_Steelhead_Solution.homestead.com

FOR THE RIVERS AND THE LAKES MY FAVORITE SHIMANO IS THE BANTAM CORILIS (RED IN COLOR). ITS A LITTLE CHEAPER THAN THE CURADO. I HAVE BOTH AND FIND THE CORILIS IS THE SMOOTHER OF THE 2. THEY ARE HARD FIND. WHEN I WAS IN MAINE LAST YEAR I PICKED ONE UP AT LL BEAN.

Seadog, is that reel a Bantam Coriolis co-200? Does it have a lever that keeps the thumb spool release from latching, and another switch to make it direct drive? I got this reel years ago. It's got knobs and switches all over it.

Dumped my calcutta and bought a curado. The retrieve is a lot faster. Calcutta is too slow!!!!!!

i would spend the extra money and get the CHRONARCH.... Curado comes in 2nd and a used Bantam 100 off of EBAY 3rd.....

I really enjoy my ambassador 5600ab

DAN M, I HAVE THE CORIOLIS CO-200D. ITS ALMOST IDETICAL THE CURADO BUT IT HAS A 5:1 INSTAED OF A 6:1 RATIO. IT ALSO DOESNT HAVE THE VARIABLE BRAKE SYSTEM. INSTEAD IT HAS A MAGNETIC SPOOL CONTROL ADJUSTMENT ON THE SIDE FOR FINE TUNNING WHEN CHANGING RIGS AND MAKES FOR SMOOTH CASTING. ITS A PRETTY BASIC REEL AND IT DOESNT HAVE ALOT OF BUTTONS AND LEVERS. MY MOST USED REEL AND THE CURADO IS IN MY VEST FOR A BACKUP.

I'll give another shout-out to the chronarch. I've fished just about every lefty casting reel $200 and below, and the Cronarch outfishes all others for LIGHT TO MEDIUM applications. It is a straightup precision machine. In my opinion it has a superior braking system than the Curado and Calcutta. Tough to birdnest this one.

I have a ambassador. 5501C3. Very tough reel. The Shimano's are good, in the upper price range anyway. I was told to avoid the corsairs though. BUT, I never have used one.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

I have heard nothing but good things about the Chronarch and have been looking at them the past week.The best price I saw was $195,has anybody found them for less?