Daiwa leaving Shimano behind

[Billy C]

When it comes to marketing and targeting the right audience I think it’s fair to say Daiwa is miles ahead of Shimano at the moment. Daiwa is very smartly sponsoring a lot of the fishing YouTubers, knowing a lot of kids watch. The AFTA show was held on the Gold Coast this weekend and vey wisely Daiwa had some of those YouTubers at their stand giving away free gear to the kids. No kids left empty handed. My 14 year old son and all his mates who are all fishing mad only want Daiwa gear. It has the extra bling (blue, orange, red rods and reels) plus they watch the YouTubers using it all the time. Very smart, very simple.

[NAGG]

Very cheap advertising when you think of it ....... hand a popular you tuber a few grands worth of gear & bingo ...... the content generated by the Youtuber is free & each video gets out to 10's of thousands of viewers ...... 100s of thousands in some cases time & time again .

Personally I think it clouds peoples judgement ....... very much like what ETEC did to the outboard market after they pretty well sponsored every man & their dog since it's introduction .

I still like to see someone put their own cash down on a product & give an honest opinion .

Chris

[Ducksnutz]

Alan Hawk does decent reel reviews for anyone interested.

https://www.alanhawk.com/reviews/reviews.html

[Corry]

Agree with Chris on this one. I watched a few of the 'infamous' You Tubers, but when they started getting sponsorship, they become boring to me. I still watch quite a few You Tubers, but more of the ones that are starting out, or happy to keep it as a 'hobby', as they buy their own gear and give honest feedback on it.
But yes Billy C, you're right, it is a very smart marketing ploy by them which seems to be working well.

[chris69]

It was the Honda F1 engineers that changed Daiwa’s reels with the digi gear some of them did bass fishing in the off season and said to Daiwa that they could make there reels better and they did and moved them into the future of reel development to we’re we are today .

[Lovey80]

Why can’t they make a top end bait runner!,!,!,!,!,

[bluefin59]

Why can’t they make a top end bait runner!,!,!,!,!,

The one they are offering reminds me of the old Silstar bait runner and only in a larger size for $270 or there about , i changed over to Daiwa reels years ago and all are still great after having used shimano gear for ages previously. Matt

https://daiwafishing.com.au/collections/spin-reels/products/22-free-swimmer-br

[NAGG]

The one they are offering reminds me of the old Silstar bait runner and only in a larger size for $270 or there about , i changed over to Daiwa reels years ago and all are still great after having used shimano gear for ages previously. Matt

https://daiwafishing.com.au/collections/spin-reels/products/22-free-swimmer-br

Being a baitrunner fan

I'm keen to have a look at these ..... but yet to see one in a shop .

They read well as far as the technology goes but they are still a pretty cheap reel by Daiwa standards

Chris

[NAGG]

It's just occurred to me ...... fishing tackle sales are being driven by "Influencers" - worst of all most of these "Influencers" are pretty average fishoes . How times have changed .

I mean Rex Hunt did a lot for fishing (& Shimano)..... but he was just a celebrity ex footballer & commentator who fished - He knew his limitations & that's why he employed the likes of Starlo & Bushy .

Today - As long as you look good on camera with a bit of personality - have a hot chick on deck & put out content ..... you'll be right .

I watched a video that Johnny Brooks put out the other day ...... where he missed a fish & threw his outfit in the water . What a knob but I reckon this was done for content .

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSwCqb7_jnA

[disorderly]

I watched a video that Johnny Brooks put out the other day ...... where he missed a fish & threw his outfit in the water . What a knob but I reckon this was done for content .

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSwCqb7_jnA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSwCqb7_jnA)

Bit of a dik that bloke...

Had a similar experience on the weekend..

Fella and his 2 kids next to us on the mackeral grounds was letting his Spotties run like crazy with his drags too loose..

I tried to untangle one fish from our anchor line for him but the fish snapped off..

When leaving I pulled up the anchor with the retrevier and had line tangled all around the rope and then felt some weight so pulled in like 50m of line and found a rod and reel attached to it...::);D

Was a sub $100 outfit..shame it wasnt a stella...;D

[steve099]

It's just occurred to me ...... fishing tackle sales are being driven by "Influencers" - worst of all most of these "Influencers" are pretty average fishoes . How times have changed .

I mean Rex Hunt did a lot for fishing (& Shimano)..... but he was just a celebrity ex footballer & commentator who fished - He knew his limitations & that's why he employed the likes of Starlo & Bushy .

Today - As long as you look good on camera with a bit of personality - have a hot chick on deck & put out content ..... you'll be right .

I watched a video that Johnny Brooks put out the other day ...... where he missed a fish & threw his outfit in the water . What a knob but I reckon this was done for content .

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSwCqb7_jnA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSwCqb7_jnA)

Broosky has changed a lot since he got sponsorship, it really does show in his content. The original material they put out under the morning tide channel was far better and far more genuine. I still follow Cavy and Brigsy. Even Cavy has his content more tuned for youtube but hey these guys make a full time living off this , sponsorships, merchandise and lures,.so you cant really knock them for it. I buy Daiwa reels because I had one as a kid and these days their Japanese made reels are awesome. I also have a stella which gets very very little use not because its a bad reel but I am yet to pair my 4000 with a rod it deserves. I use Certates on everything in rotation. Such a great reel and I bought the first one by luck and the others because the first one ( 2500XH) is so damned good.

[NAGG]

Broosky has changed a lot since he got sponsorship, it really does show in his content. The original material they put out under the morning tide channel was far better and far more genuine. I still follow Cavy and Brigsy. Even Cavy has his content more tuned for youtube but hey these guys make a full time living off this , sponsorships, merchandise and lures,.so you cant really knock them for it. I buy Daiwa reels because I had one as a kid and these days their Japanese made reels are awesome. I also have a stella which gets very very little use not because its a bad reel but I am yet to pair my 4000 with a rod it deserves. I use Certates on everything in rotation. Such a great reel and I bought the first one by luck and the others because the first one ( 2500XH) is so damned good.

I agree with the whole Brooksy thing ....... Was great as part of a threesome but he clearly had stars in his eyes . Once he realised he could do this for a living & go solo .... it quickly progressed into something less genuine . ....... very much like what we are now seeing with Back to Basics - its just about content .
Pelagic pursuit ....... another one that has become pretty boring to the point where I rarely can watch the video through .

Been a Daiwa fan boy ..... for decades but really more so since the the introduction of the Certates in the early / mid 2000s & the Zillions around the same time . ...... I still have & use a few of those reels - I've been lucky to go along for the ride . I'd hate to calculate how much I've spent on Daiwa reels , rods , braid over the years .

Chris

[Kev_McC]

Generally I think of the Daiwa reels as lighter, more refined, lower tolerances. However this also equates to more maintenance to keep them going. Most of the Shimano reels are both tougher and more serviceable. When i say tougher I mean tolerate more abuse.
I’ve had mostly Daiwa reels but have migrated back to Shimano as magseal has taken hold. Still have a few of the Real4 generation Daiwa Certate and they’re still amongst the favourites. Keep replacing bearings and drags and they keep performing, brilliant reels, interchangeable parts across the range. The newer Certates don’t take the same abuse and need to be serviced more often. But while they’re running well they’re nicer to use than the Shimanos, in my hands at least.
Much of my Barra/thready fishing now is a mixture of Certates and Stradics, and Shimano baitcasters. If you’re looking for a workhorse reel then you need a pretty good reason to go past the 2020 model Saragosa. Can’t kill those things.

[steve099]

I read a while back that Daiwa service times were many months wait and this is something that concerned me as a clumsy angler. Well clumsy anyway, A couple of weeks back and right after landing a 46cm bream, i tripped in the boat and my beloeved Daiwa Certate 2500XH/Samurai combo went overboard and was submerged for around 10 minutes. Long story short, I got it back and it was pretty clear two weeks later it needed to be sent in for a service.

Going to the Daiwa website, it was easy to fill out the form and submit the request, upload my receipt and then have the reel posted into them. Two days later I got a call ( last Thursday). The tech explained that warranty does not cover reels submerged. I told him what happened and the story that goes with it. Lets be honest here, 46cm bream do not grow on trees , they hide under them ;)

Every big fish I have caught has been with that reel, its my favourite by far for this reason. He further said the bail arm was bent and it would need new bearings through out, then quoted me 280$. I said it is what it is and agreed to the costs. Ouch right?

Well fast forward to today and someone in the office gave me a small package, I opened it up and there is my beloved Certate LT 2500XH neatly packed in a box. The bent bail arm was in there as was a bag filled with what I assume is the old bearings ( theres is far more than I expected). The reel had been fully serviced, new bail arm and it came packaged with an invoice showing all the parts replaced and the value for each. At the bottom is had a sub total of $0.00.

You read it right, they didn't charge me at all.

Not sure how you guys see that but to me that is good old fashioned customer service and turn around from the time it left my hands to the time it came back in 5 business days. Reel is only 5 months old by the way.

#daiwa

126071



in before someone calls BS on the bream I caught.

[NAGG]

I read a while back that Daiwa service times were many months wait and this is something that concerned me as a clumsy angler. Well clumsy anyway, A couple of weeks back and right after landing a 46cm bream, i tripped in the boat and my beloeved Daiwa Certate 2500XH/Samurai combo went overboard and was submerged for around 10 minutes. Long story short, I got it back and it was pretty clear two weeks later it needed to be sent in for a service.

Going to the Daiwa website, it was easy to fill out the form and submit the request, upload my receipt and then have the reel posted into them. Two days later I got a call ( last Thursday). The tech explained that warranty does not cover reels submerged. I told him what happened and the story that goes with it. Lets be honest here, 46cm bream do not grow on trees , they hide under them ;)

Every big fish I have caught has been with that reel, its my favourite by far for this reason. He further said the bail arm was bent and it would need new bearings through out, then quoted me 280$. I said it is what it is and agreed to the costs. Ouch right?

Well fast forward to today and someone in the office gave me a small package, I opened it up and there is my beloved Certate LT 2500XH neatly packed in a box. The bent bail arm was in there as was a bag filled with what I assume is the old bearings ( theres is far more than I expected). The reel had been fully serviced, new bail arm and it came packaged with an invoice showing all the parts replaced and the value for each. At the bottom is had a sub total of $0.00.

You read it right, they didn't charge me at all.

Not sure how you guys see that but to me that is good old fashioned customer service and turn around from the time it left my hands to the time it came back in 5 business days. Reel is only 5 months old by the way.

#daiwa

126071



in before someone calls BS on the bream I caught.


That's a great result ...... hat's off to Daiwa

As far as repair / service lead times go - Daiwa are generally longer .......weeks but not months & it just depends on their work load .

My recent experience with Shimano ( repair on a Thunnus) was just as positive . ..... had the reel back in 1 week & no charge.

In reality no one should expect a 1 week turnaround ..... 2-3 weeks would be fair in my opinion. The other thing is the age & type of reel - carrying spare parts for a 10 year old reel shouldn't be expected ..... but people do :(

BTw ..... nice bream

Chris

[alleycat]

I love Shimano and have 3 stradics , one is 14 years old now and still smooth, but saying that i also have a Diawa Sol 11 years old that is still going strong, my next reel is going to be a Diawa revelry, my stepson has one and i am very very impressed with the weight and how silky smooth it is.

[tunaticer]

For me Daiwa is a double breasted suit and Shimano is my PJ's ...... I don't go out much so im much more comfortable with Shimano for my reels...can't say the same for their rods though.

[bluefin59]

Love my Daiwa especially my Morthan and saltiga both robust as . Matt

[Billy C]

I love Shimano and have 3 stradics , one is 14 years old now and still smooth, but saying that i also have a Diawa Sol 11 years old that is still going strong, my next reel is going to be a Diawa revelry, my stepson has one and i am very very impressed with the weight and how silky smooth it is.

A revelry is next on my list too. They are great looking reels and I too have heard some good feedback on them.

[NAGG]

A revelry is next on my list too. They are great looking reels and I too have heard some good feedback on them.

Red reels ::) what are they thinking

I guess it's another example of targeting younger fishoes

Chris

[Billy C]

Red reels ::) what are they thinking

I guess it's another example of targeting younger fishoes

Chris

Sadly I’m not that young anymore mate but I don’t mind a bit of bling! You’ve still got to look the part!

[NAGG]

It's interesting camp fire discussion - Shimano vs Daiwa (Holden Vs Ford)

How I see Shimano is very much the same way as I see Toyota ...... A company that is living on past reputations - The Hilux being the prime example . A legend that is now behind several of it's competitors ...... it's been left behind . In my opinion , there are really only a handful of Shimano reels that hold court - Tiagra ,& Talica (Landcruisers). ....... old designs
Aside from these - you really have to pick your way through the range to find something that matches or beats the competition ..... something akin to picking out the macadamia nuts in a fruit & nut mix :P

Back to the camp fire chat - We had one of these a couple of weeks ago ...... With the Shimano fanboys - the common theme were people talking about their older reels - Chronarchs , Sustains , Curado's etc ..... very little talk of anything newer . A case of old slippers to go with the PJs .

The unfortunate side of Daiwa is that they are targeting premium buyers first & foremost ...... that's where they are putting the development $$$$$ . Fortunately these developments filter their way down the range over time but generally speaking you do pay for the privilege . The Revelry is just another example of that .... $500 aint cheap but it has some great technology. Daiwa is a great choice if you are a tackle junkie or want super tuned reals ..... just be ready to dig deep.

Chris

[NAGG]

Sadly I’m not that young anymore mate but I don’t mind a bit of bling! You’ve still got to look the part!

Fair enough ...... I've got to say a rack full of them would look pretty cool on a boat

Chris

[Jsmfun]

Right then I am a Shimano man but I do like the 18000h certate .
I have A trip coming up and have been told I can buy any reel I want so it will be a Saltiga ,Stellaor twinpower or Certate I do not do popping all the time so I'm thinking the Certate does anybody have a new one of these?
and I have not brought a stella in the last 3 years so I am unsure what they are like now.

[NAGG]

Right then I am a Shimano man but I do like the 18000h certate .
I have A trip coming up and have been told I can buy any reel I want so it will be a Saltiga ,Stellaor twinpower or Certate I do not do popping all the time so I'm thinking the Certate does anybody have a new one of these?
and I have not brought a stella in the last 3 years so I am unsure what they are like now.

The Certate SW would be my pick ....... save yourself a few hundred - very capable reel .

I would be buying a size that you could use in other forms of fishing - maybe buy 2 spools or just respool your line after your trip . You dont need a massive amount of line for GTs ... you do need stopping power.

Chris

[Jsmfun]

Thanks Nagg I was thinking the certate I was thinking the same about saving some dollars.

[Jsmfun]

Picked one up spooled with 100lb Saltiga braid for $910 what a bargin

[NAGG]

Picked one up spooled with 100lb Saltiga braid for $910 what a bargin

what size did you get ?

[Ducksnutz]

I’ll go on record that I am a Daiwa fan.

In saying that, Shimano wins hands down in game fishing trolling gear. Tiagra, Talica etc… c’mon? Nothing comes close.(Penn International second)

I’ll also suggest people go to brands that specialise in specific techniques…

Jigging-

in my humble opinion jigging master in both rods and reels absolutely shit on anything mentioned above.

Popping/Casting-

I believe Rods will be the most important choice (in my humble opinion) Ripple Fisher, Carpenter, Zenaq etc… where’s reels are not as important because both Daiwa (Saltiga) and Shimano (Stella) are both reels that will get the job done.

I think it’s a brand loyalty that muddies the waters…and it shouldn’t when basically both brands will deliver the desired outcome.

oh, and by the way, buy a Landcruiser if you want a real car and stay away from “Backrushers”…(.trust me, I’ve owned one…🙄🙄🙄)

All in my humble opinion of course…..😉

[NAGG]

I’ll go on record that I am a Daiwa fan.

In saying that, Shimano wins hands down in game fishing trolling gear. Tiagra, Talica etc… c’mon? Nothing comes close.(Penn International second)

I’ll also suggest people go to brands that specialise in specific techniques…

Jigging-

in my humble opinion jigging master in both rods and reels absolutely shit on anything mentioned above.

Popping/Casting-

I believe Rods will be the most important choice (in my humble opinion) Ripple Fisher, Carpenter, Zenaq etc… where’s reels are not as important because both Daiwa (Saltiga) and Shimano (Stella) are both reels that will get the job done.

I think it’s a brand loyalty that muddies the waters…and it shouldn’t when basically both brands will deliver the desired outcome.

oh, and by the way, buy a Landcruiser if you want a real car and stay away from “Backrushers”…(.trust me, I’ve owned one…🙄)

All in my humble opinion of course…..

Well - we can leave your last comments for another thread . ::)

Totally agree on the game reel comments - Daiwa tried a couple of times & failed miserably. I think it's daylight between Shimano & Penn - the Internationals ate not what they used to be from what I've experienced & been told .
Technique specific brands ...... also agree with - The Japanese are over this stuff like a rash ..... jigging & popping in particular . I know when it came to popping & stick baiting ... I ended up with Yamaga & Ripple fisher rods . If you are serious about the jigging stuff ... Jigmaster are the benchmark .
I will say though that Daiwa are producing some really nice light /medium overheads & slow pitch jigging reels ..... I own a couple of the Saltiga star drag reels & they are awesome . They look & feel like quality too ...... certainly built to last.

there is certainly something about the higher quality (specialized tackle) ..... but the reality is that it's not mainstream & it is expensive - like buying an Abel or Hardy fly reel

For my way of thinking - which is better ? A Ferrari or Lamborghini or do you just buy a Porsche .

Chris

[stevej]

Daiwa tragic myself

the Aussie importers don’t do the brand much justice though
specific Australian models with bits n pieces of other models. Sol td black revellery
They don’t bring in any of the special one offs like slp models etc
and so many models to choose from
very few store stock a full range of anything daiwa down my way and no high end stuff.


shimano when Aussie imported brought in a very narrow range too


on the game reel scene penn are or were cheaper by about 30 percent over a tiagra but I haven’t looked at one in a few years

[Ducksnutz]

I’ll add another brand that I’ve owned in the past and can say without a doubt the best quality reels I’ve ever owned…….

Alutecnos.

Gorilla 12 & 20 were pieces of art and an absolute joy to use.

A regret to this day I let them go.

[NAGG]

Daiwa tragic myself

the Aussie importers don’t do the brand much justice though
specific Australian models with botany pieces of other models. Sol td black revellery
They don’t bring in any of the special one offs like slp models etc
and so many models to choose from
very few store stock a full range of anything daiwa down my way and no high end stuff.


shimano when Aussie imported brought in a very narrow range too


on the game reel scene penn are or were cheaper by about 30 percent over a tiagra but I haven’t looked at one in a few years

Dont worry - The Yanks dont often see the JDM stuff either ........ Daiwa Japan make limited runs & they are sold out quick smart - If you want that kind of kit you need to be in touch with a few of the Japanese sellers .
There are some Australian retailers that bring in the odd bit of kit from Japan - These guys are worth looking at www.isofishinglifestyle.com.au

Chris

[stevej]

Fixed my spelling

yeah I look at Digitaka Asian portal plat and others and just wait for random stuff now

Isofishing are a good shop with quick service and stock decent gear

[Jsmfun]

what size did you get ?

18000h nice reel has a firm wind and feels tough

[NAGG]

18000h nice reel has a firm wind and feels tough

Big reel ......

Chris

[Jsmfun]

Yes not after whiting lol

[Volvo]

Just acquired a Daiwa Saltiga 6500 . Beast of a Reel in Size. Not a new model by ant Standards n didn't they were up there in $$ value.
Was thinking of Facebooking it as tad oversized for my type of Fishing.
Older models still up there I comparison to newer models??.

[Kev_McC]

Is it a z series saltiga? Still worth quite a lot if it’s in good condition. I searched eBay to see what my old z4500 might be worth and was surprised

[NAGG]

Is it a z series saltiga? Still worth quite a lot if it’s in good condition. I searched eBay to see what my old z4500 might be worth and was surprised

They are great reels - built like a tank .

Daiwa are really good at producing reels that become collectable / desirable . Some that quickly come to mind are reels like the Z Saltiga , Hyper Certate , Morethan Branzino , Millionaire 103 & IZE Black sheep..

Chris

[stevej]

126540
126540
126541

another complete angler is closing its doors so I dropped in and made a impulse purchase
a zillion 1520hd which looks like it’s discontinued and I wanted a spare
and a ryoga 1520 also as a spare

pricing was similar to a Japanese import

[alleycat]

I have owned 3 Stradics and a Sol, for my 62nd birthday i shouted myself a Revelry, great reel and silky smooth, it was under the pump today with this Golden Trevally but did just fine.

[chris69]

Theres nothing like putting a new reel to the test and catching something to test it with a nice chunk of golden trevally.

[tunaticer]

I will stay with my stradics....there is no enticement of note that is worth changing.