Curado MGL 150HG First use and review 

I really like it now that I have tuned to my liking. I highly recommend it if it's within your budget. Especially since a non DC, it performs exceptionally well!

Thank you for the feedback. I don't currently own a K200 so I cannot compare unfortunately. Great info to have though! Thank you for your kind words and support!

I actually ended up getting a 6th Sense Divine a few weeks ago. Now it's a wonderful combo. I'm really liking the new rod but I'll definitely check out the expride line.

@@DoubleKOutdoors it's not a cheap rod but man its light and very sensitive it pairs perfectly with the curado mgl

I'll be sure to check it out. Thank you for the suggestion.

I do agree that they probably do follow a template and use cheaper materials to cut costs. Good for them, but no so good for us as the consumer and user. This is exactly why I'm trying to get my own rods made so I can sell them. Thank you for the feedback and your support!

Appreciate the support and congratulations for being #100!!!

From my experience the drag star should not have any play in it. The only time very seen that happen is when I've loosened the drag way down so there's essentially no drag. Even then, there still wasn't much wiggle to it. Without taking it apart, or seeing it first hand, no sure way to tell but you could either take it back to the place you purchased it to see if they will replace it or at the very least, look at it to see if there is a fix or send it to the manufacturer for repair. Personally, I'd take it to the store of purchase first.

Great suggestion. I might have to swap them out!

That's usually where I start and make adjustments from there. I'm not 100% sure what they were set at, but since I start all of them out at 3 on and 3 off, that's probably what it was set for. I had to make adjustments to the tension more than anything. Once I tightened it a little bit, I was making long smooth casts without any backlashes. I can tell you that in my experience, this bad boy is not like the SLX DC that I have. That thing is pretty much idiot proof... really hard to backlash. The MGL is much smoother, but takes a little more fine tuning especially if you change baits to a different weight.

@@DoubleKOutdoors ,,, what about casting distance. The SLX DC can out cast the Curado mgl ?

My personal preference is XG but I can use the HG just as effectively. I personally like higher than average gear ratios so I tend to lean towards XG. While most people use 6:4:1 for cranking baits like chatterbait and square bills, I like a 7:1:1 or a 7:4:1. My top water reel is a Diawa Fuego with 8:1:1 and I love it being that fast.

@DoubleKOutdoors Thank you for replying ❤️

Anytime. Happy holidays!

You do have a valid point. A quality rod can be better than having a quality reel. I have in the past done this. I have a TFO rod that is amazing and it does in fact have a Diawa Fuego reel on it. The rod costs 2x as much as the reel. This is strictly my preference of a rod and reel setup. I tend to be a little harder on the rods than I am the reels and I feel a lot better about replacing a $100 rod every few years than replacing a $200-$300 one. I do know several people that do exactly what you suggested and it works out well for them and I say go for it. Find what works best for you. Some of my favorite rods have been on the less expensive side, and I purchased them on a whim.

which is more important depends upon the technique 😉

Rod selection can easily be based on what techniques are being used.

Yeah, I had my camera angled differently than normal and didn't realize it. I felt kinda silly when I reviewed the footage. I learned from it though. I try to make sure the camera is good before filming. Thanks for calling me out lol

I didn't even notice that it was visible! Oops! I didn't mean to put it into the shot. I try to keep politics out of my content, but yeah... not hard to tell where I stand.

@@DoubleKOutdoors no problem. I stand with you.😁

It's very nice!

I have several baitcasters from various manufacturers. I tune them so that I don't have to feather the spool like a lot of people do when they are first learning. My Shimano SLX DC never has to have the spool touched until right before it hits the water. The MGL took a little more getting used to but it's still a great reel and very versatile.