Daiwa Bluebacker / Daiwa Luna 203

[Darren_R]

Howdy all, just wanting to know if you have had any experience with the Daiwa Bluebacker or Daiwa Luna 203. Dont know which one to get?
Any thaughts
Thanks

[Rod_Bender]

Mate the Luna 203 is a reel I personally have. Its a top reel but sometimes i think is it really worth the $$$ i paid for it. Like is it worth 2-3 times more then that other reels in the cabinet??? How much can you get it for? Like i said, i 90% lure fish, and its prolly the best reel i've ever used for throwing lures.... but its hard to compare it dollar for dollar if you understand...Roddy

[PMC]

Both reels are top quality, it depends what you want to do. The blue backer is as tough as they come, if you intend pulling Barra out of the sticks using 50 pound braid or light jigging go with that one. If you dont fish like that very often go for the Luna.The Daiwa reels are the best on the market at the moment.

[ssbayguide]

Hi All

If you are prepared to spend the amount required for a Blue Backer, why not go for a Black Sheep 250 - It will pull a car up a hill!

All three reels are excellent. If you are a purist, just check that the retrieve speeds/gear ratios are what you need - some can be quite fast which is a disadvantage in some slow retrieve situations.

Peter R

[Glind]

Give Wheezer a PM, he knows heaps about these reels.
Tim

[wheezer]

If you mainly intend to cast lures go for the Luna. It is geared towards casting with a lightweight spool and their latest magforce magnetic cast control with externally adjustable sideplate. Also the level wind disengages during casts for less drag therefore more efficient casts. Due to how narrow the reel is this isn't a problem. It stays engaged when drag is pulled to avoid spiking.

Blue Backer was released in japan as a light inshore jigging reel. As such it has a heavier, deeper spool and only a centrifugal cast system, also level wind stays engaged at all times.

Contrary to what alot of people think, the gears and drag are the same between both reels, whichever reel you get the best thing to do is whack an Erskines Carbontex washer kit in it and you'll have a far smoother drag with way more max drag potential if targetting the big ones.

[wheezer]

lol Tim! I was in process of typing up response! Hows your CVZ going? It's a shame they discontinued them....

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

the blue backer, cvz, black sheeps, snakeheads, I have used or own most of those and they are all very different reels to use! They perform considerably different considering.
I offer blue backers for use as charter fishing reels with 50 lb braid for lure casting. As wheezer said the blue backer is a designed jigging reel and does not cast long distances too well. Average casts length are fine. I would buy another one for charter use, but probably not as a personal reel. The drag system is fair, but does not create a great deal of drag for heavy fishing tactics, They seem comfortable around 3 or so kg. Nice reel, I do like them, and there is also a problem with the centrifugal cast system creeping to maximum during a cast which reduces the cast ability. Too much oil during maintenance isn't the cause of the problem as told by the sales representative. I have replaced the system to find the same results. Super glue is an option to fix it, and removing it unbalances the spool immensely.
The CVZ is the pick of the bunch in my books for many reasons, but are discontinued as wheezer states.
Black sheeps and snakeheads are not as robust as claimed. Siezed pinion bearings and collapsed bearings in the black sheep has happened in two reels out ouf 4 that I know of, one in less than 2 and a half months, the other in about 4 months. Siezed and collapsed!! They are not mistreated reels either. The drag system in the 2 snakeheads has caused mass problems since they walked out the door of the shop, and there seems to be some issue with these reels as one has done 4 trips since purchase 12 months ago and is still at the dealer somewhere down south. $600 well spent?????,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,makes ya wonder!
It seems every problem we discover we are told by the owning company employees that .........."it is the first time that we have seen that!"

I do enjoy fishing with these reels when they are operating, they are great reels yes,, but not exactly the best ever made! A few teething problems that one would think would be discovered before going on sale!
Modern day fishing equipment is going through an era of "ho humm"! Cheap labour, mass production, imports and replicas, quality controls etc, are all making the quality and price of much of the fishing gear that is available a little bit of a war zone at present. What lasts anymore???, and what is true value for money?
The old abu 6500c are looking pretty good as a value winner and performer!!

Johnny M
Gladstone

[wheezer]

Agree with Johnny, CVZ in 200 size is my pic as well. I have an imported japanese version which has uprated bearings and gears. Have been running up to 9kg of drag through it with no dramas yet, but then again don't get to use it much. Fellow ausfisher Awoonga also has one, which has gotten a solid workout for quite some time on the big girls up there with no problems so far.....when it comes to that sort of fishing any reel will give trouble sooner or later though.

If you intend to mainly use it for lighter applications eg east coast estuary work and open area impoundment fishing like weedbeds I would seriously consider the 103 size. Smaller and lighter with similair drag capabilities, still plenty of line capacity using 20 or 30lb braid. I've just bought the new Bay Casting 103 and it is hands down the nicest casting reel I've ever used.

[Glind]

Hi Andrew,
The CVZ 203 is fantastic, although I still have it in stock format, but it pulls a good amopunt of drag for the fishing I do here. At some stage I will upgrade to Erskine drags and Cals lube.
It is a pity they dicontinued these reels as they are as good as you will get for the dollars. I got one of the last ones from Campbells Tackle in WA for $299, so I thought that was a bargin. If you still get one, buy it and beef it up.
Tim

[wheezer]

great to hear Tim, bloody good price too! Stock drags can be a bit hit and miss, if you get a good one they are smooth and max out at around 5kg but some of them come with oil contamination from factory giving a sticky drag with only around 3kg max.

For anyone upgrading to carbontex washers, either run them dry or put the tiniest amount of Cal's grease on them. The grease is there to aid in smooth start up but remember that drag drags are a friction device so too much grease means bugger all drag! I rub a little between my fingers then rub the carbontex washer, you shouldn't actually be able to see any grease at all.

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

All I'll add to this thread is that impoundment fishing is not a good test for any good baitcasting reel whatsoever. Saltwater and constant hard pulling fish is the only way to properly test equipment. A light drag setting will see a drag and a reel last for 10 years. Push up the tempo though, and thats when faults will be found. Drive a Land Cruiser to the shop each Sunday and you can say it is a great 4WD, but you won't find faults in suspension until you put it to the test on the rough road.
Johnny

[Rod_Bender]

Totally agree with Jonny's opinion. Roddy