PhishLI

Take a look at Daiwa's new releases beginning with the Alphas. They've turned back the clock with all metal frames and free floating spool reels. Yes, the palm side plate is plastic but the set plate that locks into the frame is metal. In effect, they're all metal as far as the drivetrain is concerned. Metal handle sideplates are also found on the Tat150, 200 ,300, Elite, and Coastal. The beastly 300 actually has a dual supported pinion, and is my most solid feeling swimbait reel, and I have a few to compare it to. That's no longer a fact. At least 3 Daiwas are built in Doyo factories. If you dig a little deeper than the commonly known Banax/Doyo thing, you'll find there are several jobber manufactures that build to spec for brands other than abu/lews/quantum, etc. I seriously doubt that Malaysian, Chinese, and Thailand factories are fully staffed with Japanese elves. "Owned by" is sort of nebulous at best.

Couple of things to think about here: I've come across many reviews at TW that go something like this: First time out the rod tip broke 6" from the top on a 2lb bass and I didn't even boat flip it. I'll NEVER purchase any product from Brand X again. Perhaps, in some cases, this could be a valid response to a problem, but in most cases not really. No brand, regardless of price point, is immune from issues, especially with reels. Lew's doesn't employ a monolithic brake system throughout the line. They build 4 types, AFAIK. Perhaps your friend's older Speed Spool had an issue with an older and un-oiled DOYO/ABU/LEW's Infini friction brake or neglected bearings that colored your perception, but the ACB Quiet Cast is extra quiet. The first generation Shimano SVS with the red blocks screamed unless they were oiled constantly, but they solved that with the redesigned white blocks. If someone was to dismiss Shimano based upon the early red block mess they'd never get to try out the far better MGL models. My Quantum Tour S3 is quiet and all around fantastic, but poor @QUAKEnSHAKE has had issues with his examples. I have six other Quantums that're are quiet on the cast., and are otherwise rock solid performers. My Curado K was a lemon, but I bought 7 more Shimanos after that purchase. It's well known that Shimano has had many issues with aluminum micro module gears going buzzy, and pinion bearing problems that make it feel like the gears are bad. Some high end Daiwas have a clicking issue that's driving several guys on another forum nuts. Daiwa Lexas had a notorious sticking thumb bar problem. @freelancer27 is having issues with brand new Conquests, as are guys elsewhere. A certain percentage of Daiwa Tatulas go geary feeling quickly, like my Tat SV, but both of my Fuegos are fine. My newer Lew's reels with the P2 pinion upgrade have stayed smooth with plenty of abuse. Older one's without it, not so much. But my brother's Super Duty 300 without the P2 pinion is smooth as glass after chucking a Bucca 4X4 since he got it, and that bait is high resistance from the second you start cranking it. It's fine that you've found happiness and have a preference. However, it's silly to assume that a company's line is junk just because you had a negative encounter. Had I listened to what some people said and taken that approach I wouldn't have bought up a pile of reels from multiple brands. Besides my Curado K issue and 2 Pflueger Supreme XTs BCs that went geary quickly, I've had no problems with over 50 current production reels spread out over 5 manufacturers, including 13. Also, I happen to have 10 Omen Black 2s that haven't been broken on a hookset, lost a guide or a guide ring, had a reel seat or handle loosen, nothing. I'm just a ham-n-egger, and preferred the feel of the Omens over my Avids, so regardless of the brand-hate I took a chance. I'm happy with them and I'm glad I didn't listen to the noise. Like @QUAKEnSHAKE ,we all should feel free to report our negative experiences with products, but to dismiss or condemn any one brand henceforth without a lot of evidence confuses the facts.

Get the Lite. Super versatile over a range of baits and compact. P.S. I own/owned each of these reels and actually fished with them.

Brother, have you read through this thread? Aint no arguing going on. Actually it's quite restrained and polite. So you're fishing with a cane pole sans reel? ?

You're entitled to your opinion on anything you like, naturally, but not on weight. The Pro TI is lighter than the Chronarch by a skosh, and the Hypermag is lighter by over an ounce. So is the Custom Pro SLP, and those models have metal frames, not space age plastic. BTW, I enjoy fishing with my plastic Chronarch when it's under 38*. I must admit that it's pure joy removing the unattached side plate with frozen fingers in order to adjust brake blocks, especially while I'm wading, but at least the frame doesn't get as cold as my metal reels, so my hand doesn't freeze up as quickly. That's nice.

You're not mistaken. Fishing gear is a bit cultish, and those who choose to be cultists, or brand fans, can be a bit feverish in their endorsements. I bet there's been a ton of disappointment spread out over waves of people expecting a fishing reel to blow what they already had away because of something they read. Conversely, certain models outside of the big 2 get no serious consideration for reasons just as idiotic. Having read fishing forums there's no doubt in my mind that many people self-chill and are reluctant about endorsing certain other-than brands except to defend their choices if need be. Anyway, it's well know in other engineering fields that just because you've come up with something special in a particular model there's no guarantee that "thing" will scale up or down an entire line. It's not that simple. The devil's in the details. Also, technical approaches change, sometimes just for the sake of change and marketing. Companies like to tout "New" and sellers like to promote "New". Often so called improvements aren't improvements at all. What made you like or hate something 10 years ago has nothing to do with now.

A flying arm, or in Lew's case a disc, may be similar in basic principle, but that's where it ends. It's a different design that behaves differently in use. Braking near the spool's axis (SVS) should and does act differently than the ACB's thrust plate friction system. Personally I don't find them to behave similarly at all in use, and once Shimano retires the tedious SVS Infinity brake I hope they'll employ something as clever and user friendly as ACB. SVS may be an original idea, but big whoop if it's a PIA to fish with, and it is, IMO.

Been running 20lb Daiwa J8 braid on a '17 Tat SV for 4 years without issue. No grooves,

sweet!

That doesn't look like a poor man's graph though. ?

No way, but not because I don't already have everything I need in triplicate, or that the truth is all I've ever really needed to catch bass on is three combos. In a doomsday fantasy scenario I could pare down to one 7' MF spinning combo, one 7'3" MHF casting combo, and one 7'3" H combo and catch nearly every fish ever I've caught or will catch going forward. But there's more to fishing than just catching fish for me. Regardless of which hobby I'm into I like trying out new-to-me gear. I get the minimalist approach, but fishing's not simply a utilitarian exercise for me. I like playing with toys and switching reels to different rods in search of that goldilocks feel. Some sort of unexpected magic usually happens within these gear rotations, and price isn't always a factor. An expensive reel doesn't always land on an expensive rod, and vice versa. Feel rules the outcome and that's final for me, for the time being anyway.

Upper end Daiwas are solid machinery. There is a difference. Once you've figure out the brake tuning and lower effort required for good casts you'll be chirping.

If you're backlashing frequently you should probably think twice about Fluoro. It doesn't do well with kinks at all. If you do kink the line, that's pretty much all she wrote. If you take the plunge you'll need to be 100% diligent with your thumb, and there's no shame in adding a dash of spool tension or juicing up the brakes to start off. Fluoro in really cold weather is even tougher to deal with as it wants to spring off, even after you've stopped the spool after a cast.

True, but does a reel stay on one specific rod forever and ever? Not here.

No wiser words have been spoken.

If you see yourself casting baits using straight 17-20lb mono/copoly/fluoro, then absolutely yes. If not, no real advantage.

There's one review at TW that's sounds eerily similar. Could it be...? Anyhow, over at the Two Tees forum the picky guys, who seem to completely live for the slightest whiff of an issue, haven't yet complained about the dial moving in 48 pages of commentary, AFAIK. Hopefully this particular complaint is limited to just you and the single "mystery" complainant in the TW review section. I have large hands with no weird, knobbly callouses, so hopefully I'll be spared this misery. My model is on backorder, so in the meantime I'll try not to think about it. Oy vey. ?

Genius!

2021 Daiwa Zillion SV TW G HL

Owner CPS Twistlock, Twistlock Light, and Twistlock Weighted. Far less grief with tear out. GY Senkos, as well as most other plastics, last far longer rigged on these hooks compared to standard types.

Apply code CYBERJOY21 at checkout and the price comes down to $53.99

Don't get thrown off by the JDM label. It's a Curado K painted red-ish for the Japanese market, but the difference maker is its lighter MGL spool. Personally I find the K to be a bit of a turd with the stock spool. I'd give up its better build and smoothness for the versatility SLX MGL, which I prefer otherwise. If you're throwing lipless cranks, heavier deep diving cranks, or heavier swim jigs, etc, the K is fine. It'll launch them. Downsize at all from those type of baits and dialing it in becomes a tedious exercise, and your thumb better be on point every second.

$183 at Asian Portal. You'll be glad you got this one instead of the K. Way less touchy into the wind with lighter baits and wind catching baits like flatside cranks, etc. It's also easier to dial in when changing typical baits.

I didn't realize you were talking about a spinning rig. In that case take a look at the Tatula XT spinning: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/catpage-DAIWAROD.html?from=basres I have both the 6'6" MF and 7' MF. $80 right now if buy you during the TW BF sale. I've caught 7+lb fish on both rods, and a ton of fish in total. They haven't been babied and nothing has gone wrong after 4 years. They'll feel like a big leap up from an Ugly Stik. Versatile, light, and solid at the sale price including free shipping.

I use the same rod as @Catt :Powell Inferno 703CEF for senkos and flukes. It's been going strong for years without issue, and I fish ckoked out water. The Inferno line has been replaced by the Diesel line, and they look the same. The closest to that particular Inferno model in the Diesel line is the 723C MHEF. They're feather-weight at 3.3oz, and reasonably sensitive. $89 at TW minus 20% off if you order by this Tuesday. Qualifies for free shipping. It's really a Medium + and slings light plastic baits very nicely. It's soft enough through the blank to keep fish pinned that I can get away with throwing jerkbaits, shallow crankbaits, and topwater treble baits in a pinch if I'm only carrying one rod. I do this often when I'm wading way out and don't feel like walking in to swap rigs. No issue with blown hooksets for me on worms, flukes, and bitsy bugs. If I end up busting my Inferno I'm definitely getting the Diesel. https://powellco.com/collections/casting-rods