SuperWetBlanket

Outside of the obvious, like what's already mentioned in this thread, i used to like short rods because the feel of a fish fighting is way stronger on a shorter stick. Used to have a 5.9" and a 6' rod that i used a bunch for jerkbaits, and fishing smallies was awesome. Now that i think of it, i might grab one for next year just for this reason because it has been a while since i've had anything under 6.8'.

Atm just one, the 2009 Caulcutta 100 DC.

It's good to see that we're not the only ones constantly talking about the reel. Japan is doing the same thing🙂I also understand why thereeltest stopped covering the best reel of the year since Zillion domination has began. https://youtu.be/s2bbzZByRv0?si=SePfPJeg18a5-KTO

It's not just in the steez that the gears stay smooth when made of duraluminum. All reels using Daiwa's new gear cutting tech with massive teeths stay smooth and silent for a long time. My 21 zillion that i got late Spring of the same year, used for a bizillion of hours since, is like 85% as smooth as new if i were to give it a smoothness grade. You simply couldn't get em to last this well before. If i was Shimano, i'd ripoff their tech, and only use the micro module on their finesse/bfs reels, which would make so much more sense.

Yea, high resistance baits are easy to retrieve. The difference is not night and day because the Steez A is pretty good at it as well, but the HD does have the edge. The Bantam is also good at this.

The newest Tats are the king at the price range, but i have no idea how much they go for with the tariffs.

Wish i could just have it for a week, and do a proper comparison to a 24 met dc. Zero chance that it's anywhere near it, but i am still curious.

Torque under load, more comfy to palm compared to the 2016 steez frame. That's it. If you don't swap handles, the original HD handle+knobs are also superior for larger baits than what's on a steez.

Its the most nobrainer purchase on the market. The reel is arguably better than the steez, and costs singificantly less.

I understand that perfectly fine, but as you've mentioned, Isuzu is a reel. Lots goes into one. On the other hand, nothing much goes into a handle. Hell, the shape of this handle isn't even unique. It being anodized in red is the only unique part, which i find crazy.

Livre, SLP, KTF and Studio Composite is all i use. And limited edition or not, this is just a handle. I would understand a whole fishing reel, it's like a watch, a nice piece of machinery. But a handle is just a piece of metal that LIVRE can CNC the hell out of them. It being anodized in red, and being sold for these kind of prices is ridiculous.

Don't even think about it, HD is far far far superior, and is the best bang per buck there is atm, especially in the high end.

I am looking at this auction right now, and i am blown away. I have never seen any handles, ever coming even half way. And the auction isn't even over, there's 11 hours left. https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/u1226539280 I don't know how DRT did it, but their products are out of this world when it comes to price. No joke, if they were able to produce their own swimbait reels, i see them being sold for $3-5k a pop. If they've gotten this much swagger on the socials, and that's the reason why people are ready to pay a mega premium, i am impressed.

Shimano sure does have far superior finishes. In most cases the paint doesn't look as good (way more colors from Daiwa over the years, too), but so many poor finishes as well. TDZ, PX68 SPR, Z2020, 2014 steez limited, T3's, 21 zillion, etc, etc, etc. So many examples of just pure dumpster fire durability of their finishes. I mean, i have a buddy that has a TDZ that he has been using for 6 years, purchased NOS, and after all this time, there's not a single scratch because he's babying it, but because of the sweat, and friction of the palm over the years, the paint on the top of the frame and palming side plates is mostly gone. I don't understand kind of paint is this, Daiwa? Sometimes i wish the fishing community were way more critical, and actually complained about stuff, because too many flaws from Daiwa and Shimano are just going under the radar for 1-2+ decades.

All i am saying is that Shimano, for the price they're charging their higher end DC reels, should, without a question, have a higher adjustablity on their DC modules. It's not a deal breaker, but when a $40 Temu reel has 10, and a 24 Met from TW for $540 has 5, it just doesn't make any sense. I know most don't care stuff like this, but i do. I take the price into consideration, see what's out there, and can clearly tell Shimano is falling off.

Modes are set and forget. External adjustments are your settings, and 4-5 settings is ridiculously low. I got a brand new 24 Met DC back in February last year for $290 Canadian from japan, so it's real far from being twice as expensive.

Lets be real here, how is having 10 settings not simple? They're not designing these reels for 5y olds, especially the higher end models. And while you say that Daiwa isn't targetting novice users, it just happens that Daiwa, with its 20 adjusments, is the most novice friendly brand on the market because of SV spools, so again, i completely disagree. Shimano uses 4-5 settings on most of their DC reels because they're 1000000% cheaper to produce. They're not removing additional adjustments to make it simple, but only to decrease the cost of their DC modules. And i find this ridiculous because Aliexpress/Temu DC reels sold for $40 have way more adjustments, and so does these Abu's, but shimano has a hard time having more than 5. Ridiculous, and i actually do care greatly about having a higher resolution of dejustments because i always fish at the edge of backlashing, and the more adjustments you have access to, the better/easier you'll achieve that.

Disagree. If this was the case, the very first DC reels wouldn't have 8 adjustments. There's literally no disadvantages of having 10 adjustments on the dial when almost all daiwas have 20 for over 25 years.

All i am seeing is heavy marketing. But i gotta say this, isn't it dumb how Shimano's DC is mostly just 4 or 5 adjustments on the dial? 10 adjustments should be the standard, and i see no reason why it can't be.

Mostly lures. One reel and cerakote a steez.

Yes and no. For general use, no. For places full of pike, i use the Berkley Vanish fluoro in 30lb. For musky Shimano Leader Ocean EX fluoro in 80lb.

Personally haven't. Following the used market, i almost never see anybody sell a DC reel with the braking system having issues either. Have any of you gotten any issues with the DC module?

Just grab a Tat 200 if you need a reel for swimbaiting. Can't be beat for the price.

It will handle 4oz baits fine, lots used the Steez A to cast the klash9, but a 200 size reel will certainly feel better.

Its the same size as a standard zillion. Weights a bit more than the JDM zillion because of brass gears. There are no 100 size reels out there that can't handle 3/8oz. Unless you're using thick fluoro, you can easily cast 1/4oz on it. Between the three reels mentioned, it's by far the best bang per buck out there.