WetBlanket

A Tat SV for $100 is a good deal, and a good option for your first baitcaster.

SV spools are very beginner friendly, so i'd suggest you buy a reel from Daiwa that has an SV spool. For your first reel, something like the Alphas SV TW would be amazing, but they're $150 from Japan. I would suggest you look at the used market, there are plenty of very good deals.

It does indeed look better with the blue spool. Since the last time i posted it with the blue spool, i swapped the back star drag and black zero adjuster cap to an SLP silver cap and SLP silver star drag to go full silver on the reel. Was thinking replacing the handle and knobs with one in silver from LIVRE, but those are expensive, and heavier than what's currently on the reel. I did saw a Japanese guy using it on a custom Zillion, and it was so fitting, tho.

Would grab a Bantam from Japan.

The Zillion is the reel to go with over everything currently available😁

Warranty should never be a reason to not purchase from Japan (not to mention that some Japanese shops will warranty the reel for you, but you gotta send it back to them in Japan). Unless we're talking about the Curado and its thumb bar that falls apart, reels don't break, so there's nothing to warranty them for. And if a bearings goes bad, its an easy replacement if you're reasonably knowledgeable when it comes to fishing reels, or just send it in for someone to do it, its not expensive. With the micro module from shimano, its much better to get brass gears because their aluminum ones are really bad, and become noisy extremely quickly. As for Daiwa, their newer style of gears that they've been using since 2016 (steez sv tw) is amazing, and there's no reason to even have brass, its only gonna be heavier.

Haven't bought a single reel locally since 2011🤣

If you're used to spinning reels, you might be casting with a jerk motion, which was never a great thing with any magnetic braking systems. Secondly, if you're using braid, 8th setting is usually way too much, so if you're still getting overruns, you might have too much line on the spool or your inductor/rotor of the spool is sticky.

I mostly used 3-5pc rods that goes straight into my bag. For bank fishing that is.

It does, but that's only if you're using stock SV spools that come on most current Daiwa reels. Thing is, if you're using something like the zillion, the 34mm platform, there are literally over 50 compatible spools released in the last over 20 years. There is a ton of ultra fast spools that you could use to beat centrifugal brakes when it comes to distance, if that's your goal. Spools like the Type R and Type R+ tunes inductor spools, the Ringa SSS spool, the SLP1010 spool, RCS1016 spool, etc, etc. Most people don't bother swapping spool, and are stock with an SV spool forever, and its not with that that you'll be bombing across the lake, they're made for control, not distance.

$196 for the left handed 7.1 ratio even. You can find them for even cheaper on japanese auctions, but its just easier to order from the japanese amazon https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/DAIWA-Zillion-1000HL-Handle-Model/dp/B08NNZ2VT1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3G99119P418WW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wVouUp7hLTzHBqYTC1XnaCX519XcnhhL-5D6AEdRa_xJbBW975E82jllYZnjOPjOSL3_M_pR158wFU-A5JJOU8M2u4mg75vJIpCtOaCD4Af_fq1DFJaCFKuWrBcLu-KQnM-4FnylykFxnvMOnr68PQaxx1SsI5TkVQOnrXLVySBO2qsZNjE_VKapgHsAKbbuzQkHCWvPjyXI3d1bfYKU-fp0zwBbYfdXt4CHFfJIVBXU3camyoG9VQbA5BLDXTxbG4WMEncRHR7zsFwaNZurMu_qRx81OXdtZUijeIRXiCY.qeefJh6i-qFshMgcO438Qlth4ovh0i84FWbg1cWqOC8&dib_tag=se&keywords=daiwa%2Bzillion&qid=1721484729&sprefix=%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-1&th=1 The zillion, for the price is so good that every single reel that is currently produces should be put on the side, and grab a zillion instead. If your budget is $150, wait a bit, get the additional $50, and buy the zillion, its much more worth it than the ghetto curados.

For reels its $210 where the Zillion sits, and the drop of improvements from the zillion is massive when going for higher $$$ reels. For rods, the Expride is the sweet spot when purchased from Japan.

Btw you can get the 2015 metanium dc in used condition for less than a brand new curado dc. Between the two, the choice couldn't be easier.

Probably a hot take, but to me they were never worth it. The reel has the worst DC module and the Curado line itself is🤢ever since they discontinued the E series. Considering the JPY, Curado DC is a ripoff lol.

Had the silver max that i got new for $20. Holding it in my hands, and spinning to handle was enough for me to put it on sale instantly. No thanks.

I would've grabbed the Alphas TW for $150 for cranks.

Actually never tried them. I hear people use them for bucktails and jerkbaits for musky, but i've always used fluoro and it does fine for everything.

You might also want to check the used market. A Daiwa TDZ or an OG Daiwa Alphas can be had for those prices, and they're excellent reel that will last forever.

Are you referring to flexible steel leaders, or the straight ones that keep their shape?

How small are we talking about? Of course it won't be good for a vision 110, but a slide swimmer 175 or even the 145, it works perfectly fine. The difference is that they sink faster on a pause, but its better to deal with that than having to deal with musky teeth.

No no no, this is not a knot made to go through guides. This is what you use to tie to a swivel or directly to a lure when using braid. For standard fluoro leaders to go through guides, i always use improved alberto. Kinda agree, $150 is way too expensive to just cast out there. That money can get you a nice handle and knobs assembly from studio composite, etc. And while i have a bunch of slide swimmers 175 that cost over $100 each on TW, i bought them all used, so i paid less than 50% than what they're sold for, so its not too bad.

This is the main one that i use when tying to a swivel of a fluoro leader

I use a 12" 80lb fluoro leader anywhere i know musky or pike could be a thing. Without it, my slide swimmer 175 would be gone. I bought two of these single strand titanium leaders. Both broke at the snap. Lost a musky with a wopper plopper 190 in its mouth because of it, and the second time it broke on the same spot during a cast. The lure was floating so i could at least retreive it. Both leaders were 50-60lb, i don't remember exactly, but they didn't last long at all. The titanium leaders that do last a long time, are the multi strand ones, but i can't seem to find them locally anymore.

At that price Tatula 100. A bit more ghetto option would be the standard SLX as well.

I'd stick to the two company that designs their reels, and have been doing so for decades. With the amazingly low yen, this is 10x as true now. As for the cosmetics of the Spro, it looks d**n ugly.