Shimano Ultegra CI4 Plus Spinning Reels Review

Great reel except for the knob

i have seen one of these reels take literally hundreds of fish a few seasons in a row before finally giving up. the only flaw to this reel is that awful knob, who even thought that was a good idea?

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Great surf spinning reel

I've been looking for a spinning reel that could withstand the rigors of surf fishing, sturdy but light weight. Tried differrent brands, most of them are heavy. The search is over when I got my first shimano ultegra ci4 xtc 14000. It's water sealed, light weight, very smooth retrieve, fast drag. My wife likes surf fishing. When she tried using this, she loves it, so much that we… read more now have 3.

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Overpriced

I also own Shimano XTD reels. The pricier C-14, does not perform significantly better. In my opinion the quality of this reel appears the same as the less pricy XTD surf reel. I recently fished a tournament and used both reels for two full days. I could not tell much difference if any at all between the two reels. I believe both reel's come with a spare spool and the same amonnt… read more of line reduction spacers.

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Pretty nice reel

Pros: it does lay down line on the reel very neat and pretty. I do also like the drag, each click actually feels like it does something rather than most reels where you move a few clicks and it feels like it didn't do anything, move a few more, not enough, move a few more, etc. It is a smooth feeling reel. Lightweight.

Cons: is it a noticeable or significant difference… read more in casting distance? No. It might be but nothing noticeable. Meaning, it's not like have an "a-ha" moment. Due to the weight and feel of this reel, it feels a little plastic-y or flimsy. I may be wrong but it doesn't feel like it'll hold up to the elements and I'm extra careful with this reel, another words, it's no saragossa or van staal or tsunami salt x.

Would I recommend this reel? For the money, I would say although a nice reel, I would recommend a saragossa or something else but would still say this is a nice reel though. Just wish it was a bit less expensive to hit a different market.

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Excellent reel

El mejor carrete Long casting, lo recomiendo usar con l?nea 30lb power pro!.

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Worth the money if distance and light weight is your thing

Been using the 14000 for over a year for Jetties and surf with no issues. The reel is amazingly light for the size and easy to cast repeatedly for long casting sessions. The retrieve has always been very smooth and it has more power than it looks like it should. I use a 12' and a 10' rod and it is always fun to see people react to 100+ yard casts that have not seen it. The drag… read more tightens significantly in around half a turn which is great for tightening it up for casting out heavier weight to save your finger from line burn. It makes it easy to transition from casting to fishing levels of drag and be consistent cast after cast. The only thing I would change is the handle knob. I feel like a larger knob would make fighting a larger fish a more pleasant experience. Largest fish so far on this reel was a 40" bull red and it handled it like a champ. I also use a Penn Spinfisher VI 5500 LC and although I love my Penn, this reel is on a whole other level...as It should given the price. If you have the budget this reel is a winner. I like it so much I recently purchased the 5500 from TD recently and now I have the family. Excellent reels and service from TD!

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A well-built reel, built for strength, power, and versatility. Light-weight. Worth every penny!

A tip about the included line reducers: They come in sizes 10000, 6000, and 3500. If you chose not to use the reducers, you can fit around 460 yards of 50lb. PowerPro braid on the spool, according to the specs. I only wanted 250 yards of 50lb, so I had to look through the specs of other Shimano spinning reels on the Shimano website to see what size reels could accommodate 250 yards… read more of line. The 6000 size reels were the closest. So I used the 6000 line reducer to fit 250 yards of line.
But, I also found these reducers have another purpose. Knowing that I only wanted 250 yards of 50lb. braid, I used the 6000 line reducer. BUT, before popping the reducer on the spool, I tied my braid directly onto the spool (normally, you'd want to add mono backing to your spool before adding the braid to eliminate line slippage around the spool). After tying a Uni knot of braid directly onto the spool, I then placed the reducer on the spool OVER the knot. There is even a small notch at the joint of the reducers so that your line can come up through the reducer. Once the reducer was tightly fitted in place (Uni knot aligned with notch), I then had a tight and secure fit of braid spun onto the reducer without the need of backing! Extremely tight fit, and absolutely no slippage around the spool!
Since the specs of this reel indicate 41 inches per 1 crank of the handle, I ended up cranking 220 times to achieve about 250 yards of line (250 yds. X 36in. = 9000in. Then 9000 divided by 41 = 220). However, this info. is only helpful (in relation to the reducers) if you already know the line capacity for a certain size reel. In my case, the 6000 worked out beautifully so that I could take a 500yd. roll of 50lb. PowerPro and divide it equally between the 2 spools that this reel comes with! Your results may vary, but in my case, I had some line left on the PowerPro roll, indicating that it is probably slightly less than a perfect 250yds. on each spool. But the fit is good and about as perfect as I need it to be!

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Solid Reel

I own two Ultegra Ci4 reels now & have had no problems with them. I bought my first 3 years ago and the other recently. I like the new blacked out design, it feels even a little more solid. As long as you have the spacing right on your guides, these reels cast really far.

My usual reels are Stellas so I use the Ultegra's more for long cast situations.

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Got the 14000, a reel for KINGS

absolutely wonderful reel! incredible strength and ease of use. this monster just keeps reeling with minimal power on even the heaviest of fish! pair this with the Shimano Tiravejo 12ft for a match made in heaven!

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Ultegra 14000 CI4 amazing reel for surf fishing.

From the first time I used it, this reel became my favorite without a doubt. It's a lightweight and smooth yet powerful reel that can tame any trophy fish.

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Ultegra 1400

Teamed with a Daiwa emcast rod loaded with 40 lb braid, this reel casts well over a hundred yards with minimum effort. I have surf fished for over 35 years and this reel is the smoothest, longest casting reel I have ever used. Well worth the money. Extremely well satisfied with this purchase from tackle direct

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Outstanding reel for long casting surf fishing.

Outstanding reel for long casting surf fishing, excellent drag system and very very smooth action.
Highly recommend you won't be disappointed!

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Casting

This is overall an excellent reel, casting distance is immaculate. The line lay smooth to the spool with supreme oscillation. Retrieval is extra smooth even when brining the big black tips in, no stress on the reel. I recommend this product.

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Surf fishing

Great reel worth every $

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Best surf reel.

This bad boy is as smooth on the cast as it is on retrieve. I never thought I would spend this much on a reel because it wouldn't be worth it.... I was wrong! Worth every f'ING penny.... well, almost! It is expensive in my book, I have caught a lot of fish on MUCH less pricey reels. But never have I felt the buttery goodness that this reel represents. If you are on the fence...… read more BUY IT! I can assure you after decades of chucking big baits this one has the stuff to back it up for a very long time. I've used it for several trips now, and it feels as good now as it did when I first cast it! Saving up for the smaller one now to use soundside. (Highly recommend using with super 8 slick braid)

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