Tatula Elite vs Zillion Sv Tw

[1984isNOW]

@FryDog62 also, you ever have any drag slippage? Was adjusting my drag and it just kept pulling even as I tightened it. Each time I thumbed and reelednor tugged it slipped, even though it shoulda been pretty tight.

 

Also, I'm gonna try some 50# braid with a 40# diameter and hopefully that helps with my fluffy snap offs

[PhishLI]

39 minutes ago, 1984isNOW said:

you ever have any drag slippage?

99% of the time, drag slippage is just your braid slipping on the spool.

 

40 minutes ago, 1984isNOW said:

Also, I'm gonna try some 50# braid with a 40# diameter and hopefully that helps with my fluffy snap offs

You're addressing the wrong problem. You need to develop a feel for these faster spool Daiwas. You'll get better distance with less effort and less problems when you do.

 

Your snap offs are coming right after the beginning of the cast during the ascent, yes? Basically, an insta-lash that snaps off the lure.

 

Just an opinion, but a short-ish XF rod and whipping casts isn't what that reel likes, especially at the lower dial settings you're using. If distance is your priority with this reel, slow down your stroke and let the rod load and release. You might be surprised with the results. Or, step up to a true fast MH at 7'3' or better yet 7'6" for the baits you've mentioned. Take the snap out of your cast and use the length of the longer rod for a power sweep cast and it'll send your baits flying without things getting wonky. If you continue to cast it like it's a spinning setup you'll continue to have these issues, especially with the tip of an XF. If circumstances are such that you have to keep what you're using, try something like 15lb mono instead. It'll often fluff and recover instead of locking up the spool like braid does.

[FryDog62]

7 hours ago, 1984isNOW said:

@FryDog62 also, you ever have any drag slippage? Was adjusting my drag and it just kept pulling even as I tightened it. Each time I thumbed and reelednor tugged it slipped, even though it shoulda been pretty tight.

 

Also, I'm gonna try some 50# braid with a 40# diameter and hopefully that helps with my fluffy snap offs

No drag slippage ever on the 9 Elite reels I have, been bullet-proof. Good point above about braid slippage if you don't have backing. I typically throw either 12-17 lb fluoro or 30 lb braid on my Elites. Never went heavier, would only do that if heavy flipping or frogging, but I have other rod/reel combos for that. 

[Bigbox99]

I have a snappy/power casting stroke and use almost exclusively Daiwas.  With rare exceptions I don't go below 7-8 on the dial.  For the close in work I turn the brake up to control distance and make my muscle memory casts and skips.

 

I don't practice the low magnetic dial settings and soft casting some do with magnetic brake reels although that is something I want to get into just to see what it is all about.

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, Bigbox99 said:

I have a snappy/power casting stroke and use almost exclusively Daiwas. 

Right, but you've been fishing Daiwas for quite some time and are well calibrated to them. The OP needs to do the same, walk before he runs, and even more so with braid mainline. I spend plenty of my time ripping max power casts using braid for max distance due to how I'm forced to fish most of the time, but I figured out the subtle nuances to avoid problems and calibrated my stroke accordingly. Whether you figured it out consciously or not, it's slightly different than ripping casts with friction braked reels. Those minor adjustments throughout the entire casting cycle make all the difference with straight braid. When using plastic mainline, I can set my brakes on the redline where it'll fluff and recover on bomb casts, but you can't do that with braid as you know. Throw up one loop early in the cast and it'll lock the spool which might even shear the knot on 50lb braid.

 

 

[1984isNOW]

14 hours ago, PhishLI said:

99%

I had the line wrapped around the spool multiple times before tying it on, there's no way it could be the line.

 

14 hours ago, PhishLI said:

15lb

I appreciate all your input

 

I pit 12#Big game on my Zillion sv tw and my Elite. I brought them to a spot that has a bouy marker a ways out from the dock, about a max cast distance give or take.

 

I casted the same lure on the same rod with the same line, the only variable being the reels. I did this for about an hour and. Half switching back and forth.

 

I used a half ounce buzzbait as the test, since this is literally the sole purpose I purchased the Elite for. I used a 7ft MH MF rod (feels a bit more Medium MF) to compare. [I also casted the Elite a bit on a 7'6 HF and it did get more distance in general, but I never tried the zillion on it because I ran out of time]

 

On the 7ft MHMF rod - Without a trailer, the zillion got about the same distance as the Elite, but with a bit more control.

 

With a trailer they both casted close to the same distance, but when everything went smoothly the Elite did gain about 5-7ft.

 

The Elite had to stay at around an 8 and have some occasional fluff on a crosswind, there were a few manageable nests as I flirted with the break limits. The zillion had significantly less nests when skirting that absolute bottom break setting.

 

Zillion stayed around 6/7 on the dial

 

I'm gonna go back when I can to try them both in the 7'6. The Elite got about 10 ft average more on that rod.

 

@FryDog62 it could certainly be me, but I'm wondering if it's just the nature of a buzzbait catching wind that is limiting the Elite. You throw bareback buzzbait with the Elite?

 

You ever do a side by side with your Elite and Zillion?

 

I'm tempted to compare other lures, but like I said - the buzzbait was literally my motivation for the purchase.

 

[FryDog62]

27 minutes ago, 1984isNOW said:

 

@FryDog62 it could certainly be me, but I'm wondering if it's just the nature of a buzzbait catching wind that is limiting the Elite. You throw bareback buzzbait with the Elite?

Well, I actually bought my first Elite to specifically get better distance from a buzzbait. And it definitely did... so well I traded off many/most of my SV reels that I was using for other applications.  If I'm not skipping something, I really don't want to use the SV reels anymore (I've had Tatulas, Steez, Zillion and Alpha SV).

 

Buzzbaits are relatively light and have a high profile that catches the wind, so I wanted to upgrade and get optimal distance without zinging my chronic tennis elbow.  I've tried Shimano MGL and MGL III spools and they are better than SV's, but not quite the distance as the Tatula Elite.  

[Bigbox99]

Put a toad bait on that buzzbait.  More weight for more distance.  Also it catches fish for some reason.

[1984isNOW]

On 5/7/2024 at 4:50 PM, FryDog62 said:

not quite the distance as the Tatula Elite.

Alright man, I'm gonna put some more time in to do some casting battles. You ever do a side by side between reels all else being the same?

 

On 5/7/2024 at 4:51 PM, Bigbox99 said:

. 

I do sometimes, maybe I just should always haha

[FryDog62]

9 minutes ago, 1984isNOW said:

You ever do a side by side between reels all else being the same?

I did, the Tatula Elite vs, Chronarch MGL - same line, rod and 3/8 oz Buzzbait+ trailer. Both great reels - distance rating on the Elite 10, MGL 9.5

[Jaybert]

On 4/24/2024 at 12:55 AM, A kid from Canada said:

They were AE, Ive never had an issue. Also bought a Tatula 150 and an SV, couldn't tell a difference between them and the ones I picked up on Canada. 

I know this is old but I’m trying to find some real world experience from a fellow Canadian.   Have you had any issues with having to pay duties and taxes when importing these reels from these sites?   Or just pay the price on the site and no more costs.   Just curious some seem to say it’s a luck of the draw thing and I just want to have an idea before ordering a JDM reel

[MiceNReets]

25 minutes ago, Jaybert said:

I know this is old but I’m trying to find some real world experience from a fellow Canadian.   Have you had any issues with having to pay duties and taxes when importing these reels from these sites?   Or just pay the price on the site and no more costs.   Just curious some seem to say it’s a luck of the draw thing and I just want to have an idea before ordering a JDM reel

I order from JLS often and I’ve always received a bill from fedex a month and a bit later for around $16.24.  Never over $20 even on orders in the $750-850 mark.    This is in Ontario. 

[Jaybert]

42 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

I order from JLS often and I’ve always received a bill from fedex a month and a bit later for around $16.24.  Never over $20 even on orders in the $750-850 mark.    This is in Ontario. 

Great info thanks!  I’m in Ontario as well.  Was wondering if I was missing something, appears to be some great deals to be had on the JDM reels vs buying here in Canada, but if something seems to good to be true I’m always skeptical.   But lots of success stories it seems on this