I recently came across a Shimano Castic reel. My dad won it on a company fishing trip a couple years ago and never used it. It had some cob webbs on it and the grease seemed to harden a bit over the years, so I had it tuned up at my local fishing shop Anglers Intl.  I do not know much about this reel - I'm wondering if any of you guys have used one in your lifetime and if so what type of Rod/ line/ fishing style would you use with this reel? Thanks!

I had the first generation Castaic, yours is the second generation, it's built on the venerable bulletproof plataform of the Citica, Curado B, Chronarch and Chronarch SF , your reel has Instagage system and Super Free spool, in theory built for flipping and pitching, in that reel you don't have to turn the handle to engage the spool after pressing the thumbar, to engage the spool you push up the thumbar and it's ready to reel in. The reel doesn't have HEG. It's a very good reel that will last you a couple of lifetimes.

Tank...heavy, durable, strong and bulletproof

I just sold 2 CA-200SF's, but still have one.  Also have 6 of the original CA-200's.  Love the insta-gage on the older ones, not so much on the SF's.  I use my SF for froggin' and still do most of my pitching with the older CA-200.  I use 17lb XT and 50 or 65lb Power Pro for pitchin' and the SF frogger gets 65lb Power Pro. 

Smooth, good casting but heavy reel. The smooth retrieve should make it fun to fish moving baits like spinners, traps and cranks

Thanks for the Info guys. I realized I posted the picture of the newer version. My reel is actually the older version with the " insta-gage" thumb bar.  If i was to turn the reel into my pitching and flipping set up - what size rod would I look to buy?

Hard to tell which rod power and length for that purpose, in my everyday lake you flip and pitch to standing tough mesquite & willow trees or a combination of those with super tough huizache brush, for that purpose I use a 6´6" Heavy ExF Shimano Clarus rod, reel spooled with 17 lb test Trilene Big Game or 50 lb PowerPro braided line.

Smooth, good casting but heavy reel. The smooth retrieve should make it fun to fish moving baits like spinners, traps and cranks

It's 8.6 oz.  It's not that bad.  Balances really nice on a Crucial 6'10" H/XF

I had mine on a 7' Avid MHF, and had it spooled with 50# power pro. Caught my personal best with it tossing frogs into the lily pads.