Ok I'm going to avoid trying yo use official terms here for clarity, so bear with me.

You know how you are supposed to unlock the reel and turn the knob on the side until the bait drops slowly to the ground and stops? I'm not sure if that's called the reel brake or what, but you guys know what I mean I'm sure.

Well, I'm using my reel for relatively heavy Catfish rigs, a 1 oz. weight and hook and hunk of cut bait. No matter how much I tighten that knob, the bait falls quickly.

Is that reel just not designed for such heavy setups? Is there another setting I should play with? I opened up the side of the reel and saw four spokes with little tiny black pieces on each spoke (those are a braking system right?). When those are out (away from the center) that means they are on, as in slowing the reel down right? Is that related?


I hope some of this makes sense, thanks

Sounds to me like the washers (shims whatever you want to call them) that are inside of the cap and on the other side of the reel plate under the spool bearing are worn out and need to be replaced. Had to do this for a customer on some older Curado's he had. Not matter how much you tightened the spool tension knob it did nothing. Those washers just get worn over time. Replace them and you should be fine.

As for the black pieces on the spokes you are talking about. Those are the spool brakes and they only come into play when you are making a cast. The more pushed out you have the faster the reel slows down during a cast and vice versa.

thank you, I guess it's time to take it in for service.