Nice! One of my favorite line of reels. I use FG to FJ stradics. Your old one looks like an FJ?

 

A lot of stradic fans were never made aware that Shimano made this same reel in a different color and gave it a different name. It did not sell as well as the stradic line did. Today I can buy the stradic wannabes for around $30 or less sometimes, but try buying an old FJ, FI, FH era stradic reel which sold new for around $120, and they are still around $120 now used. So they hold their value.

 

I'm starting the clock on this one!

 

I am a Shimano fan boy.  I have a bunch of Stradic and Symmetry reels from 1000 to 3000.  Some are 25 years old and still going strong.

2 hours ago, Hulkster said:

That FM mounted on a IMX ? They are good sticks, I’m not crazy about the FazTec guides but they work fine

18 hours ago, F14A-B said:

That FM mounted on a IMX ? They are good sticks, I’m not crazy about the FazTec guides but they work fine

yes. The imx pro has Fuji K frame Alconite guides. 

20 hours ago, FloridaFishinFool said:

A lot of stradic fans were never made aware that Shimano made this same reel in a different color and gave it a different name.

Which reel was this? The Saros?

JigMan already gave up the secret above in his comment.

 

But, you gotta pull all the schematics and go through them to find precisely which reels are the stradic copies. Not all of them are stradic copies.

 

The way to find them quickly is to look for the worm gear in the copies. Part for part the same reels just a different color and name. Saves some of us a ton of money when we go looking for older stradics.

 

I'm watching one now listed for $35 with free shipping. I may pitch them an offer of $20 or $25 and see if I can score another one while stradic lovers are locked in to $100 to $200 each- and that's used prices! And remember the series of stradics I mentioned above? You will find them within that range of reels.

Sold a Stradic FJ 2500 on Ebay last year. I couldn't believe it when the auction ended, I got around $200 for it. Great reels.

On 8/17/2025 at 12:09 PM, Jig Man said:

I am a Shimano fan boy.  I have a bunch of Stradic and Symmetry reels from 1000 to 3000.  Some are 25 years old and still going strong.

Same. back when you got the back-up carbon spool.

It's interesting how certain reels hold their value.  I have an FJ 2500 and a curado 51e that both sell used for more than I paid for them.  No plans on getting rid of either of them though.

I've been using Stradics since 2000.  My first was the pearl white FG 2000 with the wooden handle.  Loved that reel.  Gave it to a buddy of mine and he is still using it.  Bang for the buck, ROI, whatever you want to call it I think the Stradic is the best reel.

On 8/17/2025 at 3:09 PM, Jig Man said:

I am a Shimano fan boy.  I have a bunch of Stradic and Symmetry reels from 1000 to 3000.  Some are 25 years old and still going strong.

My Symetre was my fav spinner for 20+ years until it met its end at the bottom of a lake after I dumped my yak. Cried a few tears over that one. Bought a Miravel to replace it. Meh.  

Both look brand new. Which one is the old one?

10 hours ago, Bazoo said:

Both look brand new. Which one is the old one?

Its a very clean FJ.  The Xship stamp on the side of the handle is the giveaway.  I was just thinking to myself, that the FJ isnt that old, then I did the math.

I still not only use the following gen, Stradic, I rely on it and several Spheros SWs(essentially an FK -a bearing and different color scheme) for inshore.  Shimano needs to expand the smaller Spheros SW line.  They only come in 3 and 4k.  They have a little weight, but you get a butter smooth reel that can take a beating and still feel great for $120.  I like the color scheme too.  Its a navy blue with gold and silver accents.  Its still got the older grip with the Shimano stamped cover plate. 

 

7 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Its a very clean FJ.  The Xship stamp on the side of the handle is the giveaway.  I was just thinking to myself, that the FJ isnt that old, then I did the math.

I still not only use the following gen, Stradic, I rely on it and several Spheros SWs(essentially an FK -a bearing and different color scheme) for inshore.  Shimano needs to expand the smaller Spheros SW line.  They only come in 3 and 4k.  They have a little weight, but you get a butter smooth reel that can take a beating and still feel great for $120.  I like the color scheme too.  Its a navy blue with gold and silver accents.  Its still got the older grip with the Shimano stamped cover plate. 

 

so this reel was released in 2011, I bought it in 2014. But I don't use 4000 size spinning reels much anymore except when fall salmon pier fishing and if I go to the ocean in Atlantic Canada for stripers or down south. So even though its old, it hasn't really seen a ton of usage for its age. 

 

But i will never sell it lol 

Several years ago I bought 2 2000 size Symetre reels @ a garage sale and use them often.  I took them apart and couldn't find much difference from a couple of Stradics I was repairing. 

 

2 hours ago, Alex from GA said:

Several years ago I bought 2 2000 size Symetre reels @ a garage sale and use them often.  I took them apart and couldn't find much difference from a couple of Stradics I was repairing. 

 

nice! for many model generations the only difference to my knowledge was an extra ball bearing and a nicer handle on the Stradic.

This stradic has conquered some nice ocean fish, this one in Prince Edward Island 

1 hour ago, Hulkster said:

nice! for many model generations the only difference to my knowledge was an extra ball bearing and a nicer handle on the Stradic.

This stradic has conquered some nice ocean fish, this one in Prince Edward Island 

Stradic is one of those reels where the new models actually merit the upgrade.  Stradic consistently lost weight, became less vulnerable to water intrusion and ran smoother.  Shimano moved the AR toggle from the rash guard on FH to the bottom of the frame FI and finally deleted it altogether on FK.  FL saw the introduction of the taller spool and as usual a slight reduction in weight.  Strangely, I I fish with a tackle shop owner who thinks FK actually has slightly superior water resistance to FL.  I don't know if its true, but there are so many FLs on the water, its water/debris intrusion resistance is more than proven.

not sure, I have an FK as well and one thing I did notice was that on the Fk and prior the line roller was titanium (gold colored?). On the FL and FM it is not. Not sure how big of a difference it makes, if any?

2 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Stradic is one of those reels where the new models actually merit the upgrade.  Stradic consistently lost weight, became less vulnerable to water intrusion and ran smoother.  Shimano moved the AR toggle from the rash guard on FH to the bottom of the frame FI and finally deleted it altogether on FK.  FL saw the introduction of the taller spool and as usual a slight reduction in weight.  Strangely, I I fish with a tackle shop owner who thinks FK actually has slightly superior water resistance to FL.  I don't know if its true, but there are so many FLs on the water, its water/debris intrusion resistance is more than proven.

 

Granted brand new stradics out of the box are smooth. But let me tell you a story from when I worked in a rod and reel repair shop that had a warranty contract with Shimano. Stradics and Shimano spinning reels were one of my specialties back then.

 

I mentioned above the era of stradics I use is FG to FJ. The reason I do not use newer stradics is because I was seeing them come across my bench on a regular basis in less than 2 years out of that brand new box.

 

Fishermen have demanded lighter and lighter reels and the brands have given in and complied to that demand and in doing so have invariably put more and more plastic parts inside of these reels.

 

And would you know the very thing that is or was failing in those newer stradics is those plastic gears.

 

The era of stradics I use FG to FJ work flawlessly for years and years, decades even. Some exceeding 20 years without servicing or maintenance. And yet the newer stradics were now coming across the bench in less than 2 years! Take a look at a mailed in to the shop stradic and what the shop owner wrote on the ticket because of the customers complaint the reel was no longer smooth.

 

Read the repair ticket and what it says:

 

 

"Not smooth!" And that's a quote on a less than 2 year old stradic at the time this photo was taken. "Not smooth." And shop owner at the time wrote on the repair ticket to check what? The plastic gears. And they were right.

 

Now take a read on the parts I installed into this reel to make it smooth like new again:

 

 

And there it is.... 3 plastic gears replaced! And that folks is the downfall of their newer reels right there. There is the demand for lighter and lighter reels. And here are the results of it in plaint sight.

 

The drag washers in my 25 year old stradics are still as good as new. Yet on a 2 year old stradic they were chewed up and shredded.

 

 

 

 

There is some stradic truth right there. Proof is in the pudding as they say.

 

I love my stradics, but the FG's to FJ's and that's the end for me on that line until Shimano can make all new stradics that hold up as well for 20 years and not just 2 years like this one.

 

Hopefully on the newer stradics past this era they have improved durability. I retired from work completely a few years ago, so no idea where Shimano is at with it now. But my point is, not all stradics are built the same. Buyer beware! I'd avoid this one. And newer is not always better! Lighter is not always an improvement.

So, my slightly older Stradic FK is still smooth, the new FM is solid and smooth. 

 

Time will tell the new FM remains that way but to be honest, I don't think I've had a shimano spinning reel that hasn't remained smooth even a few years later. So I can't see why this one would be any different. 

 

Was that Stradic Ci4+ used in saltwater?  Because that could certainly do it. 

I have no idea. All I can do is report what was found as found. When I got the reel it was just a pile of parts as photo shows.

 

But ya know, this problem with making reels lighter and lighter is happening across the board with all brands. It is so much cheaper and easier for them to make plastic parts than machined or molded metal parts.

 

Years ago on one reel I sent a part to a machine shop and had them make it out of metal just because the plastic part kept failing. Just how it goes...

 

Those plastic gears can't handle the wear of pressure on them. One person already mentioned in another thread how metal gears can become "geary" after catching just one fish. If metal can do that on one fish, can plastic hold up better? I have to wonder...

On 8/24/2025 at 7:16 PM, FloridaFishinFool said:

Granted brand new stradics out of the box are smooth. But let me tell you a story from when I worked in a rod and reel repair shop that had a warranty contract with Shimano. Stradics and Shimano spinning reels were one of my specialties back then.

 

I mentioned above the era of stradics I use is FG to FJ. The reason I do not use newer stradics is because I was seeing them come across my bench on a regular basis in less than 2 years out of that brand new box.

 

Fishermen have demanded lighter and lighter reels and the brands have given in and complied to that demand and in doing so have invariably put more and more plastic parts inside of these reels.

 

And would you know the very thing that is or was failing in those newer stradics is those plastic gears.

 

The era of stradics I use FG to FJ work flawlessly for years and years, decades even. Some exceeding 20 years without servicing or maintenance. And yet the newer stradics were now coming across the bench in less than 2 years! Take a look at a mailed in to the shop stradic and what the shop owner wrote on the ticket because of the customers complaint the reel was no longer smooth.

PLASTIC!! WHAT THE DEVIL!....This is an outrage!

I was miffed about Daiwa trying to push a $300 Saltist with a pot metal main gear, but THIS....this Ci4 plus main gear is criminal.  Does Shimano know you have found their secret? 

We MUST presume Shimano has tapped your phone and is going through your garbage. 

Does Tackle Advisors know? He mustn't, he would have surely made a video torching Shimano by now.  I run into him a few times every fall run in MoCo, Ill alert him then.  Unless....they've gotten to him too. 

They mustn't get away with this. 

 

15 hours ago, Hulkster said:

So, my slightly older Stradic FK is still smooth, the new FM is solid and smooth. 

 

Time will tell the new FM remains that way but to be honest, I don't think I've had a shimano spinning reel that hasn't remained smooth even a few years later. So I can't see why this one would be any different. 

 

Was that Stradic Ci4+ used in saltwater?  Because that could certainly do it. 

The FL has done fine on the whole.  Composite parts have replaced all kind of metal components on everything from vehicles to firearms.  Its not just about weight, it's about manufacturing costs too.  Sometimes composite parts can be better, especially in SW because they don't corrode.   

Hes comparing 2 different reels like its a Megyn Kelley gotcha interview.  The Shimano has had power and finesse lines for decades.  Stradic MG/Ci4 was the finesse series, same design just different materials.

I worked in a tackle shop as well.  If I had $1 for every googan who came in with a reel they bought the day before and said the drag was broken, because they didnt use backing on their fireline or super stopper failed, because the AR was toggled off.  The new Van Staal guys who would bring in qa reel they had bought earlier in the week that had obviously fallen out of kayak or boat while on the way home or runover after a night on the sods, the vast majority would SWEAR they bought the reel like that.

 

On 8/24/2025 at 7:16 PM, FloridaFishinFool said:

 

Granted brand new stradics out of the box are smooth. But let me tell you a story from when I worked in a rod and reel repair shop that had a warranty contract with Shimano. Stradics and Shimano spinning reels were one of my specialties back then.

 

I mentioned above the era of stradics I use is FG to FJ. The reason I do not use newer stradics is because I was seeing them come across my bench on a regular basis in less than 2 years out of that brand new box.

 

Fishermen have demanded lighter and lighter reels and the brands have given in and complied to that demand and in doing so have invariably put more and more plastic parts inside of these reels.

 

And would you know the very thing that is or was failing in those newer stradics is those plastic gears.

 

The era of stradics I use FG to FJ work flawlessly for years and years, decades even. Some exceeding 20 years without servicing or maintenance. And yet the newer stradics were now coming across the bench in less than 2 years! Take a look at a mailed in to the shop stradic and what the shop owner wrote on the ticket because of the customers complaint the reel was no longer smooth.

 

Read the repair ticket and what it says:

 

 

"Not smooth!" And that's a quote on a less than 2 year old stradic at the time this photo was taken. "Not smooth." And shop owner at the time wrote on the repair ticket to check what? The plastic gears. And they were right.

 

Now take a read on the parts I installed into this reel to make it smooth like new again:

 

 

And there it is.... 3 plastic gears replaced! And that folks is the downfall of their newer reels right there. There is the demand for lighter and lighter reels. And here are the results of it in plaint sight.

 

The drag washers in my 25 year old stradics are still as good as new. Yet on a 2 year old stradic they were chewed up and shredded.

 

 

 

 

There is some stradic truth right there. Proof is in the pudding as they say.

 

I love my stradics, but the FG's to FJ's and that's the end for me on that line until Shimano can make all new stradics that hold up as well for 20 years and not just 2 years like this one.

 

Hopefully on the newer stradics past this era they have improved durability. I retired from work completely a few years ago, so no idea where Shimano is at with it now. But my point is, not all stradics are built the same. Buyer beware! I'd avoid this one. And newer is not always better! Lighter is not always an improvement.

The standard("power") line of Stradics FE-FM.  The MG, Ci4F, Ci4+FA and FB share the same design, but use plastic components to cut the 2oz of weight.  While there are plastic parts in newer Stradics, they hold up longer than the finesse series Stradic Ci4. When you compare the more recent Ci4+ FB and Vanford to the Ci4F, the durability and longevity of the reel have significantly improved for multiple reasons.  The deletion of the oil port and AR toggle, as well the upgrade form core protect to X protect along with stronger materials keep the reel running like new for longer than ever. 

When I worked in a tackle shop as teenager, I found out real quick that most people dont take care of their reels as well as I do.  Even with that said, the vast majority of problems were caused by the user.  I cant tell you how many times people have come in claim the drag is broken, when they failed to use backing under the Fireline or PP.  We had a lot of people complaining that the super stopper feature isn't working, when the reality the AR toggle was in the off position.

When there were problems with reels that had been out for sometime, we generally had a good idea of what went wrong.  We saw quite a few FGs and FHs that had issues with the drag being jerky.  If those drags weren't heavily greased from Shimano, or maintained and greased by the owner, they had problems.  The older Stradics also had some problems with premature bail trip in the late fall, winter and early spring.  We had heard from other shop techs that the AR could get a little sketchy in cold weather, but I don't recall seeing that with any Shimanos consistently, but do remember it being a common issue with Penns and Abu spinning reels. 

When I hear people say the Stradic is "bulletproof," I cringe on the inside and jus nod my head.  At that time ZeeBass wouldn't exist for a couple more years, but we did sell quite a few Van Staals, which at that time, they were the toughest spinning reels you could get.  You could drop them on the jetty, smack them against bridges, crank them under water and bury them in the sand without damaging the reel.  You just rinse it off in the surf and go back to fishing.  As tough as those reels were and still are, trust me, there are people careless enough to break them.  So a single anecdotal instance of a broken plastic component, or a worn felt washer (that has been replaced by carbontex for over half a decade in FL, FM and Vanford), in a Stradic Ci4 FB doesn't mean its a bad reel, even if it was relevant to the matter.

My FK is turned 9 on 3/22 this year.  Its pretty much only been used in SW.  My FK has been dropped on the jetty a couple times, whacked bridge rails, dunked several times in sandy surf. it still feels better than my older Stradics, which feel good too, just not quite as smooth.  Although Shimano has significantly improved the felt drags in the 2500 and smaller and carbon in the 3000 and up, deleted the water ingress points at the oil port and AR toggle, and solved the premature bail trip in cold weather, it still had the roller bearing that begins to scream after a couple season in.  I've upgraded he roller to Ti and added an additional bearing which makes it butter smooth and silent.  

Shimano did upgrade the stock roller bearing on FL (which is pretty much unanimously agreed upon by more than a half a dozen certified reel techs, and majority of Anglers and tackle nerds as being "the best $400 reel for $200")  Shimano also upgraded the FL with slower oscillation tall spool, cut the weight a further .2-3oz al without a price increase.

 

 

 

 

So, I replaced a Nasci 1000FC with a Stradic 1000 FM and the drag on the stradic is noticably smoother. 

 

Is this because of the "duracross" drag on all models of the Stradic FM?