New Baitcasting Reel: Shimano Citica 200I
The Citica has long been the workhorse reel of the Shimano baitcasting lineup. This year it got an upgrade, and...

The Citica has long been the workhorse reel of the Shimano baitcasting lineup. This year it got an upgrade, and I was pumped to test the new design. I took the Citica, along with one of Shimano’s new Zodias rods, and headed to my fishing playground—a 40-acre, private lake in northern New Jersey that’s chock full of largemouth bass, slammer pickerel, and walleye. I have a friend who lets me to access the lake, and it’s where I go when I need to bend a rod. On the fourth cast, I caught a 5-1/2-pound largemouth—and got an instant demo of the buttery smooth drag on this reel. And there were plenty more fish to help test the Citica. I didn’t put the reel down all day, and it handled everything—spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, jigs, and soft-plastics—flawlessly.
Specs
Weight: 7.4 oz.
Gear Ratio: 6.3:1 (7.2:1 on the HG model)
Inches Per Crank: 26 (30 on the HG model)
Mono Line Capacity: 14/110
Braid Line Capacity: 65/80
Max Drag: 12 lb.
Ball Bearings: 5+1
$150; shimano.com
Hits
The Citica is extremely smooth and comfortable to fish with, and launches long-bomb casts with ease. It’s all you need and more for freshwater and inshore saltwater species. The intelligently designed side-plate and dial is the fastest and easiest way to fine tune a centrifugal break that I have ever seen on a reel.
Misses
The only thing could possible be construed as a miss on the Citica is its size. If you’re tossing large plugs for heftier saltwater fish, you may want a bigger reel. (Otherwise, it’s fine.)
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a tournament-quality baitcaster that will last a lifetime with the proper care, this is it. This is a stunningly impressive reel, especially considering its reasonable price tag.