Goose52

WTG Hootie !

I was a "Stren Man" back in the 1960s (when I could afford it) and used it through the 1980s. I guess it's been off-the-radar for me since then though. Looks like you have enough for a couple trips down south...

Yeah Baby! A nice rig and already slimed up and scored a fish !! A MUCH nicer shot than the "reel-on-the-box-with-no-line" shots................

I think the only downside is cost - both in initial purchase price and, possibly, repair cost in the event the DC module ever did fail.As to why all BC reels don't have this technology, I would think that , no matter the economy of scale, you can't build a DC system as cheap as centrifugal or magnetic braking systems. There could also be Shimano patents protecting the technology as well.

Yes - DC stands for digital control. There is a sensor that monitors spool speed (said to be at 1/1000 sec. intervals) and when the chip determines that braking is necessary it will apply an appropriate amount of braking. The system allows a higher spool rpm than other braking systems and often you can watch the spool on the cast and see a single coil of loose line on the spool...but no more - the braking applied is that precise. The power comes from energy generated during the cast (and stored in a capacitor I would guess). The DC module is sealed and is not affected by the usual moisture that migrates under the sideplate and you can fish with them in the rain. However, I wouldn't recommend routinely dunking a DC reel in the lake... I'll have to admit that I'm winging it here on the method of operation as I haven't read a detailed essay of exactly how the system works. Bantam1, the Shimano Rep over on TT, has reported a number of times that the DC modules are very robust and rarely fail or require service (other than making sure that the sensor is clean and not covered with dust/grime/etc.). It's just another kind of braking system. Depending on which iteration of the DC system you're looking at, they can give increased distance, less casting effort, more wind-bucking capability, and finer braking adjustments than some other braking systems. The Shimano Exsence DC even has a mode, intended for fishing at night, that senses spool deceleration and will auto-stop the spool when the bait hits the water (no thumb required). DC braking is nifty stuff, with proven capabilities, but can be a bit spendy...

Nice reel indeed ! So much new, neat stuff already released this year and this one is tempting. BUT, speaking of round reels, I think I'll be more likely to look at the high-speed Conquest when it's released in a month or so...

It's a nice reel... Where the heck have you been?

Sounds like Andy is trying to double dip............... ..............................................................................smart man !

Andy - I'm starting to loose track...but I think this would be the 4th entry in my will for you, after the Morrum, Conquest 100, and Calcutta TE-100GT

OK, it was a nice windy day today so I pulled the Met DC off of the MH-Mod rod and put it on a 6'10" MH-XF rod - the ubiquitous "spinnerbait" rod. Tied on a 1/4oz Booyah spinnerbait (actual weight about 5/8oz) and headed for a lake. The wind was running directly towards the bank - at least 15mph steady - some gusts well over 20mph. Had the reel on brake setting #2 and cast directly into the steady wind - good distance considering the headwind, and just a little line fluff on the spool. Kept casting into the steady wind and worked down the bank. Got a bit cocky and heaved the spinnerbait out there in the middle of one of the gusts. Backlash - but not bad. Humbled, I selected brake setting #3. NO worries then, cast directly into the gusts and minimal to no line fluff on the spool. Not much distance between the headwind and the braking profile, but still totally usable distance for most spinnerbait purposes from a boat. Kept working down the bank, hoping to get a fish for a photo op. Then on one cast, the thump-thump-thump feedback was gone. Reeled in and found the top willowleaf blade on the spinnerbait missing so that ended the spinnerbait test but gave me a chance for a photo showing the bait and the wind condition on the water. I think I've given this reel a pretty good shakedown now. Nice reel, great performance, reels in fish. Works for me...

The surface water temp was actually a sizzling 54 when I caught that bass. But, my point is that I fish Warts anytime I think I can get a crankbait bite, say down to 40 degrees. My records show that my coldest Wart fish was at 42. When water temps are in the 30s, I'm generally not in a boat but fishing off the bank so I'm not using crankbaits then but who knows, perhaps Warts would still be catching in 30 degree temps. Well, that photo was taken to illustrate my Met DC review thread over in the Rod/Reel/Line forum so it was meant to showcase the reel as much as the bass...

Cold water & wide wobble vs narrow wobble - I guess some bass haven't read the same books as us. This was from yesterday...

Thanks for the kind words. I'm able to fish (nearly) every day so I have the opportunity to put some time-on-water on the new gear. I'm not planning on getting much else this year (except perhaps the high-speed Conquest due in May) so there shouldn't be any more reviews for a while.

From one of my neighborhood lakes - yes. (When you live here, it's just a neighborhood...we don't think of it as a resort... ) Thanks Dwight. Most of the bass here in my lakes have that classic LMB color scheme. I've never caught a bass here in TN that has that very dark green/black color like what I used to catch when I lived in Florida. We DO have ugly bass here - stunted, black marks, malformed, etc....but those usually don't warrant posting on the board unless the thread deals with "skinniest or ugliest bass" and I've posted some of those. This PARTICULAR bass REALLY was just a beautiful fish. I didn't realize until I got home that the photo was being shot from the belly of the fish towards the top. I should have stood directly over the bass to get a better profile shot. This lake is one where I'm tagging and by the time I get length, weight, and then tag it, I'm running out of time for good photos. Anyway, it just had to be one of the nicest, healthiest looking fish that I've caught since last summer.

Up until today, the Met DC had only managed to reel in an 8" bluegill - thanks A-Jay for giving me credit for that monster on the "honor system" I've had this reel on the water quite a bit, both from the bank and in the boat. Today, while out in the boat, I finally cut off the lipless crank and tied on a snap so I could start tossing various crankbaits. I normally don't use a reel with this IPT for cranking but by golly I wanted to catch some bass with it. Lipless cranks are very easy to toss; crankbaits can be a bit tougher. Also, the wind today was 10mph steady with gusts to 20mph so the reel got a bit better test for casting ability in wind. On setting 2, in moderate wind, I had no real issues tossing crankbaits from 3/8oz to 5/8oz. If I was tossing directly into those 20mph gusts, I selected setting 3 with good results. If the wind was still or at my back, setting 1 gave max range. I did finally have my first backlash today. I was making a quick cast with a Wiggle Wart and sorta short-stroked the cast, the rod didn't load, and the bait just sort of fluttered downrange with no real velocity...JUST as one of the strong wind gusts popped up. Backlash, but easily cleared. The reel continues to be an all-around performer and a delight to use. Too bad they don't offer it in a lower gear ratio more suitable for cranking. I still haven't tossed any spinnerbaits with it which, in the wind, would be a pretty good test of the reels wind-bucking abilities. Oh, the Met DC reeled in three bass today so I can FINALLY give the reel my ultimate approval rating - SEEMS TO WORK, REELS IN FISH...

As soon as I put that brim back in the water, I realized that I should have got a photo........!

I've had my Met DC on the water numerous times now, in winds up to 20mph. Had it in the boat today. I can't make mine backlash. I'm still tossing a 1/2oz RES which does cast well into wind. I use the #2 setting most of the time, but if the wind is still or I have the wind at my back I can use setting #1 and get more distance. The reel has "loosened" up some since the first report and I'm getting about all the distance I can use and still get a good hookset with the 12lb mono that's on the reel right now. The casts are effortless, I don't have to worry about backlash, and I can use any casting stroke from a light toss to just wailing on the rod on the cast. Great reel. BUT, I still have to catch a bass with it before I can give it my highest approval rating. I did catch an 8" bluegill with it the other day but since this isn't the "Bluegill Resource" board...I didn't bother to post a photo...

JLS ships fast. My last order from them was at my doorstep 4 days after ordering. The order before that, the package sat at Tokyo International for more than two days before leaving for New York so that one took 6/7 days. Post some pics when you get it

In-The-Wild normally means in the hands of a consumer....but still it's good news! What would you be using such a beast for? Pretty soon (~May), the high-speed versions of the Conquest 100 and 200 will available - that's when I will be getting a real bad case of bait monkeyitus...

X3

The question has already been answered....but to those who wonder why you shouldn't just tie to the holes in the spool, or you DO tie to the holes in the spool but feel uneasy about it, I would pose a question: In the event you ever hook-up with fish like these...do you want to have the chance of getting spooled and then be in a tug of war with a 35-50 pound fish, with 20-65 pound braid, and have all that fight being transmitted through your spool shafts? OR, would you just want to be spooled and lose the cost of the line? Me? I'd rather tape the braid to the spool if I wasn't using backing, or if using nylon mono backing, I'm using an arbor knot for the mono. Just depends on what kind of fish you might run into I guess...

Hootie - I was in Lowe's today and picked up a pair for myself. I had eyeballed them before but never pulled the trigger. Seems like a good tool, and is cheap "insurance" to keep in the boat. I had a used 3/0 EWG hook laying on the tackle bench and it cut through that like butter (using the off-hand Andy). A better test would be a superline EWG.......but I'll have to wear out one first - don't have any used ones laying around...

If it's a current generation 200B, it has a retrieve of 27 IPT so there's one guide as to what you might want to use it for. Might be too fast for deep-cranking...but good for practically anything else.

Ordered a gear set for a Tatula direct from Daiwa late last year - no problems....