2-Year Bass Fishing Field Test: Shimano Curado CU200K Reel and Loomis IMX-PRO Topwater Frog Rod

Any bass rod and reel can impress for a day or two on the water, but how will it stand up through a 2-year grind of heavy use?

2-Year Bass Fishing Field Test: Shimano Curado CU200K Reel and Loomis IMX-PRO Topwater Frog Rod

For decades, one of my favorite baitcasting reels has been the classic Shimano Bantam Curado CU-200 (below). I’ve used it primary for largemouth bass, but it’s also served double duty for bigger predators such as northern pike and muskies. I can summarize the Curado’s performance and dependability in one word: workhorse.

The author’s well-worn Shimano Bantam Curado CU-200.
The author’s well-worn Shimano Bantam Curado CU-200.

It should then come as no surprise that when it came time to add another top-notch baitcasting reel to my arsenal, I again looked to Shimano. My teenage son Elliott was beginning to pursue bass and pike nearly every day during the summer, as well as every weekend when school was in session during spring and fall, so it only made sense to outfit him with a newer Shimano baitcaster, a Curado CU200K. I’d also use it, and when we were on the water together, I could compare the two — old vs. new Curado — side by side.

I own a few medium- and medium-heavy baitcasting rods, including one old-school flippin’ stick with a telescoping handle, but I decided it was also time to add a newer rod to the mix for frog fishing. After careful research, I chose the G. Loomis IMX-PRO Topwater Frog Rod, specifically model 885C TWFR (TWFR stands for Topwater Frog Rod). The power on this rod is listed as mag-heavy, which means it’s designed for setting the hooks on big bass and then pulling them out of thick cover.

 

First Impressions

Although cosmetics mean nothing in terms of catching bass, I have to admit that the Curado CU200K and Loomis IMX-PRO look like they were made for each other. The colors of the reel and rod blank appear identical to me, and the combo has outstanding balance in the hand. It feels like the two were designed to be used together. In fact, I’ve never palmed a reel that felt better than the Curado CU200K on the IMX-PRO.

I loaded the Curado CU200K with 50-pound-test PowerPro braid; it held 120 yards. I set the drag to the point where I could just barely pull line from the spool. Max drag for the reel is 11 pounds, and I must have been close to this number.

 

On-the-Water Results

As mentioned in the title of this article, at the time of this writing, Elliott and I have fished with this heavy-duty combo for 2 years. In our home state of Minnesota, this means from mid-May until late October. During some weeks of the open-water fishing season, the combo was used every day. And even during those weeks when it was fished only 2 or 3 days, those daily adventures were typically 8 hours minimum. It’s no exaggeration to say this combo was the mainstay of our baitcasting arsenal — thousands and thousands of casts with topwater frogs, as well as ChatterBaits and weedless jigs.

At the end of this article I’ll list some of the specific features/specifications of the Shimano Curado CU200K reel and G. Loomis IMX-PRO Topwater Frog Rod. Of course, this info is readily available online, so I’d rather focus on my personal impressions about each product. I’ll start with the reel.

Shimano Curado CU200K
Shimano Curado CU200K

Nothing is more aggravating when using a baitcasting reel than a backlash, but at no time was this an issue with the Curado CU200K. Backlashes are rarely a problem when tossing a ChatterBait or weedless jig, but it can be a different story when throwing a hollow-bodied frog. Some frogs have decent weight to them, but others are fairly light, and they catch the wind, too, making them difficult to cast with some baitcasting reels. After setting the Curado CU200K’s casting brake, I never touched the adjustment again, regardless of lure choice or wind direction and speed. My old Bantam Curado is far more particular about setting the casting brake just-so, but not the newer reel. In terms of casting distance, I don’t own a baitcaster that tosses lures farther than the Curado CU200K.

When retrieving a lure, the Curado CU200K is whisper quiet and silky smooth. I chose the model with the 6.2:1 retrieve ratio. The large no-slip handle grips are very comfortable, and the drag is outstanding. As I said earlier, I set the drag so it was very difficult for a fish to peel off line, but I did hook and fight a couple big pike that put the drag system to the test. 

I have a couple buddies who own this same reel, and they love it as much as I do. FYI: A quick check of Amazon’s website reveals a product rating of five full stars (nearly 550 ratings). The Curado CU200K isn’t the most expensive baitcaster on the market — street price is $179.99 — but it’s everything I need and want in a reel. Obviously, I don’t know yet whether it’ll last 20-plus years like my original Bantam Curado, but it’s off to an excellent start.

G. Loomis is a household name among serious anglers because the company builds some of the finest fishing rods on the planet. I worked in fishing retail for 7 years back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and I’ve sold several dozen Loomis rods. During these same years I also worked as a multi-species fishing guide in northern Minnesota, and many of my co-workers/guides depended on Loomis. Somehow, however, I never owned one of the company’s rods, so I was excited to finally give one a shot.

G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod
G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod

The G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod was lighter in overall weight than I expected. Usually rods designed for muscling bass from heavy cover have a bit of heft to them; not this Loomis. The handle isn’t overly long, which I like, especially when retrieving/twitching a frog with rod tip low to the water. (If a handle is too long, the rod butt will hit your armpit with each downward twitch of the rod tip, which is annoying.) Paired with the Shimano Curado CU200K, the 7-foot 4-inch fast-action rod balances well. The rod is slightly tip heavy with reel mounted, but that’s expected when a rod’s power is mag-heavy. Compared to other heavy-duty frog rods I own, the IMX-PRO balances the best (i.e. is the least tip heavy).

There’s a fine line for a frog rod when it comes to action near the tip, as well as overall power throughout the rod blank. As I said, this is a fast-action rod with mag-heavy power. A rod can be too stiff to effectively cast a lightweight hollow-bodied frog; you need just a bit of tip action to load the rod blank and then make a long and accurate cast. When a bass strikes the frog, you need enough power to set the hook and then winch the fish from heavy cover. Most rods I’ve used for frog fishing do well in one area or the other (light tip vs. power throughout), but this IMX-PRO is one of those very special rods that successfully accomplishes both tasks. Elliott and I could fire a frog with accuracy and distance thanks to the tip action, and also have the power/backbone to set hooks and haul fish back to the boat.

As I was working on this article, I asked Elliott: “What’s your favorite feature on the Loomis frog rod?”

“No matter how hard I set the hook and fight a bass,” he said, “the reel stays anchored in place. Every other rod and reel I’ve used for frog fishing has the reel slip to some degree. I’ve even had the entire reel pop out of a reel seat before. This combo is perfect; nothing moves.”

The author’s son Elliott has adopted the Shimano reel and G. Loomis rod as his own. He uses the heavy-duty combo for everything from frogs and ChatterBaits to weedless jigs and soft plastics in thick cover.
The author’s son Elliott has adopted the Shimano reel and G. Loomis rod as his own. He uses the heavy-duty combo for everything from frogs and ChatterBaits to weedless jigs and soft plastics in thick cover.

I love everything about the G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod except the price: $355. Maybe it’s because I think back to the 1980s when you could buy a top-of-the-line spinning or baitcasting rod for $100 to $150. Sure, you can still purchase a decent 7-foot medium-action, medium-power baitcasting rod within this price range, but to catch bass on hollow-bodied frogs, a rod blank has to longer, stronger (in power) and faster (in action). The rod blank materials needed to achieve this top performance are expensive, and the same is true for the components (reel seat, handle and guides). It is worth noting that G. Loomis rods have a limited lifetime warranty, which to me provides peace of mind.

Below are lists of specifications and features for the Shimano reel and G. Loomis rod. I look forward to using this combo for many years. I have high expectations, but I’m very confident this rod and reel will continue to impress.

  

Shimano Curado CU200K Specs/Features

  • Smaller, more palm-friendly footprint (compared to older Curados)
  • Compact, ergonomic body design
  • MicroModule gearing for smooth engagement cast-after-cast SVS Infinity braking system for fine-tuning when the wind kicks-up or it’s time to switch baits
  • Long handle and rubberized paddle grips for increased control Shimano’s X-ship technology to improve durability by providing more precise gear alignment between the pinion and main gear, especially under heavy loads
  • Super Free Spool with Shimano Stable Spool Design for rotational smoothness
  • Power AL aluminum frame
  • 6BB + 1RB bearings
  • Cross Carbon Drag with up to 11 pounds of max drag.
  • Available in a multiple gear-ratios from 6.2:1 to 8.5:1 (author’s model is 6.2:1, which brings in 26 inches of line per turn)
  • 7.6 ounces
  • Capacity: 120 yards of 50-pound braid
  • $179.99
  • www.fish.shimano.com

 

G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod Specs/Features

  • Advanced IMX materials, multi-taper technology and strategic scrim placement
  • Up to 15% lighter over standard IMX rods, with improved strength
  • Premium components throughout: tangle-free Fuji K-frame guides and Fuji reel seats that ensure long-lasting durability and performance
  • Well-spaced, premium guides minimize line friction for long accurate casts
  • Subtly tapered rear grips to give that split-grip feel with full grip comfort
  • One piece
  • 7 feet 4 inches
  • Mag-heavy power
  • Fast action
  • Lure sizes: 3/8 to 1 ounce
  • $355
  • www.gloomis.com
Hollow-bodied frogs can be difficult to cast because they catch a lot of wind and don’t weigh much, but the author has experienced no trouble when using a G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod matched with a Shimano Curado CU200K reel.
Hollow-bodied frogs can be difficult to cast because they catch a lot of wind and don’t weigh much, but the author has experienced no trouble when using a G. Loomis IMX-PRO 885C TWFR Topwater Frog Rod matched with a Shimano Curado CU200K reel.


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