Is it Daiwa, Shimano, or someone else?

[Ginson]

yup... agreed everything on the confidence part, it's certainly very crucial to determine you're going to be successful in fishing or the other way round, no denying it

however, customization so far, couldnt afford em. So i'd have to stick with stock or some 'innovative' upgrades such as shallow spool or ceramic bearings, but not handle, nuts, n other bling bling stuff LOL. . Those tat really can make my fishing better first, cosmetic later.... well if they give u an edge, n u can AFFORD it, why not?

[Emilio Prades]

Daiwa forever and ever, most beautiful, most exclusive, most gentle, throw further and better and more durable.

[mheber]

id go with shimano only because they have more selection. Right now with Diawa it seems either you break your bank and get zillions or you get low quality reels. there is really nothing in the middle

[Buck2thPerch]

id go with shimano only because they have more selection. Right now with Diawa it seems either you break your bank and get zillions or you get low quality reels. there is really nothing in the middle

It is exactly why Shimano got my vote. The E Series does feel plasticky at first but they need to be broken into. Once they are broken-in, they are smooth and quiet. For example - I Just got a 200E5 this winter and out of the box, it has a platicky feel and noise to it. I took it apart, relubed it with Quantum hot sauce, spun the handle 30 secs daily for about a month now (okay, call me weird, but its the middle of winter. I cannot do this on a frozen lake), and it does not have that plasticky feel or sound anymore. The 200E5 now is as quiet as my other 200E7's, Smooth, and the handle spins twice as long when spun freely vs out of the box stock.

But sadly, I have been buying more older and good used DAIWA reels as of late.

[21farms]

...so u meant all these [daiwa's] lil innovation?

well, if memory serves me right, daiwa was the first major player with magnetic brakes, introduced the current utilization of the inline thumb-bar that everyone but shimano uses, and the first to really sling the gearbox so far down the side of the rod handle. they also introduced the swept handle that everyone else but shimano has copied. their magforce V and Z are still the most sophisticated "smart" brakes in reeldom.

with all that being said, it sure seems like daiwa currently cares a lot more about their saltwater gear than their freshwater stuff. all we've gotten from them lately is the lukewarm aggrest and a couple of souped up zillions.

[RWSCHMITZ]

1- Shimano, for the DC reels
2- Pflueger - Patriarch Dual braking, sweet reel.
3- Daiwa - No good reels under $200.00, a Zillion that weights as much as a boat anchor, The new T3 that will cost over $600.00 plus, can't say anything good about them. I forgot the 4-5 year old Steez.

[bladerunner]

My heart and soul are Abu - but my reels are Daiwa.

[cjtoad]

Daiwa, they seem to stand up to the abuse I dish out.

[5poundhooker]

MY VOTE WENT TO QUANTUM. I HAVE WORKED ON MOST MODELS OF EVERY BRAND AND THEY NEED LESS REPLACEMENT PARTS THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. THEY DEFINITELY OUTSHINE IN THE LOOKS DEPARTMENT AND NEVER SACRIFICE QUALITY MATERIALS ON EITHER SIDE PLATE. WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO GO INTO PRICE $$$. YOU HAVE TO SPEND AT LEAST $300-$600 TO GET A DESCENT DAIWA OR SHIMANO AND THE GOOD ONES ARE SPECIAL ORDER FROM JAPAN. I THINK THEY SEND THE U.S. ALL THE REJECTS THAT THEY DON'T CARE FOR IN JAPAN. I BOUGHT A REVO PREMIER TO TRY ABU'S FLAGSHIP AND SEE WHAT THEY WERE ABOUT (AND TO GET FREE SUNGLASSES) I HAVE TO SAY IT WAS NOT VERY IMPRESSIVE, JUST MEDIOCRE AT BEST. I JUST DON'T GET ALL THE HYPE I HAVE HAD THE SO CALLED TIER 1 BRANDS AND WILL STICK WITH WHAT I LIKE, AS WILL THE REST OF US. I HAVE ALL THE BRANDS DAIWA, SHIMANO, QUANTUM, ABU GARCIA AND I HAVE LIKED QUANTUM BASED ON PRICE, PERFORMANCE, APPEARANCE, AND ERGONOMICS. JUST THOUGHT I WOULD STIR THE POT A LITTLE MORE. BOY ARE YOU SHIMANO AND DAIWA GUYS SENTITIVE.

[BARRAMANIAC]

id go with shimano only because they have more selection. Right now with Diawa it seems either you break your bank and get zillions or you get low quality reels. there is really nothing in the middle

Not true . the advantage hsta is every bit as good as a zillion and $100 cheaper. nothing low quality about the advantage line of reels. or even the tierra

[spicytuna]

I used to be a loyal Shimano customer, buying Curados, Calcutta TE's, Thunnus, and Stellas. But one time the spring in my drag cap for one of my Stellas broke, so it would no longer click when adjusted. I sent the reel in but didn't hear from them for a month. I called to see what's up and they had the nerve to try and charge me $80 for the spring, even though it was still under warranty. I told them to send it back, then I took it to a local tackle shop and they popped in a new spring for me on the spot, free of charge. After that I started buying Daiwa Zillions and Plutons and will never go back.

[overdose]

1- Shimano, for the DC reels -how old and heavy are those reels now? careful not to drop them in water, dc chip is an arm and a leg...
2- Pflueger - Patriarch Dual braking, sweet reel. -definately agree
3- Daiwa - No good reels under $200.00 -daiwa hsta, sol can be found under $200 , a Zillion that weights as much as a boat anchor -back to shimano DC reels , The new T3 that will cost over $600.00 plus, can't say anything good about them. -they're not even officially out yet, too early to determine anything but wow factor and innovation is pretty much all there I forgot the 4-5 year old Steez. -back to shimano DC reels

[GARRIGA]

I had previously voted Shimano but now I'm starting to buy only Daiwa for reels. Still like the Shimano Cumara Reaction series. Seems to me like they are smoother reels and have more high end offerings that meet my needs being a left handed Cranker. Like they say, taste is in the eye of the beholder.

[pistol1911]

I had never noticed the "hump"on My e 7 until it was brought up.My question is how can this little bump on the back end of the reel bother anyone? I have a large hand and can not feel this hump at all when fishing.

[Ginson]

i felt the hump often enough to actually irritate and hurt my palm so bad i sold my scorpion cheap out of pure rage.

i only regret it miserably after i place it with the right reel seat. I felt tat hump all the time when using acs reel seat. but when switched to the good ole ecs, it's heaven, period.

ps: i eventually get myself another scorpion by paying more n felt as happy as ever after that. True story