Jaheff

I've settled with all four on, and spool with no play. Took me a while too. Not like the E's.

Full spool for IPT, not distance. The older curado's cast better with less line on them. Looks to me like Shimano raised the line guide a bit on the I series, but haven't measured for proof.

Shimano 70,a good ML rod, and 20# braid. Just make sure to clean the junk out of shimano's spool bearings!

Knots can be a personal and what you have the most confidence tieing. Switching from 15# to 12# is not gonna make a huge difference using 65# braid. One trick I learned with the Alberto, once you tie it and pull it snugg with a straight pull, is to snap lock it (like your snapping your dads belt when you were a kid). Works for all types of leader material and diff diameter line.

Really enjoying this reel so far! My only gripe is the brakes are taking a while to get use to. Two brakes on, and set cast control by lure weight has been the best way to this point. Usually I can have a little looser Cast control. 1/8 dropshot has been working fine for a few hours of testing. Gonna try lighter soon. Biggest fish has only been a 2.5, no big fish test yet.

Another thing i noticed with curado I vs E is line guide now sits higher on the I's. Both 200 and 70.

Phenix Recon2, 713ML

Yes, Fished it yesterday for two and half hours. I'm loving this reel so far. Yesterday it was a little tight, but i just got done re greasing and oiling bearings. Never got a backlash or an over run yesterday even with a breeze. Today it felt as the reel loosened up a bit, got a couple backlashes, and only had to tighten the knob from 2 to 4 (Two brakes on, Pipe oiled). Both days i stuck to dropshoting a 3/16 weight, 4.5 robo, and a mesquito hook. Handled it great. Casting is a dream.Drag is smooth, It truly feels like a mini 200i with less effort to cast (solid). I put 20# regular PP and 6# izorline leader on it.

First of many I hope...

The drive shaft bearing is the only bearing i don't mess with in a brand new reel. All i want is smoothness and protection with that bearing. I prefer grease. In tearing it apart i did notice two differences compared to a 200i. No spring under spool tension knob in the 70. Bearing is held in with a clip,and Cap by an o'ring. Then there's a small washer on top of the top drag washer, this little washer has the two grooves for the roller bearing sleeve to fit into. The palm side plate on the 70 comes completely off. My 2.5hr review...Better reel then the 50e. (wasn't the biggest fan of the 50) There's nothing on this reel that i'd want to upgrade.

Mine arrived today and I tore it down. Handle is same length as curado 200. Spool is 15.5grams with no line. Waiting for bearings to soak and gonna go fish it.

Yep 5 up, 5 down for me. The alberto in the So Cal tuna circles is actually called the RP knot, or the John Collins knot. John has caught tuna well over 200+lbs using 5 wraps and says even works with different diameters.

It digs deeper cause ss8 doesn't go back on tight. I think its cause it's so slick.

I gave it ss8 a good go for a long time. Great knot strength,and easy knot tying. Just couldn't stand the way it fluffs back on the spool. Back to regular PP for me. One CuradoI has max cuatro on it to try out.

I love throwing the C-rig from shore in Summer and Winter time when fish are deeper (25+ft).Flukes, trick worms,lizards, and rage baits are my choices. I don't know if it's cause of unpressured fish or cause i hold the rod out to the side of me with a C-rig, but i've had three and four pounders almost rip the rod out of my hands with the C-rig.

I can attest for the Helios Air.. Its a really good reel and i paid 209 for mine. My only knock on Okuma fresh water reels, is they are way over greased and in wrong places, brake race, inside pinion gear..etc. Once cleaned out, the Air is still going strong after two years.

I've been using the Phenix recon2 7'1'' ML 1/8-1/2, and have been happy with it at the price point and not ordering from Japan. Another cheaper model i've been eyeballing is Abu Volatile 6'9'' ML rated 1/16-3/8, it's just kinda ugly.

I have found i need three brakes on with the I, dial on two, and a little loose on the cast control. The E was just two brakes, forget it,and loose cast control.

The few wraps your revering to is just like using tape on the spool. Because both your reels are low capacity reels, i woud go braid with leader.

Whats your total spool capacity the line is going on? The Uni to Uni will be fine whatever line you decide to go with. I would personally go electrical or Teflon tape, and go with braid. That way if the stripper does run. your weak line is still the 17# main line. There are a few options to achieve what your trying to accomplish. I personally like 40# braid to 17# or 20# Fluoro, with fish that run.

Here Josh, Read till you go crazy...alantani.com

Cal's was the worse grease to clean out of frame bearings. I now just use marine grade, lower unit gear oil (thick) for frame bearings, super lube for gears, cals on drags and TSI on spool bearings.

I look at my cranking set ups as a three part system. Rod, Line, and drag. In my opinion when cranking, one of these three has to have some give in it .I like braid with a Medium moderate cranking rod and copoly when throwing traps on a medium or medium heavy fast rod. With both set ups i set the drag somewhat light compared to if i was T-rigging,C-rig etc..

My post got edited. i was talking about the unmentionable reel maker...my Air is still going strong.

The I is a more refined reel than the E is in my opinion. It's been my best performing sub 180 reel. On sale at Walmart.com for 150 right now.