I own a few Daiwa Zillion SV TW reels and they are my absolute favorite reels I’ve ever used. That being said, I want to dip my toes into finesse casting and I’m looking to pick up a reel I can throw on my medium rod (on the light side of medium) before deciding to make the plunge fully into true BFS. I am debating between the Alphas SV TW 800s or maybe even an actual BFS reel of some sort. Does the shallow Alphas out perform the Zillion at light weights? Or are they very similar and I should look to BFS for anything lighter than my Zillion can handle? 

 

 

7 minutes ago, Cody28 said:

I own a few Daiwa Zillion SV TW reels and they are my absolute favorite reels I’ve ever used. That being said, I want to dip my toes into finesse casting and I’m looking to pick up a reel I can throw on my medium rod (on the light side of medium) before deciding to make the plunge fully into true BFS. I am debating between the Alphas SV TW 800s or maybe even an actual BFS reel of some sort. Does the shallow Alphas out perform the Zillion at light weights? Or are they very similar and I should look to BFS for anything lighter than my Zillion can handle? 

I have both, currently I have 10lb power pro on each, both on M casting rods, one F and the other MF.  I think the 800S outcasts the Zillion at 3/16oz, but seems similar at 1/4oz.  The Alphas Air is a definite improvement for light bait casting.  Hope that helps.

 

scott

 

These weights are approx total weights, I'm not weighing the rigs.  1/8oz free rigs, jigs, and or neds get used on both setups.

Edited June 20, 20233 yr by softwateronly
clarity

50 minutes ago, softwateronly said:

 

 

I have both, currently I have 10lb power pro on each, both on M casting rods, one F and the other MF.  I think the 800S outcasts the Zillion at 3/16oz, but seems similar at 1/4oz.  The Alphas Air is a definite improvement for light bait casting.  Hope that helps.

 

scott

 

These weights are approx total weights, I'm not weighing the rigs.  1/8oz free rigs, jigs, and or neds get used on both setups.

Have you ever used the Air? If it could handle my jerk baits that might be the best move for me, as it would be on my jerk bait rod. 

35 minutes ago, Cody28 said:

Have you ever used the Air? If it could handle my jerk baits that might be the best move for me, as it would be on my jerk bait rod. 

 

Here's what I have;  jdm for all the reels

 

6'10 expride M/MF - zillion 10lb pp; I throw mostly jerks, blade baits, and topwater with this

6'9 MC Days M/F - alphas 800S 10lb pp; jigs, paddle tails, neds, free rigs, jerks, blade baits

7'1 Feather ML/F - alphas air PE.8; neds, jig worms, micro t-rigs/free rigs

 

The air is new to me this spring, I've never thrown jerks on it.  The 800S/Days set up is versatile enough for me to go down to @ 1/8oz total.  If I ever get a true bfs rod, I'd probably throw the air on it and get another alphas 800S for the ML feather if the alphas stays under $200 on digitaka.  I think the air would be too little reel for some of the heavier jerk baits I have success with.  Maybe check out just getting a lightweight spool for your zillion, you can swap in and out based on what you're doing?  

 

scott