You can't go wrong. However, I'm really liking my lews speed spools too. I got their $99 model and have no regret. It out cast my curados... Except for the one John just macked out. I bought cheap bait casters when I first tried them and that was a mistake. Get a good one and its a whole different game!

 

yea.. I agree w beer.. I bought a previous reel from john.. a curado 51e and recently noticed the huge difference in cast between his vs another 51e I have.. John care to explain what you got upgraded again? I did the bearing thing.. but whatever you did made it super far!

 

I agree as well with Troy..I have 2 curados (201e & 51e) & a chronarch (201e)..just purchased a Lews Speed Spool Tournament MG..and am super impressed..will most likely order another..outstanding reel..

 

I had the drags replaced on the Curados, I had carbontex drags installed and I had them serviced twice a year.The Curado E is a great reel, if you can't find it, the Scorpion 1001 XT is pretty much the same thing, I feel the scorpion is a little smaller and easier for me to palm. I sold most of my Curados to upgrade to Scorpions.

 

Curado E is the best reel ever made.............I have over 10 of them and always buy used and then super tune them. There are videos on youtube on how to super tune them. Buying upgraded bearings is a waste of time.

 

I'm on this side of the fence these days. I fell in love with my Lew's BB1 to start then I bought a Curado E201 off Seb2fn with upgraded Core bearings. Makes me smile every time I throw it. Plus the paint job is bad ass by itself!! I also feel it gets a few more feet them my BB1 which is critical for a shoreline guy like me.

Both are amazing tools. I find myself browsing ebay for curados more then another BB1 recently though.

 

Hey thanks guys. I just ordered one(im a lefty). Actually i have 2 lews speed spools also . 1 is a 5.3.1 that i use with 55 lb braid for punching and flipping , another-is a 6.3.1 that i throw heavy spinners and large cranks with. Im pretty psyched to get it .

 

Curado 51e

I have a Curado 51e too. I bought it to put on an out of production, 6' 0" Loomis I got for a song at Kittery Trading Post. I use it for light plastics. The combo is very light, but as the rod is short, it does not cast the lighter baits very far. Perhaps, if I used it for heavier baits, on a longer rod, I would like it more. Frankly, I don't like the reel as much as some of my less expensive reels, including my two Lews, two Quantums and my Daiwa Lexa 100, which also casts lighter baits pretty well. It feels too plasticy, and the cast control mechanism has this crappy little spring holding things in place.

The Lew's reels have a pretty small profile, almost as small as the Curados. I like the Lew's because they have a number of left-hand models and are available on eBay at discounted prices. They are well received in the many reviews I have read. Get NYC Angler to give you a more in depth comparison, as he has had more Curado's than me, and fishes more than I do.

 

I have 3 201e7, 2 201DHSV, 1 201g6 and the 51e I just got. I can really tell a big difference between the e and g series. I put the g on a flipping stick and that's where it's going to stay with 85 braid. Withe the exception of the g I love them. I also have 2 lews and for the price they are awesome.
I use the lews for light baits. You want to throw light baits, I'm using an all pro 7'7" blaster. For really light plastics and drop shot I carry a shimano fj on a 7'7" TFO rod. I don't think you are going to beat a spinning rod for that.

 

The Curado E and current Chronarch are virtually the same reel. You won't be disappointed. Deep cleaning and proper lubing is the single best thing you have done to a reel. A Carbontex drag upgrade will benefit almost any reel and is relatively inexpensive ($8 for a Curado). Super Tuning will squeeze a little more out of them if it has a solid spool shaft like Shimano uses. Bearings will get that last bit of performance out of a reel but you are approaching enthusiast territory on a cost/benefit basis.

 

I have 2 Curados for sale. Both are E's, not the new crappy G's.
They are mounted on St Croix Mojos ML rods.
Will make a deal.

 

Left or right handed?

 

Both for a right handed angler.
2 seasons old and in like new condition as are the rods.