Your favorite reel out of box no upgrades

[Lightning]

Ardent Elite

[pantera3]

Curado 100D is a casting machine right out of the box.

[belippy]

Chronarch D 7 hands down I have 4 and there as good as they come!!!!!!

LIKE!

[rcr1959]

Daiwa Tierra bait caster.

[branover]

Daiwa PX Type R

[fishless]

Has to be Daiwa Zillion PE Special - Cast and crank like a dream straight outta box

[Redfish]

For me, it is hands down my Calais DC7. What a dream reel...and I am typically a Daiwa guy.

[Katron]

Daiwa Steez 103. Second place with one upgrade would be the Ryoga 1016 with 90mm carbon handle.

[Katron]

Although I am please with the performance of all of my reels even the ones that are upgraded, the T# Ballistic just doesn't seem to need any further upgrades to me. Will the bearing and spool make that much difference?

Jeff

Hi Jeff -

While I do think the T3 1016 RCS spool makes the T3B a better performing reel, I don't think the difference is quite as dramatic as what a TD-Z 100m spool does for a Daiwa Zillion. That 1016 RCS spool is pretty amazing in a Steez and a TD-Z as well...

Isn't the T3 1016 RCS spool the same as the Ryoga 1016 spool? If it is, then could I swap my Ryoga spool with my Steez spool and the other way around?

[Katron]

Well after posting the above I said "doh, why don't I try it myself as I have both of the reels". I found that the RCS 1016 spool works in the Steez 103 (as Bronzefly stated) but found oddly enough that the Steez 103 spool does not fit in the Ryoga. after measuring all the crucial dimensions I found absolutely no difference between them, it's just perplexing. The spool fits, but it does not fit all the way, namely if you look carefuly the non-handle sideplate edge of the spool looks to be too far into the frame, and thus is not inserting all the way into the pinion reciever. After closing the sideplate and reeling you feel some resistance, and sure enough after finger spinning the spool you find that it does not rotate freely. I will measure the spools again when I get a chance and see if I can find where the difference is. Now for the performance of the Steez; after putting the RCS 1016 spool in loaded with 20lb Sunline Shooter I mounted it on my jig rod and did a test drive. The results were odd, the pitching performance was quite bad, but the casting performance was nice, a more consistent feeling is the only way I can describe it. I couldn't really tell a difference in distance but it seemed like you were able to put a little more muscle into it without that Steez temperment coming into play. The stock Ryoga is a very smooth pitcher which is why the Steez having the Ryoga spool and showing poor pitching performance was puzzling, I would even rate the Ryoga as just as capable pitching as the Steez but less finicky. I really wish I would be able to fit the Steez spool into the Ryoga as I believe it would make it even more of an increadible reel. I will be conducting more tests just for expirimentations sake later on with the Steez and 1016 spool to see if it gives an edge casting hardbaits, as that will be its intended application.

[phyxate]

For me, it is hands down my Calais DC7. What a dream reel...and I am typically a Daiwa guy.

I'm gonna second this. I once was a shimano guy, then swapped to the Daiwa Zillion Coastal (great reel) and now back to shimano. The Calais 200DC is the best reel I have ever thrown and nothing even comes remotely close to it. Took back my new revo mgx instantly (waiting on the new premier).

[pantera3]

Shimano Core 100mg7

[dukhntr]

Chronarch D 7 hands down I have 4 and there as good as they come!!!!!!

Same here! But have 5! hahah

[CaptBob]

My Lews, already got carbon drag, and after putting boca orange seals in the TP, I put the factory bearings back, and put the bocas in the CT200GTB Calcutta, WOWE!! the Calcutta really gained and will cast with the Lews now over 70 yards with 20lbs braid and 3/4 oz. My beloved deep water reel for the Big Pond (Lake Erie) Walleye !! But the Lews seems to be about as good as it gets right outa the box, why I now own the team and a tournament.

[CALL ME RIFLE]

Daiwa Z200H for me...honorable mention to Zillion PE Special and HLC