Fluke reel
 

I would like to try fluking off my kayak in 2015. I lucked out and scored a st Croix mojo inshore casting rod MIC-70HF at a local tackle store sale. Now I need a reel I have decided to go with a shimano in left handed and with a level wind. I am looking at Cardiff CDF401A, the curado E low profile CU301E and the curado I series CU2011 If anyone out there has an opinion or experience with these reels would appreciate your help thanks Charlie

Dont know anything about the cardiff, but a buddy had the curado....very cool little reel. I have been using a Avet SX lefty for fluke, flounder, and even macks, for years.....Cant say enough about it!

I like the look of the Cardiff CDF401A. :-)

It has the nice specs.

My $0.02. ;-)

When I fished for halibut and rockfish from the kayak in CA, I used a
shimano calcutta te 201 for lures and an avet sx when dragging bait.

It looks like the calcutta te was replaced by the calcutta D
casting....and a step down is the calcutta B, which is also a good reel
that my friends have used.

I liked the 201. It was a beast....and its pretty small. The cardiff
might be equally as good , but I do not have any experience with it.

The thing that I would like to note is that fishing these reels from
the kayak gives them exposure to the saltwater that the same reel
would never see from a boat. After two seasons the calcutta te
showed no outer signs of corrosion, but I found some internal
pitting of the aluminum. Considering that I fished nearly every
weekend year round, it is pretty impressive. It did not cause any
mechanical issues but it suggests that a cheaper reel with parts that
might corrode, may not last. I always stowed my gear on launch and
land, so the exposure was purely from hull splashing and chop when
the rod was in the holder.

The avets are real worhorses. Never had any problems with the
ones I own, but I do prefer using a levelwind when fishing artificials.

I also used a VS100 to target halibut from the kayak. I have a
setup paired with a lamiglas g1311 steelhead rod that I love to use,
both from the kayak and the surf.