Okuma Cedros SD - 10s Reel

[Ellis Feibush]

Anyone out there ever fish or familiar with the Okuma Cedros SD - 10S Star Drag reel?  This series comes in two models, the 10S and another larger model. It also comes in a very classy Lever Drag model with stainless steel main and pinion gears, also in two line classes. Also, like so many of the new models, I believe it comes with a Carbontex type  drag washer system. Watched some of the Okuma  Tuna videos on YouTube. Pretty impressive stuff. I suspect these Cedros Reels, like a lot of the newer reels designed for  Braided line, are a little overkill for some of the smaller species, like Bluefish and Striped Bass.

[alantani]

i've seen them, but have never opened any up.  freespool from these reels has always been good, straight out of the box.  alan

[mackereljoe]

Currently using the cs10 (6:1 gear ratio) filled with #25.  So far only caught sandbass, calico, cuda, and bonito.  A good size bat ray gave me a good tussle.  The reel has surprising amount of torque for a high speed reel.  Other than that, haven't really pulled up anything significant to really test the reel.  Sure will work fishing for big bluefish and stripers, but will be an overkill for smaller fish.   Hopefully, Okuma will come out with a smaller size, maybe a CS5 for casting lures and to make it sporty catching snapper blues.  Overall excellent reel so far.

[Ellis Feibush]

Thanks Alan and mackereljoe for taking the time to respond. I guess it's the old "have to buy it to try it" deal here. They certainly look the part and if the sum of all its parts adds up to the same, they might turn out to be a nice piece of hardware. Thanks again for you responses.

[ReelSpeed]

Sorry for my late reply here.. The specs on this reel are quite nice and I think it is a real bang for the buck.  The biggest gripe that I have is the reel foot.  Instead of being pretty flat, it has a very pronounced v-type shape and I definitely think it would be a problem on a deckhand rod and I just don't know about on a regular rod.  I don't understand the logic behind the shape and being that it is stainless steel, it is pretty strong, so it probably won't flatten out much when you tighten it to the rod...  Seems like it will dig into the reel seat and not be nearly as stable... maybe someone who owns the reel can chime in here.. This is just based on the ones I messed with over at Charkbait. 

Aaron

[Ellis Feibush]

Thanks Aaron. That's a very good point. I haven't actually handled the reel. Will try to find the factory schematic and go from there. Thanks again for taking the time to respond. In reading much of your writing in this venue, I am certain you and Alan are among the many in these forums who really know this business.

[Jimmer]

I would look at the schematics to see if it uses the weak plastic hold plate before I bought any new okuma star drag. I think they refer to this as the spool stabilization system for unkown reasons. - Jimmer

[Ellis Feibush]

Good point Jimmer. I have seen this before in Okuma and other reels.  I believe it's  also supposed to help keep out some of the salt water intrusion and else wise keep everything together to facilitate reassembly. Thanks for your addition.

[mackereljoe]

Yup, plastic thingy vice ss and with curv footing (clamp tight in a metal pipe fixed it a little).  But what concerns me more is the lightness of the main frame and it seems thinly machined on the sides.  Don't get me wrong, it's an excellent reel, but could've been outstanding if the frame is only in 2 pieces.  The reel really need an "AT" treatment before use.  It came close to mark, but IMHO the Progear AS still the best in class.

[Ellis Feibush]

When you opened up the reel did it need any of the following: ball bearing lubrication, gear lubrication, any oil leak down from the a/r bearing down toward the drag washers ostensibly neutralizing the drag system?

[mackereljoe]

It's oiled and lubed appropriately not excessive.  The drag fiber needed to be greased (it's dry) along with the usual places i.e. reel seat, screws....  The drag washers are huge, bigger than the daiwa saltist 40 or 50. 

[Ellis Feibush]

Thanks for all the info mackereljoe. I guess I may have to  buy it to try it, as they say. I have never been impressed with most of the Okuma reels, but I think they are trying hard to improve their reels. The biggest problem with some of these new "Avet types" of reels is that they are capable of producing so much stopping power (drag), particularly for the smaller fish we seem to have so often. For big fish they are perfect. Sort of like using your Chrysler 300D with that big hemi to go to the grocery store, but occasionally having some kind of balls to the ground traffic light race with a Carrera. Sometimes it's nice to have all that horsepower that you usually pay for at the gas pumps. I think I'd rather have all that horsepower sitting right down there at my accelerator pedal, even if I don't use it too much.
Guess I'll go ahead and buy the thing.
Thanks again for your info.