I have 3 old Shimano reels from back when there were three options. I'm looking to get a new one for my son and carefree reliability in saltwater is my #1 criteria. We just fish a couple times a year so they set up and need to be opened up after every other use.

I'd like to stay with Shimano unless there is something notably better just for familiarity. I struggled to navigate their website though. Just too many options.

The 13 Fishing TX Concept II also caught my eye. Assuming the second generation fixed their issues.

Any help or insight on what to look at or stay away from is greatly appreciated. ..I'll pay for quality but not aesthetics.

Here's some recent threads on it, op.

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/3263622/replies/61215804
https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/3207547/replies/59586806
https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/3097117/replies/56093906
https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/3111493/replies/56534968
https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2999259/replies/53114463

I fish Chronarch G's and an Aldebaran. Curado dc may be a good option for your boy depending on his experience with baitcasters.

Carefree reliability in saltwater is not really a thing.

Good luck.

The curado K is a great reel for the price. Hard to go wrong with any shimano

Curado DC options... Buy it won't regret it
Bomb casts
And DC helps a little with backlashing for inexperienced folks.... Wouldnt hand it to someone whos necer fished. But if they throw a bait caster here and there they be fine

Curado 300 or Lews 300 super duty are my current bait cast options, both cast a mile and have plenty drag to horse in little fish quick and shorten the fight on big ones

I use the Curado K's

Curado CU-200 on eBay. Still quite good IMHO.

My Lew's Lite has been my favorite saltwater reel of all time followed by my Lew's inshore. My 13 concept C's are the best of their lineup. I've had to replace bearings in all of my concepts and they are good to go once you get Bocas in them. Got my wife a Shimano Curado DC and it's solid, but heavy for my taste.

Find an older Citica D and replace all the bearings with boca bearings.

Thank you all for the insight.it narrowed down to three and no longer considering the Concept. I was hoping that they had gotten better once they replaced the plastic gear with brass.

My son doesn't backlash much anymore. He is pretty good with a CU-200 but no issues with my Chronarch. I worry that the DC is just something more to corrode in saltwater. But lots of love here for it so looking at it more. One guy I fish with has one but doesn't talk it up.

ATX, great help. I thought I caught all the relevant threads but mist one of those that was most relevant. Which is your favorite reel?

I made the mistake of getting a freshwater Chronarch years ago. I upgraded all the bearings but still needs more maintenance than the OG Curados that I still use. Do you have issues with the anti reverse roller bearing or the drag sticking?

Fido, If I wasn't already good at taking Shimano reels apart, I'd probably go with Lews. I've been watching threads here for years and not sure anyone ever went from Shimano to Lews and ever went back.

Aldebaran is a fantastic reel, but prob overkill to fish it just few times a year.

Chronarch G is my bread and butter. Have a handful of them. Everyone is still smooth.

I don't have experience with Lews, but many ppl whose opinion I respect like them a lot also.

Any thoughts on 8.1:1 gear ratio vs 7.1:1? I'm leaning to 8.1.

I fish Chronarch G also exclusively at the coast and love em. But I'm a die hard Shimano guy. My son throws Lews and likes them with no issues also. They are both super reliable.

I am a diehard Shimano guy. I have a couple Metanium DC that are fantastic reels....I bought a Shimano SLX DC and wow for the price it is an AWESOME reel.

I prefer higher gear ratio. Think if you see bait being pushed, tailing red, etc.. you want to be able to retrieve quick and throw at it. Plus when you're casting all day long it adds up. Same principle as a light reel. Over one cast, ounces don't make much difference. Over a few hundred, it adds up.

Shimano all the way. Easy to maintain, reliable, strong. I almost exclusively through Shimano for baitcast

ATX_AG_08 said:

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I prefer higher gear ratio. Think if you see bait being pushed, tailing red, etc.. you want to be able to retrieve quick and throw at it. Plus when you casting all day long it adds up. Same principle as a light reel. Over one cast ounces don't make much difference. Over a few hundred, it adds up.

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this clearly would be a personal preference deal...and likely not the same kind of classic debate such as beans/no beans....BUT I disagree on this for gear ratio. 100% agree on weight.
But for reeling, these things turn so smooth making some extra turns is nothing. And at those high gear ratios you're talking only a few inches per turn.
To me its the impact on the bait presentation. Higher ratio means moving that bait faster. If that's what you want to do, fine. But I also prefer to keep it more in strike zone and a little slower so the lower gear ratio would suit what I like to throw (soft plastics) and how I'm comfortable fishing it.

This is my absolute all time favorite bait caster!

Use your imagination! It's a pic of Darcizzle holding a spinning rod wearing a great bikini!

Curado or a Daiwa Tatula are the best you're gonna find in the now 150-200 range where the workhorse reels range now.

Shimanos have the smoothest gears, Daiwa's braking systems do better when your goal is bombing baits. The 3/4 to finish of a cast is a lot smoother with Daiwa (when comparing standard braking systems of reels in that price range).

Great points. I think the biggest thing on gear ratio is to be what your buddies are using. If they are catching and you aren't, watch their retrieve and copy! Or I can watch and have a sense of if my son needs to speed up or slow down.

Since you brought up beans/no-beans…there are other arguments to be made… some I know I'm in the wrong…

Just because I don't do my hobbies enough, that makes it even more important for me to not have a gear issue. I say if you are passionate and plan to do a hobby long term, buy once. I actually am lower quality on gear that I do more. But I'm odd from most here that I want less gear, but high quality. I also think that getting my son high quality will teach him to take care of his gear more.

On reel weight. I know that my technique is bad, but I just can't get where I hold the reel in my palm vs holding the cork handle in front of the reel. I mainly throw soft plastics (wade fishing for 7+hours is the norm) and never remember getting tired. I'm trying to stay under 7oz mostly because I can with a ton of options, but it isn't that important.

Lews custom pro

I came across this as I was looking at the DC. Does anyone have any personal experience with the Shimano Tranx 150 that came out this year? Shimano marketing material:

"Designed with Texas and Gulf Coast wading anglers in mind,"
" enhanced durability in saltwater environments"

And texags OB is so much better than the online reviews from people sponsored or pushing clicks…