15 Jul

Taro’s Strike Zone Baby Slammer Gear Review

Posted by Taro in Fishing.


OVERALL SCORE: 4.5
Manufacturer: Strike-Zone Tournament Baits
Model: Baby Slammer
Type: Soft Plastic
Sizes Tested: 3″
Number per Pack: 8
MSRP: $5.99

Introduction

Strike-Zone Tournament Baits is a small company specializing in hand poured finesse baits. The signature Slammer is a popular drop shot bait amongst Canadian anglers, and its popularity has been spreading across the US. A new 3″ version (called a Baby Slammer) was recently released. I had the chance to test it out for a variety of species.

Construction

#The bait is made from a mixture of plastisol, salt, and a buoyant material that makes the bait naturally buoyant. It is quite durable when compared to other soft plastic baits on the market. However, you may go through a bunch because nose hooking the bait is one of the best ways to rig it when drop shotting. The lightly hooked bait often gets thrown off the hook when bass jump. In my opinion, its worth losing the bait every time if you’re getting the bite that counts!

SCORE: 3.5

Color/Finish

Baby Slammers are available in an unreal assortment of amazing fish catching colors. Many of the colors have been tailor made for specific bodies of water. These baits are made and tested by top tournament anglers who know fishing. I feel this is why there has been so much emphasis on the attention to detail on these baits.

SCORE: 5

Usage

This bait is very easy to use. I fish with many beginners when guiding, and this is one of my go to baits – especially with first timers. It is so easy to use that its hard to fish it wrong. The bait makes first timers fall in love with fishing. There are so many effective ways to rig and use this bait, but the most popular has be drop shotting it.

SCORE: 5

Effectiveness

#
A huge 7lb 10oz smallmouth that was caught with a Baby Slammer.This bait catches everything that swims. I’ve caught carp, musky, pike, bass, panfish, walleye, lake trout, whitefish and drum. I hear the same story from many others. When the bite is tough, it’s hard to beat the Baby Slammer. When the bite is hot, it’s also hard to beat the Baby Slammer. This bait is a fish catching weapon, period!! My friend Paul C. from Cast Adventures recently caught a ridiculous 7lb 10oz smallmouth on this bait! Just because its small doesn’t mean it can’t catch monsters.

SCORE: 5

Price

The bait is definitely worth the price of admission and then some – plain and simple! If you are a tournament angler it will help you win money, if you are a novice it will help you catch a fish of a lifetime.

SCORE: 5

Conclusion

The new Baby Slammer is a welcome addition to my drop shot options. It’s especially important when fish are keyed in on a specific size of bait fish. The Baby Slammer has the same action as the larger version, and can produce fish that are just as big!

OVERALL SCORE: 4.5

15 Jul

Taro’s gear review of the month!

Posted by Taro in Fishing.


OVERALL SCORE: 4.5
Manufacturer: Shimano
Model: Curado 200 E7
Type: Low Profile Baitcasting
Ratio: 7.0:1
Line Capacity: 8/180, 10/155, 14/110
Bearings: 5, 1 A-RB Ball Bearing, 1 A-RB Roller Clutch Bearing
Maximum drag: 11 lb
Frame: Aluminum (graphite side plates)
Weight: 7.6 oz
MSRP: $179.99 (USD)

Introduction


Shimano Curado 200 E7 on one of the test rods – Carrot Stix LTX cranking rod (C721P-C).The Shimano Curado 200 E7 is the latest version of one of Shimano’s most popular fishing reels. The reel has been completely redesigned, and has an aluminum frame with graphite side panels. It’s lighter than the previous 100 version, but holds the same amount of line as the previous 200 size. It features Shimano’s VBS brakes, HEG gearing, Quickfire II clutchbar, and A7075 Aluminum Magnumlite spool. I have been using this reel for over a year now, and have had the chance to put it through a wide variety of conditions and punishment.

Appearance


A side-by-side comparison of the old green Bantam Curado SF and the new Curado E7.The Curado E7 has a new beautiful look. It sports a sparkly green finish that is a great spin off from the classic green Bantam Curado. The reel has a modern appearance and looks more expensive than it costs.

SCORE: 4.5

Construction

I’ve owned this reel for over a year and it fishes exactly the same as the day I bought it. My only concern is the graphite side plates. It doesn’t seem to effect the reel much (it still feels solid thanks to the aluminum frame), but aluminum is preferred for rigidity and durability.

SCORE: 4

Egonomics


The Curado E7 features a ultra low profile thanks to a recessed reel foot.The reel feels great in your hand due to a recessed reel foot and low profile that allows it to sit close to the rod. The Septon grips feel good and grip well, even when wet. The only room for improvement here would be to make the reel lighter, however this would likely increase the price. While testing, it paired nicely with a light weight Carrot Stix LTX cranking rod (C721P-C), which brought down the overall weight of the combo.

SCORE: 4.5

Casting


The Curado E7’s Variable Brake System is accessed by flipping over the side panel.The Curado 200 E7 has the ability to cast heavy and light baits with distance and control. The Magnumlite Spool provides extremely low startup inertia that helps increase overall casting distance. I have let many beginners on my boat who have never used a baitcast reel, and gave them the Curado E7 to use. By the end of the day they are casting like pros. This reel is extremely user friendly (backlashes are very controllable). It doesn’t cast quite as well as some of the high-end Shimano reels like the Chronarch, but it also costs $120 less. The Curado E7 casts very well when compared to other reels in its price range.

SCORE: 4

Retrieve

In my opinion, this is the best characteristic of the Curado E7. For a reel with high speed gear ratio, it has amazing fish moving torque. Shimano’s High Efficiency Gearing allows for a super-fast retrieve and unbelievable fish-moving torque at the same time. I exclusively use this reel when pitching heavy jigs in deep water and punching extremely thick cover with heavy baits. This reel excels in these situations because it allows me to set the hook hard and fast, and I’m able to keep the pressure on all the way to the boat. Most reels on the market that have high speed gear ratios don’t have the same fish moving power and torque. The new Curado is a rare breed!

SCORE: 5

Drag


The drag star clicks in small increments.The Dartainium drag on the Curado E7 delivers silky smooth performance and a max drag of 11 lb. The drag star clicks in small increments and locks in with each click, so it is easy to make small adjustments.

SCORE: 5

Innovation

The E7 is a big improvement on the last model – it is a leaner and meaner. It’s durability and construction has improved as well. Shimano has dome a fine job in creating a new breed of reel that combines speed and torque along with castability.

SCORE: 4.5

Price

One of the best things about the Shimano Curado E7 is its price. This reel is made with quality components. It casts and looks like reels that cost over $200.

SCORE: 4.5

Conclusion

Over the past year, the Curado 200 E7 has become a staple in my lineup of reels. There are lighter or better casting reels that I prefer to use in certain situations, but nothing that is in the same price range as the Curado E7. It’s a versatile reel that looks and casts extremely well for its price. The thing that I found most impressive about the reel is its ability to haul in fish with a lot of power and torque at high speeds. It’s my goto reel if I’m making long casts to deep weed lines because it lets me keep the pressure on when fighting fish – even if they start to swim towards the boat. When considering the amount of quality and fishability you get for the price, the Shimano Curado 200 E7 is hard to beat.

OVERALL SCORE: 4.5

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