After seeing the specification of the Okuma Cortez CZ-10CS, I was eager to get my hands on one. First impressions reminded me of a larger version of the old Shimano Speedmaster IIFSC, which is no bad thing, as the Speedmaster was a tough little nut.
The CZ10 has the following main features…
– Graphite frame and sideplates
– Machined aluminium red anodised spool
– 4 ball bearings + 1 roller bearing (all stainless steel)
– Magnetic cast control
– 6.2:1 gear ratio
– Multi-disc carbonite drag system
The reel has the following line capacities…
Also contained in the box are some rod clamps and bolts and some low viscosity reel oil (but no spanner/reel tool).
A quick tour around the outside of the reel…
The two things I noticed straight away were how light this reel was (considering it is not a small baitcasting type affair) and secondly, the spool is quite narrow – so it would probably be good for braid.
Lets take a closer look at the reel starting with the handle/drag…
The drag wheel clicks as you turn it – very nice. The components are stainless or anodised aluminium and are sturdy. The handle is a tad big – but that is probably useful on a boat if you really want to apply some power. The drag itself is incredibly strong – I held my thumb on the spool and turned the handle and it effectively locked out well before the star wheel was tightened. I suspect this is a reel designed to fight tuna and hard fighting fish. As well as being incredibly powerful, the drag is also very smooth, especially for a bigger reel.
On to the other components on the RHS side…
The end float knob is all pretty much standard fayre…
The spool engagement lever is really chunky, just the thing when your hands are cold in the winter…
Turning the handle does not engage the reel when it is in free spool – you have to manually push the spool lever knob (above).
The spool looks the part – we shall look at it in further detail later…
On to the other side of the reel. This houses the ratchet and the magnetic cast control knob.
The magnetic control knob is indexed and clicks when you rotate the dial. A quick spin of the spool shows that the magnets can be easily adjusted to speed up or slow down the reel.
Next to open up the reel and take a look inside.
The first thing you notice is that there are no thumb screws, and the screws which keep the side plates on are star type and not phillips. Given the lack of a reel tool, this was a bit of a pain, and they were also easy to lose.
One the side plates were taken off, there was another unusual thing inside the reel. There was a small plate stopping the spool from coming out…
Another even smaller screw (phillips this time !) was taken out and out popped the spool.
The spool has inbuilt bearings with a tad too much grease, but no matter for us kayak fishermen !
A look through to the other sideplate to check everything is in order…
All fine and Dandy.
And a closer look at the end plate showing the magnetic brakes…
When re-attaching the sideplates, yu need to be aware that there is a little lug and a peg which fits in it, so you know the spool and sieplate are aligned. A nice little touch…
That is about it. The main drive gear is an absolute beast; to be honest the whole reel seems to have been built to a high standard.
My conclusion… the only negative thing I can say about this reel is the lack of thumb screws make it awkward to take apart. On the positive side, its very well made from corrosive resistant materials, its light, and its very tough/powerful. Its like Okuma have taken a look at alot of the best tough reels available, like Daiwa’s Saltiga, Penns Mags and the Shimano flagship Trinidad’s, and encompassed alot of it into this reel, but at a fraction of the cost. This is not a reel for everyday kayak fishing, but if you need a really tough reel for rugged reefs – conger fishing or huss over very rough ground or winter fishing in the Bristol Channel, then this reel is not going to let you down.
The Okuma Cortez CZ10 is available from Veals Mail order priced £109.99…
https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/okuma-cortez-cz-10-cs-3599.html