Shimano Cardiff Baitcasting Reel 4+1 Ball Bearings (5.8:1)

I debated between the 200 and the 300 because I wanted a small reel that fit comfortably in my hand. With some misgivings settled on the 300 because the 200 was not kept in stock by many companies like Bass Pro. Glad I got the 300. It is still a small reel and the recessed reel seat sets the reel nicely on a straight handle. The 300 does hold a lot of line. I put on 150 yards of good 10 lb braid and have lots of room for more. I like a full spool especially the way your thumb touches the line after you hit the cast release bar.I am impressed with the variable cast weights. I turned two (of the six) on and it made a noticeable difference. Will be great for casting into the wind. All in all, very impressed.

Wow insanely fast shipping ordered it sundsy morning and got it today! What an amazing reel feela silky smooth and not too heavy and bulky compared to shimano's tranx or curado 301 j type,very happy i went with shimano cardiff for my first ever round bail baitcaster will be ordering the 101 model for my crankbait rod..highly recommend this reel for anybody looking to throw bigger baits(1oz+) the only thing i dont like is the vbs the brakes seem very chintzy but they send 6 extras and a shimano tool for taking the handle off

I am very disappointed in this reel especially with it having the Shimano name. Here is the main problem. I use braided line and I kept getting line jams when I went to cast or just let line out when I had not had a back lash that would cause such a thing. I could not figure out what the problem was until last week when I was salmon fishing from a boat and was allowing line to go out feathering it with my thumb. I suddenly found that the level wind guide does not go back and forth when line is leaving the spool, only when you are reeling in. You line can become very criss crossed and even jammed in the edges of the spool. I checked my other Shimano and it did not have this problem as none of my other level wind reels do either. I called Shimano and asked them about this and they told me it is the way the reel is designed. I thought I had a warranty problem. I told them that I had been thinking about buying another one but certainly do not plan to now. I asked if any of their other reels did this and they said no so the problem in unique to the Cardiff. Shimano makes good reels but this one is a lemon. If you want a Shimano look at their other reels.

Mine seems to have been dropped. May have happened in shipping. I'll have to wait till the season to see. Glad I got the warranty on this. Looks good other than the blemish and I had to shift the left plate over by hand. It's delicate so be careful.All in all good value for the money.

Ordered on Thursday - promised delivery on Tuesday - got reel on Saturday, three days ahead of schedule! This is the 3rd Shimano I own. Great reels at a great price!

Gift for a friend. He loved it

This is the third Shimano I have owned and they are by far the best for the money.

I used this Reel 2 Times last year, I just got it out of my closet and now it has ZERO Drag, what a waste of money

Good reel. I have both the Calcutta B and the Cardiff B and while there is a tangible difference in the feel between the two it is a very good reel at this price point.

awesome reel for the money...discontinued so get one now.

not to good first time reel broke down while trying to land the big fish

This is a good product and you would expect nothing else from Shimano. The box/packaging is a downer and is more a $0.10 cardboard box with a simple picture on it. No spare parts or any effort to package (not sure if Shimano only do that once you pay $500+?).

Very happy with fishing reel. Have been looking for it for quite some time. Even tried to buy it from Shimano directly but couldn't. Was happy to have found it through Amazon. Good price and the free shipping is great and fast. Thanks again.