my assessment of the new baitcast reels from ICAST:

[Teal101]

controlling a simple machine like a rod with your non dominant hand makes more sense than controlling a complex machine like a reel (speed of retrieve, adjustment of drag, etc.) with your non dominant hand.

right hand retrieve or bust

The only action the reeling hand does is move the handle round and round. Not complex at all. The rod on the other hand requires casting, jigging, hopping, ripping, walking, figure 8, etc. Makes no sense to switch hands when all the complex actions are being done with the dominant hand, and the simple action being done by the other. The market is 100% backwards.

Bring on the lefty MGX!

[Moss Boss]

I owned 6 Curado 200E, 6 Curado B's, and 4 Revo STX's with a bunch of other reels here and there. In no way are the Curado's and Revo's on the level of refinement as the ZIllion. With Daiwa when they renamed or rebadged the ZIllions, at least they kept the form and high level of craftsmanship on each iteration. Ofcourse Shimano did the same thing. But the difference is, the quality (on paper) went down dramatically. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE between DAIWA's many versions of its Zillion vs what Shimano just did this ICAST. I own mostly Daiwa Reels now but I am no "Tard" as you are insinuating. I have owned 90% Shimano products for the past 12yrs. After getting a few T3's and Pixy-R's this year, next year my plans are to obtain a few Core 50MG and give this Revo MGX a try. One thing to note though, sure, Daiwa Reels and products are more expensive but at least I know when I buy Daiwa's higher end reels from the Zillions on up, I know my reels are the best in the industry and lasts forever with the best crafstmanship. My 6yrs old Fuego(my very first high end Daiwa reel after jumping ship from Shimano)....no issues. My 3yrs old Revo STX's....grinding noise and looseness in the handles and just doesn't sound good no matter how many times I tear them completely apart and relube/reoil every pinion, gear, bearing etc. My Curado 100B's are the epitome of what Shimano used to be.

A good analogy: Daiwa's Zillions reels and on up are equally the Lexus of high end cars. I have had a Lexus LS400 since 1995 with over 300,000 Miles and it still runs and purrs like the day I bought it. Shimano have always been like that of Honda but this year they pulled a GM of the 80's....they took a great powerful V-8 300+ HP with lots or room of the Chevy NOVA, grabed toyota's Corolla and slapped the NOVA name it - 4 Cylinders, 100HP?(maybe even 100hp), no leg room, small compact....list goes on. And for those that remember the Chevy (Toyota Corolla) Nova from the 80's, if you were like me, you shook your head in dismay and didn't buy a single Chevy until I needed a Suburban for hauling the kids and boat. Yes I do know Toyota and Lexus are just the same company but extrapolating the distinct points in each analogy is relevant.

Are the Zillions really "Lexus" quality? My experience with Diawa in the last 10 years has been a TD-X and 2 Advantage models. All three had to go back to Diawa for work. That fact made me less than enthusiastic to shell out $250+ for a Zillion when my old Cruado B's were Bulletproof. The Diawas were good performing reels however, and the Zillions feel sweet,. but I just didn't trust their quality after my other Diawa expereinces. I do LOVE their spinning reels however.

[dusty]

controlling a simple machine like a rod with your non dominant hand makes more sense than controlling a complex machine like a reel (speed of retrieve, adjustment of drag, etc.) with your non dominant hand.

right hand retrieve or bust

The only action the reeling hand does is move the handle round and round. Not complex at all. The rod on the other hand requires casting, jigging, hopping, ripping, walking, figure 8, etc. Makes no sense to switch hands when all the complex actions are being done with the dominant hand, and the simple action being done by the other. The market is 100% backwards.

Bring on the lefty MGX!

no matter how you fantasize about it there is a reason why left handed retrieve is the minority market. casting and retrieving is done with the dominant hand which is the right for 90% of the population.

left hand retrieval is just plain awkward for most people.

and a rod has no moving parts, so a reel will always be more complex to operate. physics 101 is over

*poof*

[PainInTheBass]

and a rod has no moving parts, so a reel will always be more complex to operate. physics 101 is over

*poof*

Actually, the rod itself is less complex mechanically than a rod. However, the complexity of the operation depends on the technique being used. If flipping, how complex does reel operation become? The physical dexterity required for some techniques (walking the dog as an example) require more coordination than say a straight retrieve.

For the record, I cast and retrieve with my right. However, I have trained my left hand to be able to manipulate the rod to my satisfaction. But, if you were to give a child a rod and reel, do you think they could simply reel or walk the dog with greater ease?

[africanbass]

I have been waiting a while for Daiwa to come to the party.
T3 and T3 Ballistic are worth a good look for sure.
Abu's new top end reel has a real chance of making it onto my shopping list this coming season.
Always open to 'other' manufacturers offerings
All in all,plenty to try.

[blakjack23]

Are the Zillions really "Lexus" quality? My experience with Diawa in the last 10 years has been a TD-X and 2 Advantage models. All three had to go back to Diawa for work. That fact made me less than enthusiastic to shell out $250+ for a Zillion when my old Cruado B's were Bulletproof. The Diawas were good performing reels however, and the Zillions feel sweet,. but I just didn't trust their quality after my other Diawa expereinces. I do LOVE their spinning reels however.

I would agree the Zillions are "Lexus" quality. I would also put Chronarch D's in that same category. Both very durable and reliable reels. I own mostly Daiwa's, but I will buy a reel from any manufacturer that I feel has a great product. As far as Daiwa's go I personally won't own any of their lower end reels. For reels in the 100-$200 dollar range I'd look to Shimano or Abu, but for the upper end stuff Daiwa has some of the best offerings in my opinion.

[Speckled]

and a rod has no moving parts, so a reel will always be more complex to operate. physics 101 is over

*poof*

Actually, the rod itself is less complex mechanically than a rod. However, the complexity of the operation depends on the technique being used. If flipping, how complex does reel operation become? The physical dexterity required for some techniques (walking the dog as an example) require more coordination than say a straight retrieve.

For the record, I cast and retrieve with my right. However, I have trained my left hand to be able to manipulate the rod to my satisfaction. But, if you were to give a child a rod and reel, do you think they could simply reel or walk the dog with greater ease?

The true definition of ambidextrous

[Buck2thPerch]

Are the Zillions really "Lexus" quality? My experience with Diawa in the last 10 years has been a TD-X and 2 Advantage models. All three had to go back to Diawa for work. That fact made me less than enthusiastic to shell out $250+ for a Zillion when my old Cruado B's were Bulletproof. The Diawas were good performing reels however, and the Zillions feel sweet,. but I just didn't trust their quality after my other Diawa expereinces. I do LOVE their spinning reels however.

Notice in my post I said anything Daiwa "Zillions and ABOVE". If you want something good from Daiwa, you have to spend a little more money. As is with a Lexus. Daiwa's good reels begin at the S$250(Zillion PA) and up. Notice you owned 2 TD-A. BlakJack23 answered it best. TD-X is a good reel but the TD-Z was the reel to get during the time you had your TD-X and TD-A. The TD-Z, in many ways, were equal to the current Zillion offerings and in many ways one of the best reels ever made by Daiwa in the $250-$350 range other than the Pixy Liberto.

[I would agree the Zillions are "Lexus" quality. I would also put Chronarch D's in that same category. Both very durable and reliable reels. I own mostly Daiwa's, but I will buy a reel from any manufacturer that I feel has a great product. As far as Daiwa's go I personally won't own any of their lower end reels. For reels in the 100-$200 dollar range I'd look to Shimano or Abu, but for the upper end stuff Daiwa has some of the best offerings in my opinion.

As per what BlakJack23 said, is true. After owning Shimanos for so long, I uped my budget to try a Fuego then a Zillion and Never looked back. With Shimano its either a Chronarch A-D series or Core. I jumped ship when Shimano went with the Curado D series.

[robertj298]

I myself spend more time fishing than arguing about what reel is better than the other or which hand I should reel with

[bstuckey]

LOL its funny looking at all these Daiwatards putting Shimano down because Daiwa released something other than another Zillion with different paint Im willing to wager Shimano will sell more new Curados than Daiwa will sell the Pixy, Z200 and T3 combined.

And Ford will sell more vehicles than BMW, Lamborghini & Mercedes. Please compare apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

[Buck2thPerch]

LOL its funny looking at all these Daiwatards putting Shimano down because Daiwa released something other than another Zillion with different paint Im willing to wager Shimano will sell more new Curados than Daiwa will sell the Pixy, Z200 and T3 combined.

And Ford will sell more vehicles than BMW, Lamborghini & Mercedes. Please compare apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

Offtopic but kinda relevant - Bstuckey....Joe's Sporting Goods had some BMW, Mercedez for sale at over 40% off retail. Zillion Type-R, last one was grabbed at $229.99. I posted info on the "Hot Deals" Sub Forums. Again, Joes Spoorting Goods was unable to move these because they were high priced and not many people will shell out over $200 to buy them. And not many average fishermen recognize Daiwa's higher end offerings. So they are liquidating some high end offerings.

Yup, Pluton 200HS gone....$199.99. Somone from TT here is sure happy!!!

[spencerinstl]

I have trained my left hand to be able to manipulate the rod to my satisfaction.

We are talking about fishing aren't we?

[dragon1]

Hmmm....

- To the "Daiwatard" poster, query me this: Which company, Daiwa or Shimano, has set more industry standards for FW Bass reel designs the last 20 years? IAR, disengaging pinion gear, tapered roller guides, AutoCast, ABS spool designs, first MG LP reel, among many other contributions; not to mention design cues from their JDM products that just about all other manufacturers are copying? Have you noticed how many reels in the market "look" like an Alphas/Sol platform? How many "look" like the Steez or the TDZ (especially some of the current Okumas) or the Pixy even? How about handle and knob designs? Hole drillings to save weight and add design? Bling (hopefully, "tasteful" bling and not the glue on Buick-type side vents that are all too common among certain demographics here ).

Additionally, Abu likely has even more innovations than Daiwa (of course they have been around longer as well).

- The TD-X (especially IMO, from the HVA onwards) are 100% super solid and exceptional casting/performing reels...the spur on this reel is that it is heavy and that the bearings would go bad in some of the models due to the perforated spools taking on water. If you upgrade the bearings, handle and drag on the TDXs, they are awesome. My main jigs/plastics reel is a TDX HSDF 103 with a JDM CVZ handle...even though I have a few reels that are several times more expensive than this TDX, it is the one I keep on my custom SHX 7'0" Heavy/Fast for this work.

- As I have been in the automotive industry for almost 11 years, to me: Shimano's legacy is Toyota/Lexus or Cadillac or MB so fars as smooth/buttery feel and quality (quality and durability as it pertains mostly to Lexus and some of the MBs...Cadillac is for the "soft/mushy/disconnected-smooth ride"). I feel Daiwa is more Honda/Acura or Nissan/Infiniti or BMW due to more refined connected feel and higher end performance, with the latest offerings now as luxurious in feel as Lexus, while still in smaller and more compact platforms (generally)...but hey, car analogies will vary, eh?

- LH or RH is a choice...any of you right hand dominant guys that fish a LH reel (because it is the "correct" way) are welcome to watch me switch hands during the day of fishing RH reels and see if you are more efficient and proficient. That offer is also good for hand to hand "exercises", if you will.

[spencerinstl]

- LH or RH is a choice...any of you right hand dominant guys that fish a LH reel (because it is the "correct" way) are welcome to watch me switch hands during the day of fishing RH reels and see if you are more efficient and proficient. That offer is also good for hand to hand "exercises", if you will.

I agree, It doesn't matter which hand you cast with, or if you switch hands, as long as you have fun fishing and get that fish into the boat, that's all that matters. Since i don't have the dexterity or speed of Ip Kai Man to switch hands, I prefer to cast with my right hand and reel with my left hand.

[mhood]

Which reel is the muscle car?