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[adriaticum]

I have quantum Pro tour I paid around $250 for.
Smooth as a baby's bum and reels the line in a second.

http://www.quantumfishing.com/series/2/65/Baitcast.aspx

I don't own a shimano low profile reel so don't know how they rate but judging by other Shimano reels they are top notch.

[Spawn Sack]

Looks like a pretty sweet reel. I'ven'y  never used a Quantum before. Unfortunately this one doesnt have have spool capacity I need for the LB test I typicaly use.

If anyone has used both the Calcutta B (ideally the 400 size) and the Curado (ideally the 300E size) and has an opinion on one vs the other, Id like to hear it. IMO the Calcutta is the better buy, but I like the Curado better. Still undecided.

[EZ_Rolling]

a low profile on that 11'6 will probably not balance very well you should try both in the store I have that 11'6 fitted with a 400B I have a Currado 300 fitted to the 10'6

Just my personal experience but try them both see what you like.

[Spawn Sack]

That's a good idea! Never thought of that.Umm...how do you tell if a reel balances well with a rod? I believe you put the reel on with no tackle, just the line on the spool, then find the balance point by leveling it on your finger. If I remember right if the rod/reel is balanced perfectly then it will balance right where you hand wouldgo behind the trigger on the rid. Is this right? If not please tele how you determine if a rod/reel is balanced well. Thanks I never thought of the balance!

[typhoon]

I have the Curado 200E on my 11'6" custom rod and it is way more comfortable than using my Abu C3 on it. I can hold it high (for hero drifts  ) all day without getting tired.
I find that balance is less important than swing weight. I have the benfefit that my rod uses lighter component closer to the tip so it inherently has less swing weight and balances better than any factory rod.

[Johnny Canuck]

Spawn Sack if you plan on running 20lb mainline you're going to hate a low profile reel unless if you run a braided mainline. You will never get the capacity you will need judging by the posts you're making about the water you fish and the species you target.

[typhoon]

This'll do. Very smooth and quiet, and it floats for easier mending.

[Spawn Sack]

Jonny Canuck, I hear what you're saying about the spool capacity on the low pro baitcasters, most would not be suitable for my purposes. However the Curado 300E is not bad. It'll hold 120 yards of 20lb mono, compared to 160 yards on the 400B Calcutta. My Cardiff has the identical spool size as the Calcutta, and Ive asked myself...have I ever been down to my last 40 yards of mainline while fighting a fish? I doubt it.

Normally when I go to respool the Cardiff with 20lb Maxima the last 50 yards or so are perfectly new looking. I think 120 yards of of mono would be sufficent. Agree? I suppouse with 120 of line I run the slight risk of having a monster take all my line; however, if a fish gets into the fast water and is a lost cause I normally don't have any trouble with straightening the rod and snapping the leader. Most fish I hook and land probably have no more than 50 yards of line out. I like to hookem' and power them into shore, I release a lot of fish so I don't like to tire them out any more than is necessary.

Ive tried braid for float fishing on the Vedder, Chehailus, etc. Not for me. I dont like the way it comes of the spool, dont like the zero strech, etc. For fishing the Fraser and other applications I like it a lot. If I buy the Calcutta or Curado it will only be used for float fishing and will likely be spooled up with 20lb Maxima.

I think I'll bring the rod I'm going use put the new reel on into the shop and see how the Calcutta and Curado balance on it. If one balances the rod better than the other that'll probably make up my mind.

[milo]

You said you will be "muscling big fish out of the water". IMO, you are better off with a standard profile baitcaster for that purpose.

I believe your best bet is to buy another 6501C3 and spool it with 20-pound maxima for the Vedder and Chehalis, while you keep the other one spooled with braid for the Fraser and other large systems. In doing so, you also get to have a spare reel in case one bombs on you in the heat of the season. You sound like someone who also might be 'winching' big salmon with the reel (a big no-no, BTW), and that is a lot of punishment that only a true workhorse can withstand (but only to some extent).
All the above said, here's an offer: I have an extra minty Swedish Ambassadeur 6501C3 reel with only a couple tiny rash marks on the rims - otherwise new) loaded with 65#-test fireline that you can have for a 100 bucks. I will fully service it and put new washers and spool brakes in it. It will stop the meanest of any spring and chum in any system. If you want to add the carbontex and ceramic pawl option, it'll cost you an extra 20 bucks. So, for 120 bucks (half your reel budget), you get your reel dilemma solved.

I am not puttin this on the buy and sell because I am not really selling the reel actively. It is a one-time offer just for the helluvit.

Otherwise, just go with the Calcutta 400B.

[Spawn Sack]

Hey thanks for the offer on the 6501 C3 there Milo, very decent of you. Haha I actually have the identical reel (Swedish)! It's a real beauty, but I find the drag a bit weak for big chum and springs, especially in faster water. I use is on my lighter 10"6 Convergence rod for coho, pinks, sockeye, steelhead, etc. I'll hook the odd spring or chum unintentionally, and it's usually a fair bit of work to get them in. Perhaps I should replace the drag? I've seen on ebay one can buy a carbon fiber drag I think it was...hmmm...I'll ask the guy who services my reels about this.

For bigger fish and faster water, I'll break out the Cardiff (one below the Calcutta B) on my 11"6 Technium. The Cardiff has been a great reel, especially for the money ($130 I think). But I just want a new reel, so I think I'll spool the Cardiff up with braid and use it for the odd day on the Fraser.

As far as I know it's only bad for a reel to try and reel it while a fish is taking out line, is this what you mean by the nono? I probably have done this in the past, but I know better now. Some places I fish the water is fast and the fish need to be muscled in fast or they'll get into the fast water and be gonzo (Tamahai Bridge area on the Vedder, etc). Normally I'll just have my drag set about as tight as I think my leader can take, and try to power the fish in with the rod as soon as it's hooked. Usually only need to reel when the fish is out of the fast water and close to shore. Works most of the time, however the odd one will get into the fast water then it's time to snap the leader off.

Anyway, I'm definitley leaning more towards the Calcutta B than the Curado 300E. Thanks for the advice everyone!

[milo]

Perhaps I should replace the drag?

Absolutely. There is no reason why a well-maintained C3 with good drag wouldn't stop a spring or chum dead in their track provided the fish is hooked in the mouth and you have the right line, leader and settings. If a fish is foul-hooked, that's a different story, but such fish you break off anyway, don't you?

As far as I know it's only bad for a reel to try and reel it while a fish is taking out line, is this what you mean by the nono?

No, what I mean is you shouldn't reel in lineat all when you fight a fish. You muscle a fish with the rod, not with the reel. Muscling the fish from the reel (winching) is a sure way to destroy the reel in short order. When you crank the reel, your rod should at the same time be going towards the fish - you should not put much tension on the line while reeling - you let the rod absorb the power of the fish and the river.
Just ask a center-pin user what would happen if they tried to winch a fish with their reels.
The same principle should apply to baitcasters, regardless of how strong their drag is.

[Spawn Sack]

Milo, thanks for that. I didn't realize that reeling under tension (not dropping the tip while reeling in) was so bad for the reel. I think 99% of the time I power a fish in with the rod and pick up line while lowering the rod tip. However Im sure the" odd time Ive done the "no no." Now that Im more aware Ill avoid doing that again ever!

Sorry in a previoud post I didnt notice that you said "another" C3. As in you knew I already had one. It is a lovely reel and Im sure a modified one would suit my purposes quite well. However, I really want a new reel different from whay I already have. This is why I like the Currado so much...but it looks like the Calcutts B is the wiser choice for what it'll br used for.

Im going to bring my 11"6 rod into the shop and see hoe well the reels balance on it and make my choice from there

[Stratocaster]

Personally, I prefer a smaller reel for the Vedder and Chehalis.  One of my fishing buddies tried using a Calcutta 400 on the Vedder at the locations that we fish and had a tough time casting light gear.  I fish 12-15 pound mainline and 8 to 10 pound flourocarbon leader almost all the time and catch way more fish than with heavier gear.  Lighter lines mean lighter rod, lighter rod means lighter, smaller reel.  Unless you are specifically targeting springs in Tamahi, a smaller setup will work fine.  I rarely lose fish to breakoffs and believe me, you are way less fatigued at the end of the day.  My ideal set up would be a rod rated at 8-17lbs, and a Calcutta 200B spooled with 12 or 15 lb mainline.

[BigFisher]

My luna 300 is out of commission right now, so Im using my lighter setup at the moment. Its a Curado 200E7, loaded with 10 lb maxima, and paired with a lamiglas. After a day of fishing, I was really liking it. Super light, fish hard a whole day and not wear down your wrist a bit. Just the smallest piece of weight and that thing can bomb across the river. Really impressed with it, may not go back to the luna. But I haven't hooked a Hog on it yet, so might think twice about that. If your looking for a small profile reel, Id go for this one.

[Noahs Arc]

You could try this setup for those big whites in fast water.

http://www.shakespeare-fishing.com/kids.html