So I just landed on a NRX+ 873C CRR, got it at wholesale. I'll explain my experience if you haven't read my other post's. Fishing my whole life, last 25 years salmon, steelhead, trout, halibut, tuna, rock fish, black bass, basically ocean bottom fish. Mostly trolling salmon here in the PNW. I own a 23' North River, 17' Alumaweld drift boat, and for the last couple of years, an Old Town AP136. Most my attention has been bass tournaments out of my AP136 last two years. Since I started doing bass, I got hooked.....bad. Pun intended. I've only been bass fishing since I got the kayak. The kayak was intended for mountain lakes, things changed. Got dq'd from most of my events last year, this year I pulled a win out of my arse. So while I took home some prize money, not even close to breaking even on all the traveling. But, I'm retired, and this is my retirement gig, this and working part time at a national sporting goods store in the fishing department, go figure. So I get some good deals on gear, we're starting to get more inventory, as of late, some NRX+'s. So I splurged on one, the 873C CRR. While I know my way around a rod and reel, bass is still relatively new to me. Oh...and I 'borrowed' some electronics from my big boat, the 23' NR, so yeah, I have FFS on the kayak. I hate to say it but without it, I'm lost, due to lacking basic bass skills, but I'm learning. I've learned enough to pull out a win, so I'm doing something right. Hence, the splurge. So now I'm trying to pair a good reel to my new NRX. A lot of head scratching. Trying to stick to what we have in inventory, but it's tough. My most used method is shaky minnow. My second favorite method is wacky ned rig. Won my tournament on those methods alone. Then weightless senko, did ok on crankbait, got my PB on a square bill. I've never caught one pitching and/or flipping, never had one on a spook or frog, I take that back, I was trolling a spook on the same lake I won at on a practice day and nailed a 17" and a 12" within 15 minutes trolling back to the dock. But you get the point, there's a lot of methods I have yet to conquer. Here are the reels I've considered so far, but completely open to suggestions: 

First runner up is a Curado MGL 151 HG, because it's in stock and I get a good break on it.

Second runner up is a SHIMANO METANIUM MGL B 151HG while not in stock, it just seems to compliment this rod so I've read

Third is METANIUM MGL 16 or 24, same as above. 

Fourth is Metanium MGL 150 B because it's newer and bigger in size from what I've read

I'm ok buying something not in stock, I've bought used off of Ebay, it's a crap shoot. But for the record, not spending 4-500.00 retail on a reel, I don't have those kinds of skills to warrant such a buy. 250-300 is my limit, I've scoured Ebay today to look at the offerings, pretty sketch, some of these guys want an arm and a leg for something that looks like it got ran over by a lawnmower. Looking at the sold ones, there were some ok deals out there. For the most part, I'm making this rod a bottom contact rod, so I'm looking for the right reel. I'm not stuck on those listed above, the part that sucks is not being able to walk into a store and put some of these reels in my hand before I buy. Some of the reels I currently own are a couple of Antares, SLX DC, a couple of Tatula's, Tranx, couple of old Curado's E7's. From my reading, the Metanium MGL 16 is pretty small, have no idea about the Metanium MGL 24, It would just nice to be able to pick one up, pair it on the rod and hold it before buying. Which I'm able to at my work, but inventory is pretty limited, so it's why I'm coming here to hear from you good folks. Sorry for the long read. Cheers. 

@Grumpy232It is long? No worries :). I just listen to it while working in garage and Metanium MGL is what I suggest. You can't go wrong with it.

That how I do it grumpy :)

I have a metanium b hg with my 873...you can't go wrong with any generation metanium... 

I have a couple of the newer Metaniums and all have been great. It will pair nicely with the 873C.

You might want to check out JDM sites like digitaka in lieu of EBay!
Tom

8 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

You might want to check out JDM sites like digitaka in lieu of EBay!
Tom

I have, they have no Metanium MGL's. But they do have Metanium's. 

Basstokyo.com

Your blessed to living in that area.  If I could ever part with the NE Atlantic, I would wind up on the Olypic Peninsula or just South of it in youre neck of the woods.    

The 873 CRR is a super versatile blank.  As a c rig rod, its has a slower action when compared to JWRs.  It will be an excellent football jig and bottom contact rod, light pitchin jigs/T/free rigs, mag shakey heads, spinnerbaits/open water chatterbaits and more.

If strolling minnows is your thing, I would suggest looking into a 6'10 solid tip ML or M XF spinning rod with a light high speed  2500 like a Vanford or Luvias.  The shorter rod gets better action of a minnow bait, the excellent balance allows you go very light on a reel while maintaing that balance.  The overall lightweight of the outfit wont just be more pleasurable to use all day, it will be more sensitive in hand.

Do you guys see stripers up that far? 

2 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Your blessed to living in that area.  If I could ever part with the NE Atlantic, I would wind up on the Olypic Peninsula or just South of it in youre neck of the woods.    

The 873 CRR is a super versatile blank.  As a c rig rod, its has a slower action when compared to JWRs.  It will be an excellent football jig and bottom contact rod, light pitchin jigs/T/free rigs, mag shakey heads, spinnerbaits/open water chatterbaits and more.

If strolling minnows is your thing, I would suggest looking into a 6'10 solid tip ML or M XF spinning rod with a light high speed  2500 like a Vanford or Luvias.  The shorter rod gets better action of a minnow bait, the excellent balance allows you go very light on a reel while maintaing that balance.  The overall lightweight of the outfit wont just be more pleasurable to use all day, it will be more sensitive in hand.

Do you guys see stripers up that far? 

if i was at home i’d post a pic with some stripers from back in the day when i used to fish the delta in CA. they’re in the umqua river down south from here, but don’t go down there. i have a dedicated shaky minnow rod as you described, have a couple really, i’ll put up what rods are currently in my arsenal, just wanted to get the NRX+ because, well i can. it might be a redundant rod at this point, but, i’ll make good use of it one way or another. My elbows take a hit after a full tournament, especially two day events with two pre fishing days, that’s like 32 hours of casting in a 4 day period, wrenching my whole life didn’t help. i do like my Vandfords, have several, one resides on my poison adrena. love that rod. so always looking for best light weight rods for the sake of my elbows. if you ever make over here and i still have my big blue, we’ll go shrimping in hood canal. cheers

I have a few new MGL 151’s and totally happy with them.
But,,,,,,,if I could acquire the Met at the same (or near the same) price I’d jump on the reel.

I had all the MGL reels at some point (Curado, Chronarch, Antares). Traded them all off for Tatula Elites. Cast even farther, very effortlessly which is key is getting distance when Carolina rigging. Also have that reel on my NRX+ 843 MBR for tossing spinnerbaits which are high profile difficult lures to get the proper distance if using an inferior reel. 

Oh I see, Shimano reels are now “inferior”!

 

 

 

 

 

 

poke, poke…….

13 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I had all the MGL reels at some point (Curado, Chronarch, Antares). Traded them all off for Tatula Elites. Cast even farther, very effortlessly which is key is getting distance when Carolina rigging. Also have that reel on my NRX+ 843 MBR for tossing spinnerbaits which are high profile difficult lures to get the proper distance if using an inferior reel. 

i didn’t see Metanium MGL mentioned, but i did a search on “metanium mgl vs daiwa elite” very interesting result from the AI google thing. seems the Elite does have better castability, and is available in our inventory, so that is now a front runner. i’m still going to work on getting my hands on the coveted metanium mgl in the mean time though and do my own comparison. working in the fishing department i get a LOT of first time fishermen, first thing i tell them: “10 fishermen, 10 different ways to rig and 10 different ways to go after same fish” and go on to explain how i go after say trout, which i explain is a good place to start before jumping into the realm of salmon fishing, which is pretty popular around here. so i appreciate EVERYONE’s answers here, thanks much

On 9/13/2025 at 12:15 AM, Grumpy232 said:

I have, they have no Metanium MGL's. But they do have Metanium's. 

the standard jdm met has an MGL spool. I think mgl3 but I’d have to go downstairs and check my boxes. 
 

in the $250 price range you have 2 choices. Either get a met or a zillion

from Japan. Pick the gear ratio you want and just order it. 

The Shimano Core 50Mg7 with 7.7:1 brass gears (Shimano Brenious set)

 

That's what I have on my two NRX rods (803 C JWR & 873 CRR) 

9 hours ago, Grumpy232 said:

if i was at home i’d post a pic with some stripers from back in the day when i used to fish the delta in CA. they’re in the umqua river down south from here, but don’t go down there. i have a dedicated shaky minnow rod as you described, have a couple really, i’ll put up what rods are currently in my arsenal, just wanted to get the NRX+ because, well i can. it might be a redundant rod at this point, but, i’ll make good use of it one way or another. My elbows take a hit after a full tournament, especially two day events with two pre fishing days, that’s like 32 hours of casting in a 4 day period, wrenching my whole life didn’t help. i do like my Vandfords, have several, one resides on my poison adrena. love that rod. so always looking for best light weight rods for the sake of my elbows. if you ever make over here and i still have my big blue, we’ll go shrimping in hood canal. cheers

Outstanding, you're pretty much set then.  Ill tempt you with this one.  If you can, see if you can just look at a SOL MQ.  I ran into someone who had bought 1 on the jetty.  Super cool dude.  I noticed it right away and commented.  We swapped rods for about half an hour.  The bite was good, so I got to really feel how it handled a 5+lb fluke on a new moon sweep.  I was VERY impressed.  He had it on an 8' ODM DNA 1/2-2.5oz surf rod.  I pulled her off the bottom, let her go back down again. I wanted to tighten the drag and see if I could feel any flex in the stem.  She wasn't buried as much sand like she was initially, but it still takes a good amount of pressure to break her off the bottom and the heavy surf just added to her weight.  The reel was outstanding.  Powerful, butter smooth main, feather light, and felt rock solid.  He had gotten an 8lb that morning, he said no flex at all.

Ive heard that they west coast stripers don't run that far north which seems strange to me.  On the east coast there's a huge population that winter and spawn in the St Lawrence.   

Most used reels on eBay or w/e are insanely priced.  The Japanese vendors seem to have used reels that look like they taken a beating.  Buying used is a game of chance anyway.  You're better going to a JDM site to get a good discount, unless your work discount is really good.  The only bad part about ordering from Japan, is that you lose your warranty.

The Curado 70 is great, but Metanium is awesome.   Casts well, light strong, butter smooth and very solid.  Either way you cant really lose.

Almost forgot. From the mid 80's, before marriage, before kids, before career. Edit: and before I knew how to hold a fish for a pic lol

I have owned and sold 3 Met B's now.  I want to love them, but they just don't blow my hair back for the cost.  I am pretty much a two different baitcaster guy now.  Curado 71 mgl and Bantam mgl.  The Bantam is a better overall reel than the Met B imho, and has a 150 spool size.  Most of my bass rods have the Curado 71 mgl.

 

That CRR you just bought can double as a salmon jig twitching rod if you're into that style of river fishing.  In which case, I would 100% chose the Bantam over anything else.  Yes, the Bantam is just a bit heavier, but you don't really notice it on a longer rod.  Being aluminum, it will get a bit cold in the winter months salmon fishing fyi.

 

Met B's although very nice, are not nice enough to justify the cost over other Shimano offerings, even at JDM prices.  The bearings make them feel smoother, but in my experience, they do not cast any better (distance) than Curados and Bantams.  If I were ONLY bass fishing with that rod, I would personally get the Curado 71 mgl, spool it with 15 - 20 lb copoly, and call it a day.

Get the Bantam MGL. Balances perfectly on the 873!

On 9/16/2025 at 10:01 AM, Rockhopper said:

That CRR you just bought can double as a salmon jig twitching rod if you're into that style of river fishing. 

I actually own an Okuma X series twitching rod, now makes me think it would be an excellent bass rod. 

39 minutes ago, Grumpy232 said:

I actually own an Okuma X series twitching rod, now makes me think it would be an excellent bass rod. 

I am sure it would.  I use my 8'6" Loomis salmon rod for big swimbaits bass fishing.

So IF...you were to put a Metanium MGL on this rod, best use? I understand it is very versatile, and bottom contact fishing would suit it best, that being said, what would you spool it with and how would you fish it? Co-poly mentioned earlier, I have no experience with co-poly.