Fishing is a great pastime. It can be both fun and relaxing. Whether you’re out on the lake or in the open ocean, the feeling of getting a bite is like no other. Just because it can be a fun pastime doesn’t mean you don’t want serious equipment when you go out fishing.
If you’re out to land a real catch when you go out fishing, just like the pros do, then you want to invest in equipment that will do the job. Sure, there are dozens if not hundreds of rods and reels out there but only the newest and best have the technology and features to help you up your game to next level and land that next big catch.
In this product review we’ll take a detailed look at one of the best multipurpose rods on the market the Shimano 16 Stradic Ci4 + C3000 Spinning Reel. On the outside it may look like just any other Shimano rod and reel set. If you take a look, you’ll see that it has several features that will make your fishing experience that much better.
For this review we will be taking a deep dive into the Brand, its history and the mechanics and features of the Shimano 16 Stradic Ci4 + C3000 Spinning Reel. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about this rod and reel, the pros and cons, what it does, how it works and all the things in between.
Now let us begin by comparing the pros and cons of this product.
Pros:
- Has all the highly sought after standard Shimano features
- Extremely lightweight
- Smooth casting
- Floats in water
- Ergonomic build that helps reduce and prevent fatigue while in use
- Multiple Variants
- 4 model options
- Line capacity is good
- Affordable price
- Usable in both fresh and saltwater
- Corrosion resistant
Cons:
- Not equipped with an anti-reverse switch, which means this reel cannot do back reeling.
- Some plastic parts
- Cannot back reel
- Some users complain that the handle is way too close to the foot, which means it’s harder to hold and gives the tendency to hit the knuckles while cranking.
Brand
Kabushiki-gaisha Shimano, or Shimano for short, is a long-running Japanese brand that produces all sorts of water and sports equipment. They have great models of fishing gear, rowing equipment, and even cycling products. Despite the variety of their offers, they are much more famous in the recreational and sport fishing industry for their plethora of reels.
Japanese brand Shimano has made a name for itself in the industry and is a staple name all over the world. Its mission is to create high-quality and innovative products for the bicycle and sports fishing cultures.
The brand has over 90 years of history leading up to where they are today. And true enough, they have made quite the impact. People in the fishing industry are all too familiar with Shimano and in fact know the standards of technology, quality, and durability that the brand has to offer. There’s such thing now as the Shimano standard, which is the basis of reviewing the quality of new models from the brand.
Specs
- CI4+ Carbon Body
- Cold Forged Aluminum Spool
- X Ship Technology
- Flagship Hagane gearing and body
- Magnumlite Rotor
- Propulsion Line Managment System
- Built in Dyna Balanced Rotor
- Built in Fluidrive II System
Hagane Gearing System
The heart of the Shimano Stradic Ci4 is the Hagane gear. The gears are custom made to allow for flawless and smooth operation under all load conditions. Derived from SAKAI metalworking, a practice that has existed since the 5th century, the gears are custom crafted and cold forged to never snag, slip or grind while reeling.
This is owed to Shimano’s philosophy of eternally smooth reeling. The precision crafting produces a stable, detailed, and resilient gear system from the teeth to the center. The entire gear system is defect free meaning that angler’s will have perfectly smooth casting for a lifetime.
X-Ship Technology
Shimano combines the Hagane gear system with the X ship reel technology to produce an extremely precise and fluid reel movement system. They increased the toughness of the spinning reel by reinforcing both ends with lubricated ball bearings. This completely eliminates the friction in the spool so that reeling is completely smooth from your first cast to your last.
MGL Rotor For Balance and Stability
Shimano has upgraded the rotor in the Stradic Ci4 to allow for a 14% weight reduction. This translates to a twofold benefit. The drop in weight also reduces inertia on the fishing rod, allowing for improved casting. Lighter weight along with the carbon frame construction allows the rod to float in water. This is a great benefit when the rod gets yanked overboard by a big catch.
Secondly, the improved rotor, weight, and inertia reduction allow for extremely powerful casting in both fresh and salt water. This multipurpose rod is a great option no matter where you like to fish.
Aero Wrap II Oscillation for Powerful Long Distance Casts
Shimano has designed a custom line wrap for their spools that ensures that the line positioning is extremely precise. This allows for smooth line feed when casting. A smoother line feed when casting means that an angler can cast further with less effort.
The thread wrap is a cross weave pattern that feeds the line through the rod more precisely and more quickly. The increased precision increases the speed at which the line moves when cast allowing for a much further cast with less force behind the cast. This means the fisherman has to exert less energy with each cast and can fish more easily for longer.
Core Protect and S A-RB Bearings
These two systems are Shimano’s answer to contaminant protection. The Core Protect system Is a sealant system that keeps out contaminants from saltwater so that the rod is protected from corrosive elements. The core protect covers three key areas of the rod and reel: the roller clutch, body, and line roller.
Unlike traditional sealants that interfere with the smoothness of the casting and reeling, Shimano put great effort into protecting the internal components of the rod and reel so that it stays free of contaminants while still performing flawlessly.
S-ARB bearings are specially designed to be shielded on either side so that they do not allow contaminants into the gear system. The hand crafted bearings are put through a process to make them turn smooth and effortlessly inside the Hagane gear system. The addition of the shielding on either side allows them to perform at the same level and still protect the gears inside the reel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Shimano Stradic Ci4 a saltwater reel?
The Shimano Stradic Ci4 is what is known as a Finesse reel. This means that it is geared to handle a wide variety of conditions. The gears in the reel allow for smooth and precise casting and the upgraded rotor allows for farther castes making excellent as either a freshwater reel or a saltwater reel.
The lightweight carbon body allows it to float in open water, reducing the risk of losing the rod should it be pulled free of the angler or stand.
Additionally the reel has a custom spool thread pattern that allows for incredibly effortless and powerful casts. This allows for further casts with less effort by the angler. This is particularly helpful when reeling in large saltwater catches. The precision crafted bearings and Hagane gear system allow the reel to perform well without snagging or catching. The crafting of the reel makes it one of the more versatile roads on the market.
Is The Shimano Stradic Ci4 sealed?
Yes, the reel is completely sealed to protect from contaminants. The internal components are protected by a custom Shimano core protect sealant that protects the roller clutch, body, and line roller. Custom crafted S A-RB ball bearings in the gear system protect the gears and components from contaminants as well to ensure that the reel can still cast flawlessly even in saltwater environments.
The unique feature of the seal on the Shimano Stradic Ci4 is that the sealant and shielded ball bearings do not make the reel heavy or reduce performance like traditional reel sealants.
In Conclusion
The Shimano Stradic Ci4+ C3000 Spinning Reel is a masterwork combination of Shimano technology and engineering. From the light weight carbon body to the Hagane engineered gear system this reel is made to outperform every other rod and reel on the market.
It is able to perform well in both fresh and saltwater and has improved casting precision with reduced strain on the angler for longer and less strenuous fishing expeditions. The reel is geared for longer distance casting so that it is usable out in open water. If you’re looking for a rod and reel set that will put you a cut above your fellow anglers, look no further.
