A friend and esteemed member of this forum loaned me a Shimano Calcutta 200 GTE round baitcaster to "road test"  Beautiful reel that balances well on my big Loomis BCR875.

I tied on a jig and cast to some stick ups.  

Instant backlash.  A realy good one too, but hey this is a Shimao right?

I got it untangled and cursed myself for not testing the spool tension and sure enough it was too loose.  I tightened it down so the jig dropped at a nice moderate pace.

Second cast.  Second backlash.   Ok. so I turn the reel to the other side to set the spool brake dial and ..........................it's not there      BAD NEWS!!!!

Man, now I'm ticked.  This guy is supposed to be cool but he sends me a defective reel.

Anyway,  I can't get the thing to cast right but a buddy comes along and says "you have take off the sideplate and get inside to do that"  I'm thinking "I have to take the reel apart????"  

OK. so I unscrew a couple of screws, and take off the side plate I see some clicky gadgets and fiddle around with them a little, then I decide "If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it right"

So i take out the little emergency screw driver kit and i'm unscrewing this and taking out that.  

Shimano gears are really shiney.

Any way I use the end of the screwdriver and push on some wheels and springs that looked loose and out of place.

then I put it back together and guess what?  GOOD NEWS

Shimano gives you extra parts right inside the reel !!!!

What a great idea

I know this because after I put the reel back together I had at least 5 or 6 pieces left over.

So I'm casting again and it doesn't backlash.

Of course I can only get the jig to cast 10 feet, but it was windy so I'll have to try again.

It's so cool how people on this site help each other out.

Taking the reel apart to set the brakes is way more fun than just turning that stupid dial.

Thanks Buddy, BR rocks  

I concur.   8-)

Just doesn't make sense to me.

Not. Gonna. Touch. This.

All in what you are used to.  I touch mine when I first get the reel and then never touch them again .... 3 in 3 out

I just got my first 2 Daiwa reels and it took me a while to "get it down" as well.

I swore up and down I'd never own a reel that had anything other than a dial.

I now own all Shimano's and like KU I set my on 3 in 3 out.  When I know it's going to be a windy day I'll set 4 out the night before.

B

i set all mine with two out   works fine for me

avid   (shimano hater) ;D

lol extra parts.   I think that is trouble but I bow too you sir.

Avid,

I have a Calcutta 251 and it probably the easiest to cast out of all the baitcasters I own. I seldom change the brakes but when I do I put a piece of white tape on the spool to hold the line, unscrew the side plate screws (which should be thumb tight, no tools needed), take out the spool and change the breaks. The hard part is putting the side plate back on but once you get use to it, it's easy.

I have this reel set up on a Loomis BCR803. I use it for most of my T-Rig soft plastics with a 3/16oz weight. Unless I do something stupid, I never get a backlash, even when I cast into the wind. I guess it is just what you are use to.

There is another solution.........

Avid,

You slippin'? Using the spinning reel too much or what?  

maybe you should just try to learn how to use the reel first, since every brand is different, before you post a messege bashing a whole company.... which was obviously your intention and just make you look bad.  

maybe you should just try to learn how to use the reel first, since every brand is different, before you post a messege bashing a whole company.... which was obviously your intention and just make you look bad.

It's just an observation...  

Remember Avid, tuck and roll my friend, tuck and roll. ;D

I've really never understood the allure of centrifugal braking systems that require you to disassemble the side plate in order to adjust them and I don't care what the brand.  

You'd think in this day when they're capable of of building a reel with a gazillion bearings made of spaceage materials that they'd realize that when you're on the water it's often necessary to make braking adjustments in the course of a fishing day.

Yesterday was a perfect example. The day started out calm, by 10am the wind kicked up and it was necessary to kick out an extra brake.  Doing that on the lake is a pain.

Hey MKtrout, have you ever thought about becoming a diplomat, I think you missed your calling. ;D

Adjust the braking system once & then educate your thumb  

Avid,

Great story you make my day sometimes....

Tight Lines!!!  

"if you ever get to cast any"

Avid,

Great story you make my day sometimes....

Tight Lines!!!  

"if you ever get to cast any"

THANK YOU REEL MECH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was kidding guys, like as in making a joke.  

maybe you should just try to learn how to use the reel first, since every brand is different, before you post a messege bashing a whole company.... which was obviously your intention and just make you look bad.  

where is the smiley that has the hand whooshing right over the top of his head?!?!

Shimano gives you extra parts right inside the reel !!!!

Hope you're not a Surgeon or car mechanic. ;D

All in what you are used to.  I touch mine when I first get the reel and then never touch them again .... 3 in 3 out

I just got my first 2 Daiwa reels and it took me a while to "get it down" as well.

DITTO!

And, my Daiwas(that I use much more than my Shimanos) with their external brake adjustment are very easy to accidentally move the dial when palming the reel....

Dan

You'd think in this day when they're capable of of building a reel with a gazillion bearings made of spaceage materials that they'd realize that when you're on the water it's often necessary to make braking adjustments in the course of a fishing day.

Well said.

avid,

You can blame David Green, I have never opened the reel.

If there were any "extra parts" ReelMech must have put them in there when he serviced the reel!

All in what you are used to.  I touch mine when I first get the reel and then never touch them again .... 3 in 3 out

I just got my first 2 Daiwa reels and it took me a while to "get it down" as well.

DITTO!

And, my Daiwas(that I use much more than my Shimanos) with their external brake adjustment are very easy to accidentally move the dial when palming the reel....

Dan

That has happened to me with Daiwas as well.  Great reels with idiosynchracies.  Funny story, avid.  

Weeeeelllllllll, the regular Scorpion and the Mg have a dial ya know.  

Weeeeelllllllll, the regular Scorpion and the Mg have a dial ya know.