Daiwa solf-plastic tackle does business

Tackle review

John Elliott, Mark Kitteridge and Steve Pattullo on a treble of snapper aboard the Team Daiwa Haines Hunter.

Team Daiwa Tierra 3500 reel and Tierra 702MFS rod

Set 2: Daiwa Coastal 153H reel and Daiwa Tierra 661MHFB rod

et 3: Team Daiwa Sol 2500 reel and 701MFS rod

The Food Source biodegradeable baits (from left) produced a good bin of snapper with Brett, John and Pat holding up some examples.

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Getting out on the water midweek for tackle tests and reviews is one of the great aspects of this job.
Over the last 12 months, a great deal of new tackle – rods, reels, lines, leaders, hooks, jigheads and baits – associated with the soft-plastics phenomenon has been introduced to Kiwi anglers.

Those detractors who said soft-plastics were just a ‘passing fad’ have been proven well wrong. This style of fishing, new to New Zealand mainstream fishers, is here to stay, and for most has put the sport back into catching dinner.

A few weeks ago, members of staff from both Brittain Wynyard and Co. Ltd and NZ Fishing News took their respective company boats to the waters near Little Barrier Island for a ‘Daiwa familiarisation’ day. There had been plenty of snapper between the launching point, Omaha, and the island, and it did not take long for us to find them. To be truthful, John Elliott, Mark Kitteridge and Steve Pattullo were drifting around while waiting for us to return from ‘a little detour’ (unsuccessful unfortunately), and in the process found plenty of ‘willing pink customers,’ so after gaining a useful ‘head start’, they called Pat Langevad, Brett Patterson and myself over!

As well as the sets highlighted later on, Mustad jigheads, Platypus game leader and Food Source bio-degradable soft-plastic baits were put through their paces, and all came through with flying colours.
The snapper were not particularly big – ranging between 1.5kg and 3.5kg – but they were certainly plentiful, very fat, and the perfect size for eating.

Mark Kitteridge, on the Team Daiwa boat, already a fan of the higher quality Daiwa tackle, said he was especially impressed by the Food Source soft-plastics.

“First drop, I couldn’t believe it when my line raced off before the soft-bait got to the bottom, and when I struck the line sizzled off to a good fish. After that the action was constant and very exciting, with all of us hooked up at once at times. I think it’s fair to say that everyone on board – including Brittain and Wynyard staff – were pleasantly surprised at just how effective these Food Source tails were, as they don’t have as much ‘wiggle’ as other brands. But they must taste particularly good, as the snapper loved them! I also like the fact that these tails can be harmlessly digested and will quickly break down if ripped off the hook or discarded – unlike plastisol-based tails, which do not, and are starting to wash up on our beaches in increasing numbers.”

Daiwa has a reputation for manufacturing good tackle, and we soon found out that this applies to their latest soft-plastics gear, which is specifically designed to withstand the rigours of salt water, rather than having simply adapted the freshwater models.
Boasting features such as anti-corrosion bearings, aluminium-alloy frames and sideplates, as well as water-resistant drags, the various rod and reel sets gave impressive performances at the time of testing, and strongly indicate that they will continue to do so for a long time to come.

John Elliott, Mark Kitteridge and Steve Pattullo on a treble of snapper aboard the Team Daiwa Haines Hunter.

The tackle
Set 1: Team Daiwa Tierra 3500 reel and Tierra 702MFS rod

Daiwa Team Daiwa Tierra 3500 reel
This very sleek and compact reel has an exceptionally smooth yet powerful feel, a performance that is equalled by the waterproof drag, making it an excellent saltwater performer and soft-bait candidate.
Features include: a ‘Hardbodyz’ rigid aluminium-alloy body and side plate; a Digigear drive system (for smoother, more powerful retrieves); a super-strong tubular stainless Airbail system (accompanied by a ‘Bail-safe’ feature that locks it open during casting); three stainless-steel ball bearings, a roller bearing, and three CRBB anti-corrosion bearings for longer life and a smoother performance; an ABS-machined aluminium spool with titanium nitride lip for longer casts and great strength; a titanium-nitride ball bearing line roller (with Twistbuster II for less line twist); ‘Gyro balancing’ for less torque when winding; an infinite anti-reverse; a machined aluminium handle; a ‘Hyper Tournament’ water-resistant drag system; and a spare aluminium spool.
The Tierra’s gear ratio is a sturdy 4.7:1, the capacity around 220m of 4.5kg or 190m of 5.5kg nylon (or more than 300m of 8kg braid (depending on the ‘actual’ breaking strain) and it weighs just 305g.

Daiwa Tierra 702MFS rod
The 7’ Team Daiwa Tierra two-piece soft-plastics rod is built on a crisp, fast-action IM7 carbon blank with Fuji’s ‘New Concept’ lightweight aluminium oxide guides and SBS/TBS reel seats, so there is no compromise in quality.
Other features include: great sensitivity for better bite detection; excellent castability; great balance; and an ergonomically-shaped natural cork handle.
The Daiwa Tierra is recommended for line weights of 3.5-6kg and casting weights between 8-16g, making it ideal for soft-plastic fishing and Kiwi snapper!

Set 2: Daiwa Coastal 153H reel and Daiwa Tierra 661MHFB rod

Daiwa Coastal 153H baitcasting reel
Compact, but with bigger-reel line capacity and durability, the CL153H is built specifically for the needs of the keen inshore angler. Daiwa’s exclusive CRBB bearings and specialised anti-corrosion treatments fight the effects of saltwater to keep the reel running perfectly, with only ‘ordinary’ maintenance needed. And for smooth, fish-stopping power, there’s Daiwa’s multi-disc, fibre-composite wet drag.
Other features include: an aluminium-alloy frame and sideplate; infinite anti-reverse; a fast 6.3:1 retrieve (71cm/28” of line per handle turn); ‘Total Corrosion Protection’; a machined-aluminum spool with stainless main shaft, perforated for lighter weight and faster start-up; five CRBB super corrosion resistant ball bearings, plus roller bearing; and a Centriflex automatic centrifugal spool brake for trouble-free casting.
The Daiwa Coastal Inshore Special weighs just 230g and can accommodate around 300m of 4kg nylon, or more than 300m of 6-8kg braid, depending on actual breaking strain.

Daiwa Tierra 661MHFB rod
The latest range of Daiwa TD Tierra rods has built up a reputation for delivering superb performance at prices anyone can afford.
Built on a crisp, fast, high-modulus IM7 blank, the one-piece, 6’6” Daiwa TRA 661MHFB is built to handle line weights between 4.5-9kg and casting weights of 8-28g.
Other features include: Fuji’s New Concept aluminium oxide guides; a Fuji SBS/TBS reel seat; ergonomically-shaped natural-cork grips; and a convenient hook keeper.

Set 3: Team Daiwa Sol 2500 reel and 701MFS rod

Team Daiwa Sol 2500 reel
As the Sol is built within a solid one-piece aluminium frame, spool, side-plate and rotor, the drive train stays perfectly in place even when under the heaviest of load, enabling very fine gear tolerances to be maintained and appreciated, and leading to a smoother feeling and longer-lasting performance. Sol reels suit soft-plastic fishermen looking for a high-performance product at a reasonable price.
Other features include: an infinite anti-reverse; ABS spool design; an Airbail (made from tubular stainless steel) with titanium-nitride ball bearing line roller armed with ‘Twist Buster’ for reduced line twist; a large, water-resistant disc-drag system; a Digigear drive system; and a spare aluminium spool.
The Daiwa Sol has a tough 4.7:1 gear ratio, seven bearings (including three ball bearings, three CRBBs and one roller bearing), a 200m of 2.7kg nylon (over 300m of 6kg braid) capacity and weighs just 260g.

Sol 701MFS rod
Designed specifically for soft-plastics fishing, the TD Sol rod range is the perfect companion for the TD Sol spin and baitcaster reels. Their unique design and construction makes them effortless to cast with the sensitivity to feel even the lightest of strikes.
The 7’ one-piece Sol 701MFS features include: X-treme guide system; ultra hard and tough EVA grips; a fast taper; a super lightweight high-modulus graphite blank; Fuji chrome silicone carbide guides; an ergonomic reel seat with exposed blank; 6-12kg line-weight capabilities; and with a recommended casting weight of 8-16g.

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