A Signature Whine: Shimano’s Curado 150 DC Feels Both
New and Familiar, all at the Same Time
(continued)
 Real World
Tests: Back in July, two weeks prior to ICAST, Dan Thorburn from Shimano
flew out to give us our first look at the Curado DC Series. He carried with him
a pair of right handed Curado DC baitcasters and the first run production of the
left handed reels. We were able to fish these initial reels for one day but that
was enough to get us excited about the new sealed DC system. Since then we were
able to procure two reels and have been fishing them over the last five months
spooled with Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon, Finatic Tackle braid, and PowerPro V2 braided line,
fishing for largemouth bass in the California Delta and surrounding reservoirs.

The new reel features a more
grey/gunmetal finish than the black Curado K Series
Casting:
The first thing that I wondered when I heard about the Curado DC from Shimano
was just how the company was going to make the DC system affordable enough to
hit the $250 dollar price point. When I learned that the Curado DC would debut a
new digital casting system with only four modes I began to wonder if this was a
scaled back system, and how it would compare to the finely tunable DC 4X8 system
found in reels like the Antares DC and Exsence DC reels that enthusiasts love.
Within the first few casts with the Curado DC my concerns quickly lessened as I
was reassured with not only the predictable magnetic brakeforce on the spool,
but also the signature DC whine. Sweet music for any DC fan.

Testing the cast system over and
over again with the different modes and various lines
Some anglers think that
Shimano’s DC system is designed for one purpose, to cast further, and while the
system certainly helps anglers cast longer distances, even in adverse wind
conditions, it is also designed to improve bait placing accuracy. With the Curado DC Shimano’s engineers wanted to simplify things with the four modes, but
what they essentially did was create application specific DC controls that make
it easier than ever for anglers of all skill levels to not only cast farther,
but also cast more accurately, with just about any bait type.

In Mode 4 casting without your
thumb on the spool at all is possible
With previous DC
systems, while I appreciated the ability to make really refined adjustments to
the system, I constantly had to think about my line type, bait, and application
to effectively dial everything in. Making changes required thinking, and thus
time that my bait was out of the water. The Curado DC takes all the guesswork
out of operating the system. You want to cover as much water as possible? Mode 1
applies the least amount of braking and will allow you to catapult your bait.
Fishing with braided line? Switch over to mode 2 and enjoy backlash free line
management.

Like the Curado K Series the
Curado DC provides plenty of access to the spool
The mode that I
found the most impressive was Mode 4, which delivers the maximum magnetic
braking and is designed for skipping applications. This mode is like having a
dual clutch in a sports car versus a manual, and takes more of spool feathering
away as the microprocessor does the thinking for you. I’m admittedly a terrible
bait skipper and while the system didn’t necessarily make me look like a pro it
certainly made skipping under docks a whole lot easier. This is the mode that
makes the Curado DC a real option for anglers that don’t consider themselves
baitcasting experts, and those proficient in baitcasting will also appreciate
how good this mode is when the wind is against you.

Set to Mode 1 or 2 I was able to
cast big heavy swimbaits a very long distance
With the Curado
DC set in Mode 4 I was able to cast into a headwind with braided line and with
my thumb completely off the spool, and the reel not only prevented any
backlashes but also helped me cast farther than I would normally be able to cast
with a traditional baitcaster in these conditions. Anglers of all skill levels
can benefit from the Curado DC’s easy to manage and reliable I-DC4 system.

Max distance casts are as easy as
setting the dial to one and launching
Throughout
testing I found more to like about the new system, the simplicity and ease of
use is stellar, but how well the reel was able to adjust to various lure types
and wind conditions is also impressive. Part of it is how well defined each of
the four modes are, but I also believe that the new microprocessor is programmed
to be more intuitive, or aggressive, depending how you look at it.

A look at the I-DC4 module removed
from the non-handle sideplate. The completely sealed design helps eliminate
contaminates from entering the system, a big plus for inshore and salt anglers
The new system
adjusts more to wind, and while I found it still possible to backlash the older
DC 4X8 system I really had to try pretty hard to backlash the Curado DC, at
times even resorting to try to trick the system by making really poor casts into
structure. Perhaps it is the amount of refinement that the older system requires
to dial in, or maybe the new system is that much smarter, either way the result
is a system that simply makes it easier to get your bait where you want it with
less effort and more precision.

The Curado DC's four mode system
was surprisingly easy to use and yet covers a wide spectrum of applications
making it easy to get the most out of the DC system
Next Section: A retrieve that feels familiar...  |