Daiwa PT33 Series

Reels are the hottest topic for TackleTour. Everyone wants to know what the latest and greatest is and how they compare to the old guard. What's the best for light stuff, or what's your suggestion for heavy cover. Do we really need different retrieve ratios? It's all in here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Big-Bass
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2220
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:59 am
Location: Northeast

Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by Big-Bass » Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:55 pm

Recently I picked up a vintage PT33C and PT33P (classic 80s) Daiwa reels to match up and fish with my made in Japan Daiwa SS Tournament 700 and 1300 spinning reels. I have to say that even though these reels are rather old, they are rather refined for the time and were top of the line models at the time. I think they were replaced on the tournament scene with the TD-1Hi. It's nice to be able to fish a reel that may have caught fish when I was in kindergarten and still see it going without a problem in 2017! How many of you own these reels...both PT and SS models? Thanks and Happy New Year!

BigG
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2322
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:38 pm
Location: Lake Guntersville

Re: Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by BigG » Wed Dec 27, 2017 10:49 pm

Big-Bass wrote:Recently I picked up a vintage PT33C and PT33P (classic 80s) Daiwa reels to match up and fish with my made in Japan Daiwa SS Tournament 700 and 1300 spinning reels. I have to say that even though these reels are rather old, they are rather refined for the time and were top of the line models at the time. I think they were replaced on the tournament scene with the TD-1Hi. It's nice to be able to fish a reel that may have caught fish when I was in kindergarten and still see it going without a problem in 2017! How many of you own these reels...both PT and SS models? Thanks and Happy New Year!
Both these reels caught a lot of fish of the Coosa River Lakes in Alabama. Lake Mitchell mostly. The PT33C was paired with a Pro Bass Boron 7 1/2 cranking stick rigged the a Bagley DB 3 in Tennessee Shad or Ghost (fall), in deeper water and thrown in the lay downs. The PT33P was used for most everything else including flipping. I kept one of the PT33P's These reels were my first Daiwas and were so much better than anything I had used before.

User avatar
Big-Bass
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2220
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:59 am
Location: Northeast

Re: Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by Big-Bass » Thu Dec 28, 2017 11:27 am

So then the ones you sold me...about what year did you get them? I know they made them from 1987 through 2005. Thanks!

BigG
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2322
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:38 pm
Location: Lake Guntersville

Re: Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by BigG » Fri Dec 29, 2017 7:43 am

Big-Bass wrote:So then the ones you sold me...about what year did you get them? I know they made them from 1987 through 2005. Thanks!
Lordy, don't ask an old man about dates. Early during the time period mentioned.

User avatar
Big-Bass
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2220
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:59 am
Location: Northeast

Re: Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by Big-Bass » Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:06 am

Haha...thanks anyways! I am excited to use them come spring time. It's currently a wind chill of -17 now here so maybe by April!

runmax08
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 179
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 2:23 pm

Re: Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by runmax08 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 4:23 am

The great Rick Clunn used the Daiwa pt33 to win the Bass Master Classic on the Arkansas River years ago. He won that tournament using a bomber model "A" crankbait. Bill Clinton (former president) attended the final weigh in and the rest is history. I have 2 pt33 3:8 - 1 cranking models. The original Lew Childre model BB1n is another great reel for cranking large baits. All of these reels are under one hundred bucks and their just as smooth as my conquests 100s. Why dont they make reels like these anymore?

User avatar
Big-Bass
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 2220
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:59 am
Location: Northeast

Re: Daiwa PT33 Series

Post by Big-Bass » Tue Jan 02, 2018 6:12 am

The PT33C has a 100mm handle on it and it can really crank with some power. The combination of durability, quality, and place of origin would put these reels much more expensive if produced today (with instant anti-reserve) than their retail price when they were finally discontinued in 2005. That's why I like them and why I also like the classic feel of the SS Tournament spinning reels which were Daiwa's answer to top-of-the-line spinning reels at the time. They are still unchanged (minus country of origin) for 31 years.

Post Reply