Coarse Fishing Tackle Review: The Shimano Catana 2500 RA Reel

In case you are a coarse angler, then you know the task of pursuing various fish species. When you’re angling for barbell, bream, dace, perch, pike, grayling among others, your coarse fishing tackle needs to be as adaptable as it can be. Being a coarse angler, you often need to adapt fast to different fishing sites, baits and tactics. Personally, I like pike since they put up a tremendous fight and present quite a challenge. No matter which coarse species you might be partial to, you will require equipment that’s both long-lasting and effective. Because I can’t afford high tech fishing gear, I’m continuously hunting for first-rate tackle that’s affordable. I’m getting ready to put forward my views on a superb, inexpensive reel from Shimano: the Cantana 2500 RA.

Coarse Fishing Tackle - Key Components of the Shimano Catana 2500 RA Coarse Fishing Reel

 This reel is bimanual and is very light in weight, part that’s vital to me during extensive fishing excursions. It’s got 2 stainless steel ball bearings for smooth functioning and will bear 200 yards of 6 pound test line. The gear ratio is 5.2:1, and the gearing is cold forged. Cold forging is a procedure in which a metal, mostly aluminium, is forced into a die, where it deforms in a controlled way and takes the design of the die. In the case of cold forged aluminium, the metal also is made to undergo a heat treatment tempering process that makes it strong. The Catana 2500 RA includes a spare extra-light graphite spool along with the typical aluminium spool. Regardless of its exceptionally inexpensive price of close to £24.99, the reel contains 3D CAD-CAM designed gearing for accurate operation and outstanding smoothness.

Coarse Fishing Tackle - More Details Concerning the Catana 2500 RA Reel

 Another high tech element included on this inexpensive reel is the progressive multi-disk rear drag system that has a surprisingly wide selection of settings. This makes the reel appropriate for everything from heavy spinning to light match fishing. The Dyna-Balance® aspect might be seen as likened to balancing an automobile tyre. This practice does away with rotor wobble throughout the retrieve. The Varispeed® oscillation aspect makes sure of accurate line lay. Finally, the 2500 RA’s Super Stopper II® facilitates instant hook setting. For what you pay for it, this reel is filled with elements typically contained on more costly models. One of my angling friends also uses this reel. When I sought his viewpoint, this is what he said: “I can use these for light float, feeder/ledger and spinning. As an all-rounder, they are not too big and not too small. The reel looks and feels well made, A cut above the ‘budget’ reels without getting silly on price.”

Coarse Fishing Tackle - Final Opinion on the Shimano Catana 2500 RA Coarse Fishing Reel

 This reel was an excellent addition to my collection of coarse fishing tackle. Without thinking, I just grab it more often than some of my other, costlier reels. I’m pleased to rate it at 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars.