SWMIBASSER

I would do a BUNCH of talking fishing, and a bunch of just talking too......... Al Lindner

I would start with replacing bushings in the reel with bearings. As I understand the curado is the same frame as the Citica and in place of bearings the citica uses bushings. All stainless Abec 5's under the driveshaft for instance. Side plate and spool bering Abec 7 orange seals. Carbontex drag. Carbon handle (bunch of different knob options. Light spool....Not sure what will interchange here but maybe other Shimano reel spools will. The reel can be painted also (put this is more modifying than tuning). For mostly free you could pick up a quality low viscosity oil, take apart the reel, soak all the bearings to clean and remove grease and then add a thin oil, very sparingly. Note ALL contact points inside the reel. For instance end of the spool shaft at the cast control knob, all cam contact areas and polish those. Polish the drag surfaces to a mirror finish. Possibly polish the end of the pinion (this depends on reel design and I'm not familiar with shimano) Something else I'll say. To me, if you are starting with a quality reel, it makes sense to start with an inexpensive reel, if you are planning to do upgrades. For instance the Revo that I'm working on. It doesn't make sense to start with an STX or Premier since most of the parts separating the STX and Premier from the cheaper reels in the line, would get replaced anyhow. For instance, handle, spool, bearings, drag etc.

You can't think of this in American market terms completely. It's a global company with a significant Japanese, European and Australian market. We only see a portion of what's available through Pure Fishing. Take a gander at their website and see what's available in other parts of the world. It's an eye opener. I know Australia has some cool stuff. Pflueger Supreme XTS spinning reel, and Abu Revo Premier Elite.

Either Mudhole or J/P has a bunch of videos posted. Take the time to watch them they are loaded with info. Youtube has some rod building videos as well. You don't need tons of stuff. A blank, a guide kit-some companies will sell a guide kit based on the blank you select. A handle kit, some epoxy glue, thread of your choice, finish of your choice....then watch the videos. I would buy things in kit form starting out. One of them sells a thread kit that comes with thread, burnisher, and scissors, finish with syringes and brushes, handles with arbors, butt caps etc. Janns Netcraft Johnny's Pond Mudhole Tackle Are your main places to get rod building components. If you are stepping up to build a good rod vs a practice one look to Rogue for excellent blanks. Rogue builds VERY underrated rods and were started by a member of the Loomis family. A reel build would be easier. Update the reel to the bearings that the Curado has, orange seals for the spool bearings, carbon handle, carbon tex drag, supertune, repaint. etc, etc.

Well, a lot of BPS reels certainly do have palm-side covers that look a lot like this Silstar model... One could also say that the handle looks similar to Daiwa handles, the star drag looks like a Curado star... Otherwise that reel doesn't have much in common with anything else I've seen. In any event the point of this thread was that if you buy a BPS Extreme or Clunn reel you WILL be able to buy internal parts for it, later on down the road. Possibly years down the road.

A great part of how the reel casts and what it can cast is in the spool.

Actually friend, you are the one automatically discounting a great rod because of the brand it is. Based on zero prior experience with that rod. Have I fished all 200 dollar rods? No. But I have fished the Elite, and a few others. Yet your more qualified to trash "any bass pro rod over 100 dollars" even though you have never used the rod. As for any review....You should know without anyone having to point it out that one or even a few reviews are meaningless. Overall trends in reviews are where meaningful info is gathered.

Don't you know how this works around here ? It's ok to bash everyone elses reels but you crossed the line buddy > >......... Yep you are exactly right. I'm waiting for my comments on my view of these Shimano reels to magically disappear

Which rods at the $200 price point have you fished other than the BPS Elite? Kistler Helium, Carrot Stix Gold, and G Loomis. Only ones I fish regularly of those are Loomis. The other two were for a hour or so to check them out when friends had them. The Mossyback Loomis 7'1 MH jig rod I have weighs more by a good deal than the 7'6 MH Elite that I have. The 7'6 Elite is also MUCH better balanced. Loomis rod sells for $45 more. There are several more brands and models at the $200 point that you haven't fished. Do you just "know" that the BPS Elite is better than all of them? Yes.

Which rods at the $200 price point have you fished other than the BPS Elite? Kistler Helium, Carrot Stix Gold, and G Loomis. Only ones I fish regularly of those are Loomis. The other two were for a hour or so to check them out when friends had them. The Mossyback Loomis 7'1 MH jig rod I have weighs more by a good deal than the 7'6 MH Elite that I have. The 7'6 Elite is also MUCH better balanced. Loomis rod sells for $45 more.

This seems unfair.... completely bashing a reel's performance based on fiddling with a display model that is abused daily. Maybe it's just an anti-Shimano bias? I actually tried two of each. The display and one from a box....Same story. The Curado was OK.....But was more like a $75-$100 reel. I will give the Curado appearance points. I either like green or it's the best 'looking' reel made.

What about a spool change makes it more geared toward finesse fishing? What are the effects of swapping to a much lighter spool?

Ever fish with a J/M Elite? At full retail you can't find more rod per $$ even at $200. UH I think if i was going to spend 200 on a rod i would buy a Shimano Cumara way before i ever thought about a jm elite... sic guides lifetime warranty, and super hard to beat at any price point... no if the jm elite went on sale for like 100 bucks i would think about it... So you have not fished with one I take it? No I have not due to the fact as i stated before. I would not spend 200$ on a BPS rod or reel... there are about 10 rods i would buy before i ever thought about it...but i have handled them and couldn't tell much difference from the PQ but no i have not fished them There isn't a rod at that price point better. Not to be a jerk but if you couldn't notice any difference between the PQ and the Elite, I'll have to ignore you opinion on this one. The Elite is 'Clearly' more sensitive and much lighter just from an in store inspection.

Take it FWIW but I snapped a Fenwick flippin' stick on a hook set also (into a log)

After looking over the green Curado and Citica 200e It's clearly obvious to me that there is a BUNCH of bandwagoning that happens in tackle selection. Those two reels felt no better than a BPS reel that goes on sale for $50. The curado looked GREAT. It wasn't as smooth as reels costing 1/4 what it does. Not particularly light. Nothing special about the drag. Just another reel-albeit overpriced. The citica was even worse. Maybe they cast great? Other reels do too. And I couldn't take anyones word for it, because according to most, those reels are so super smooth and refined. Yet CLEARLY they are NOT Overrated reels no doubt about it.

You mentioned doing work on Revo's so I thought I would throw this out there. I got part numbers today from PureFishing Australia. Duralumin gear set in 7.1.1 The guy was really helpful and confirmed that the main gear, pinion and main drive shaft are all duralumin. Main Gear 1192816 Pinion 1192814 Main Shaft 1192812 These are parts as listed for a Revo Elite Aurora. I'm waiting for Pure Fishing USA to give me a price. They refused to do any investigating to help me out. They forwarded me to PF Aus and they were very helpful This should reduce the weight a bunch. If you break down a revo you will realize how much the gear system adds to the weight of the reel. Also in a review I was reading of a Quantum and Shimano both with almost identical gear dimension, the Alum gear in the Quantum was 5 grams, and the Shim 13 grams. That was the main gear only.

There is no reason why it would be a throw away. Any component that could be a wear or problem part will be available years later. Just buy for the Revo. It has bearing supported comonents, and a metal frame. And all the parts should be available for some time.

Bearings from Boca Bearing. Handles from Plat, http://www.plat.co.jp/shop/catalog/default.php Or Japan Fishing Tackle. http://www.bass.jp/reel.php?c=reelp Mikes Repair also sells a limited number of parts. http://www.mikesreelrepair.com/index.php?osCsid=93b60ee2b005915195f3d78a01e05cc0 What reel are you upgrading?

The 5-166

If the, "Mad Max machine-gunned, crazy special tuned package", makes it that much sweeter than it already is, then I never want to do that to my steez reels cause I would never put them down. The reel is near perfection just stock from the factory. I assumed you already slept with them next to you each night, as it were. :

It was a Joke. To some=Women, Shimano, everything else.

Oh yeah. I was just bored... But still good info for BPS reel owners. And maybe the Abu guys can use the info to get cheaper gear swaps.....The extreme has a 5.4.1, 6.3.1, and 7.1.1 gear set that would swap right into a revo.

Ahhhh.....On the S schematic I couldn't find that part. That is part of the spool shaft. On the S reel it IS fixed. And the spool below doesn't include it. So I would need #49 also when swapping that spool in. Makes sense now...

How do you mean more mechanical? I just assumed that more precise bearings in those locations would improve the overall smoothness of the reel. I still don't understand how the palm plate, and cast control bearings can't effect free spool. The spool spins with the shaft, and the shaft spings in both the palm plate and cast control bearings.... BTW I'm asking to learn. Not to sound like a ####

It would be pointless to replace the cast control bearing, unless its damaged. It contributes nothing in free spool. I want to upgrade bearings to increase the over all feel. Including cranking. Not just during free spool. But a question. How doesn't it? The spool shaft spins. The spool doesn't spin independently of the spool shaft. And the spool shaft is supported on both sides by the palm plate and the bearing behind the cast control or spool tension knob If you remove the cast control knob, click the thumb bar, and then spin the spool the bearing behind the cast control knob spins with the shaft. I want to replace the spool bearing too, but I need to get the aftermarket spool here first, before ordering a different bearing for it.