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Posts: 166
Location: Merrill, Wisconsin | I recently got this reel over the off season and I'm trying to figure out how to pair all my rods and reels. I've seen a few people on MHTV and Keyes Outdoors use the reel, but never got a good look at what they use it for. Obviously it won't hold twin 10's, but what about twin 8's? Or good sized spinnerbait? Or single 8's? Or is it just good for suicks because it picks up a lot of line fast? Any advice on what to use it for ? |
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Posts: 246
Location: Grand Marais, MN | I got the 300dsv, same thing basically. I dont throw 10s with it but it will handle just about everything else very well. awesome burning reel for double 8s. also my favorite reel cause it is super comfortable to hold all day. See what you like it for obviously, but i think you will be surprised how much it can do. |
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| I agree. I wouldn't use it on a dedicated d-10 set-up, but it can reel them in for a short time. Other than high resistance baits like that, I think it can do just about everything else.
It's a nice, small profile reel. I have mine mounted on a 7'6" MH rod and it gets used for all kinds of small top waters and bucktails, and it does a nice job. Moreover, I use a "correct" handed reel, and the 301e is a nice option.
FYI: I got mine used on this site from jlammuskie for $175. Smooth transaction, well maintained reel, and two seasons now without complaint. |
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Posts: 49
| I'm with PJV on using the correct handed reel! I use my 301e for just about everything except 10s and big rubber. I've used it for ripping baits too, but keep my thumb on the spool to help with the extra torque. Right now I have mine set up on a TI 7'6" MH rod for glide baits. |
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Posts: 532
Location: Ogden, UTAH 10 minutes from pineview reservoir | Love the Curados, I swapped out the stock handle for the 300 ejj power handle which made cranking double 8s easy and made double 10s doable. A pikemaster tune up with some carbontex washers and you have one smooth reel |
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Posts: 1000
| It's easily the most comfortable muskie reel I've ever used. Maybe not as refined as the newer reels out there (2009 release I believe?), but I use it for everything short of double tens. Set up on an 8'6" Mojo. I love it for jigs, jerkbaits, topwater, jr cowgirls, and spinnerbaits. |
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Posts: 865
| I on the other-hand am not a big Curado Lover for Musky Fishing, It seems to be a nice small really well made reel. But IMO I think this is just a glorified large Bass reel. To me it just seems to be lacking almost all of the important or must have items that are needed or required for Musky fishing. I myself prefer a larger Reel that seems more balanced on these newer made rods that are much longer and heavier. It seems to be only balanced on the lighter thinner rods with small diameter blanks...I also like the Larger spool reels for more line pick up without going to 6/1 to 7/1 Gears. Aside from holding more line if you screw up somehow and after a long cast the line should Knot, break, or fray, you now have to Re-spool the Curado. The Curado does not have a line out alarm(clicker} which also comes in handy. I usually want a nice 5 to 5.4/1 gear ratio, a nice large reel spool, a level wind system, and a reel that is balanced on any 7 foot to 9' Rod. For me the Curado lacks in these fields..... I'm sure if your throwing smaller baits and bucktails on a Med Hvy 7' to 7'6" rod, this would be a nice setup and closer to what the reel was originally designed for. again this is JMO Mike |
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Posts: 833
| As said above 10s are probably pushing it. I use mine for in line topwater and smallish baits. Anything without a lot of resistance. (I probably would choose something beefier to rip a jake for example). Great reel for anything where line pickup is important but resistance is not a factor. (Gliders, topwater, etc.)
On the rod balance thing, yes it is small and light weight. However, this can be a great advantage, pair it with a nice MH set up for smaller baits and you've got a great "musky light" set up for aforementioned baits. On some lures, like Topwater, having the softer rod will actually help with the hooksets. That is how I use mine and I love fishing it. |
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Posts: 349
| I have a 300EJ and put a big aftermarket paddle handle on it... I use it on an 8'6" or 9' XH rod for every bait I throw, 6" phantoms to 13s to pounders. With the stock handle I didn't like it as much for big blades but with the big paddle handle it is great for 10s and 13s. I wish the LJV or Trinni handle would fit but the driveshaft is the smaller diameter.
Casting is just unreal, 2 spool brakes on and it's almost unbackalshable (cool word huh).
The weight is awesome, I find it funny guys are saying it's a negative and that it's "too light".
I sold my Tranx because of this reel just so I can buy another one. I'm not a big guy and every time I used a Tranx for a couple hours and then picked up the Curado, I didn't want to touch the Tranx for the rest of the day. It really does feel like fishing with a bass reel, but who wouldn't love to fish muskies with a bass reel as long as it holds up?!?!
The verdict is out on durability since I just got it last year, BUT after 1 season of using every bait in my box (mostly blades) I have had zero problems and overall the Curados have an amazing track record... very rarely do you hear of people having issues with these reels.
1 BIG FAT NEGATIVE and 1 lesser negative. The max drag is not very strong and there is nothing you can do about it, I did put in Carbontex washers but that didn't help much. The drag is very smooth just not super strong so if you are a lock down drag guy then you won't like that about it. The other negative is no bait clicker, but I don't really care about that because this isn't a trolling/live bait reel. |
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Posts: 546
Location: MN | cast4musky - 2/11/2014 8:24 AM
I on the other-hand am not a big Curado Lover for Musky Fishing, It seems to be a nice small really well made reel. But IMO I think this is just a glorified large Bass reel. To me it just seems to be lacking almost all of the important or must have items that are needed or required for Musky fishing. I myself prefer a larger Reel that seems more balanced on these newer made rods that are much longer and heavier. It seems to be only balanced on the lighter thinner rods with small diameter blanks...I also like the Larger spool reels for more line pick up without going to 6/1 to 7/1 Gears. Aside from holding more line if you screw up somehow and after a long cast the line should Knot, break, or fray, you now have to Re-spool the Curado. The Curado does not have a line out alarm(clicker} which also comes in handy. I usually want a nice 5 to 5.4/1 gear ratio, a nice large reel spool, a level wind system, and a reel that is balanced on any 7 foot to 9' Rod. For me the Curado lacks in these fields..... I'm sure if your throwing smaller baits and bucktails on a Med Hvy 7' to 7'6" rod, this would be a nice setup and closer to what the reel was originally designed for. again this is JMO Mike
Jus to set the record, the Curado does have a level despite how your wording might make somethink it does not. |
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Posts: 43
Location: Waite Park, MN | To me, if I'm heading out with a couple rods, a Sling Blade with a Curado and a Big Nasty with a Tranx allows me to pretty much do whatever I want. |
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Posts: 192
Location: Quebec, Canada | I'm wondering, what's wrong with the curado for the double 10s? We use a lot of d10s and the curado seems to do just fine? I mean, I know that there's the tranx and the daiwa daltist with very high inch per crank ratio that could be better at it, but except from that? |
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Posts: 306
| I don't think there's anything wrong with it for Double 10s. I've used the same 300DSV and 300e for 5-6 years (beating them up for a week straight), throwing anything and everything. Not a whole lot of Double 10s, but plenty of Jr. Double Cowgirls which are basically Double 9.5s, big crank baits, etc. |
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Posts: 1084
Location: Aurora | cyberfish - 2/11/2014 9:11 PM
To me, if I'm heading out with a couple rods, a Sling Blade with a Curado and a Big Nasty with a Tranx allows me to pretty much do whatever I want.
I take it yer not married.. |
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Posts: 43
Location: Waite Park, MN | Sidejack - 2/12/2014 4:00 PM
cyberfish - 2/11/2014 9:11 PM
To me, if I'm heading out with a couple rods, a Sling Blade with a Curado and a Big Nasty with a Tranx allows me to pretty much do whatever I want.
I take it yer not married..
Oh, yes, happily married, and I take my wife panfishing a few times a year, and then I put the rest of my time in musky fishing!
...she's the one that told me to buy the boat: Warrior 208XRS/300 Merc Optimax, Motorguide 36V, Lowrance HDS-12 + HDS-7 on dash, structure scan, GoFree and Sonic Hub.
Gotta love a woman like that, huh?! |
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Posts: 1000
| cyberfish - 2/11/2014 9:11 PM
To me, if I'm heading out with a couple rods, a Sling Blade with a Curado and a Big Nasty with a Tranx allows me to pretty much do whatever I want.
Basically the best combo right there. Now if only the curado would get micro gears.
The fact that it's a 2009 reel and still considered a top pick among muskie reels pretty much speaks for itself. |
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Posts: 1906
Location: Oconto Falls, WI | The Curado 300E is a great reel, and I use it for everything including 10's. I do not throw 10's for hours on end though so keep that in mind. As one said it is a smaller reel and may not balance out your rod just right, but I would take a reel that doesn't balance out teh rod over a reel that craps out on you. I have had no issues with my Curado. |
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Posts: 127
| tolle141 - 2/12/2014 9:38 PM
Now if only the curado would get micro gears.
The fact that it's a 2009 reel and still considered a top pick among muskie reels pretty much speaks for itself.
2009 is basically brand new in the musky world. Heck the most popular reels used today have been around for a decade or more (you couldn't trade some fisherman a brand new Calcutta D for their TE).
In the world of musky reels only a few have been "move the needle" types of in recent years (since the biggest step forward - the Calcutta TE). The Curado DSV got the low profile craze reignited in musky fishing with the 300DSV in 2006 and the Tranx to be the big bait burner reel musky fisherman had been craving in 2012. And even those two reels are in the minority of reels being used.
Every other advancement has been an incremental change (albeit, some of them great) to musky fishing bread and butter - a 400 size round reel. |
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Posts: 142
| I have a 300EJ mounted on a 6'9" LT classic jerk. For gliders, I couldn't ask for a better set up. |
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Curado 300e limitations?