What makes Daiwa stand out from everyone else? It's time you learned about the "best kept secret" in inshore fishing.
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I should've kept a list of all the companies that have offered sponsorships.
It'd be great to show it to you guys, because you'd get to see red X's next to those I said "no" to and green checkmarks next to those that got a "yes".
You'd probably be shocked at how many times I said "no", waving off the free product, commission or whatever.
I just don't care, because those things don't align with my #1 goal: helping you catch fish.
Besides, it's important to use gear that I know works and will work for you, too.
So when Daiwa slid into those DM's the decision was a no-brainer.
Why I Love Daiwa
I have a lot of respect for this company: they don't use flashy colors or styling to compensate for anything.
Instead, they focus on what counts: creating rods and reels that perform and stand the test of time.
So here are some reasons why I love Daiwa.
Daiwa Has Serious Pros
They're rocking a strong lineup of professional anglers, especially Takahiro Omori, whom I have an intense admiration and respect for.
From left to right: Andy Montgomery, Ish Monroe, Randy Howell, Brent Ehrler, Takahiro Omori, Seth Feider
He came to the United States as a broke immigrant, unable to speak English, but possessing the dream of one day winning the Bassmaster Classic.
It wasn't easy, but his hard work and dedication paid off when, twelve years later, he slam dunked the "Super Bowl of Fishing" in 2004.
After all that he could have any sponsor he wants, but he chose Daiwa, providing his expertise to create the best rods possible.
Takahiro helped Daiwa design amazing rods for specific techniques.
Daiwa Is An Innovator
Daiwa is constantly innovating new technology to put into their rods and reels.
The reality of the tackle business is a cold one: most companies have their product made at the same factory as others, the only difference being their name is on it.
This isn't the case with Daiwa!
They innovate their own rods and reels, offering features available only on their products.
Saltwater can't penetrate Daiwa's magnetically sealed ball bearings, making them an excellent choice for us inshore anglers.
Something For Everyone
I love Daiwa because they have a lineup of products for virtually every kind of fishing, even us inshore anglers here in Louisiana.
This is important, because fishing is different everywhere you go, demanding unique styles of tackle from dropshots to tiny baits.
Inshore anglers love the Saltist lineup of fishing tackle.
Above all, Daiwa has a wide variety of price points, offering economical solutions to help me and you save a dollar.
Conclusion
It's good to get rod and reel purchases right the first time, so they're good investments that continue to serve you for years to come.
That's why I love Daiwa, especially since they've been touted as the "best kept secret" in inshore fishing.
Well, it's time to blow the lid off that secret, and we'll begin with this review on Daiwa's T-Wing System, or this review on their Air Brake System.
Tight lines, y'all.
Very well said. You should make a post with that information, so the search engines Google crawlers pick it up.
Case in point, why does Abu have a 24 lb. drag on a revo stx lp, but a 15 lb. drag on a Ambassedeur 6500, the revo lp even has 4 lbs. more drag than the 7000 c3. Drag marketing and it obviously works towards a lot of consumers.
Thanks, Dick! I appreciate your kind words.
Great article, thank you
Agreed.
and anyone that thinks they can use 22lbs of drag with a typical inshore set up needs to tie a 20lb weight to their favorite rod and lift the weight off the ground with that rod
post pics or video when you it.
Also, thank you for being a member of LAFB Elite. Glad to have you!
Hey Dan, I’m glad you brought this up!
Look, a few years ago I would’ve agreed with you.
But opinions change with experience (or at least they should) and I’ve come to realize that the entire “drag” thing is the new “bearing count”.
***Bearing Marketing***
What I mean by this is that manufacturers will market their reel is having “X amount of bearings” which, to those not in the know, seems like a great feature.
But the only bearings that really matter are the ones on either side of the spool.
Everything else is an afterthought.
For example, the Shimano Curado 50E (or any E-series reel) sets the standard for the form, function and performance of any casting reel.
It’s marketed as having seven ball bearings, but the newer — and more expensive — Lew’s Team Pro Mag (TLM1SH) is marketed as having 11 bearings.
Is the Lew’s a better reel?
Hell no! The performance and longevity of both isn’t comparable.
It doesn’t matter if a reel has 15 bearings if the bearings are low quality and the rest of the design/quality of the reel is crap.
***Drag Marketing***
I feel that drag has been marketed in the same way, sometimes as a bandaid to cover up a reel’s shortcomings.
One particular reel was marketed as having a whopping 22lbs of drag!
But let’s be “reel” (see what I did there?)
Is that drag really 22lbs?
How do you know for sure?
Because those drags have been tested and many of them aren’t that strong.
***DRAG RATINGS FOR TUNA***
Besides, most reels used for tuna fishing don’t have 22lbs of maximum drag.
You cannot tell me with a straight face that a slot redfish in 5ft of water has the same pulling power as a bluefin tuna in 300ft of water.
Let’s take this a step further:
I’ve landed monster black drum and jack crevalle in 20ft of water on 12lbs of drag and 50 yards of 10lb test line.
Why can’t other inshore anglers do the same?
Do they really need a 22lb drag and heavy braided line because that’s the best tackle for the situation?
Or do they need it to make up for a lack of something else?
***CONCLUSION***
Dan, I am telling you from the bottom of my heart that inflated drag ratings are garbage and nothing more than poor marketing.
Throwing cheap drag washers into a reel is easy to do.
Bringing a proprietary component to market is not.
Doing so takes time, research, development and (here’s the expensive part) re-tooling at the factory level.
Re-tooling factories is a huge PITA (ask Michelin how they got their ass kicked by European tire manufacturers) and companies will avoid it like the plague.
But companies like Daiwa see the value in doing so and have what it takes (pro-staff, designers, experience) to pull it off.
They’re not the only company who does this, but they are certainly one of the few.
The rest literally order their reels from the same factory in China or Korea, stamp their logo on it and call it a day, knowing consumers in the U.S. don’t know any better.
Come on, Dan. Do you really think Daiwa (or Shimano, another brand with “light” drags) is going to go to all that trouble, just to cut corners on the drag?
They’re not, and they didn’t.
Anyway, I’m done ranting. LOL I think you understand where I’m coming from and I want to be clear that I’m not ripping on you or putting you down, absolutely not.
I have a lot of respect and appreciation for you because what you did was bring up a really good point that contributed to this article in a big way.
Thanks for commenting, Dan!
Tight lines
The only thing stopping the Tatula SV TW being the best reel for any level of fish is the 13lbax drag. Up that to 18+ in another model with the same features at a slightly higher price and there is simply not a reason to ever buy a different baitcasting reel.
Waiting…..
Hi, my name is Lon Porter and I’ve always used 13 Fishing, but what the hell do I know. I don’t post a lot of fishing reports, so I got to defer to experts like yourself, which by the way I am so thankful you create all this free content for the public, thank you for what you do and I cant wait to see what you got to say about Daiwa rods and reels, just signed up!