2023 Vanquish

[Dan B]

I am loving my Vanquish 2500SGH. The Exscence was an incredible reel, but I like this better. I also don’t miss the T shaped handle.

I 100% agree. My 22 JDM Stella showed up today as well. The startup on the Vanquish is a fraction of the Stella's, but so is my Certate.

Some FYIs:
Startup Inertia - 23 Vanquish > 19 Vanquish > 19 Certate > 21 Exsence >>> 22 Stella
(Stella out of box impressions low, needs broken in tho)

Weight in hand - 23 Vanquish > 19 Vanquish > 21 Exsence > 19 Certate > 22 Stella
(To be expected as I didn't buy it for weight)

Smoothness - 23 Vanquish = 22 Stella > 19 Certate > 19 Vanquish = 21 Exsence
(This is very subjective, but end of day they all smooth)

Under load - 19 Certate > Exsence = 23 Vanquish > 19 Vanquish
(Wont add Stella to this yet until fully broken in, but I'm sure it's going to smash the competition)

I will be using this Stella the entire St Clair trip at end of month, hopefully break her in a bit.
But if I had to recommend a reel(s) based off current performance and experience so far...
Either buy a 23 Vanquish or 19 Certate (Especially Certate if you need weight for balance) These two are big wins for price to performance

[Rodster14]

Great analysis Dan. I like the Vanquish so much, I will likely pick up another one. The one I have now is on a NRX+ 852 and the combo is so light and well balanced a joy to fish. My next purchase is a longer ML rod. I don’t drop shot or fish the Ned much, but I seem to have a 1-8-1/4 ounce little underspin with a 2.8 inch Keitech tied on most of the time.

[Dan B]

Definitely a great combo… I put my 2019 Vanquish on my NRX+ 852s.

If you want the killer combo get the Steez AGS 7’6 MML and put the Vanquish on it. So so good.

For me it’s the all-in-one 7’6 finesse rod. You don’t need anything else if you don’t want multiple rods

[Canga-]

Definitely a great combo… I put my 2019 Vanquish on my NRX+ 852s.

If you want the killer combo get the Steez AGS 7’6 MML and put the Vanquish on it. So so good.

For me it’s the all-in-one 7’6 finesse rod. You don’t need anything else if you don’t want multiple rods

personally i prefer a heaver reel on the steez ags mml, mine has a 2019 certate 2500s on it, it feels way better! i have tried my 2023 airity 2500 fc lt on it, but prefer the certate. the airity is waiting for a flyssa unless i convince myself to get a 872s nrx before they come out!

vanquish sounds amazing, if you like it better than the excense, i have one of those, and to me its just a lighter certate, super smooth and light, plus it looks badass! maybe a vanquish will be my next reel.

[reason162]

maybe a vanquish will be my next reel.

You will love the new Vanquish - it is perfect.

[BRONZEBACK32]

How does the Vanquish compare to the Exist?

In terms of smoothness, power and casting?

I have the exist 22 3000H and the stella fk 2500HG.

The rod I'm using is the conquest 782 for smaller jerkbaits and the stella is a bit heavy on that combo, the exist is perfect but it makes me feel dirty putting a daiwa on a shimano rod

[Dan B]

personally i prefer a heaver reel on the steez ags mml, mine has a 2019 certate 2500s on it, it feels way better! i have tried my 2023 airity 2500 fc lt on it, but prefer the certate. the airity is waiting for a flyssa unless i convince myself to get a 872s nrx before they come out!

vanquish sounds amazing, if you like it better than the excense, i have one of those, and to me its just a lighter certate, super smooth and light, plus it looks badass! maybe a vanquish will be my next reel.

Idk, for me it seems perfect. I've tried my 3000 (2019) and my 2500 (2023) and both have been a blast to use on it... balances great. I just spent 4 days up on St Clair throwing dropshots, neds, okishira + spark shads and 2.8" keitechs on it and it performed flawlessly. Caught a bunch of smallies and walleye on it, had a great time.

I've also tried a Certate on it, but the bail smacks my knuckles all the time and got annoying. I run it on my 2016 Destroyer Addermine... I hold that rod a little different and don't have issues. Wife actually boated a 5.3lb smallmouth and a pretty big pike on that combo with a dropshot this past trip... both on 6lb FC Sniper. Hands down my favorite spinning rod every made... shes lucky I let her use it, lol.

And yes, the Vanquish is my fav and I prefer it over the Exsence...
The Stella I just bought performed like a pile of crap. It's going back to Japanlureshop tomorrow actually... just got it boxed up and they are paying for shipping back. Told them if the other 2500S reels in stock feel like that too they better not send it back. Told them maybe I'll try a smaller version like a 2000, or I'll pay them more money and they can send me an Exist.

[BRONZEBACK32]

The Stella I just bought performed like a pile of crap. It's going back to Japanlureshop tomorrow actually... just got it boxed up and they are paying for shipping back. Told them if the other 2500S reels in stock feel like that too they better not send it back. Told them maybe I'll try a smaller version like a 2000, or I'll pay them more money and they can send me an Exist.

What made the stella feel like crap?

[Canga-]

personally i prefer a heaver reel on the steez ags mml, mine has a 2019 certate 2500s on it, it feels way better! i have tried my 2023 airity 2500 fc lt on it, but prefer the certate. the airity is waiting for a flyssa unless i convince myself to get a 872s nrx before they come out!

vanquish sounds amazing, if you like it better than the excense, i have one of those, and to me its just a lighter certate, super smooth and light, plus it looks badass! maybe a vanquish will be my next reel.

Idk, for me it seems perfect. I've tried my 3000 (2019) and my 2500 (2023) and both have been a blast to use on it... balances great. I just spent 4 days up on St Clair throwing dropshots, neds, okishira + spark shads and 2.8" keitechs on it and it performed flawlessly. Caught a bunch of smallies and walleye on it, had a great time.

I've also tried a Certate on it, but the bail smacks my knuckles all the time and got annoying. I run it on my 2016 Destroyer Addermine... I hold that rod a little different and don't have issues. Wife actually boated a 5.3lb smallmouth and a pretty big pike on that combo with a dropshot this past trip... both on 6lb FC Sniper. Hands down my favorite spinning rod every made... shes lucky I let her use it, lol.

And yes, the Vanquish is my fav and I prefer it over the Exsence...
The Stella I just bought performed like a pile of crap. It's going back to Japanlureshop tomorrow actually... just got it boxed up and they are paying for shipping back. Told them if the other 2500S reels in stock feel like that too they better not send it back. Told them maybe I'll try a smaller version like a 2000, or I'll pay them more money and they can send me an Exist.

i broke my US destroyer flyssa last spring, broke my heart! megabass had something special with that series of rods, i hope the p5 versions live up to that standard! as for the certate on it, just my preference, i have used other reels and it was great too, mainly tried a 2017 steez type 2 and a 2023 Airity lt fc 2500s, both worked great but the 2500s certate lt always ends up going back! glad you are happy with whichever reel you put on it!

[Dan B]

i broke my US destroyer flyssa last spring, broke my heart! megabass had something special with that series of rods, i hope the p5 versions live up to that standard! as for the certate on it, just my preference, i have used other reels and it was great too, mainly tried a 2017 steez type 2 and a 2023 Airity lt fc 2500s, both worked great but the 2500s certate lt always ends up going back! glad you are happy with whichever reel you put on it!

100% agree on the US Destroyer comment. The Addermine has been my favorite rod since I first got it. Luckily I was able to find another in great condition last year. I use that one now and retired mine (which has easily caught over a 1000+ fish of all kinds of species) and will not use it unless I break this other one. Someday if I get a house where I can have an office, my original Addermine will become a wall piece.

When the P5 versions become readily available I'll be watching for any that pop up on the "for sale" forums... I might just pick up another to use on a regular basis. You should keep an eye out for the Flyssa.

If only they took put that grip design on the P5s... only thing keeping me from buying a P5 Addermine.
My Windbuster is a great rod, but the grip just doesn't make sense to me.

[BRONZEBACK32]

If only they took put that grip design on the P5s... only thing keeping me from buying a P5 Addermine.
My Windbuster is a great rod, but the grip just doesn't make sense to me.

Agreed, the older model handles where perfect.

[Drakestar]

I received a 2000 Vanquish a couple days ago. I bought it for my 821 NRR and it looks like a perfect match. Feels much lighter in materials (but also not as heavy duty) as the Stella FJ/FK, feels a bit lighter than an Excense. I don't know if I'd buy 4000 and up versions of this reel, but in the finesse space, it feels like a great option. The Ci4 handle feels a bit cheap to me, that material just never has a high-end look IMO. And the handle on the 2000 is tiny. Might need to change it.

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