Shimano's Calais DC Casting Reel won Best of Show at ICAST 2006 in the freshwater reel category.
This reel takes digital casting control to the next level. The 4x8 Digital Control® Braking System
was thoroughly analyzed for
mechanical and environmental conditions and the resulting design incorporated four new profiles:
Extreme Distance X to allow for more than 50,000 RPM; Long Distance Mode L for most fishing
applications; Accuracy Mode A for skipping and pitching; and Wind Mode W for casts into headwinds.
These four profiles each have eight settings for a total of 32 different settings, which can handle just
about any kind of fishing situation. Additional features include the
Magnumlite aluminum spool, the Super Free bearing supported pinion gear system, the High Efficiency
Gearing to allow for fast 7:1 gear ratio, at tapered titanium levelwind insert that makes it easier to
thread the line and reduces friction during casting and the super smooth Dartanium Drag that is
capable of generating 12 lbs. of drag. Both DC reels have 10 shielded A-RB anti-rust ball bearing plus
one A-RB roller bearing.
Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Item:IK-121551
$649.99
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Shimano's Calais DC Casting Reel won Best of Show at ICAST 2006 in the freshwater reel category. This reel takes digital casting control to the next level. The 4x8 Digital Control? Braking System was thoroughly analyzed for mechanical and environmental conditions and the resulting design incorporated four new profiles: Extreme Distance X to allow for more than 50,000 RPM; Long Distance Mode L for most fishing applications; Accuracy Mode A for skipping and pitching; and Wind Mode W for casts into headwinds. These four profiles each have eight settings for a total of 32 different settings, which can handle just about any kind of fishing situation. Additional features include the Magnumlite aluminum spool, the Super Free bearing supported pinion gear system, the High Efficiency Gearing to allow for fast 7:1 gear ratio, at tapered titanium levelwind insert that makes it easier to thread the line and reduces friction during casting and the super smooth Dartanium Drag that is capable of generating 12 lbs. of drag. Both DC reels have 10 shielded A-RB anti-rust ball bearing plus one A-RB roller bearing.
Average Customer Rating:
4.8 out of 5
10 of 10 (100%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Exceeded Expectations,July 19, 2009
By RookieJD
"I am a rookie fisherman with more money than sense. I detest the line memory of spinning reels and went exclusively to casting ten years ago. I just got back from a week of remote Canadian fishing and this reel was flawless. Distance never before possible. Accuracy in all conditions. Only one back-lash in thousands of casts - and that was 100% my fault (caught the lure on the back cast). This reel greatly improved my fishing experience. Pricy - but worth it!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 2 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
No Backlashes!,June 18, 2009
By JRG137from St. Louis, MO
"I have only been using bait casting reels for a short period of time. I decided to give this reel a try after reading all the great reviews and being fed up with trying to "teach" my thumb.
I have to say I was skeptical at first, but now that I have used one, I am simply amazed. Unless you really screw up you will never have to worry about backlashes. And if it does happen it won't be nearly as bad as a traditional bait casting reel.
A piece of advise; Don't try to be a hero and use the "X" setting unless you have an "educated" thumb. If you are a beginner, start with "L6" and work your way down from there.
Absolutely a great product. I plan on getting another one."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 3 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
extrem casting,October 6, 2008
By Clausen1972from Denmark
"multicasting wheel! píching headwind long cast precision medium cast all with exellent results due to the multi adjustment brake system :-) Nice service at Cabelas!"
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 4 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Shimano Calais DC reels,August 18, 2008
By dubywafrom Plano, Texas. I fish 4 to 6 times a month.
"I bought one last year and it really workrd well. I fish in a very windy area and it really helped. I liked it so well I bought another one last month. You can still "bird nest" them but, you really have to try hard. Great reel worth the money."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 5 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Peerless and Unsurpassed,July 26, 2008
By CSCBowHunterfrom OR
"You certainly pay for the excellence. But if you want the best there is, the Calais DC is it. Can you backlash this reel? Sure! Or you can set it up to cast a BitsyBug into the face of a spring storm without backlash. It gives you great versatility in fresh water. As with all baitcasting reels, you are trying to find the sweet spot that balances casting distance with backlash control. But this reel is in a class by itself. And it is simple to set up. Eventhough it has multiple mode adjustments, you don't need an engineering degree to set it up like you want. If you are generally familiar with Shimano reels, you can do anything with three adjustments and most things with one. Great job Shimano! Mine stays on one setting most of windy spring and a little tweak gets me ready for summer. It takes about 5 seconds. Is it three times better than a new Curado? Absolutely not. If you are watching the bottom line or replacing stolen reels on a budget, buy three new Curados rather than one Calais DC. But if you have a box full of great rigs, this is the creme-de-la-creme. After you fish it for one day, you will forever be comparing every other reel you fish to it. Is it durable? Yes. But I do take care of my stuff. I don't throw this into the bottom of a five gallon can full of hooks and lead sinkers. I fish it wading, from the boat, in rain storms, through the black berry brambles of the Northwest, and throughout the year. I've had mine for 16 months now and have fished it hard. It still looks great. Mine pairs best with 15 lb. Seguar INVISX line and a GLoomis BCR803 GLX casting rod. Now that's a rig worth wrapping your hand around and laying your shredded thumb on. Silky smooth retrieve...correctly-sized handles (no lame miniature crankers)...the longest casts you've ever made...exquisite drag...great fresh water versatility...and beautiful to look at."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 6 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
4
out of 5
Review of new Reel,June 2, 2008
By portofishermanfrom Port O'Connor TX
"The size, weight and operation of the reel is excellent. I was disappointed by some of the warning for the reel as they really don't work for most folks who are average fishermen. The warning about leaving in a car, heat problem. I was also supprised with the warnings on getting the reel wet. As a wade fisherman I will only be able to use the reel from the boat. There was also a warning about humidity, I live in Port O'Connor TX and our weather is usually humid 90+%, so now I have to keep it in an air conditioned space. Finally as I read the requirments the reel was not really designed for salt water but the description of the reel does not really make that plain. The operation of the reel is excellent, the best I have used but I have given it 4 stars for the restrictions imposed by the Shimano. I would think that Shimano could come up with a product that would be more durable for the cost I paid and it's intended purpose."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 7 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Wow what a reel!!!!,April 3, 2007
By OnyxWulffrom Bay Area
"My wife just bought me this reel for my 30th birthday. There isn't much I can say about it that will make sense but let me try.
First off, it is everything that has been advertised. It can do everything that I have seen in the videos along with things that it ought to do. The braking system is amazing. You can literally cast directly into head winds without worrying about backlash. You can pitch and flip with more ease then ever.
One of the coolest things about this reel (besides the low profile, the finish, the performance, the warrently, the smoothness, the gear ratio, the ball bearings, the different settings, the versitility) is the sound that the reel makes when you cast it. It is like nothing you have heard before. All my other casting reels are Curados 200DHSV and when I go from the Calais to the Curado, it feels like I am going from a Ferrari to a Honda.
I went on a professional guided tour of Clear Lake this last weekend and the guide was absolutely amazed at the abilities of this reel paired with a good Loomis pole. I was able to cast it further and pitch it more accurately in a nasty wind and he was constantly saying "Wow".
The bads: I wish the finish was chrome nickel or whatever it is, it shows ever little scratch and ding. Still pricey and if I hadn't turned 30, I wouldn't have recieved it. Al other reels just don't feel the same after using it."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 8 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
4
out of 5
Shimano� Calais� DC Casting Reel,November 21, 2006
By Kingfishfrom Upstate New York
"Reel operated as advertised. I have been able to make extremely long casts despite very little experience with bait casting equipment. The low profile fits my hand much better than Shimano's previous DC reel. The construction feels quite good and should stand up to years of use. I prefer the "left handed" model and wish that more models/capacities were available to a "lefty". I found this product easy to use with an adequate instruction book. So why four stars rather than five? Price. Steep. I really hold onto that rod and reel combination out on the lake. I would hate to see a grand of stainless steel and graphite go to the bottom of the lake."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 9 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Shimano Calais DC Baitcasting Reel,November 20, 2006
By DEBOOfrom Elizabethtown, Kentucky
"Of the 40 plus baitcasting reels I own, the Shimano Calais DC Baitcasting Reel is absoluely the best casting reel I have ever used. Not only will the Calais DC cast farther than any reel in my collection but it seldom backlashes. Especially effective is the wind setting built into the reel. This is the only reel that I have ever used that will not backlash when thrown into a strong wind. Furthermore, the Calais DC will cast a light lure (1/4 oz. spinnerbait or crankbait) under windy conditions as far as most baitcasting reels will cast these baits on a day with light wind. Shimano's Calais DC is a pleasure to use. The ball bearings the reel uses make reeling practically effortless. None of the other high end reels I own crank as smoothly as the Calais. Shimano has developed a winning product with the Calais DC."
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes
Review 10 for Shimano® Calais® DC Casting Reel
Overall Rating:
5
out of 5
Great Product,November 9, 2006
By SCVSfrom Baton Rouge, LA
"If you can afford the Calais DC buy it. I now have both Calais and Calcutta DC's - both are excellent reels. The DC technology increases casting distance and cuts down on "birdnests." The wind setting is a blessing on Gulf Coast. Cannot say enough about this Shimano product - excellence must be their motto. The additional settings on the Calais reel just adds to the pleasure of using the DC technology."
