SHIMANO CITICA BAITCASTING REEL
Price: £ 114.99

A good quality, lightweight baitcasting reel that will cast a wide range of lures in the light to medium weight category and retrieve them very effectively.

The versatility is derived from an array of features that such as an aluminium spool and body, a quick spool release thumb bar, star drag, the Shimano Super Balance Lock (known overseas as Super Stopper) and Shimano’s unique VBS System (Variable Braking System).


Star drag and brake adjustment features
The Variable Braking System allows you to set up the brake weights so that you are in full control of the resistance applied to the spool during a cast in order to prevent backlash and a massive bird’s nest, particularly with braided lines.

The Citica has one ball bearing and one roller bearing that provide the equivalent of 4 – 5 ball bearing performance. The low profile design makes for a smooth and unobtrusive performance.

FISHINGmagic VERDICT

Regular readers will know that I’ve only recently become interested in serious lure fishing, but I have had some experience with multiplier reels. Not the easiest of reels to come to terms with, but believe me, once you have they are extremely easy to use.

This Citica baitcasting model (left hand wind incidentally) from Shimano makes lure fishing a real pleasure. With one click of your thumb it comes in direct contact with the line on the spool ready to cast and then to thumb the spool as the lure descends to the water.

The star drag is very accurate and the brake controls easy enough to sort out the ideal settings for the lures you’re using. The level-wind mechanism did a pretty goood job.

I used mine with 50lb braid and it performed very well indeed. Once I got used to the feel of it I was casting long and accurately in no time at all and the 5.0:1 retrieve was fast enough for most lures and situations. Although the faster Shimano Curado Baitcaster at 6.2:1 could be better in some instances.

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