300ej for yellows

[William Novotny]

Has anyone landed a yellow on a curado? Wondering if the drag and spool capacity can tackle the job. I feel alot more comfortable casting with a low profile bc reel and when it's time to throw at a boil I want to grab what I'm most confident with.

[Raskal311]

Has anyone landed a yellow on a curado? Wondering if the drag and spool capacity can tackle the job. I feel alot more comfortable casting with a low profile bc reel and when it's time to throw at a boil I want to grab what I'm most confident with.

I've seen a lot of comment on our favorite FB groups ;) that it can but I would imagine landing it would take much longer. But I would love to hear it from someone with first hand experience.

[William Novotny]

I've seen a lot of comment on our favorite FB groups ;) that it can but I would imagine landing it would take much longer. But I would love to hear it from someone with first hand experience.

I've seen a video of one taken in the 30# range from a cattle boat on a big hammer. Looked like a fun fight. I just don't know how the reel fared after all was said and done

[socal.beach.bum]

I've landed rat yellows with my old 300EJ with no problem, but honestly if I ran into models 25#+ I would have probably had one hell of a fight on my hand. Keep in mind most bait casters are too small for the typical conventional rod so you would either have to have a custom rod with a little backbone, or you will have to deal with typical bait caster style rods so in the end your back will probably pay the price...just my .02.

[5-20]

Dahlberg wacked a bunch of 60-90 lb. jacks off a reef in Australia using 300e's on one of his big fish shows. Wonder how modded those reels were.

[Raskal311]

Dahlberg wacked a bunch of 60-90 lb. jacks off a reef in Australia using 300e's on one of his big fish shows. Wonder how modded those reels were.
I've fought a 60-80lb class jacks... I can't imagine the EJ landing those things. but where we were we had to land them fast or loose them; fighting them for an hour wasn't an option.

[ccacher1]

Has anyone landed a yellow on a curado? Wondering if the drag and spool capacity can tackle the job. I feel alot more comfortable casting with a low profile bc reel and when it's time to throw at a boil I want to grab what I'm most confident with.

I'm in the same boat. Was planning on using the Daiwa Lexa 300 with power handle for chucking surface irons. I assume this is a similar reel to the 300ej. Was going to spool it with 40lb braid and put it on a heavy 8 foot teramar...supposedly the reel has 22lb of drag. Anyways, point is I'm also interested in hearing if anyone is using these low profile reels for yellowtail.

[RedSledTeam]

The Romanator has...
:reel:

12481

[William Novotny]

I've landed rat yellows with my old 300EJ with no problem, but honestly if I ran into models 25#+ I would have probably had one hell of a fight on my hand. Keep in mind most bait casters are too small for the typical conventional rod so you would either have to have a custom rod with a little backbone, or you will have to deal with typical bait caster style rods so in the end your back will probably pay the price...just my .02.

My dobyns 807mag h is rated 20-50# and i could wrench an anchor of the bottom with that swimbait rod. Don't think the rod will have a problem with yellows. It's all backbone

[YakMedic]

I haven't hooked any with curado's but i have on my Revo Inshore, it held up fine to the small 10lbr's but got spooled on a fish I couldn't turn. My Revo toro 60 is my go to now, has plenty of power and line capacity with no problems yet. It has similar specs to the curado 300ej so I imagine it should be fine.

[CKallday71]

I have my 300EJ that I STOLE from Amazon last year on a used Shimano Terez Waxwing rod. I would LOVE to tie into a smaller yellow with that and play! It's 100% my go to combo for tossing the waxwing when the Bonito are boiling and I LOVE snagging them on that. It works well for calicos too.

[Chuck D]

I know Jorge landed a 20+ yellow last year on the islander trip with a bait caster from the 70's. If he can do that I am sure a Curado can take on a fat Yellow:)

[taggermike]

If we actually get an influx of schoolie sized, 8-15 lbs, yellows that reel would work great and be a lot of fun. If bigger fish show up you might be a bit under gunned. Hanging a big fish and cranking away for 1/2 hour is frustrating, to me at least. The sea lions might like it though. Definitely the low pro bait casters are nice to use but some times a bigger reel is needed. Mike

[YakDout]

I agree with taggermike. Looks like the grade of yellows is a little larger this year than last. Sure, if you're fishing yellows up to 15 maybe even 20lb I would say the curado 300 ej is adequate. Anything bigger than that, for low pros, it's either tranx or lexa 400. And they make a jig stick clamp by tiburon for both of those reels now, which is pretty sweet. I think that yellows up to 30 could be handled with the lexa 400 and tranx. Hypothetically a 300 ej would handle it but you will go through drag washers like crazy, and would want 40-50 lb line for capacity reasons. For the same price or cheaper than a 300 ej you can buy a torium, saltist which casts just as well and will not have to worry about drags or line capacity.


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[YakDout]

40-50 lb braid that is


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[William Novotny]

I agree with taggermike. Looks like the grade of yellows is a little larger this year than last. Sure, if you're fishing yellows up to 15 maybe even 20lb I would say the curado 300 ej is adequate. Anything bigger than that, for low pros, it's either tranx or lexa 400. And they make a jig stick clamp by tiburon for both of those reels now, which is pretty sweet. I think that yellows up to 30 could be handled with the lexa 400 and tranx. Hypothetically a 300 ej would handle it but you will go through drag washers like crazy, and would want 40-50 lb line for capacity reasons. For the same price or cheaper than a 300 ej you can buy a torium, saltist which casts just as well and will not have to worry about drags or line capacity.


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I've got my avet sx on a teramar jigstick. And an avet sxj on an okuma andros rod. These are my 2 biggest reels since my yard sale. I'm hoping 14# of drag will suffice.

[YakDout]

Both of those reels would still be stronger than a curado 300 ej


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[William Novotny]

Both of those reels would still be stronger than a curado 300 ej


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Really because the 300ej has an extra pound of drag then both those reels

[YakDout]

Hand test them and you will see that the specs on conventional reels are low balled, while I feel that low pro reels are over exaggerated.


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[tamddo714]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtM_E-2HkTg

[gunghosd]

My buddy did once, probably 18lb or so...but of you try to make that your main yellowtail rig, your put a lot of strain on that little thing, I have one too and a Daiwa Lexa (which claims 7more lb of drag than curado) but they are just simple bass reels, not true day in day out 25-40lb class reels. So if you like replacing level winds, drags, bearings, etc. than Curado might do it....problem is also if the fish is kicking your butt near the kelp, might not me worth loosing a nice HG because you wanted to see if the Curado could "do it."

Now as far as the Shimano Tranx that some were writing about, that can kick most yellowtails a$$ no problem, here is me doing it in LJ on a 27lb YT.....Good Luck :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIVS6COToFQ

[jorluivil]

I know Jorge landed a 20+ yellow last year on the islander trip with a bait caster from the 70's. If he can do that I am sure a Curado can take on a fat Yellow:)


You are correct. I landed two yellows at SCI on the Islander Mothership trip last year, both were landed on a Shimano Bantam 200. both fish were in the mid to high 20lb class.


I've replaced the Bantam since, its now my Sabiki reel. My go to reels are Shimano Cardiff 400's, I use these 99% of the time.