It has been a while but as a follow up review to the Shimano Curado BFS reel after a season or two of use.  To now also include it's predecessor the Shimano Scorpion BFS reel as in comparison.

First off, the Scorpion BFS originally retails for roughly about $350 after the international currency exchange rate during it's production years from back in 2016 to about 2021.  That's when the Curado BFS was introduced to replace the Scorpion BFS coming in about $200.  In Japan it was the SLX BFS reel that replaced the Scorpion BFS.  That market impact was really the price drop.  Well with the Covid 19 effect, actual finished goods was scarce as well and finding a reel was not so easy.

Overall the Curdao BFS reels have proven to up my game.  Most notable is the clicking drag.  It's is so much easier to gauge feedback when a fish is pulling line out.  The lure drop also has a marginal improvement due to the larger arbor of the spool.  Most of all that shallow spool means less line on the spool and for the purpose of ice fishing it all just comes down in sync.  I still fish my original Shimano Chronarch 50Mg.  So there is always a basis for comparison, and I think that reel is approaching 20 yrs old or something.

Since the Scorpion BFS reel was being retired, I did by chance find two on clearance.   I did buy the Scorpion BFS for less than the price of the Curado BFS. With that, I have the Scorpion BFS to compare with the Curado BFS.  Now both reels are basically identical in so many ways, that even the spool can be interchanged.  Now with some minor detail differences, in cosmetics and some internals.  For one thing the Scorpion BFS spool has more ported drill holes.  Cosmetic appearance a better paint job, much better.  It makes the Curado BFS looks like they just skipped a few processes in the manufacturing of it.  Yeah for sure they did or rather no longer subject it to full manufacturing process.  Even the empty reel, feels smoother in dry empty operation.  The drag clicker feels a little smoother and slightly muffled down.  The drag curve seems more robust and responsive too.  

During the initial field test after reels were spooled up, all of that subtle effects shown as well.  On the ice, yeah a somewhat slight better overall performance.  Very small minute feel of better reel response while hooked up to a fish.  Smoother operation and even smoother lure drop feel.  After the ice thawed and open water came about.  Well for initial backyard casting tests.  The Scorpion BFS reel also showed some better casting results as well.  It was all nominal and small, but yet it was all showing better performance feel.  In a after retrospect, I'd wish I had gotten the Scorpion BFS long ago.  However the big retail price of it, was just too much back then.  The lowered prices of current has made BFS reels for ice fishing much more practical.