Shimano Citica E, what can be done to increase performance?? 2025

The Rooster reply :

Got a few questions about the current Shimano Citica E reel.

First, I already found out from Bantam1 that the crankshaft has a bushing that can be replaced with the same bearing that fits a Curado for smoothing out the reel. This is something I would definitely do if I got a Citica. Has anyone here did this to their Citica reel and saw any improvement in smoothness??

Second, the handle paddles do not have bearings so I'm assuming they just have nylon bushings only. I would think they would be prone to wearing out. Can the bushings be replaced and if so can they be substituted for bearings at a later time??

I'd love to get a Curado. I'm on the fence about selling all my BPS Extremes and getting different casters. But for what I believe I could sell these reels for I think that would leave me selling 4 good reels and getting only 1 Curado in return. If I get Citicas instead, I'd at least have 2 reels and could upgrade them just a little with the crankshaft bearings at a later time. I'm just not sure about the Citica though cause it seems like I'd be really missing out and always wishing I'd gotten Curados instead. So that's why I'm asking what can be done to upgrade the Citica somewhat.

d.hark reply :

You don't have to do anything to a Citica its good right out the box!!!!!! Some people complain or suggest to break it down and remove the factory grease to free it up some, but just use it and it will break in just fine

burleytog reply :

There are no bushings in the Citica knobs. And no good way to add bearings unless you switched to a Curado handle.

The knob post has an integral brass bushing that supports the base of the knob.

RippinLips86 reply :

upgrade to a curado I did and i dont think ill ever fish anything else

Speed_Racer reply :

Citica is a good reel as it is. Are you stuck on getting a Shimano. Okuma has some pretty good reels for the money. Plus they're giving $20 & $30 rebates. You can get the Cayenne for $139 less $20 rebate and you can get it for the price of a Citica. It has more bearings and also has abec 5 spool bearings. Just a thought.

http://www.***.com/Okuma_Cayenne_Casting_Reel/descpage-OCCR.html

burleytog reply :

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Citica is a good reel as it is. Are you stuck on getting a Shimano. Okuma has some pretty good reels for the money. Plus they're giving $20 & $30 rebates. You can get the Cayenne for $139 less $20 rebate and you can get it for the price of a Citica. It has more bearings and also has abec 5 spool bearings. Just a thought.
http://www.***.com/Okuma_Cayenne_Casting_Reel/descpage-OCCR.html

More bearings =/= better reel.

Raul reply :

You can 't add bearings to the knobs in a Citica, the only upgrade is a handle change for a Curado E handle assembly. So by doing that ( cost of the part ) + the original cost of the reel, well you could have purchased a Curado.

There 's no "improvement" in the performance by changing the bushing for a bearing, it will only make the reel a little smoother than it already is.

The Rooster reply :

What about that bushing on the crank shaft?? Is it already metal such as brass or is it some material that will wear out fairly quickly??

burleytog reply :

The Citica is the absolute best reel you can get for $120 or less.

I own 2D's and 2E's. The E's have really surprised me this year. They've been pretty much all I've used this year (been slinging traps and Bandit 200's) and they have surprised me.

There are four major differences.

1. Curado has a lighter spool

2. Curado handle has bigger knobs and 1 bearing per knob

3. Curado has a bearing on the shaft while the Citica has a bushing.

4. Curado has a different level-wind guide.

While I own four Curado E's, I wouldn't hesitate to buy more Citicas. I think you can rest assured that it will not develop slop over time.

The Rooster reply :

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The Citica is the absolute best reel you can get for $120 or less.
I own 2D's and 2E's. The E's have really surprised me this year. They've been pretty much all I've used this year (been slinging traps and Bandit 200's) and they have surprised me.

There are four major differences.

1. Curado has a lighter spool

2. Curado handle has bigger knobs and 1 bearing per knob

3. Curado has a bearing on the shaft while the Citica has a bushing.

4. Curado has a different level-wind guide.

While I own four Curado E's, I wouldn't hesitate to buy more Citicas. I think you can rest assured that it will not develop slop over time.

Well I know this thread is about Citica upgrades but I'd like to also know if you could convert the Curado handle from having 1 bearing under each paddle to having 2, making it a 9 bearing reel?? I only ask because I'd like to have a reel that has nearly zero potential for wear development for an extended period of time.

Big Bait Fishing reply :

1 bearing in the handle will be plenty , i put 1 bearing per handle grip on my Revo Toro 51 and it spins great and doesn't wobble or flex , in my opinion it is fine with the one , i am not even concerned about adding another (if that is even possible ) . so get the citica and send it to Mike at Delaware Valley Tackle ( site sponsor) and have him super tune it and upgrade the drag , i am gonna have my Revo SX done here pretty soon (followed by my Revo Inshore and my Revo Toro)

bilgerat reply :

The Rooster; the man in search of the ultimate reel....

You need to have NASA design a reel for you.

All kidding aside, I understand your appreciation for quality. That being said, go and get yourself the Citica or a Revo. Parts will be available for years to come and they're all on the same level quality wise. Don't let something like handle knobs keep you from making the jump.

I know where you're coming from. I used to own a Toyota pickup truck that I drove for a little over 14 years.....

Boogey Man reply :

Agree with others who said they're good to go out of the box. Are you worried because it only has 4 bearings it may not be "smooth" and cast well? I know before I bought my first one I thought the same thing but if you tried one not knowing how many bearings it actually has you could never tell it was only a "four bearing reel".

dave reply :

I am still using Citicas B's that were made in the mid 90's. Granted I have changed bushings to bearings but, they "feel" as good as they ever did. I think that you are way over thinking this whole decision.

zero limit reply :

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I am still using Citicas B's that were made in the mid 90's. Granted I have changed bushings to bearings but, they "feel" as good as they ever did. I think that you are way over thinking this whole decision.

Agreed I have a Citica 100DSV, bought used , prof. cleaned IMO It's better than my Curado B AND Close to my Fuego

Grey Wolf reply :

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I am still using Citicas B's that were made in the mid 90's. Granted I have changed bushings to bearings but, they "feel" as good as they ever did. I think that you are way over thinking this whole decision.

X2 . Buy it and fish it.

Daniel My Brother reply :

Here's what I know to be true about home buying:

The most affordable home is one that is built to the builder's specs.

The most expensive option is to buy a home that's already built and to remodel it to your specs.

It sounds like you want the best reel possible for the least money possible. But you're going the remodel route and that's a mistake. Just buy the Citica or Curado off the shelf and enjoy it.

Here's another way to think about it: modifying a Citica is like putting 20 inch rims on a Honda mini-van. The Honda's a great mini-van, but it's still a mini-van.

Raul reply :

Quote

Quote
Well I know this thread is about Citica upgrades but I'd like to also know if you could convert the Curado handle from having 1 bearing under each paddle to having 2, making it a 9 bearing reel?? .

No.

tyrius. reply :

If you want something better than the Citica then buy the next reel up in the line up. You'll spend more money upgrading than you will just buying the stock reel.

That said, you've gotta be pretty picky not to be satisfied with the citica.

Me thinks that you think about things too much.

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

There's a difference between what can be done vs. what needs to or should be done. The Citica is a fine reel especially at the price point. If you want to have little extras done during routine/annual maintenance the additional cost would be minimal. If the point of the original post is to decide if the Citica is a good buy, I would have to say yes.

Dockhead reply :

I was sold on the old Curados, had just bought my fourth one when they decided to make the Curado differently (and boost the price) and upgrade the Citica. Everyone was saying the Citica was basically the same as the old Curado, but I didn't care, I was so miffed I swore I was done with Shimano and I was going to try something different around that price point ($120) next time I was in the market. Well, someone got me a Citica for xmas, and now I just ordered my 2nd one earlier this week. They are great, you won't be disappointed. And of course I had a notion to go for a Curado, but decided it wasn't prudent.

My only question would be if you are happy with the BPS reels you have, why switch?? If you are getting rid of 4 to get 2, won't that leave a couple rods hanging in the garage?

You might be better off keeping what you have, and down the line if you need a new reel try a Citica out.

Simp reply :

I did the drive shaft upgrade a couple months ago. It's cheap and simple really. Just lay everything out and have your manual handy. I'd advise some tweezers and some decent small screw drivers. Take your time and it shouldn't be a problem. I think it took me a hour or two and it was fun to break down all the parts and build them up again. It certainly taught me allot about reels. Also if you buy two Citica's it's advantages to have the other handy in case your not sure about something.

Now in terms of performance I find it certainly is smoother but you don't notice to much until you put under a good crankbait load. Personally I can't see going from 4 reels to just one curado. I'd advise you just slowly add Citica's one at a time to your inventory. Then slowly upgrade them if you wanted to. What's nice about the Citica's is they hold there value well because they are a quality reel. So if you wanted to go to Curado's at a later time you could and come out well on the financial side still.

The Rooster reply :

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I did the drive shaft upgrade a couple months ago. It's cheap and simple really. Just lay everything out and have your manual handy. I'd advise some tweezers and some decent small screw drivers. Take your time and it shouldn't be a problem. I think it took me a hour or two and it was fun to break down all the parts and build them up again. It certainly taught me allot about reels. Also if you buy two Citica's it's advantages to have the other handy in case your not sure about something.
Now in terms of performance I find it certainly is smoother but you don't notice to much until you put under a good crankbait load. Personally I can't see going from 4 reels to just one curado. I'd advise you just slowly add Citica's one at a time to your inventory. Then slowly upgrade them if you wanted to. What's nice about the Citica's is they hold there value well because they are a quality reel. So if you wanted to go to Curado's at a later time you could and come out well on the financial side still.

Yeah I do not want to drop from 4 reels down to just 1 either. I would really feel that difference. I've been thinking about it some and the Citica is the way for me to go at this time. I'm pretty sure I could get by with only 3 reels anyway, most times I go out I don't end up using but 3 of them. I can get 2 Citica's immediately if I sell all the Extremes I have now, and adding one more would be a possibility since they are affordable.

Quote
Here's what I know to be true about home buying:
The most affordable home is one that is built to the builder's specs.

The most expensive option is to buy a home that's already built and to remodel it to your specs.

It sounds like you want the best reel possible for the least money possible. But you're going the remodel route and that's a mistake. Just buy the Citica or Curado off the shelf and enjoy it.

Here's another way to think about it: modifying a Citica is like putting 20 inch rims on a Honda mini-van. The Honda's a great mini-van, but it's still a mini-van.

This post makes a lot of sense. To me the Curado is the house on the hill that I can't afford. The Citica is the brick ranch down in the valley that's in my price range. However I would still add the drive shaft bearing since it's not that expensive to do and would make some difference in terms of smoothness and would also protect more against wear so that it lasts longer (which is my main reason for wanting the bearings).

I.rar reply :

Quote
I did the drive shaft upgrade a couple months ago. It's cheap and simple really. Just lay everything out and have your manual handy. I'd advise some tweezers and some decent small screw drivers. Take your time and it shouldn't be a problem. I think it took me a hour or two and it was fun to break down all the parts and build them up again. It certainly taught me allot about reels. Also if you buy two Citica's it's advantages to have the other handy in case your not sure about something.

i plan on taking my reel apart for a relube/grease whenever i grow the stones to do it myself. do you have a link to the upgrade process?

btw , i have the 'D' model , is it any different?

Grey Wolf reply :

The saga continues.

Raul reply :

The new Citica is a much better reel than the Curado B series is, performance/features like would be equivalent to the old Chronarch. So when you purchase a Citica you are no setting for less, you are setting for a lot more than you can imagine.

Simp reply :

Quote

Quote
I did the drive shaft upgrade a couple months ago. It's cheap and simple really. Just lay everything out and have your manual handy. I'd advise some tweezers and some decent small screw drivers. Take your time and it shouldn't be a problem. I think it took me a hour or two and it was fun to break down all the parts and build them up again. It certainly taught me allot about reels. Also if you buy two Citica's it's advantages to have the other handy in case your not sure about something.

i plan on taking my reel apart for a relube/grease whenever i grow the stones to do it myself. do you have a link to the upgrade process?

btw , i have the 'D' model , is it any different?

Yes the E and D models are different. The Citica E and the new Curado E are almost identical reels except for a couple small exceptions. One of those exceptions is the drive shaft bushing the Citica E has and the Curado E has a bearing. So you just order that bearing part from shimano or from another bearing store that is online, and replace the bushing and boom you have a smoother reel.

I.rar reply :

does this apply for the 'd' models?

going over the schematics , there is no mention of a bushing on the drive shaft (P# 3571).

The Rooster reply :

I think the D series Citica already has a bearing there. When they redesigned it and released the E series it came out with one less bearing than the D had. That is the one I believe. Same one that fits the Curado E is what fits the Citica E.

You guys sold me on the Citica. Now I wish I had gotten that one that was on clearance at my local Walmart last fall. Could have had a brand new in box, NOT display model, for $92. At that time I thought it was overpriced since the Pro Qualifier could be had for $80 and offered 4 gear ratios compared to the Citica only one ratio. But the more I examine the reels I have I realize that the 6.4 (Citica 6.2) does anything I want and the rest are just indulging me somewhat by being a little faster or a little slower. Guess that one ratio is all I really need cause I can slow down or speed up on my own.

Big Bait Fishing reply :

get one , this one is $94.55 priority mail shipping included !!!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-CI200E-Citica-Cast-Reel-New-in-box_W0QQitemZ320509672793QQihZ011QQcategoryZ108153QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D9128251848289501236

Hooligan reply :

I've got 13 Citicas; I've done nothing to them; I've never had a problem with them. I will continue to buy them as well as Curados. They're one of the most durable reels you can get, and easily the best reel at that price-point.

The Rooster reply :

I just read on basspro.com that someone reviewed the Citica and says it has a plastic cast control knob. I thought it was metal. Which is it??

Hooligan reply :

Metal.

The Rooster reply :

I thought so. Where do people get their ideas?? I also read someone said the drag star was plastic and I know that tackletour.com stated it was "standard metal alloy".

Well, thanks a lot for all the feedback. I'm sold. Gotta get a Citica now, but I already know I'm gonna want Curados before long. Man I just wish they were cheaper. I think I'll look on the net before I buy to see how low priced I can get one. $160 so far for a Curado...I see it flashing at the top of my screen here. Americanbassoutlet.com it looks like.

**EDIT**

Ebay has:

Citica $98 brand new and shipped

Curado $144 brand new and shipped

NewAngler reply :

Use Bing cashback. go to e bay and buy two curado's at once. You can mix and match with the e5 and e7. With 8% cashback they're $134 each. I'm waiting for a 20+% day to grab some.

I Love BassResource reply :

As everyone has stated, the new Citica's a great value. I currently use Citica's on my flipping/pitchin sticks, and curados on everything else. I'm currently toying with coverting a Citica to a lower cranking ratio and I'm going to try using them on my crankin setups. I pefer left handed reels, so I can't get a curado to crank with.

Carrington reply :

just buy a curado, you can get them for $145 on ebay with free shipping, i just got a CU200E7 and it has a warranty and everything from the ebay seller.

kikstand454 reply :

this entire thread kills me.

how long do you want this reel to last rooster? i mean... ok i understand that you want value for your money... but really when it comes down to it... the just dont make them like they used to. noone does. if you take care of the citica... itll probably last you 5 or 7 years or so before you have to either rebuild some of it... or get another reel.

with the way technology is advancing... will even a curado be that great in 7 years? you need to think about your return on investment more than your perceived "reliablility".

for 120 dollars youre getting a fine reel that will work for you for at least 5 years right? thats 24 dollars a year. 24 dollars man.

it need not "last" any longer than that becuase it will be anciently obsolete by then. 5 years from now you will be saying... "man my old citica still fishes great! but it sure isnt my shimano ninjahamster200!!! that thing shreds!"

i have an old lews cranking reel thats probably 25 years old..that has 3 bearings and will out cast any citica... any day. does that make it a better reel? hahah yes. my point exactly.

buy the best quality you can afford. dont over extend yourself for minimal gain. youll drive yourself nuts.

barroncooper reply :

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this entire thread kills me.
how long do you want this reel to last rooster? i mean... ok i understand that you want value for your money... but really when it comes down to it... the just dont make them like they used to. noone does. if you take care of the citica... itll probably last you 5 or 7 years or so before you have to either rebuild some of it... or get another reel.

with the way technology is advancing... will even a curado be that great in 7 years? you need to think about your return on investment more than your perceived "reliablility".

for 120 dollars youre getting a fine reel that will work for you for at least 5 years right? thats 24 dollars a year. 24 dollars man.

it need not "last" any longer than that becuase it will be anciently obsolete by then. 5 years from now you will be saying... "man my old citica still fishes great! but it sure isnt my shimano ninjahamster200!!! that thing shreds!"

i have an old lews cranking reel thats probably 25 years old..that has 3 bearings and will out cast any citica... any day. does that make it a better reel? hahah yes. my point exactly.

buy the best quality you can afford. dont over extend yourself for minimal gain. youll drive yourself nuts.

well said

Grey Wolf reply :

Rooster will end up getting the citica , then after a while he'll bemoan the fact that he didn't get a curado write a bunch of questions about it , then buy one next year.

He creates his own vicious circle but the Bait Monkey loves him.

Incheon Basser reply :

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Rooster will end up getting the citica , then after a while he'll bemoan the fact that he didn't get a curado write a bunch of questions about it , then buy one next year.
He creates his own vicious circle but the Bait Monkey loves him.

I still remember when he was defending his Extremes against the Citcas now he has been converted... I went through the same thing though when I went Bass Crazy 3 years ago... BPS -> Citca -> Now I'm buying two Curados, two Team Daiwa Advantage-A and 1 more Citca... Then next year I'll probably make the dive to a Core. At times it seems like I wasted money on the cheaper but really it helped me have more rigs and learn different techniques better. They only reel I really regret buying was the 2008 Quantum PT TE. The only thing that makes me feel better is the fact the Citcas were not out yet so it doesn't seem like a total waist of 99$

Edit

Gone_Phishin reply :

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Quote
Rooster will end up getting the citica , then after a while he'll bemoan the fact that he didn't get a curado write a bunch of questions about it , then buy one next year.
He creates his own vicious circle but the Bait Monkey loves him.

I still remember when he was defending his Extremes against the Citcas now he has been converted... I went through the same thing though when I went Bass Crazy 3 years ago... BPS -> Citca -> Now I'm buying two Curados, two Daiwa Agresstes and 1 more Citca... Then next year I'll probably make the dive to a Core. At times it seems like I wasted money on the cheaper but really it helped me have more rigs and learn different techniques better. They only reel I really regret buying was the 2008 Quantum PT TE. The only thing that makes me feel better is the fact the Citcas were not out yet so it doesn't seem like a total waist of 99$

Don't forget about the Calcutta TE's and Conquests.

Raul reply :

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He creates his own vicious circle but the Bait Monkey loves him.

Man, that 's too funny !

If it wasn 't true it wouldn 't be that funny.

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Shimano Citica E, what can be done to increase performance?? 2025

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