Hi all, 

I am the proud owner of a wayyyy too expensive 2016 Antares DC (high gear) reel. After selling a reel with some unexpected profit I just had to silence the 'WANT IT' voice in my head.

Since this was more of a pulse buy, I did not spend too much time doing research on the set up of such reel.

Since all manuals are in Japanese and there is also no documentation in English out there (the Calais DC gives some help, but is still different from the Antares in some key areas). 
Therefor I am wondering how other users have been setting up the reel on how they approached the reel in general when they first used it.

I would be super thankful for any tips and advice!
Thanks.

I have a 15' met dc but it has the DC5 chip compared to the DC4X8 system in yours, I would recommend going on youtube and clicking on some of the videos, yes they may be in Japanese or another language but the graphics itself might help, anyways my main tip would be to comment in the comment section as most of them speak english knowing from experience and they might be able to help you set it up.

But from what I know theirs a dial on the outside that is an external adjustment with minimum and maximum braking, as for the inside I think theres A,W,L,X modes

A= Accuracy mode

W= Wind mode

L= Long distance

X= Extreme distance

This link should help as its the same system just modernized http://www.tackletour.com/reviewshimanocalaisdcreviewpg2.html 

Hope this helps!

You have purchased an excellent reel, I have four of them. The link above should help a lot. When I got my first one I went to a Japanese Restaurant & found a cook who was willing to help. I met him with the reel & manual & he got me squared away It did not take long  as I had a copy of the Calais DC manual & made notes on it. We were done in less than 30 min. & I gave him $10.

13 hours ago, scbassin said:

You have purchased an excellent reel, I have four of them. The link above should help a lot. When I got my first one I went to a Japanese Restaurant & found a cook who was willing to help. I met him with the reel & manual & he got me squared away It did not take long  as I had a copy of the Calais DC manual & made notes on it. We were done in less than 30 min. & I gave him $10.

Thanks for your reply!

I tried to translate the manual via google translate, but that confused me even more.

Could I ask you to help me a bit out here? 

Is my mapping of the attached image correct? How did you set those up?

Thanks!

My equipment is up at the lake & that is a picture of a Calais DC.  On the Antares the letters on the mode selection(line type) is different as I recall.It has an

A=More Control, easier to skip & pitch

W= Wind mode, adjust speed of the spool for the wind condition

L It looks more like a angle= best for all around performance & long distance

I don't remember what the 4th letter is.

Once you choose your mode setting you choose your braking power setting. There is 8 settings for each mode, you don't have open your side plate to do this. That knob is the one that sticks thru the side plate & it has 8 marks on it from min to max. Remember to check your braking setting when you change modes. I adjust the spool tension with the knob on the handle side & don't mess with that one.

48 minutes ago, scbassin said:

My equipment is up at the lake & that is a picture of a Calais DC.  On the Antares the letters on the mode selection(line type) is different as I recall.It has an

A=More Control, easier to skip & pitch

W= Wind mode, adjust speed of the spool for the wind condition

L It looks more like a angle= best for all around performance & long distance

I don't remember what the 4th letter is.

Once you choose your mode setting you choose your braking power setting. There is 8 settings for each mode, you don't have open your side plate to do this. That knob is the one that sticks thru the side plate & it has 8 marks on it from min to max. Remember to check your braking setting when you change modes. I adjust the spool tension with the knob on the handle side & don't mess with that one.

Not sure what you mean with "&that is a picture of a Calais DC"? The picture attached is from a 2016 Antares DC.

Antares ----> JDM version of the CALAIS.

7 hours ago, scbassin said:

My equipment is up at the lake & that is a picture of a Calais DC.  On the Antares the letters on the mode selection(line type) is different as I recall.It has an

A=More Control, easier to skip & pitch

W= Wind mode, adjust speed of the spool for the wind condition

L It looks more like a angle= best for all around performance & long distance

I don't remember what the 4th letter is.

Once you choose your mode setting you choose your braking power setting. There is 8 settings for each mode, you don't have open your side plate to do this. That knob is the one that sticks thru the side plate & it has 8 marks on it from min to max. Remember to check your braking setting when you change modes. I adjust the spool tension with the knob on the handle side & don't mess with that one.

the 2016 antares DC does not have a tension control knob on the side by the handle.

So i just learned this from 

On 12/7/2016 at 1:07 AM, freelancer27 said:

Thanks for your reply!

I tried to translate the manual via google translate, but that confused me even more.

Could I ask you to help me a bit out here? 

Is my mapping of the attached image correct? How did you set those up?

Thanks!

so i just learned this from japan tackle:

4 modes, FL: fluorocarbon line mode, P: PE braided line mode, NM: Nylon monofilament mode, X: extreme long cast mode. Please set one from these 4 to suite your line chosen. X should be chosen to cast the longest with heavier than 5/8oz rigs. 

heres the link if you want to read http://japantackle.com/shimano-16antares-dc.html

and from my understanding there is no spool tension because there is no need for one

 

 

3 hours ago, Gavin.Ange said:

So i just learned this from 

so i just learned this from japan tackle:

4 modes, FL: fluorocarbon line mode, P: PE braided line mode, NM: Nylon monofilament mode, X: extreme long cast mode. Please set one from these 4 to suite your line chosen. X should be chosen to cast the longest with heavier than 5/8oz rigs. 

heres the link if you want to read http://japantackle.com/shimano-16antares-dc.html

and from my understanding there is no spool tension because there is no need for one

 

 

THanks,

So what is the screw then for that I indicated as Spool tension knob? Feels a lot like it

That's it. The spool tension is preset. I think Shimano recommends that you not change it.

3 minutes ago, Bill B. said:

That's it. The spool tension is preset. I think Shimano recommends that you not change it.

Shoot. I played with it ... 

4 hours ago, freelancer27 said:

THanks,

So what is the screw then for that I indicated as Spool tension knob? Feels a lot like it

as to this I'm really unsure, sorry... 

I went to the lake yesterday to secure my water lines before the Freeze last night. While there I looked at both my Antares & Calais DC reels.I found they are different. My Antares has W,A,M,L & the Calais has W,A,L,X. All 10 had a spool tension knob. I guess you have just adjust the brakes for each bait you use. The spool tension must be preset for each type of line used. Sorry I was not much help.

3 hours ago, scbassin said:

I went to the lake yesterday to secure my water lines before the Freeze last night. While there I looked at both my Antares & Calais DC reels.I found they are different. My Antares has W,A,M,L & the Calais has W,A,L,X. All 10 had a spool tension knob. I guess you have just adjust the brakes for each bait you use. The spool tension must be preset for each type of line used. Sorry I was not much help.

Interesting.
Do you have the 2016 Antares DC? My settings are as shown above.