https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Shimano_Neoprene_Casting_Reel_Covers/descpage-SCRC.html

'Aint yous guys ever heard of a reel cover? Mine still looks like new after 3 years of being slung over my shoulder with up to 6 other rigs when I walk from spot to spot, and many boat trips. 

The Rod Glove Casting Reel Glove | Tackle Warehouse

On 9/26/2024 at 2:56 PM, PhishLI said:

'Aint yous guys ever heard of a reel cover? Mine still looks like new after 3 years of being slung over my shoulder with up to 6 other rigs when I walk from spot to spot, and many boat trips. 

The Rod Glove Casting Reel Glove | Tackle Warehouse

No honestly I didn’t know about them. I’m still relatively new to this 

1 hour ago, bgaviator said:

How often would you say a deep cleaning is needed?  I don’t go fishing nearly as often as I’d like in any given year so it doesn’t get heavy use. 

I’d say it depends on how you use it. If normal use I would say every 2 years or so. If you’re fishing in some nasty waters. More often. If you drop the rig in the water. I’d do a deep clean.  
 That’s my thinking at least 

3 hours ago, GReb said:

Send if to DVT

^^^^^  THIS  ^^^^^^

4 hours ago, bgaviator said:

Are they easy to change out?  I’m not a very mechanically inclined person 

If you haven't worked on a baitcaster, no, not easy, you have to disasseble the whole thing.

If that were mine, somebody would be answering for their crimes. 

 

You need clutch lever m06-6101 from zillion G100 if order directly from Daiwa 15-20 plus 4 dollars shipping. Difficulty level I give it a 7 out of 10 since you have to take lots of parts out especially the plate under pinion yoke. It is also easier if you take main shaft out because the connection of T-wing system. 
the easiest way is to contact tackle trap to replace it.

 

My goodness…that reel looks like it took some hard hits or someone fell on it while traversing some rocky terrain 😬

Send it to DVT, have that clutch bar replaced while serviced and get the drag washer upgraded.  It’s worth it.

20 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

Send it to DVT, have that clutch bar replaced while serviced and get the drag washer upgraded.  It’s worth it.

Is the daiwa drag not sufficient? What makes upgrading worth it?

DVT

3 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

Is the daiwa drag not sufficient? What makes upgrading worth it?

Daiwa frags are typically part carbon with the lower washer being a hard pressed material. Stock is sufficient but the upgrade is inexpensive and provides a long lasting drag that is smooth and predictable. 

When you set your rod and reel down by placing the butt down and relaxing your grip so that the reel weight rotates the rod and reel so that the reel is on the bottom and then dropping the reel you are effectively placing the reel upside down on the ground and this is how the top of the reel gets all scratched up.  Instead, squat down and place the reel and rod on the ground with the reel on top and the rod's trigger on the ground using the handle as a kick stand to keep the reel level and upright.

20 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Daiwa frags are typically part carbon with the lower washer being a hard pressed material. Stock is sufficient but the upgrade is inexpensive and provides a long lasting drag that is smooth and predictable. 

Even on the high end steez a2 model? @Delaware Valley Tackle

 

would the hard pressed washer make it a bad idea to not loosen the drag after every session, or is it as durable in that regard as a carbon washer?

I don’t think it’s ever necessary to loosen the drag after every trip. As for the Steez, if memory serves that came with Carbon fiber drag and is a 3 piece kit. I’ve upgraded them because the Carbontex weave is a little different and it’s an inexpensive upgrade. 

On 9/26/2024 at 1:52 PM, bgaviator said:

Well, I’m super bummed. Not sure how this even happened but my new Daiwa Zillion has part of the metal at the thumb button smashed in and several deep cuts in other places. I can’t recall ever dropping this thing or banging it around. Granted I don’t have a rod holder in my garage and just lean them against a wall in one corner, but d**n…

 

Your reel was damaged by being hit in quite a few spots, regardless of whether you remember doing it. Not too good of a look to blame Daiwa for anything. Your reel was abused beyond normal fishing.

On 10/8/2024 at 1:49 AM, waymont said:

Your reel was damaged by being hit in quite a few spots, regardless of whether you remember doing it. Not too good of a look to blame Daiwa for anything. Your reel was abused beyond normal fishing.

Ummm, when did I in any way blame

Daiwa for this?

 

So just as a follow-up, it finally dawned on me when and how this damage occurred. I’m pretty sure it was last month when I took my rod to the dam spillway. I had caught a gar fish that got wrapped up in my line. I had no good place to sit down my rod while I tried to free the fish. I leaned my rod against the stair railing that was flanked by large rip rap rocks. Well when the gar started flopping around he pulled my rod onto the rocks. I’m pretty sure that’s how this damage occurred. 

On 9/28/2024 at 4:09 PM, Maverick2017 said:

My goodness…that reel looks like it took some hard hits or someone fell on it while traversing some rocky terrain 😬

it finally dawned on me when and how this damage occurred. I’m pretty sure it was last month when I took my rod to the dam spillway. I had caught a gar fish that got wrapped up in my line. I had no good place to sit down my rod while I tried to free the fish. I leaned my rod against the stair railing that was flanked by large rip rap rocks. Well when the gar started flopping around he pulled my rod onto the rocks. I’m pretty sure that’s how this damage occurred. 

23 hours ago, bgaviator said:

Ummm, when did I in any way blame

Daiwa for this?

I read it as multiple times in this thread you wrote you didn't drop it, just leaned it against the wall. Implying that the reel is made cheaply and was damaged like that by normal use.

Reading this made me inspect my baitcasters. Ugh. This is my Daiwa Fuego FGCT100XS on my Kistler Helium TCJ:

 

It’s definitely cracked. I think it’s almost two years old. I bought it when I bought the rod in January 2023. It operates normal at the moment, but I will need to have a new clutch bar installed soon. Darn. 

On 10/21/2024 at 12:50 PM, waymont said:

I read it as multiple times in this thread you wrote you didn't drop it, just leaned it against the wall. Implying that the reel is made cheaply and was damaged like that by normal use.

I never meant to imply the reel was made cheaply at all. I was just venting my frustration about damaging my new reel and not knowing how it happened. But I did finally remember the most likely place it happened. I caught a gar last month at the spillway and had to lean my rod against the stair railing because the gar was wrapped around my line and flopping around. I had no good place to put my rod down. Well the gar pulled my rod onto the large rip rap rocks. I’m pretty sure that’s the most likely time and place it got the damage. 

I preach that stuff goes to the garage to die.  Critters, bugs, other people, humidity and temperature fluctuations ruin stuff.

On 9/26/2024 at 3:47 PM, bgaviator said:

Are they easy to change out?  I’m not a very mechanically inclined person 

You have to disassemble the whole thing to get to them, so i wouldn't say that its easy, but its a fishing reel, just take a pic after you've removed each part (or film it), and you'll be fine, there isn't that many parts inside a reel.

@bgaviator Did you ever get that clutch bar replaced? I still need to get the clutch bar replaced on the Fuego on my Kistler, and now I see a crack starting on the Fuego on my Falcon. 
 

None of my other baitcasters are damaged in the slightest so I don’t think it’s due to my abuse. Especially as the cracks on both reels are both in the right side of the clutch bar (although the one on my Kistler is now cracking parallel to the reel).