Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
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Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Black Haze » Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:21 am

Ive used these things for years and they are like tanks....with all this talk about reels being relevant lately, whats everyones thoughts about these reels? they are getting a little older, are there many better cranking reels out there?? If so what reels would u suggest if i end up selling them? I have no complaints whatsover about these reels, except they are a little heavy and ive replaced the handles on them for a longer one....

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Strewth » Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:53 am

Great reels, I still use mine all the time. Smooth retrieve and one of my best casters. Just need to watch body corrosion for saltwater use - I coat the insides of mine with soft corrosionx grease and still perfect after 4 years. The stock spool and frame bearings are all of excellent quality and last a long time if dipped in TSI 321.

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by John G » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:13 am

I've owned the Calais CL-100A and the Antares AR and regret selling both of them.

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Big-Bass » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:37 am

Great reels!

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by mark poulson » Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:25 am

Strewth wrote:Great reels, I still use mine all the time. Smooth retrieve and one of my best casters. Just need to watch body corrosion for saltwater use - I coat the insides of mine with soft corrosionx grease and still perfect after 4 years. The stock spool and frame bearings are all of excellent quality and last a long time if dipped in TSI 321.
How often do you dip your bearings, and do you dip the gears, too?

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Strewth » Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:57 pm

Twice a year, depending on use. Yes, I have recently started to coat all the drive/pinion gears on new reels as well, before lubing with Ace-2, Cals or ReelX Medium grease. Stops them from tarnishing in saltwater. Now also apply TSI directly to the worm gear and roller clutch bearing (CorrosionX oil also works well too).

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by mark poulson » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:42 pm

Strewth wrote:Twice a year, depending on use. Yes, I have recently started to coat all the drive/pinion gears on new reels as well, before lubing with Ace-2, Cals or ReelX Medium grease. Stops them from tarnishing in saltwater. Now also apply TSI directly to the worm gear and roller clutch bearing (CorrosionX oil also works well too).
Thanks. I'll check it out.

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Zimbass » Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:21 pm

I am still using at least 10 of my Calais' and have another 4 that I am keeping for when they may need to replace the older ones. Even though the newer models such as Metanium and Antares are more modern and lighter, I prefer the old Calais. They are perfect for many applications. Are strong as a tank, and as reliable as a Toyota !!

They are slightly heavier than newer offerings, but, I have no issues with that in my larger than average hands.

Best reel Shimano has made IMHO period...........!!!

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Black Haze » Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:40 pm

Now you all have me thinking, might just keep my old Calais for awhile...

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by spencerinstl » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:36 am

I had a Shimano Calais that I ended up selling. I have an Antares AR DC that I kept for spinner baits. Very smooth love this reel for casting spinnerbaits into the wind. The thing I don't like about the Calais and Antares is the short handles. I put a 102mm studio composite carbon fiber handle on it and problem fixed.
Thanks for the epiphany captain obvious

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Winstondry » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:59 am

When I was bass club fishing, I had 8-10 100A's and AR's on the deck of my boat at all times. Regrettably, I sold or traded them all away when I stopped tourney fishing. Built like tanks and smooth as a baby's hiney!
Last edited by Winstondry on Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by spookybaits » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:50 am

Great reels! I had a gang of them at one time. Doing side by side comparisons, I slightly preferred the chronarch D5. Seemed to have a slight edge in smoothness, tolerances and casted a hair farther, and I liked the gear ratio better, but the Calais had more of the 'connected' feel. And I think it looks cooler.
But the differences are pretty negligible. Both reels are overbuilt A+ workhorses with exceptional ergonomics.
I never owned the jdm version Antares ar, but on hedgehog's site they say spools aren't interchangeable with Calais. I never varied that, and with talking to them I got the impression they didn't varifiy it themselves.
However, Thru tinkering, I figured out that the spools ARE interchangeable between the core 100/chronarch d/Calais 100 platforms.

Compared to the newer shimano reels... this is subjective, but... The ONLY new model from shimano I'd swap it for would be the conquest 100.

If you love your Antares and want to get better performance, I'd send it to Ian shields for a good cleaning & super tuning. Throw in a set of nice bearings, do a carbon fiber drag up grade, longer handle, maybe play with some jdm white brake pins, or the 4 pin brake thing, try some different spools (I didn't do enough thorough testing but remember liking the red core spool in it, though I never tried a yumeya spool), etc.

I always wished there was a way to drop faster or slower (brass) gears into the Calais 100/Antares ar.

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Black Haze » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:59 am

Whats the differences in the Antares model and the Calais? And is the Antares AR the same size as the Calais 100??

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Black Haze » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:06 am

I think there was a scorpion antares at one time too, was that the same size as a Calais 200?

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Re: Any Shimano Calais 100a users???

Post by Black Haze » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:07 am

spookybaits wrote:Great reels! I had a gang of them at one time. Doing side by side comparisons, I slightly preferred the chronarch D5. Seemed to have a slight edge in smoothness, tolerances and casted a hair farther, and I liked the gear ratio better, but the Calais had more of the 'connected' feel. And I think it looks cooler.
But the differences are pretty negligible. Both reels are overbuilt A+ workhorses with exceptional ergonomics.
I never owned the jdm version Antares ar, but on hedgehog's site they say spools aren't interchangeable with Calais. I never varied that, and with talking to them I got the impression they didn't varifiy it themselves.
However, Thru tinkering, I figured out that the spools ARE interchangeable between the core 100/chronarch d/Calais 100 platforms.

Compared to the newer shimano reels... this is subjective, but... The ONLY new model from shimano I'd swap it for would be the conquest 100.

If you love your Antares and want to get better performance, I'd send it to Ian shields for a good cleaning & super tuning. Throw in a set of nice bearings, do a carbon fiber drag up grade, longer handle, maybe play with some jdm white brake pins, or the 4 pin brake thing, try some different spools (I didn't do enough thorough testing but remember liking the red core spool in it, though I never tried a yumeya spool), etc.

I always wished there was a way to drop faster or slower (brass) gears into the Calais 100/Antares ar.
. Some great info, thank u for posting

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