The Shimano Stradic CI4 was the 2009 ICAST New Product Showcase Winner. Shimano has out done themselves with the addition of the new Stradic CI4. Seeing it for the first time at ICAST this year and was blown away by the look and feel of it.
The CI4 is only available in the 1000 or 2500 sizes. However it is made of carbon fiber so it's super strong and super light weight, with the 2500 only weighing 7oz. The CI4 offers a waterproof drag that is a necessity for any YakAngler. Along with its 15lbs of drag and 6.0:1 gear ratio the handle, while a little small, is made of EVA foam for a soft feel. The Stradic has 6 S A-RB shielded ball bearings for the ultimate in corrosion resistance and contaminant protection.
Along with great line capacity of 170yards of 10lb power pro plus this reel has a ton of other great features. The CI4 is a true workhorse you don't have to sacrifice power when fishing with a lightweight finesse style reel anymore.
I picked one up around the first week of October and put it to the test; meaning I tired to break it. No lubing, no rinsing, not even a quick once over with a towel. I wanted to see how long a reel will last if the angler is bad about caring for their reels. In some cases the reels hold up just fine to the constant battering of saltwater that is normal for a day of fishing. Other times, it’s not pretty what happens. With the Stradic CI4 you get what you pay for. The CI4 retails for$199.99, a small price to pay for a reel that will last you many years.
On the first day of fishing with the CI4 I hit the Indian River Lagoon in Titusville, Florida with redfish and trout on my mind. I spooled the reel with 170yards of 10lb red Power Pro and tied on a 12lb leader. This is a standard set up for fishing the area. The rod I was using was a rod I built just for the CI4. I used a G-Loomis 7' med action 6-12 lb GL2 blank that again is a standard line rating when fishing for redfish and trout. I dropped my Native Ultimate 14.5 in the water and started push polling my way to one of my favorite flats. Just about the time I get to the spot I saw a tailing redfish about thirty yards away. I made my first cast and it paid off with a nice 24" redfish.
The first thing I noticed about the CI4 was how far I could cast and how smooth the line left the spool. Once the fish took my jig and the line came tight the drag was as smooth as butter. Since that day I have caught a few hundred redfish and countless numbers of trout, black drum, flounder, jacks, and ladyfish on my CI4 and it is every bit as smooth as the day I took it out of the box. So as for not cleaning it, I gave it a good cleaning about a month after using it for the first time. There were no signs of rust or corrosion on the reel, inside the reel looked brand new and again no signs of rust or water intrusion. The CI4 is hands down the best reel in its class and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the "light tackle "style of fishing.
Full Article: Yakangler
The CI4 is only available in the 1000 or 2500 sizes. However it is made of carbon fiber so it's super strong and super light weight, with the 2500 only weighing 7oz. The CI4 offers a waterproof drag that is a necessity for any YakAngler. Along with its 15lbs of drag and 6.0:1 gear ratio the handle, while a little small, is made of EVA foam for a soft feel. The Stradic has 6 S A-RB shielded ball bearings for the ultimate in corrosion resistance and contaminant protection.
Along with great line capacity of 170yards of 10lb power pro plus this reel has a ton of other great features. The CI4 is a true workhorse you don't have to sacrifice power when fishing with a lightweight finesse style reel anymore.I picked one up around the first week of October and put it to the test; meaning I tired to break it. No lubing, no rinsing, not even a quick once over with a towel. I wanted to see how long a reel will last if the angler is bad about caring for their reels. In some cases the reels hold up just fine to the constant battering of saltwater that is normal for a day of fishing. Other times, it’s not pretty what happens. With the Stradic CI4 you get what you pay for. The CI4 retails for$199.99, a small price to pay for a reel that will last you many years.
On the first day of fishing with the CI4 I hit the Indian River Lagoon in Titusville, Florida with redfish and trout on my mind. I spooled the reel with 170yards of 10lb red Power Pro and tied on a 12lb leader. This is a standard set up for fishing the area. The rod I was using was a rod I built just for the CI4. I used a G-Loomis 7' med action 6-12 lb GL2 blank that again is a standard line rating when fishing for redfish and trout. I dropped my Native Ultimate 14.5 in the water and started push polling my way to one of my favorite flats. Just about the time I get to the spot I saw a tailing redfish about thirty yards away. I made my first cast and it paid off with a nice 24" redfish.The first thing I noticed about the CI4 was how far I could cast and how smooth the line left the spool. Once the fish took my jig and the line came tight the drag was as smooth as butter. Since that day I have caught a few hundred redfish and countless numbers of trout, black drum, flounder, jacks, and ladyfish on my CI4 and it is every bit as smooth as the day I took it out of the box. So as for not cleaning it, I gave it a good cleaning about a month after using it for the first time. There were no signs of rust or corrosion on the reel, inside the reel looked brand new and again no signs of rust or water intrusion. The CI4 is hands down the best reel in its class and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the "light tackle "style of fishing.
Full Article: Yakangler
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