Fish harder and faster with the souped up Shimano Curado 200DHSV (continued)

Retrieve & Power (cont): On the field the powerful and high-speed of the 200D HSV allowed us to do multiple things where we would have had to put more effort into achieving with a slower ratio based reel. For instance when I pitched plastics into heavy cover, after I detected bites and initiated immediate hooksets I was able to crank like a madman, effectively pulling fish quickly away from hazardous structure. A few times where I was a little slow, I know I would have lost the fish if I got hung up in and around submerged trees, but thanks to the power and speed offered up by this new faster Curado I was able to emerge from those battles with a boated fish.

The reel is built solid for a powerful flex-free retrieve

Speed without power is a big sacrifice, and luckily for anglers it is one that you don't have to make with the 200DHSV. The HEG gear system really helps with the power drive, something that the Curado 100D didn't have. The enlarged gears are prime in providing the necessary cranking power one needs to really haul fish when needed. Fishing topwater frog lures is one of my favorite techniques and the Curado has quickly replaced all other reels in my arsenal for this application. When I fish heavy weeded areas for bass, I always have to pull them up and out of the weed before the fish can dive any deeper. With the robust wide diameter gears on the Shimano Curado 200D HSV, after I felt the tug at the end of the line, the HEG system kicks in as you turn the handle to bring the fish out of the cover. After a few incidents where I found myself pulling in fish covered with weeds, I knew the Curado 200D HSV was now my choice reel for all my frog fishing applications.

On the left is the new Curado 200DHSV. On the right we have the old Curado 200

It doesn't end there. Anglers who power-fish will find this reel very valuable. You can slow down a bit on the retrieve when you need to, but when high-speed is needed just crank away. When I crawl plastics such as Hula grubs my fishing zone is very limited. So I cast and retrieve constantly. After casting and working the zone with the tip of my rod I crank as fast as I can to bring the lure back to me so I can again cast to the next targeted spot. The high 7.0:1 gear ratio reduces my ineffective fishing lag time which results in more casts, more placement in the zone, and ultimately more strike opportunities.

Nearly zero plastic components are being used

To my surprise though the Curado is both fast and powerful it is also remarkably smooth. Supported by five ball bearings and components held together in tight tolerance, the CU200DHSV is smoother than ever. Again, comparing this to the last model, you can tell the difference right away.

Each turn of the handle flows and feels absolutely solid in the hands. Now, side by side with the latest Citica 200D we just reviewed, the Curado 200D which has one more ball bearing. The extra ball bearing helps but is very minor and may not really be noticeable to many anglers. The thing here is that the Curado 200D is made in Japan, and has a higher build quality with tighter tolerances than the Citica. But that's not to say the Citica doesn't perform well. They both share Shimano's silky smooth feel, just that the Curado is going to feel more powerful because all main gearing is kept within tighter tolerances under an aluminum, versus graphite, handle sideplate.

The reel sits fairly low on all rod seats