High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

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.
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LgMouthGambler
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High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by LgMouthGambler » Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:09 am

This goes for the Daiwas especially. Lots of people like to have super fast retrieve for pitching baits around cover, and it makes perfect sense for the efficiency aspect of it. But let me ask you this, to those that have them, how have the gears held up? Im sure most of us that are "enthusiasts" like our Daiwas, and love the fact that they have these high speed reels available. Does your reel still act "smooth" on retrieve? Knowing there are many of complaints about high speed gears feeling "geary" after a bit of use, it makes me not want to jump into a higher speed Daiwa. It makes sense that this will happen over time of use, and at a more rapid rate than using a gear set of a slower speed due to the smaller teeth and all it takes to make it possible. So, for those of you that have them, Im curious as to what your experiences are.
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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:51 am

I have the 9.1 Zillion TWS and the Zillion SV, both held up fine so far after a couple years. SV for jigs and TWS for punching
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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by Polkfish1 » Mon Oct 22, 2018 4:45 pm

I’ve fished a 9.1 zillion sv tv for two years and an 8.1 for about 8 months. I fish 300-320 day/year for at least few hours (more hrs on weekends). Also, I use them for moving baits a lot and I often bank and dock fish on the lake I live on—lots of long casts. The 9.1 looks heavily used. Lots on line notches on the nose especially. Both feel just fine; really can’t detect a difference, but obviously I don’t remember how they felt out of box. I clean it every two weeks.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by Polkfish1 » Mon Oct 22, 2018 5:57 pm

Polkfish1 wrote:I’ve fished a 9.1 zillion sv tv for two years and an 8.1 for about 8 months. I fish 300-320 day/year for at least few hours (more hrs on weekends). Also, I use them for moving baits a lot and I often bank and dock fish on the lake I live on—lots of long casts. The 9.1 looks heavily used. Lots on line notches on the nose especially. Both feel just fine; really can’t detect a difference, but obviously I don’t remember how they felt out of box. I clean it every two weeks.
I should have mentioned this. Neither the 9.1 or slp version 8.1 ever felt anything near as smooth as a j dream or r versions of og zillions. I just love the high ratio so I often favor the 9.1. Ive just become accustomed to slowing down the winding on retrieve rather than cranking a slower ratio faster and then I land fast when it’s showtime so as to minimize potential time to lose the fish. At least that’s the way it feels to me. Not sure if I’ve actually increased my landing percentage. Didn’t keep track of those data.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by DirtyD64 » Wed Oct 24, 2018 8:54 am

I have spoke on this a few times, love Daiwa's to death, but I won't buy anything that fast again. I changed my 9.1 Zillion to a 7.3. The gears held up fine I guess, but just felt lacking in torque for me, even on a reel that big with a 100mm handle. I know it CAN do it, have a few friends who use 9 speeds for anything, just personally I like a 7 for general purpose and an 8 for super high speed. The 9.1 Zillion was fine for me though when using small swimbaits pitched to banks and small finesse jigs. Kept the gears, might give them a shot again one day.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by jjbassnforfun » Wed Oct 24, 2018 1:42 pm

I put a set of 9's in my sons Fuego. He's beat them hard and we just serviced and gears look fine.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by poisonokie » Wed Oct 24, 2018 2:29 pm

In my experience, the faster the reel, the noisier the gears, even brand new. I think it just has to do with more torque going through a smaller pinion. At ~30% faster than a 6.3, the pinion and spool are flying around by comparison. I haven't had any issues with gear wear in my TWS 9.1 in heavy cover, but the rod really does most of the work, and it was never as smooth as the 6.3 or 7.3 variants.
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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by LgMouthGambler » Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:03 pm

I was curious of the opinions, and realized to myself that I didnt need that kinda speed. I ended up finding a new in box Zillion TW HS for cheap, and I got it today in the mail. Its really smooth, and looks really good. I got the JDM model, and its 10x better looking in person than in pictures. Ive worked on the USDM models, and just the visual aspect of this JDM reel over its USDM brother is insane. Silver trim instead of black, makes the reel look 10x better.
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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by Polkfish1 » Wed Oct 24, 2018 5:08 pm

[quote="poisonokie"]In my experience, the faster the reel, the noisier the gears, even brand new. I think it just has to do with more torque going through a smaller pinion. At ~30% faster than a 6.3, the pinion and spool are flying around by comparison. I haven't had any issues with gear wear in my TWS 9.1 in heavy cover, but the rod really does most of the work, and it was never as smooth as the 6.3 or 7.3 variants.[/quot

This; for sure.

And I can totally see how it would be annoying to some. I just kind of deal with it, because I like the speed. But it’s not smooth feeling and I just don’t know how the physics of accomplishing a smooth feel at that speed with the design constraints of the reel would be possible. When I first started playing with the 9.1 and felt the torque I figured that 9.1 would have to be near the limit. Then the Abu 10 came.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by DirtyD64 » Thu Oct 25, 2018 1:09 am

poisonokie wrote:In my experience, the faster the reel, the noisier the gears, even brand new. I think it just has to do with more torque going through a smaller pinion. At ~30% faster than a 6.3, the pinion and spool are flying around by comparison. I haven't had any issues with gear wear in my TWS 9.1 in heavy cover, but the rod really does most of the work, and it was never as smooth as the 6.3 or 7.3 variants.
I agree fully. I think having such few teeth on a pinion does set you up for having a slightly rougher retrieve versus a lower ratio, even if it handles the abuse and doesn't completely get "rough". I never meant to complain about my 9.1, just preferred the feel and torque of the 7.3 gears.

Will be funny to see if KastKing tries an 11+ ratio reel now to outclass Abu. I think the IPT for the 10.1 Abu Rocket is barely different than the Zillion TWS's 40.3" per turn so it should survive fine too. The Zillion TWS were big, tank reels though and both of mine have stayed really solid, I think having dual pinion/dual main gear support with a properly aligned frame helps a high ratio reel too.

http://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/reels/ ... index.html

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by Johnny A » Thu Oct 25, 2018 6:40 am

I bought the less refined 1516 because 9.1:1 retrieves more line than the 1016. IMHO, unless you get a bad gear or you don't do proper maintenance, the gears will last a good long time.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by JigginOG » Sat Oct 27, 2018 11:16 pm

With regular maintenance (annually), my 9:1 Zill tws has held up just fine. Still smooth and solid. Mainly used for frogging and punching with heavy braid and drag locked down.

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by TommyG » Sun Oct 28, 2018 4:49 am

JigginOG wrote:With regular maintenance (annually), my 9:1 Zill tws has held up just fine. Still smooth and solid. Mainly used for frogging and punching with heavy braid and drag locked down.
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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by IlliniDawg01 » Thu Oct 24, 2019 2:42 pm

DirtyD64 wrote:
Thu Oct 25, 2018 1:09 am
poisonokie wrote:In my experience, the faster the reel, the noisier the gears, even brand new. I think it just has to do with more torque going through a smaller pinion. At ~30% faster than a 6.3, the pinion and spool are flying around by comparison. I haven't had any issues with gear wear in my TWS 9.1 in heavy cover, but the rod really does most of the work, and it was never as smooth as the 6.3 or 7.3 variants.
I agree fully. I think having such few teeth on a pinion does set you up for having a slightly rougher retrieve versus a lower ratio, even if it handles the abuse and doesn't completely get "rough". I never meant to complain about my 9.1, just preferred the feel and torque of the 7.3 gears.

Will be funny to see if KastKing tries an 11+ ratio reel now to outclass Abu. I think the IPT for the 10.1 Abu Rocket is barely different than the Zillion TWS's 40.3" per turn so it should survive fine too. The Zillion TWS were big, tank reels though and both of mine have stayed really solid, I think having dual pinion/dual main gear support with a properly aligned frame helps a high ratio reel too.

http://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/reels/ ... index.html
KastKing didn't make it to 11 but they are coming out with a 10.5:1 with 42" per turn max. Has a dual bearing supported pinion like Daiwa and Shimano now too and an aluminum frame. It might actually be a pretty decent reel.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kast ... itcaster#/

The tackle bag and pliers look decent too...

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Re: High Speed Reels (9:1 Type)

Post by DirtyD64 » Sun Oct 27, 2019 9:39 am

If everything is built to fair quality, that KK looks alright. I wish they had shown the braking system a little better though.

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