Best Shimano Baitcaster

We have reviewed some of the top-rated Shimano baitcasting reels on the market to help you buy the Best Shimano Baitcaster.

If you are in a hurry:

Now, let us move on to our in-depth review of Shimano Calcutta CT400B.

Best Shimano Baitcaster Review

Shimano Calcutta CT400B comes with very impressive specs. It has 18 pounds of drag power. On top of that, it has a highly adjustable braking system that the Shimano company refers to as a Variabing system. This way, you can fine-tune your brake settings.

This baitcasting reel has a 5.0:1 gear ratio and 3 A-RB stainless ball bearings + 1 A-RB roller bearing. Previous versions of the Shimano Calcutta were good baitcaster reels but lacked support for heavier lines. Shimano Calcutta CT400B can easily support 260 yards of 15-pound line.

There aren’t many choices for the color of the reel. For now, it is only available in gold. The beautiful gold finish on the Shimano Calcutta CT400B is not only a brilliant design, but it also makes you feel strong just holding the reel. It is a great design that will last you years to come without any issues.

When you open the Shimano Calcutta CT400B box, you will find a fully assembled baitcaster wheel. There are no additional parts that come in the box beside the completed baitcaster reel.

You can use the Shimano Calcutta CT400B for all kinds of fresh and saltwater fishing adventures such as salmon, sheepshead or the calico bass.

Performance

Shimano Calcutta CT400B performs quite astoundingly. It is the most popular choice for baitcasting reels when it comes to fishing salmon. This baitcaster reel is strong and sturdy, even when you have a really heavy catch. It can easily support your line in both fresh and saltwater.

While the Shimano Calcutta CT400B has an 18-pound drag power, you can spool much heavier fish with this baitcaster reel. In fact, Calcutta CT400B is one of the most recommended baitcasting reels for catching heavier fish. It automatically increases the drag as your line becomes looser. There is no jerkiness and no backlash when you use this reel. Additionally, the retrieval of your bait is smooth, stable, and fast.

Shimano Calcutta can hold your line even in rapid water and make sure you make your catch. The brake system on this will surprise you because it is easy to use and adjustable.

One of the most impressive features of the Shimano Calcutta CT400B is its brake system. Shimano has designed a brake system referred to as Variable Braking System. The baitcaster reel has six sliding brake weights inside the end of the spool that you can adjust based on your fishing needs.

For each of the six brake weights, you can select either the “on” or the “off” version and create the perfect braking balance for your fishing experience. When all the brake sliding weights are set on “on”, the backlash is significantly reduced. Choose this option if you are new to fishing and are getting a feel for how to handle the line.

In addition to the six sliding brake weights, the reel also includes green colored weights that are much easier to operate. Because of such features, Calcutta CT400B is the best Shimano baitcasting reel even for beginners.

Ease of Use

Shimano Calcutta CT400B is really easy to use. As demonstrated with the Variable Braking System, this baitcaster has a lot of settings that you can fine-tune, even if you are a novice, to get it working right for you.

Shimano Calcutta CT400B has a 5.0:1 gear ratio. While there are other baitcaster reels out on the market that have a better gear ratio, the Shimano Calcutta CT400B is great because it has booth smoothness and stability. The 5.0:1 gear ratio make the spool reel smooth and easy. At the same time, this baitcaster reel also has more strength that allows it to support heavy catches.

Three A-RB stainless ball bearings plus one A-RB roller bearing make the Shimano Calcutta CT400B both light and sturdy. This baitcaster does not have too many ball bearings, but the ones it incorporates as part of its design structure are built strategically to make the baitcaster reel strong and durable.

Shimano Calcutta CT400B comes with handles that have a paddle fit. The handles have two knobs that counterbalance each other and keep the handle from slipping in your palm. The grey rubbery plastic that surrounds the handle ensures that your grip is strong, even when your hands are wet and slippery.

Build Quality & Durability

Shimano Calcutta CT400B has an overall fantastic build quality. It feels great in your hand due to its lightweight but it also feels really solid and strong.

It is built with ultralight forged aluminum frames and side plates. The ultralight forged aluminum is a super sturdy material that serves two main purposes. First, it ensures that your baitcaster reel can withstand high pressures from heavy catches.

Second, it keeps Shimano Calcutta CT400B in great shape for years to come.

It is specifically designed so that you can easily maintain it and quickly access the reel. If you need to disassemble the reel for spool changes or for cleaning, then all you need to do is unwind two thumbscrews.

The high sensitivity of the clicker allows you to reel in even the small fish easily. And it does so extremely smoothly.

The only downside to the Shimano Calcutta CT400B is that its clicker might sometimes be noisy. Although the clicker is loud, it is very sensitive to pressure.

Conclusion

Shimano Calcutta CT400B is extremely elegant. The aluminum material keeps the reel light in your hand but also gives it the drag power to pull heavy fish. This is the best of both worlds.

We hope you liked our pick of the Best Shimano Baitcaster. If you would like to suggest some other Shimano reel then you can tell us via the comments section. We will try to include it in our next update.

Last Updated on January 5, 2024 by Victor Mays