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Posts: 4
Location: MN | Anyone have opinions on the Corvalus reel from Shimano? How do they compare to similarly priced Abu's? I am looking at 6500C3's, 6500C4's, and Shimano's Corvalus reel and am weighing some different options to match up with a 7'6"MH Fig Rig Extreme possibly...
Been awhile since I purchased a new muskie rod/reel, and am in the market now researching some different things... |
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| Do yourself a huge favor and buy the Corvalus. From what I understand it is basically a Calcutta that is cast aluminum rather than forged. I own both a Calcutta and a Catala along with a couple of C3s and a C4 and the Shimanos are a lot smoother and more reliable. Some guys are still in love with the Abu Garcias for some reason, habit I guess. |
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Posts: 184
| Sorry guys, but I hate to admit but the Corvalus reels are not what I expected them to be. I bought four of them this spring, and have about three months of use on them, and they are falling apart. Another thing I noticed is that you can't troll with them. In order to keep the line from just slowly coming off the reel while you troll, you have to tighten the drag so tight that it is pointless. The rod will break on impact of a strike with the drag so tight. Sorry, but they need to go back to the drawing board on this reel. I never like to bash a product, but this reel is not very good from what I have seen! One never even worked straight out of the box!!
Chad |
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Posts: 100
Location: Blaine, MN 55449 | Mine have worked great!!!  |
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Posts: 184
| I may of just gotten bad luck and got a few lemons, because Shimano definitely makes some of the best reels in the world. They also get used and abused guiding everyday. In the last three months they have been used just about everday, and they are not holding up at all. Definitely a problem with the trolling issue though too!!
Chad
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| I'm still bitter over the Corsair lemons of a few years ago. That POS turned me into an Abu user for life. |
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Posts: 141
| Most reel makers try an economy model from time to time and it always ends in failure, I think the C3s are ok now but were a bit suspect a few years ago.
Shimano have tried it with the Corsair which I thought were garbage, the Catala 400 was ok for me though, they should make robust reels and expect us to pay the price for good quality merchandise. |
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| No problems with the cardiffs fellas. i have 4 of them. No problems with the indurons either, just don't cast with the clicker in the on position on the 400 series. it detaches the spring inside that activates the clicker. boatside reel repair 101. other than that, i'm selling a calcutta 251 on ebay right now cuz it's not as smooth as my cardiffs or my induron. but, it's all a matter of taste i guess. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I just went through a Corvalus in 9 days of fishing if that tells you anything.
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| I's stay away from the Corvalus. If you want to go Shimano, spend the extra $ on a Calcutta. I remember reading the same type of "die cast Calcutta" posts about the Catala, that you're now seeing about the Corvalus. In reality, the Catala was a lot closer in construction/parts to the bottom-end (& much maligned) Corsair, than a Calcutta. If you have any concerns about the recent Abu's, I'd locate a near new/mint (Pre-China) C3 or C4 on e-bay and grab it. |
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Posts: 578
Location: Sheboygan Falls, WI | Dispatcher,
Not sure where you are getting your info on the "pre-China" C3 and C4. I hate to tell you that you have been given incorrect info, but, you have been given incorrect info. The C3's and C4's are still made in Sweden. I just gave a seminar for a Muskies Inc Chapter and everyone there used Abu's with very little problems. I addressed what to do to eliminate problems during the season and answered questions.
4 different problems came up. Here they are with what the solution is/was.
1) Button would not pop out. Bad clutch arm, replaced and working perfect
2) Drag will not tighten down. No backing or tape under the line; line spinning on spool.
3) Reel screaming on the cast. Dry cog wheel, few drops of oil and good to go.
4) Reel starting to buzz when reeling (C4). Used it for bucktails when 6.3:1 gears are not made for that purpose. Use for jerkbaits, glide baits, twitch baits and some top water applications.
Too many people grab a reel brand new, go out and use it all summer without giving a thought to keeping it cleaned and lubed. They send it back to the factory and the factoryh takes care of it for them and gets them back on the water, usually free of charge. Now, if you were to buy a new car and use it all summer without cleaning it and changing the oil, had problems with it and then took it back to the dealership, how do you think they would handle it? My guess is they would probably just laugh in your face.
Does a bad reel get out in the market? The answer to that is a simple question, do bad cars get out on the market? No matter what you spend, you have an opportunity to encounter problems. Heck, my 2000 Expedition was called for a re-call for a small matter. They took care of it for free, as they should. If there is a problem with a part on a reel, they should also take care of it for free.
A car is a tool, one to get us around. A fishing reel is a tool, one to aid in fishing. Treat either one like a tool and take care of them. In-turn they will take care of you.
Good Fishing,
Chuck
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | I replaced all my corsairs with Corvalus 400's..... Side plates unscrew during a full day of fishing..just like the Corsairs. |
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Shimano Corvalus vs Abu Garcia C3's and C4's