mikench
Well-known member
Front drag or rear drag with fighting drag? Does anyone have one?
Shimano stradic STCI4
- Thread starter mikench
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sam vimes
Well-known member
Just for clarity, are you talking about the Stradic Ci4+ RA and Stradic Ci4+ FB?
I have the latter, but not the former. I have several of a similar model to the former so couldn't justify the expense.
I have the latter, but not the former. I have several of a similar model to the former so couldn't justify the expense.
mikench
Well-known member
We are Sam! The former has the rear drag( and fighting drag) whereas the latter is front drag! I had comnsidered the white Stradic with rear drag but Santa is going to buy so I thought the new model should be better!!
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We are Sam! The former has the rear drag( and fighting drag) whereas the latter is front drag! I had comnsidered the white Stradic with rear drag but Santa is going to buy so I thought the new model should be better!!
The white stradic would suite your styles of angling best Mike.
I think the other reels are designed with lure anglers in mind.
Personally I wouldn't buy a reel with no anti reverse switch, I use the anti reverse far too much to be without one.
sam vimes
Well-known member
We are Sam! The former has the rear drag( and fighting drag) whereas the latter is front drag! I had comnsidered the white Stradic with rear drag but Santa is going to buy so I thought the new model should be better!!
They aren't new models as such, just different models. Last time I checked there were at least four different current "Stradic" reels.
What was it that you actually wanted to know?
sam vimes
Well-known member
The Stradic Ci4+ RA has an anti-reverse switch. It's lighter than the Stradic GTM RC and has a wider diameter spool. It's effectively the GTM RC with a bunch of improvements.
It's the Stradic Ci4+ FB that doesn't have the anti-reverse switch.
mikench
Well-known member
Whether the front drag was better than the rear with fighting drag or vice versa!
sam vimes
Well-known member
My experience is that front drags are invariably better than a rear drag on a reel at a similar price point. The greater surface area of the washers in a front drag reel tends to see to that.
However, anyone thinking of buying the Stradic Ci4+ FB must be advised that it has no facility to backwind. There is no anti-reverse switch on the reel at all. Some folks just can't countenance that prospect. I bought one to see if I could. Turns out that I could manage perfectly well and I rate the reel, and especially the drag, very highly.
In my opinion, the Stradic Ci4+ RA is going to be a more acceptable reel to the majority of coarse anglers.
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Everyone has their own opinions on drags Mike. Personally, for normal float or feeder fishing I prefer a rear drag and I've always been a big fan of the fighting drag on the stradics.
I have stradic FJ's with front drag and they are decent drags but I struggle to see how the front drag is any smoother than the rear drags....in fact the only difference I can find is that the rear drag is easier/more comfortable "for me" to operate.
I reckon todays reels are pretty much as good as one another in either front or rear drag, it's just down to the individuals preference.
mikench
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Thanks Ian! I do fancy trying the fighting drag so may suggest this! For some reason it's more expensive than the FB!
S-Kippy
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A white reel with no anti-reverse facility ? The Horror !
mikench
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Neither are white!
peter crabtree
AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)
You're going to need that fighting drag for bream innit...
mikench
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My thoughts exactly!
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S-Kippy
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My apologies. I'm still horrified.