Shimano® Stradic® FI Spinning Reel Review
This is the first fishing reel I paid 0+ and it is worth every cent. I used to buy the typical + fishing reels at Walmart saying to myself why the heck would anyone pay several times this price for a reel? After using these cheap reels for a few years, they started falling apart, not to mention the line getting tangled frequently. The drag on the cheaper reels also gave me a headache as you turn, turn, and turn the drag to adjust it and its on too heavy or light with little room in between. I finally made the plunge and bought two of the 2500 series mainly for trout and smaller fish. The moment I opened the box and started turning the handle on the Stradic, I was amazed. I asked myself how can a reel be so smooth? The price on Amazon for the 2500 series is 8 with free ship and no tax. They go for 159.99 plus tax at the local sporting goods stores. The reel also comes with an extra identical aluminum spool. It also has a repairable drag clicker should it ever wear out.
When you compare the stats for this reel with even the lower end Shimanos like the Saros, the Stradic is a winner. It is lighter, retrieves more inches of line per turn, and probably has the best drag in its class and size. It offers 15 lbs of drag in a reel under 10oz and 34 inches of line per turn thanks to its high gear ratio.
When I used to open my cheap reels to oil them and I remember seeing the ball bearings. If you can see ball bearings, sand and dirt can also go inside it easily. When I removed the handle of Stradic, I could not see the ball bearings because they are sealed. The drag is also sealed and water tight. The maintainace port on the reel is another great feature. You unscrew it and place a few drops of oil and screw it back on. This reel was made for fresh and salt water. Despite the small size of this reel, it was also made to handle braid line. I heard of other people fishing with this reel size with 20 lbs braid on this reel and catching 20+lbs fish with no problems thanks to its great drag.
I know from my bicycling experience that Shimano is well known for its quality gears in the bicycling world and I now know that they are just as good in their fishing reels.
Just ordered the 5000 size (has 25 lbs of drag!) from Amazon for higher line capacity for ocean surf fishing.
Shimano® Stradic® FI Spinning Reel Overview
Shimano Stradic FI Spinning Reel. Made tough and durable to handle the heavyweight bouts! Fight after fight, this baby delivers the knockout blow! Equipped with Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement, Propulsion Line Management System and the Aero Wrap II Oscillation System, the Stradic increases casting distance with less effort, while arming you with a durable, dutiful Reel that’s always game for the next battle royale! More: Paladin Gear Durability Enhancement uses a special cold-forged aluminum drive gear and a hardened brass pinion gear retain out-of-the-box smoothness much longer than all stainless steel drivetrains; 5-component Propulsion Line management System means longer casts with less effort, while drastically reducing the chance of backlash, wind knots or tangles; Aero Wrap II provides uniform line lay and winding shape to prevent loss of energy during the cast while providing longer casts than other oscillation systems; Graphite sideplate and rotor; aluminum body; Machined aluminum handle with direct drive handle that screws directly into the main gear, and is finished off with Septon grips; Five shielded A-RB and one roller bearing enhance the smooth performance; Waterproof drag on all models can really put the heat on a big fish; Spare aluminum spool; Pick Model. Order Now! Model No.: ST1000FI, Retrieve per Crank (in.): 29, Wt. (ozs.): 7 1/2, Line Rating (lbs./yds.): 2/270, 4/140, 6/110, Max Drag (lbs.): 7, Gear Ratio: 6.0:1; Model No.: ST2500FI, Retrieve per Crank (in.): 34, Wt. (ozs.): 9 1/2, Line Rating (lbs./yds.): 6/200, 8/140, 10/120, Max Drag (lbs.): 15, Gear Ratio: 6.0:1; Model No.: ST3000FI, Retrieve per Crank (in.): 35, Wt. (ozs.): 9 1/2, Line Rating (lbs./yds.): 6/230, 8/170, 10/140, Max Drag (lbs.): 15, Gear Ratio: 6.0:1; Model No.: ST4000FI, Retrieve per Crank (in.): 36, Wt. (ozs.): 11 1/2, Line Rating (lbs./yds.): 8/240, 10/200, 12/160, Max Drag (lbs.): 20, Gear Ratio: 5.8:1; Shimano Stradic FI Spinning Reel
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