Question for all you Redfish/coastal anglers on *low profile* baitcasters

[the rockfish ninja]

What baitcasters do you use and why?
I'm curious as to which models & brands have held up in the saltwater best for you.

*Update: Maybe I should have been more clear because several have suggested round reels. I've been there/done that, and they do tend to hold up better than most but the weight is a HUGE factor when casting lures repeatedly.

[handi2]

I don't use Baitcaster reels but Service many for the inshore captains.

Most of them are Shimano. The Curado is used the most with the Chronarch being second. Then there are the Abu Garcia Revo's.

The Shimano reels seem to hold up better. These reels I'm referring too get used everyday and I've seen how they hold up. The worst thing I've seen is badly corroded ratchet gears. The ratchet under the main gear that pushes the kick lever back into gear. It's aluminum.

[Swami805]

We used to float rube in the local kelp beds here a lot and used abu 5500c's. Did just about everything well,very easy to service and parts were easy to come by. Handled dunkings fine as long as they were rinsed after, very tough reel.

[eguinn]

I'll agree with that. But if you take all that level wind crap outa the insides, gears & all & degrease the crap out of the bearings those little reels cast so much nicer.

[Miles Offshore]

I caught a couple large redfish on my diawa millionaire 300a and they pretty much ruined it. It was fun but i could barely slow them down and if not for 40 lb power pro i doubt i would have caught them. Lesson learned, lol.

[oc1]

I love my Curado.  It casts like a bat coming out of a cave and palms fantastic.  But, the edge of the flange is rotting off of the aluminum spool and the end of one of the yoke posts rotted off.  I've been into it so many times that the side plate screws are getting sketchy where they dig into the composite frame.  Also, the magnetic brake dial on the tail plate has always been really hard to turn and I can't figure out why.

If I could get the same distance out of the old metal Calcuttas I'd never touch the Curado.
-steve

[0119]

I think I'm the only casting reel user in my area of southwest Florida.  For the last decade or so I have settled on older Abu Ambassadeurs that were super tuned.  No low profile baitcaster seemed to last.  Revo's are junk and even the top of the line lasted just a season, less if sizable Snook or Jacks were caught on it.  Daiwa's Lexa 100 was a top performer but they discontinued it in one season.  I wish I had hoarded several.  Shimano's were nothing but trouble for me except the Curado D.  The septon grips melt at my mere touch.  Water seemed to enter into Shimano's very easily from just simple reeling.  Scooby-Doo's youtube video shows the new Curado K does the same thing.  Daiwa's Tatula was solid but the T wing line guide was troublesome for long leader knots and proved useless for me.  So the Ambassadeurs kept ticking until recently when age, cubital tunnel and arthritis made me look again at all these new age sub 7 oz. low profiles.  I'm testing out the Curado K to see if I like it now.  The difference in weight is substantial to me and my fishing days more comfortable and less painful.  Its performance has been top notch thus far and I didn't experience the water intrusion now famous on youtube.  I haven't caught any bulls on it yet though. I like that there is no longer a ball bearing behind a pin on the spool shaft needing special effort/tools to maintain. 

[Miles Offshore]

I need to add that i use a Shimano Caicutta for trout and smaller reds and it is by far my favorite baitcaster ever. i use to fish abus exclusively 5000, and 6000 series but ever since ive held the calcutta I gave/passed down the abus to my kids.

[nelz]

I caught a couple large redfish on my diawa millionaire 300a and they pretty much ruined it. It was fun but i could barely slow them down and if not for 40 lb power pro i doubt i would have caught them. Lesson learned, lol.

Isn't that reel pretty much the same as a Luna 300? I know the Luna is very robust and can't imagine it would go bad from a couple of even large reds. What parts went out? I'm guessing the roller bearing perhaps?

[the rockfish ninja]

I think I'm the only casting reel user in my area of southwest Florida.  For the last decade or so I have settled on older Abu Ambassadeurs that were super tuned.  No low profile baitcaster seemed to last.  Revo's are junk and even the top of the line lasted just a season, less if sizable Snook or Jacks were caught on it.  Daiwa's Lexa 100 was a top performer but they discontinued it in one season.  I wish I had hoarded several.  Shimano's were nothing but trouble for me except the Curado D.  The septon grips melt at my mere touch.  Water seemed to enter into Shimano's very easily from just simple reeling.  Scooby-Doo's youtube video shows the new Curado K does the same thing.  Daiwa's Tatula was solid but the T wing line guide was troublesome for long leader knots and proved useless for me.  So the Ambassadeurs kept ticking until recently when age, cubital tunnel and arthritis made me look again at all these new age sub 7 oz. low profiles.  I'm testing out the Curado K to see if I like it now.  The difference in weight is substantial to me and my fishing days more comfortable and less painful.  Its performance has been top notch thus far and I didn't experience the water intrusion now famous on youtube.  I haven't caught any bulls on it yet though. I like that there is no longer a ball bearing behind a pin on the spool shaft needing special effort/tools to maintain. 

First off I want to thank everyone for your input!!

0119, I feel you on the arthritis I have problems like that too, at this time I'm only looking at sub 7oz low profiles. The Lexa 100 is probably a good unit to go with as my Lexa 300 is a tank (in more ways than one ) it has stood up to the saltwater for several seasons but is almost twice as heavy as any of the 200 size stuff out there. Makes it a chore to fish with.

So far my 13 fishing concept A has performed the best but because I used it all year and didn't have any others to switch up with so it's showing some signs that it may be close to retirement. I'm doing a complete breakdown on it and replacing the level wind pin & worm gear and picked up a Lew's custom pro (a sweet piece), but I plan to assemble a collection of low profiles so one reel doesn't take all the beating. So far I'm liking Lew's and I see them on the Redfish tournaments, we'll see how it holds up.

*I also see the Shimano name suggested but I have to admit I've never liked their products and having to open up a reel out on the water to change brake settings is a no-go for me. They have a legion of fans out there, I'm just not one of them. I will admit the Curado K has very smooth gears compared to most reels in that class.

[Miles Offshore]

I caught a couple large redfish on my diawa millionaire 300a and they pretty much ruined it. It was fun but i could barely slow them down and if not for 40 lb power pro i doubt i would have caught them. Lesson learned, lol.

Isn't that reel pretty much the same as a Luna 300? I know the Luna is very robust and can't imagine it would go bad from a couple of even large reds. What parts went out? I'm guessing the roller bearing perhaps?

@nelz, Im not sure on the Luna 300, sorry I have never heard of one. The two reds I caught were 47", and 49" and probably 45-50 lbs so the reel was definitely overmatched. The reel still works although not well and I have not replaced any parts although I suspect that the plastic main gear and or spool has warped from the heat generated during those long runs in shallow water. Twas a lot of fun though!

[nelz]

@nelz, Im not sure on the Luna 300, sorry I have never heard of one. The two reds I caught were 47", and 49" and probably 45-50 lbs so the reel was definitely overmatched. The reel still works although not well and I have not replaced any parts although I suspect that the plastic main gear and or spool has warped from the heat generated during those long runs in shallow water. Twas a lot of fun though!

Must've been a blast for sure! Just want to clarify though, that reel definitely has a brass main (and pinion), the plastic gear is for the level-wind. My guess is your drag washers got fried, a simple fix.

Looked it up and yes, almost identical to the Luna 300, the Luna just got a little more bling added. A set of carbon fiber disks is all those reels need to be great. I've caught big rays and snook on the Luna 300 without a hitch.

[Miles Offshore]

Thanks for that Nelz, i will have to check that out for sure. I had relegated the reel to the role of a bottomfishing reel! Gonna get some smooth drag washers for it and open her up and check it out. Apologies to Rockfish for taking your thread off track!

[the rockfish ninja]

Apologies to Rockfish for taking your thread off track!

NO you're good, we're still talking about baitcasters in the salt. I just can't throw lures repeatedly on a heavy reel, so that's on me, I have an Abu 5000 but it's just a baitchucker now.  My friend has a Calcutta but only uses it periodically because a strong, salt resistant low profile reel is more suited for what we do. (Lot's of casting, strong fighters, 5lb-20lb range)

And by the way, the 40+ pounders you caught IMO would torch a lot baitcasters in that category.

[Rivverrat]

I know you said baitcaster you also said lite weight. The accurate Valiant 300 @ under 10 oz might be worth consideration also the the Andros 5N.  They both  cast well hold plenty of line. Just throwing this out there... Jeff