AmmoGuy

What drag star is on yours?

My Coastal mysteriously multiplied today... ??‍♂️ Couldn’t help it. I really like these reels.

10-4. I guess I've never owned a rod with a visible curve to it, so this one caught me off guard. It was a $150 rod. It seems to mainly curve "downward", as in it always looks like you have a very light lure tied on.

This seems like a decent place to ask this.... Has anyone ever heard of composite rods not being perfectly straight? Or rather, it being acceptable for one to have a slight curve? I was recently told by a rod manufacturer that it is common, but I've never known this to be the case.

Thanks for the input, I guess. The two I purchased both have multiple defects, aside from other aesthetic items like ferrules not centered on the blank, and labeling applied crooked. Every other rod with the Ark name on it might be amazing. That could very well be the case. ??‍♂️ Unfortunately, my small sample size of two has caused me to look elsewhere.

Well... Upon further inspection, both rods are a no-go. Ark told me the composite rod not being straight was just a characteristic of composite rods...??‍♂️? But due to the other issues, they told me to send them back to Tackle Warehouse. They were quickly responsive, and said these issues are not common. Multiple chips on the guides, What looks like “bubbles” in both blanks, “glue” on the blank above and below the seat, and a few other fit and finish oddities... Well. I gave them a shot. Looks like more Tatulas for me!

Update... Just got in two Arks. Both Invoker Pros. One 7’ MH/XF and a 7’ MH/M Glass. First impressions... “meh”. The glass rod is like 3/4” wide in front of the reel seat, and because of that actually has a completely different reel seat than the other rod..which isn’t that big of a deal, just different. However, the blank is not straight. Looking down the rod, it has a visible curve about halfway down the blank. Going to call ark and see what they say, but it’s going back. The MH/XF seems ok. The action is about right. It’s a nice tip, that quickly gets into good backbone. It seems heavy weight wise though. Just going by feel, it weighs more than my Tatula and Carbonlite of similar ratings. The handle is OK, but not great for my hand. EVA feels high quality. For $100 I’d prob say it’s a good choice, for $150, I don’t know that I’m super impressed right now. Aesthetic wise, they look ok. Not as eye catching in person as they are online in my opinion.

If you want the Legend series... EC70MHF or XLC70MHF

Nothing really happened to them. It's just that every ABU reel you had was designed and manufactured in Sweden.

The crazy part is, if I remember correctly, the SLP is extremely similar to the REVO SX. I think the side plate latches the same way.

That sucks. I have two SXs, and I've put some time on both of them. I've heard of this happening, so I've kind of kept an eye on it, and opened them both up to make sure the side plates where latching correctly. No issues yet. If it one ever pops off without me touching the lever, they'll get taken back immediately.

The CT’s, nor the 100 have a metal side plate, if that’s what you meant?

I’ve heard people say the “the 100 is newer and built better”, but I’ve never really heard specifics on what was changed to make the reel “feel” or actually perform better. I’m not at all saying there aren’t actual mechanical improvements... just that I haven’t heard anyone be specific about them. I’d honestly be interested to know the meaningful mechanical changes. “Beefier” doesn’t really mean much. I do think I prefer the 100 chassis better than the CT, but they both palm fine. I don’t have a Fuego, but the Tat CT fishes great.

Your prob not going to. Just go with the new version.

A lot of good options out there. Fury 735c is a fast action, and will probably get recommended a lot. Daiwa Tatula TTU711HFB or TTU741HFB are worth considering.

I’ve been waiting for someone who owns both to give their thoughts.

I should prob put some Cals on it. It’s just kind of ... not enough drag, not enough drag, then boom, it’s basically full drag. And I never moved the brake more than a click or two all day. It just kind of works.

I fished mine (bass) all day Saturday on a 6’10 MH/F Tatula. 15lb Floro, with the spool half full of mono as filler. Weightless 5.5” Senkos, Spinner, and even swapped it onto another rod and threw a crank with it for a few. Flawless. Smooth, casts plenty far, and is really forgiving in the wind. Do I need the large capacity spool? Nah. But it doesn’t seem to hurt anything. The reel just looks so sharp too. It looks “expensive” to me. if I had ONE gripe, it’s that my drag seems a little “all or nothing”. But it works fine. I really want to buy another.

As an update on the 6'10".... To be honest, when it arrived I wasn't sold. It is a VERY nicely crafted rod, but at first glance, the tip is SUPER thin, and I thought the trigger/reel seat was going to be a little uncomfortable. I also kind of wished it was a full 7'. Then I stuck my Coastal SV on it and used it a little. And I'll tell you what, I kind of forgot about any concerns I had. With that reel, it might be the most balanced rod/reel combo I've ever held. It's balanced so well, it makes the rod feel even lighter than it is. Somehow the <7', thin tipped rod seems to punch above it's weight. Realistically, Daiwa probably could have gotten away with a $200 price tag on this rod. It's going to be real hard to not add the 7'1" Heavy, or the 7'3" MH soon.

I used the coastal a good bit over the weekend, and I can say, a Mann's baby 1- comes off the rod like it was shot out of a cannon. It significantly out throws my Revo's with little effort. I'm sure the Tat SV 103 is similar. If the Aluminum side plate, corrosion resistant bearings, and line capacity don't matter to you, maybe just get the 103. I'll say this though, pretty much all the higher end Daiwas have either magnesium or aluminum side plates, and I've heard people say they think it keeps the reels smoother, longer. This is why I keep mentioning the 103. It's actually lighter than the coastal (no aluminum side plate). It's more comparable to the Coastal than the regular Tat SV.

Well darn. I thought maybe because the Tat SV 103 and the coastal were both 100 chassis’s that maybe they’d swap. Aesthetics are obviously in the eye of the beholder, but the Coastal SV is one SHARP looking reel in person. Looks wise, the new Tat SV is the same reel as the coastal, just a different color.

Yep, I kinda figured he was referring the older Coastal. I’d agree here... If you are going to get the SV, I’d get the 103. This also has me wondering if the SV 103 spool would fit in the coastal.

Coastal? Or Tat?

I’m probably about to sell my new Tat CT and get another coastal SV. I’ve never used the Tat SV, but I can’t imagine it doing anything better than the coastal.

Second this. Fantastic reel. The Tatula SV TW would be good too.