My goto froggin reel is the Kastking Deadbolt. No drag, 7.4:1 gear ratio,aluminum frame, carbon infused nylon side cover, 10+1 ball bearings, 6.7oz If you deciede to buy one from the KK site use my code for 10%off GEKBA10

 

 

5 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

 

Can’t see your response

36 minutes ago, Brycecover said:

Can’t see your response

I wrote a response thinking you were referring to the regular tatula so I deleted it. I don't have an elite but I have a tat 100 with an elite spool, just keep in mind they're tuned for distance. I'd choose the regular tat100 over the elite just for the hyperdrive gears.

1 hour ago, Bass Rutten said:

I wrote a response thinking you were referring to the regular tatula so I deleted it. I don't have an elite but I have a tat 100 with an elite spool, just keep in mind they're tuned for distance. I'd choose the regular tat100 over the elite just for the hyperdrive gears.

Yeah I think I will get the regular tat 100. You say that because it’s less forgiving since it’s tuned for distance right?

27 minutes ago, Brycecover said:

Yeah I think I will get the regular tat 100. You say that because it’s less forgiving since it’s tuned for distance right?

The elite is distance tuned and one of the longer casting daiwas, the 24 tat 100 has stronger braking but is still no slouch when it comes to distance,

1 hour ago, Bass Rutten said:

The elite is distance tuned and one of the longer casting daiwas, the 24 tat 100 has stronger braking but is still no slouch when it comes to distance,

Which one would you go for given they are around the same price for me? 

I hesitate to make a recco since I don't own both, so I'll just say I've never wanted for more distance with the tat100, especially with a frog which is a short to medium distance lure for me, and the hyperdrive gearset is a bonus.

I use an old Shimano Chronach 7:5. I got it at yard sale.

7 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

I hesitate to make a recco since I don't own both, so I'll just say I've never wanted for more distance with the tat100, especially with a frog which is a short to medium distance lure for me, and the hyperdrive gearset is a bonus.

Do you know if it has the aluminum side plate? It’s unclear on Daiwa’s website. I feel like that would really add in durability. People have complained about tatula getting rough retrieve before. Although maybe the hyperdrive gears would help that. 

31 minutes ago, Brycecover said:

Do you know if it has the aluminum side plate? It’s unclear on Daiwa’s website. I feel like that would really add in durability. People have complained about tatula getting rough retrieve before. Although maybe the hyperdrive gears would help that. 

Yes it does.

I used to use a Revo Rocket. The 10.1:1 was fast enough I never had a fish outrun my reel. The only problem was it didn't have enough low end to horse a fish out of lilypads and slop. I switched to  Revo Premiere. 8.1:1 gives me enough speed to keep up but still has enough low end to horse a fish out of grass on braid.

31 minutes ago, IYAOYAS said:

I used to use a Revo Rocket. The 10.1:1 was fast enough I never had a fish outrun my reel. The only problem was it didn't have enough low end to horse a fish out of lilypads and slop. I switched to  Revo Premiere. 8.1:1 gives me enough speed to keep up but still has enough low end to horse a fish out of grass on braid.

Yeah I think 8:1 is the best gear ratio for what I’m trying to do.

1 hour ago, Bass Rutten said:

Yes it does.

Where do you see it online? And thanks. 

On daiwas website, the metal side plate is part of the hyper armed housing feature set.

8 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

On daiwas website, the metal side plate is part of the hyper armed housing feature set.

But this is how Daiwa defines the hyper armed housing and it doesn’t say anything about aluminum side plate on the reels page- The HYPER DRIVE DESIGNconcept comprises a combination of different manufacturing techniques, which considerably improve the functioning and the lifespan of a baitcasting reel. HYPER ARMED HOUSING – a distortion-proof metal frame (magnesium, aluminum) that permanently houses the gear unit in a safe way within the reel body.

 

1 minute ago, Brycecover said:

But this is how Daiwa defines the hyper armed housing and it doesn’t say anything about aluminum side plate on the reels page- The HYPER DRIVE DESIGNconcept comprises a combination of different manufacturing techniques, which considerably improve the functioning and the lifespan of a baitcasting reel. HYPER ARMED HOUSING – a distortion-proof metal frame (magnesium, aluminum) that permanently houses the gear unit in a safe way within the reel body.

 

Not to argue, I just feel like Daiwa isn’t being very clear about it. Same with the dual supported pinion thing on some of their reels 

Something quality, fast retrieve and drag over 12#. I use a Lew's Tournament MB. They stopped making it, but I'm sure they replaced it in the lineup with another $130 reel. I've been abusing it for at least 6 years. 

On 5/10/2025 at 1:33 PM, ike8120 said:

My goto froggin reel is the Kastking Deadbolt. No drag, 7.4:1 gear ratio,aluminum frame, carbon infused nylon side cover, 10+1 ball bearings, 6.7oz If you deciede to buy one from the KK site use my code for 10%off GEKBA10

 

 

No drag, you say. This is intriguing.

13 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

Something quality, fast retrieve and drag over 12#. I use a Lew's Tournament MB. They stopped making it, but I'm sure they replaced it in the lineup with another $130 reel. I've been abusing it for at least 6 years. 

No drag, you say. This is intriguing.

No drag, so then where is the give in the system? I mean all that force setting the hook has to go somewhere right? 

3 hours ago, Brycecover said:

No drag, so then where is the give in the system? I mean all that force setting the hook has to go somewhere right? 

Well, I'm not the one with the zero drag reel. I was just commenting on it being intriguing. But I cinch my drag down when I'm frog fishing. That's not the time you want to be "playing" the fish. Presumably, you're using a very stout rod and 50-65# braid. Mine is an XH-X fast 7'3" frog specific rod from Cabela's. It's almost a pool cue. The idea with frogs is to turn the fish up and drag it across the mat. Usually, you drag it and 5 lbs. of vegetation. So the hookset force is absorbed by the rod, the vegetation and the fish and up it comes.

 

I also keep my drag very tight on my jig/T-rig combo unless I'm fishing open water.

6 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Something quality, fast retrieve and drag over 12#. I use a Lew's Tournament MB. They stopped making it, but I'm sure they replaced it in the lineup with another $130 reel. I've been abusing it for at least 6 years. 

No drag, you say. This is intriguing.

It has a drag.  The drag is just non adjustable and either in lockdown or off.  Deps relased a Zillion that had this years back but you can do it to any reel.  Just remove the two curved washers and replace them with flat washers.  When the drag star is tightened you have max drag at lockdown pressures and when it is backed off even slightly you have zero drag.  The purpose it to have a locked down drag at all times without the curved washers to deform and lose drag pressure.  Those curved washers that allow for an an adjustable drag are the cause of loss of drag pressure in a reel.  When the drag isn't backed off after every trip you can start to flatten the curved washers making you have to run higher and higher drag star tightness over time until you have lost significant drag pressure.  It's not the drag surfaces itself but the curved washers that cause this so the solution is to remove them like the Deps Zillion or this Kastking fishing reel shapped object.  

Of note on the drag, I would think you still wouldn’t want to cinch the drag all the way down. Even with frogs. All that force from a heavy rod, heavy braid and thick hooks needs some give I would think. Maybe @Delaware Valley Tackle could share some insight?

9 hours ago, Brycecover said:

Not to argue, I just feel like Daiwa isn’t being very clear about it. Same with the dual supported pinion thing on some of their reels

I agree, there's some inconsistency and some of their webpages don't go into as much detail. See the link below for the zillion and scroll down the overview which describes the hyper armed housing feature in more detail. The double pinion support is called hyper double support and I believe is only on the reels from the zillion on up.

https://daiwa.us/collections/baitcasting-reels/products/zillion-sv-tw-1

21 minutes ago, Bass Rutten said:

I agree, there's some inconsistency and some of their webpages don't go into as much detail. See the link below for the zillion and scroll down the overview which describes the hyper armed housing feature in more detail. The double pinion support is called hyper double support and I believe is only on the reels from the zillion on up.

https://daiwa.us/collections/baitcasting-reels/products/zillion-sv-tw-1

Yeah idk. I guess I should just buy both and find out.

17 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

Of note on the drag, I would think you still wouldn’t want to cinch the drag all the way down. Even with frogs. All that force from a heavy rod, heavy braid and thick hooks needs some give I would think. Maybe @Delaware Valley Tackle could share some insight?

After fishing frogs for the better part of a decade with a good, durable frog rod, I respectfully disagree. Of course, on a reel with 12 lbs. of drag, you never really lock it. But a very tight drag is the ticket with frogs.

I love my 8:1:1 Daiwa Tatula CT; affordable, smooth, durable, and F A S T. I feel like since a frog reel often accumulates a lot of gunk, I also would recommend something that you feel comfortable taking apart and cleaning since you tend to have to do so more often. 

6 hours ago, the reel ess said:

After fishing frogs for the better part of a decade with a good, durable frog rod, I respectfully disagree. Of course, on a reel with 12 lbs. of drag, you never really lock it. But a very tight drag is the ticket with frogs.

Tighten down sure but some reels have 20-24 pounds of max drag. I would think that completely locking the drag would put a lot of shock through the reel. I could be completely wrong though! 
 

I feel like I remember reading something from

@WRB on this subject. 

15 hours ago, woolleyfooley said:

Tighten down sure but some reels have 20-24 pounds of max drag. I would think that completely locking the drag would put a lot of shock through the reel. I could be completely wrong though! 
 

I feel like I remember reading something from

@WRB on this subject. 

I guess that's cool. I have yet to slip a drag on a frog bass. I just looked. Mine has 15#. I believe you should periodically loosen the drag and not store it long term tightened way down.