The Shimano Curado BFS seems to be a Japanese response to the boom in affordable BFS reels coming out of China. What can you expect from this more budget-friendly, Japanese-engineered offering?
What's the Shimano Curado BFS all about?
Fairly obviously this is a finesse fishing reel with a dedicated light, shallow spool designed for lightweight lures. It will allow you to use a baitcasting reel where, previously you'd need to be reaching for your spinning outfit. In other words, a classic BFS reel.
Unlike the Calcutta Conquest BFS, the Curado BFS is one of Shimano's low-profile reels. It has genuinely dynamic magnetic brakes (the real-deal FTB system) to control the spool during casting. This also means the braking system is correctly set up in mirror image for either left hand wind or right hand wind models - retaining dynamic braking for either winding configuration. More on that later...
The sweet spot for lure casting weights - when matched with an appropriate rod - seems to be in the 2-g and upwards category of BFS; at least as the reel comes out of the box. This makes it a great option for finesse bass fishing - since it can cope comfortably with light lures - and does not struggle with lures up to the "power BFS" category either (removable magnets are included in the brake mechanism, so you can customise the range of braking force that results when you alter the external dial).
Jimmy from @rawrfishing on Instagram set up for topwater frogging with a custom-handle Curado BFS
The robust and high-quality engineering you'd expect from Shimano also helps to reinforce that bass-fishing pedigree. Micro module gears (plain English - a higher number and smaller size of "teeth" that interlock together on gears) help to convey that smooth feeling. The solid X-ship pinion support system mounts bearings at both ends of the pinion gear. Doing this holds the pinion gear in the strongest position when under heavy loads - which combines with the rigid "Hagane" metal body to complete the solid, smooth reel experience.
For ultra finesse fans (including small water trout and panfish anglers), you can get a major transformation to a super-ultralight casting reel by the addition of an aftermarket spool such as the remarkable Roro CB26 X spool (weighing just 4.15g without the bearing). If you'd like this upgrade, I have a Roro affiliate link which doesn't increase the sticker price - but allows a proportion of your purchase to support Fishing Discoveries. You'll also find my Aliexpress affiliate links in this article which operate in the same way - and may help you to find a bargain price with global shipping.
NOTE: as an independent specialist studio, Roro makes these in small batches, so you may need to check regularly for the latest re-stock
In fact, with the option of stock and ultralight spool you have an extremely flexible, high-quality BFS setup. It's probably only the smaller diameter of spools in the dedicated ultra finesse platforms (like the Alphas Air TW 20 and Roro AX22 spool - weighing an unreal 3.65g minus the bearing) that make the difference in terms of minimum spool weight.
There is also an audible drag clicker which lets you know when a fish is pulling drag (or when you're winding against the drag). Audible drags are incredibly useful for finesse fishing so you know when you're maintaining line tension but not at the expense of increased risk of line breakage. The drag smoothness itself is ensured by Shimano's cross carbon drag system (Max drag force 8lb to protect the spool).
I can see this becoming a favourite reel for finesse fishing for tournament anglers in the future, check it out on Aliexpress below:
FTB Dynamic Magnetic Brake System: A huge plus for the Curado BFS
Contrary to what might seem to be the case at first glance - magnetic brakes on BFS reels do not work by a force of magnetic attraction between the spool metal and the magnets. In fact, aluminium is basically non-magnetic (or so weakly magnetic as to not be noticeable).
What actually happens is that the motion of the aluminium spool surface passing through the magnetic field creates rotating electrical currents within the metal plate. It is those "eddy currents" of electricity which generate an induced magnetic field.
Due to the miracle of physics (!), the magnetic field induced at the leading edge of the magnet points straight out, perpendicular to the spool face with the SAME polarity as the leading edge of the magnet...However, there is no magnetic repulsion of the magnets away from the spool because at the trailing edge of the magnet, the opposite (and ATTRACTING) magnetic field is induced.
For the full physics nerdery - the induced current induced by the leading edge rotates in one direction, and the current induced at the trailing edge rotates in the other. While both of those currents oppose LATERAL (i.e. spool rotation) motion of the spool; there is zero net attraction or repulsion that might Pull or Push the bank of magnets closer to/further from the spool surface.
The shoe holding the magnets can only rotate out towards the spool when the direction of spool rotation is from the spring (moving) end towards the pivot (fixed) end
This is the reason that the pivot point position is important - and why you can't put a Right Hand brake straight onto a Left Hand reel.
Because Shimano designed the FTB brake system, they know from the ground up exactly what makes it work - therefore, you can be confident that Curado BFS reels have exactly equivalent magnetic braking performance in either Left Hand or Right Hand reels.
Line guide, spool tension knob, FTB brake dial, spool and handle details for the Shimano Curado BFS
Interestingly, even "static" magnetic braking systems (where either the magnets or spool inductor remain the same distance from magnets) also experience a degree of dynamic braking. This is because the magnetic field strength is proportional to the speed of the aluminium inductor (i.e. how fast the spool is spinning). So, as the spool slows, the braking automatically becomes weaker - just less dramatically than with brakes that dynamically change the distance between magnet and inductor.
Long story short; you get the full dynamic brake experience with all Curado models.
Shimano Curado BFS XG Specifications Sheet
The Shimano Curado BFS is supplied in an "XG" gear rating (which typically indicates very high) - and this case is no exception with a ratio of 8.2:1 as can be seen in the specifications listed below:
- Brakes: Dynamic Shimano FTB (Finesse Tuned Brake)
- Gear Ratio: 8.2:1
- Line Retrieved Per Handle Turn: 32" (82cm)
- Reel Weight: 6.2oz (175g)
- Spool Weight: 8.8g (lightweight S3D spool reinforced for braid)
- Spool Diameter: 32mm
- Maximum Drag Force: 8lb (3.5kg)
- Line Capacity: 45m of 8lb fluorocarbon
- Bearings: 7+1 (casting/spool bearings are Silent Tune - incorporating vibration damping)
- Models: Left Hand Wind (Curado BFS XGL) and Right Hand Wind (Curado BFS XGR)
Where to Buy/Best Price
Aliexpress supplies globally and at the time of writing is showing pricing around $170USD / £159GBP, you can check price and availability for both left and right hand wind models using the button below.
Paul
Thanks Dr. Paul, I just ordered the replacement spool. I’m new the game. I have my Curado paired with a St.Croix Panfish series casting rod. It’s 5’6” light power with extra fast action.
St Croix Panfish “Casting” rod?