Daiwa Legalis 1500HA Reel

PAY AROUND

£79.99

New for 2015, the Legalis reel family has five members of which the 1500HA is the smallest. But far from being the runt of the litter, this tiny terrier has an uncompromising tenacity which belies its petite form.

For test purposes one of the spools (it comes with a spare) was loaded with a very fine (0.12mm) braid, which makes the casting of light weights much easier and transmits plenty of feeling. Braid also has a clear advantage over mono lines when using lures because its lack of stretch puts you in direct contact with the fish when you get a take, so setting the hook is a quick and clean process.

However, the downside to braid mainlines is that they will take their toll on any reel not up to the job. Both line-lay and bail-arm pick-up has to be perfect, quick and precise if tangles are not to result. I can happily report that after several weeks of near constant use either side of the live test, not a single tangle could be blamed on the reel.

It’s also important that the line roller guide is top-quality to prevent the braid from cutting in, an area of expertise in which major reel producers such as Daiwa and Shimano really do excel. After close inspection not so much as a scratch was to be seen on the Twistbuster line guide. Other top features on this model include a lightweight Air Rotor system, a hard-wearing aluminium body and machine cut handle built to last and a quick 6.0:1 gear ratio that’s ideal for fishing small lures. And the whole lot weighs only 8.5oz.