LCG

I use a net when on the bank and plastic lip grippers when in the kayak. Way easier and safer for everyone.

I ordered a reel from Japan and shipped via FedEx. Duty was $43, Canadian as well so that may have some bearing. But still cheaper and the reel I bought wasn't available here anywhere remotely close.

I usually carry a collapsing net when bank fishing. The terrain can be ever changing and landing a fish can be awkward at best. Plus I believe in conservation, so it is safest for the fish by landing and releasing in the net.

Frog, hollow body and popping. Can never catch on them.

Mr clean magic eraser or even the Walmart brand works very well. Looks like new again.

Search you tube for curado k cleaning or disassembly and you will find some great step by step videos. If it's a few years old it could probably use a good cleaning anyways. It's not hard just take your time, have the right tools ready, take pics on your phone of each step and where the parts are inside the reel. Watch out for springs on the thumb bar mechanism, they will go flying if you don't put your thumb over the spring when taking the mechanism out. But it will probably take you 30 minutes to an hour being your first time, that's with cleaning and greasing and oiling.

That's a good reel you have there. Bought one last fall and used it with 30lb braid with no issues. Smooth and cast very well, drag is smooth too. This year I have spooled with 10lb big game mono for squarebills and spinnerbaits, light texas rigs, etc. I used to be all braid 100%, but because I have a lot of XF rods, I think it will be fine with mono. So far, just pitching in the house for practice it's working well.

Welcome, fellow Ontarian here, Waterloo Region.

I have a carbonlite 2.0 6'9 MH-XF casting and 6'8"M-Xf spinning and they are very good for the money. I have owned Fenwick HMG, St croix Mojo Bass, Avid X, dobyns fury, and a few others. The Carbonlite compares well in terms of build quality and sensitivity. What makes the carbonlites my personal favorite rod is the grips, very comfortable and secure. I am planning on picking up another rod in medium fast when stock ever comes back.

There are some days where I am just not with it at all or nothing is going well. It's like the fishing universe is against me most days I am good, no wind knots, no major backlashes, catching fish, having fun, others not so much.

I have my Curado K HG paired with a 6'9" MH-XF rod for texas rigs, jigs, chatterbaits, etc. Had for a year and going strong. Just gave her a cleaning only because I was bored. Solid reel.

I use a 3 combo system and I am primarily a kayak and bank angler. 6'8" M-Xf spinning rod paired with a Shimano stradic fl 2500 used for finness 6'9 MH-XF casting rod paired with a Shimano Curado K used for texas rigs, jigs, chatterbaits 7'0 MH-F casting rod paired with a Shimano SLX MGL for squarebills, spinnerbaits, unweighted plastics, light texas rigs. This combo is more of a strong medium, moderate fast. Has some overlap with the spinning set up, but can't skip with a baitcaster to save my life.

I am Canadian, so I can't help you much. But, I just wanted to say that you sir are living the dream. My hats off to you and yours, sounds like an awesome retirement.

I ordered a Shimano slx mgl from Asian portal fishing a few months ago. Arrived super fast and 100% legit. Obviously the instructions are in Japanese and there is no warranty, but the savings is worth it. You can find schematics online easily. Very happy and will buy direct from Japan again.

I fish a pond very similar to this and I generally use a spinnerbait, weightless plastics, and a 1/16oz texas rigged trick worm or Ned rig with an ewg hook. Works pretty well. Never have any luck with top water though.

How is the spinning model guides? Read a few reviews saying the guides are small. Can they handle 20lb braid to leader? Can't decide between the spinning and casting, they both seem very versatile.

Have the Curado K and the SLX MGL. Both serve a different purpose. The Curado K is for 3/8oz and up, currently spooled with 14lb mono about 110yds. The SLX MGL is for 3/8 and under, currently spooled with 10lb mono about 90yds. Both are great reels. The Curado feels a bit more refined and casts very far. The SLX MGL also casts great but excels with lighter lures, which is what it's designed to do well.

This was the pin and tiny spring inside the actual star drag of an SLX MGL. What a PITA that was.

I set all my drags to shut start to give on a really hard hook set. Don't need more than most of time.

Watch those springs and small parts, spent an hour looking for a drag clicker spring under my couch

I am confident that kvd could outfish me with the lowest quality gear. It amazes me though how fishing started as a Sunday morning thing on TV to nowdays anglers dressed as Nascar drivers with boats to match. People take to a pro for whatever reason and want what they use, same marketing they use to kids and toys. Funny even as adults they get you

When I first started fishing about 8 years ago I used mono on a spinning reel and hated it. Coils everywhere. A friend told me to try braid, I tried it and stuck with it. About two or three years ago I tried 15lb big game on a baitcasting reel. Line kept jumping off the reel, threw it in the trash. This week I thought back and realized I probably didn't spool it correctly after reading such positive reviews about big game mono. Then I came across a YouTube video of a guy who showed how to stretch the line and the difference it made. So I spooled up one reel with 10lb big game mono for squarebills and light spinnerbaits and 14lb BPS tourney tough mono that I have used for leaders. After spooling properly and stretching the line to remove the memory, I am much happier with how it handles now. Our waters are frozen so just been pitching a casting plug around the house but it handles well and seems sensitive enough while dragging the plug across the floor. Can't wait to try it out this season and test how it does in real world usage. I did tie the line to the coffee table and walked about 25ft to the door and tried a hook set, the stretch wasn't that bad and my drag will slip with any more force anyways. I will stick stick with braid to leader on my spinning set up, but leader knots have caused me problems here and there on casting set ups. Curious to try it out and see. I also use fast and extra fast action rods so don't think it will hurt the hook up ratio, maybe it will require a stronger hookset not sure yet.

Too stiff of a rod?

If you are sure you are done with them and not going to use them, then it's clutter. Sell them off and enjoy what you have. I think we have all gone through many rods, reels, and lures to find what we enjoy using. It's just part of the process of learning.

The Stradic FL was my first Shimano reel. I was so impressed, I sold off my other reels and replaced them with a Curado K and a SLX MGL. Been an expensive year, but worth every penny. A good friend recommended me to buy Shimano reels way back when. Always thought they were too expensive, so bought Abu Garcia, Pflueger, and Daiwa reels prior. They are gone now, not bad reels, but not near the quality of the reels I have now. You will be happy.