by Questor » Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:49 am
I did a little more looking and decided on the Revo Inshore combo offered by Cabelas. Salt Striker 2 piece 7 foot rod, 1/4 to 1oz. Reason is that the Revo has some additional corrosion protection and has had good reviews by salt water users. I like the finish on it better. Line will be 8# Trilene XT clear with a Seaguar fluoro leader, longer than usual, probably 20 feet of 12#. There's a lot of brand bias in this decision. I've had good luck with products from all those makers.
One irritating thing about both the Curado and Revo is the marketing. There are so many configurations of Revo that they are not even comparable. For example, the internals of the Revo Inshore differ substantially from the internals of even the closely comparable STX model. Inshore has a centrifugal brake and the STX has a magnetic brake. Similar criticism of the Curado. You really have to compare the individual configurations. Another example is salt water suitability. Some of the Revos appear not to be very good at it, while others are. This reminds me of why I switched from Crest toothpaste to Colgate: Crest began offering so many options that I couldn't comprehend them anymore, so I stopped buying it after decades of brand loyalty.
The Inshore and the most closely comparable Curado is that the Curado may cast lighter lures than the Revo, judging by user feedback. Doesn't seem to be a big difference. Bottom line was that it was almost a coin toss, but the additional corrosion protection and finish of the Revo was the deciding factor. Another factor was the clear intention in naming. "Inshore" implied use for saltwater, while I got lost in the Shimano nomenclature 300, 300E, etc.
I also liked the package deal from Cabelas. When shipping and tax are included, you get a good rod in addition to the reel for about $50 more than the reel alone. I've got enough experience with the Salt Striker rods to have a lot of confidence in them. I own three of them, two spin and one casting, and I honestly don't know how any rod can be better than they are, unless a specialized application is at hand. I also like the 2-piece option offered by Cabelas, which is a rarity in the world of casting rods. I like to be able to take the rod down and put it in the trunk of my car.
About the line, I'm sticking with XT because it's been a good line for me. I like the strength, abrasion resistance, reasonably low memory, and good knot strength of this line. I've tried a number of other lines and often had problems with knot strength and memory. In this case, I want a clear line. I recently returned to using mono for inshore casting and find that mono is better all around than braid, at least for what I do, which is mostly casting on or near flats and fishing the beaches with relatively short casts. I just get a 1000 yard spool and replace the line every week or so.
Last edited by
Questor on Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:49 am, edited 1 time in total.