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Shakespeare Catera Fishing Reels
Fishing Reels Manufacturer: Shakespeare
Shakespeare Model: Catera
Review Category: Fishing Reels
Purchase: Fishing Reels This reel was purchased as a Catera Rod & Reel combo from Wal Mart Sporting goods in Kemah Texas. I purchased this combo to have spares to share with equipment deprived friends on fishing trips. I paid $34.95 for this reel mounted on a Shakespeare Catera 6" two piece rod (cork handles).
Things I like about the Shakespeare Catera Fishing Reels: The operation is smoothe as glass, it is easy to clean and lubricate on the sections that are user serviceable. The finish is fairly decent, and has all the features and quality that you would expect of a reel twice the price. There are no rough spots in the spool so there is never any reel induced interference while casting. Takeup is silky smoothe, tolerates abuse very well, and the price. This combo was not the cheapest, but for a combo of this quality, it was dirt cheap.
What I don't like about the Shakespeare Catera: The use of gold tone plated plastic trim pieces. I like the gold tone, but plated plastics tend to flake the finish off rather quickly. Also, this reel did not come with a spare spool like several of my others did. A second spool is a nice thing to have. But that is a minor issue, and for the price I don't expect it.
Fishing Reels Catera quality: Everything seems to be up to par. No rough spots, aside from the usage of plastics, everything is where it should be, in the materials and quality of workmanship that they should be. I dropped one in Galveston Bay (salt water) and was unable to get back to the reel to clean it for almost three weeks. It was siezed up tight. Take the spool off, blow the reel out with compressed air through the lube hole, and drench it with Gun & Reel oil for a half hour, wipe it all down with a tack cloth and it came back to life like a new reel. Still smoothe as glass. So it tolerates abuse VERY well. (I expected to have to throw it away).
Catera summary: This isn't the fanciest reel out there, and it doesn't hold a candle to my Tournament Grade rod and Shimano Sahara 4000 rig, but for any Rod & Reel combo for under $100.00, I would put this thing up against anything else I have seen. This rig simply kicks butt and saves the wallet. I like it so much, I went out and bought a second one! I give it a rating of 4 overall, but in its price class, it is definately a 5! This is the kind of quality I have come to expect from Shakespeare.
Rating for this Shakespeare product: 4
Author of this review on Shakespeare Fishing Reels: SuperDave3006
Date: 2005-05-07
Usefulness Rating: 4.70588 out of 5.
17 reader(s) voted.
This Shakespeare Fishing Reels review brought to you by Hunting & Fishing Gear Review!
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