offsidewing

The Antares MGL! ??? I'd like to see a Curado 70 with a dual bearing supported main shaft and MGL spool.

The trigger fire spinning reels you can close by reeling. All others close by hand.

DC units don't replace a thumb or prevent backlashes.

I use 6lb Tatsu exclusively for Ned Rig and drop shots on 2500 sized shallow spool shimano reels. Its awesome. LoL, moderator plug. Put a $50 spool of Tatsu on your $60 Kast king! I jest, I jest. Seriously, When you buy Tastu on Amazon, its hard to beat the value. To me, it really shines in the 6lb rating on spinning gear and 15 lb on casting gear. The 12 lb isnt that much better than Sunline Sniper *unless* you're into lightweight 50/100 sized spools on JDM baitcasters and unweighted plastics.

What are you planning to do with the reel? I've owned all three. Of the 3, the Steez TW SV 1012 was my favorite all round reel for bass fishing. The SV breaking is a nice feature. It has all the check marks for features. The Alebaran MGL is lightweight but will have more specific function given its spool size. Its focus is being lightweight, and while stout, it won't "feel" as solid as other reels. The Metanium DC is built on the internals of the Met 13. It doesn't have the internal refinement of the Met MGL. Personally, I would take the Curado DC over the Met DC it you want DC. If you're getting into that price range, check out the JDM Met MGL and Bantam MGL too.

Rods - Cabelas Tournament ZX. They were the belle of the ball at iCast a few years ago and go on sale regularly for $80 or less, sticker price is $99. Really tough rod to beat at that price. You have to get into the $200 + range to find something noticably more sensative. I can't say enough good things about these rods. Reels - with some patience, great deals are to be found on popular auction sites and 'Murican Leggacy Fishing (wink, wink). Casting reels: The Curado K feature set is great at the price point when found on sale. Daiwa Fuego gets a lot of recommendations from reasonable non-fanboys as well. Spinning reels: its tough to beat the Pflueger President and Supreme reels at their price points. If you're thinking of spending $150 on a spinning reel, bite the bullet and step up to a Shimano Stradic Ci4+. I use these pieces of gear along side my really expensive combos. With some patience you can get a Curado K / Tournament ZX combo for $250 or less and a Pfluger Supreme / Tournament ZX spinning combo for $160.

From experience and as @TOXIC mentioned it sounds like you might have your spool overfilled. You don't need $4 a gallon silicone spray sold as $20 a pint line conditioner to eliminate birdnests, unless you really want too.

I use fluoro primarily on baitcasters. I've never used a drop of line conditioner or see the need to ever use it. There are great you tube vids on how to get rid of a bird's nest. I change fluro line once a month and only fill spools to about 90 percent capacity. I only have an issue with fluoro when I'm not paying attention.

Shimano Vanquish 2500S.

Own Avid X, LTB, and LE all in spinning. I love the the 68MXF LTB for 4 and 5 inch Senkos, 1/4oz Tube Jigs, and beavers. I'm in the minority of liking the reel seat of the current and previous model of LTB. I've fished it side by side with the 68MXF Avid X and prefer the LTB. All my casting rods are Avid X, really great value there. Now, the LE is in another world. The 610MLXF is my favorite spinning rod ever and is perfect for Ned Rigs.

Negative, not yet.

For those who are curious, I took some pics of a 2019 Antares HG next to a Curado 70 and Curado K. The new Antares palms somewhere in between these two reels. People seem confused about the size of the new Antares as the last two iterations of this reel are big. I will say the reel is designed to feel as a smooth and solid as possible and I think thats why it has some heft. Its a 7 oz reel, but boy does it feel good doing the dummy test. (Dummy test: determining how smooth a reel is by turning the handle of the reel with no line on the spool).

Not sure of your budget, but having tried lots of rods in different categories, the St Croix Avid X is great for both casting and spinning applications. I can't say enough good things about their customer service.

Seaguar Tatsu 6lb fluoro for Drop Shot and Ned Rig. Fantastic line. Sunline is good when I can't get Tatsu from Amazon cheaply.

I have done exactly that, but it is not a modern incarnate of the Core 50. The Curado 70 palms much better.

Curado 70 - Magnesium Frame and side plate, Xship, MGL spool, extra support bearing in the drive shaft, and brass gears. If the reel cost $500 I'd buy six.

St Croix user here. For spinning rods: 6'10" MLXF for Ned Rig and light drop shot. Wrestled 4 and 5 pound smallies on it no problem. 6'8" MXF for senkos, tube jigs and Ikas. I own a couple legend elites, but my favorite all round spinning rod for plastics and smallies is the LTB 68MXF.

MGL III spool? Didn't even know there was an MGL II spool.?

Own/owned both in casting and spinning. Prefer the LTB for spinning and love the handle. New handles are a bit better. In casting styles, they are close but I actually prefer the Avid X in casting rods. Guides are better on the LTB, but anecdotally feel like the Avid X is a better caster in simliar lengths, power, and tips.

What are you fishing for? If you want to lip hook pan fish with a Ned Rig, your UL will be fine. If you want to go after bass, better use your 6-6 MF rod.

6lb YoZuri hybrid is great. Keep in mind its the same line diameter as many 10lb mono. I like it a lot for Senkos and weightless plastics fished on Med Fast spinning rods. ML spinning rods get 6lb Tatsu. Treble Baits that are retrieved by turning the handle at a consistent speed get a 65lb swivel to avoid line twist.

My Steez TW SV is a skipping beast with baits down to 1/4 oz. My Daiwa SV103 was decent too when I had it. Both were much better than the 2015 Shimano Metanium DC for skipping. I believe the Met DC and Curado DC will share the same DCi5 control system. Now, the DC 4x8 system in the Antares is supposed to be legendary - Unicorns, Rainbows, 100 meter casts and skipping hair jigs.

Had two 2015 Met DCs and sold both for Met MGLs. They didn't cast as far as the Met 13 or the MGL. The DCi5 system was only apprecible in windy situations on open water with tumbling baits. It seldom engaged on pitches, but free spooled nicely. The DC system is cool. If I had to do it again I would have gotten a 2016 Antares DC with the legendary DC4x8 control system or go with the new Curado DC that has just about all the functionality of Met DC but weighs an ounce more. In my hands the new curados palm great too.

Yep, as others have said for drop shot - MLXF rod and a finesse focused line. I go straight 6lb tatsu or straight braid. 6lb tatsu is amazing.

Holy Necro Batman...