Shimano Catana Reels

[andrew_b]

I am hoping that someone here can offer a little friendly advice.

I am extremely new to fishing (sea & course).

As I can't always get to the coast I have recently purchased a John Wilson Signature Avon / Quiver. I was lead to beleive that this was a good "all-round" rod and I managed to get it for ?45.00.

I am now in the market for reel to go with it

After walking round & round my local Angling Direct (too scared to ask for help !) I decided that the Shimano Catana Reels seemed good value. Which version would I need ?

Catana 1000R
Catana 3000R
Catana 3000MR
Catana 4000R

The rod is rated to 1 1/4 lb test curve & 3-6lb.

Does anyone have any experience of these or any other budget Shimano reels ?

Is there any other reels I should consider ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Wolfman Woody]

My choice would be the 4000r and I used to have one of those rods and I use Shimano 4000s with other similar rods now.

However, don't give up looking. There's the Shimano Nexave and a chap (from my old hometown) sells them on eBay. He'll take cheques and P/Os and his have 2 aluminum spools as standard, they're much better and worth paying a little extra for.

try clicking here

 

[Colin Smith 3]

I recently bought the nexave3000MR from WMAC. Beats every other reel I have hands down. Why the match version you ask? because it takes just the right amount of line (2-4lb) that is useful for general pleasure fishing, without having to put backing on the reel/ fill the reel with yards of line. And it was only ?19.99

 

[andrew_b]

Thanks, I've decided to get the Shimano Nexave 3000MR as WMAC have it for ?19.99.

My rod is rated for lene between 3-6 lb, would it be better to get a line in the middle (4-5lb) or go lighter / heavier ?

 

[Wolfman Woody]

Careful Andrew, WMAC's reels have plastic spools. Remember what I said about the aluminum ones! They really are much better.

Lines - 4lb and 6lbs or 3 lbs and 5lbs.

 

[matthew nightingale 2]

Is it possible to get the aluminium spools on their own and do they come in different sizes. The shallow spools are just too small for Maxima over 4lbs and I'm fed up with winding on loads of wool or masking tape to half fill the deeper spools.

 

[Wolfman Woody]

They're a moderate depth to them, probably take 220 yards of 4lb though. You need soem crappy old line to half fill them first.

What you find with Shimano (unless someone says otherwise) is that a 4000 spool from one reel will fit a different 4000 model reel. Hence I have 2500 spools from an Exage that I have wound up with line on a GTM-RA. And the spools fit vice versa.

Don't know whether you can get the alli spools on their own though, but maybe your tackle shop can advise. I decided that it was as cheap to buy a reel off eBay with them as standard rather than order them as they were bound to be at least ?10 each from the dealer. It's also handy having a backup reel, just in case.

 

[Stew]

I heard that the Shimano 4000R (Catana or even Alivio) are quite good for lure fishing, for sea bass as well as pike or perch.

 

[Stew]

Sorry for the digression into other thread areas.