Daiwa Cast'izm Feeder reel - "stuff of dreams"

If you’re looking for the best possible distance-casting feeder reel, check out the latest stuff of dreams from Daiwa – the Cast’izm Feeder. 

Designed around the proven spool geometry of the original Cast’izm, this ‘super shallow spool’ edition has been specifically designed for use with thinner diameter mainlines. 

As you might expect from a top-end Daiwa reel, features abound. Its super-tough Zaion body is incredibly lightweight, and is matched with Air Rotor, Air Bail and HIP High Impact Line Clip, alongside a precision QD front spool. These features make it ideal for all big-fish work when using distance feeder tactics. 

A major advantage the new Cast’izm Feeder has over the original model is the refinement of the LC spool lip. This is said to assist control of your line release on the cast, thus providing the optimum amount of line travel without causing unwanted backlash. Basically it will help you to cast those extra few yards that could make all the difference at the end of the day.                                                                                        

Price: £250

Specs

Weight: 15.2oz  

Ratio/Crank: 4.7:1/96cm

Bearings: Four

Line capacity: 150m of 0.28mm mono 

Maximum drag setting: 12kg  

Browning Commercial King fishing reel

Browning Commercial King fishing reel. These compact but powerful reels are ideal for landing hard-fighting carp using feeder or waggler tactics. 

Available in two sizes - the CK 2-430 and the CK 2-440. The smallest of the pair compliments beautifully float rods used for pellet and standard waggler fishing and its compact size doesn’t unbalance light and short rods.

The bigger CK 2-440 reel on the other hand is just the job for all your feeder work. 

Each reel features a shallow spool, a one-touch folding handle for ease of storage and transportation, a sensitive ‘click-stop’ vernier front drag system which allows quick adjustments when playing a fish plus a safe nylon line clip in a lined recess. A spare spool is also supplied for use with different line strengths. 

And at just under £60 they won’t break the bank either!

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RRP £59.99

Daiwa TDM fishing reel

These eye-catching new Daiwa TDM reels should set match angler’s hearts racing. In a classy matt-black and deep red livery, the full TDM range has five models in all, the powerful TDM 4012 QDA (shown here) being the largest. 

All feature the latest Quick Drag system. In the event of aggressive runs from big fish, line is given freely without over-runs, and rods are saved from being dragged in. The adjustment is so precise that little more than a half-turn from left to right on the front of the spool instantly puts you back in charge. 

This QD system, much favoured by carp anglers who prefer big pit-style reels to freespools, is sure to catch on quickly with match anglers who visit waters renowned for their big, power-packed carp – Boddington and Earlswood reervoirs spring to mind. 

The aluminium-bodied TDM reels with single and double handle options are up there with Daiwa’s very best. To Twist Buster line retrieve and super-smooth Digigear meshing, lightweight Air Rotor balance and durable hollow metal Airbail arms you can add mono-friendly line clips. These are ideal when fishing a Method feeder at range or for short to medium range bomb work. 

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£159.99

Ryobi Fixed-Spool Slam NCRT reels

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£129.99

Not so very long ago Ryobi produced a cult-status match fishing reel – the closed-face Mastermatch CF1 was the angling connoisseur’s choice for all stick float and running water waggler work. 

These new Ryobi fixed-spool Slam NCRT models in 3000, 4000, and 5000 carry on that tradition, but with a body, side plate, rotor and bail-arm system made from an advanced titanium composite material that is 20 per cent lighter yet 40 per cent stronger than graphite. 

This gives the reels immense strength combined with a cool modern look and feel. 

Internal features include a 5.1:1 gear ratio, smooth running six ball-bearing system, plus one infinite anti-reverse bearing and a precisely setting multi-disk carbon front drag.

The main shaft system is precision engineered from titanium alloy, which should give these reels a long and trouble-free life.

Sonik AVX reels

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Sonik AVX 2000 £49.99
3000 £54.99
4000 £57.99
5000 £59.99

Angling Times can exclusively reveal that Newcastle-based tackle firm Sonik has plans to launch lots of stunning new kit in 2016 – including carp and match rods, uniquely styled  carp luggage ranges, a brilliant new bivvy and a host of reels. 

The first of these products to hit the shelves are these superb red and black liveried AVX reels which are aimed towards the commercial match and light lure angler. There are four sizes to pick from, with the smallest 2000 model looking ideal for drop shot, float and light lure work, through to a mighty 5000 model that suits big feeder and specimen tactics. 

All four reels feature single handles, high strength composite bodies, instant anti-reverse, and thick aluminium bail-arms with oversized line rollers. 

A faultlessly smooth operation is virtually guaranteed thanks to seven stainless steel ball-bearings. 

The gear ratios are also worthy of note, with the two smaller 2000 and 3000 sizes rated at 5.1:1 while the larger 4000 and 5000 sizes crank-up an impressive 5.5:1 ratio. 

All models are supplied with shallow braid-friendly spare spools. 

Korum Front Force Reels

TECH SPEC

FRONT FORCE 4000/3000
Gear ratio: 5.1:1
Features: Powerful front drag, soft-touch handle, lightweight, compact body, Uni-bearing system
Capacity: 4000 takes 25m of 0.26mm (0.23mm for the 3000)
Extras: Spare spool

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£34.99

FAST RETRIEVE

The 5.1:1 retrieve rate is perfect for lure work and floatfishing when you need to get line back at a good speed. Smoothness comes via the Uni-bearing oscillation system.

LIGHTWEIGHT

The reel’s body is made from a sturdy yet light material finished in fashionable black livery and balances perfectly with the Xpert 11ft Lure Rod, also from Korum.

SOFT TOUCH HANDLE

A comfortable handle is especially important on a reel in constant use, such as when spinning or drop shotting. This one has soft touch technology, and can be converted from left to right-hand wind.

The £34.99 new Korum Front Force reels in 3000 and 4000 body versions offer super high quality at a bargain price.

In their stunning all-black livery, they are packed with features including quick folding soft touch handles, a super-fast 5.1:1 gear ratio and a dependable Uni-bearing oscillation system.

This makes them ideal for a wide range of applications including feeder, float and lure fishing, although the more compact 3000 model would be my first choice for float work. 

Maver Match Monkey reel

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£74.99

This stunning looking all-black front drag reel with red accents has a performance to match.

The lightweight aluminium body features a large arbour spool for distance casting, making it ideal for commercial feeder and float work.

Seven ball-bearings ensure a silky action, and you also get an easy-access backwind facility, hard wearing titanium-plated anti-twist line roller, ambidextrous handle and soft line-friendly clip.

Middy Baggin Machine CXR 3000 & 4000 reels

TECH SPEC

Ball-bearings: Five
Gear ratio: 5.2:1
Features: Two Free-Flow machined aluminium spools, low friction line roller, one-touch folding handle, lightweight polymer body

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3000 £54.99
4000 £57.50
Shop-around price £39.99/£42.50

These 3000 and 4000 sized CXR reels are the latest additions to Middy’s popular Baggin Machine range.

The compact, lightweight polymer-built reels both feature instant response front drag, hard-wearing aluminium Free-Flow spools and press-button folding handles, perfect for when you carry rods ready set up.

Mono-friendly line clips won’t snap you off should you hit the clip a little over-zealously when casting.

Gearing runs smoothly on five bearings, with a robust stainless steel shaft, and a balanced rotor oscillation system keeps everything on the level when the reels are under stress from playing heavyweight fish.

The smaller 3000 sized reel is designed for pellet waggler and light lead work, while the larger 4000 is an out-and-out feeder tool.

Both reels are ideally suited to modern commercial fishery tactics.

Browning Quantum Fire reel

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£49.99

The ideal foil for the Magic Perch rod is this super little front drag graphite-bodied Quantum Fire reel. Its stunning livery, with flashes of red, silver and black, perfectly matches the rod’s whippings and finish.

The 015 sized model weighs a featherweight 203g and boasts a very speedy 5.2:1 gear ratio which retrieves an impressive 60cm of line per handle crank.

Other features include folding aluminium handle, large line roller with anti-twist system, and a silky smooth performance courtesy of 10 ball-bearings.

The live test model was filled with Quantum’s specialist low stretch Quattron Fluoro carbon coated line (7lb/ 0.20mm), classed as being somewhere between ordinary mono and braid, very low in stretch and so ideal for drop shotting. It didn’t spin up on the retrieve, tangle in the guides or cause me a single problem all day, and it costs a fraction of the price of a decent braid at just £7.95 per 250m spool.

Daiwa Legalis 1500HA Reel

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£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.

Daiwa Saltiga SG6000GT, SG6500 and SG6500H

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£1,199

Daiwa and top quality reels go hand in hand and from a company that’s produced such legends as the Basia for carpers and the TDR range for match and pleasure anglers comes two stunning new releases for salt and freshwater anglers – and boy are they good!

The Saltiga and Exist range were showcased by the Scottish giants at Japanese trade shows to rave reviews and they landed in Europe at the big Carrefour National Pêche et Loisirs show in France a few weeks back to equal levels of excitement. They’re not cheap but they really do represent the vanguard of reel design and are simply stunning – no further words are needed to describe the range.

For the freshwater angler, the Exist offers two models, the 2506 and 3012 and they’re capable of feeder, float and light carp and predator work including spinning, packed with Daiwa’s award-winning technologies to produce an unbelievably light yet powerful and durable reel.

The machined Zaion body, Daiwa Air Rotor and Daiwa Air Spool technology comes as standard coupled with the Mag Sealed magnetic oil system and a staggering 12 CRBB bearings, meaning the Exist is almost entirely corrosion proof to make it last a life time. A real innovation in particular is the Mag Sealed line roller that does away with line twist while removing any chance of corrosion of the roller’s bearing, which can render a reel useless when it goes! Smooth on the cast and even smoother on the retrieve, you’ll also find the Ultimate Tournament Drag for playing big fish with ease plus a line clip and aluminium machine cut handle with coated cork handle knob.

Moving on to the Saltiga, there’s 11 reels in the range that have been extensively tested for fresh and saltwater lure fishing in countries such as Japan, the USA and New Zealand and are certain to be a hit for lure and sea anglers on home soil.

Beautifully light to complement the slender kit used for this type of fishing, the key feature of the Saltiga range is their resistance to salt water corrosion, which does for many reels within 12 months of use but with the space age Mag Sealed magnetic oil system, a strong seal is formed to prevent water intrusion between the reel’s rotor and body.

Light it may be but the Saltist has bags of power to take on pike, zander and sea species like bass with Digigear™ digital gear design, a 15 bearing system for utter smoothness on cast and retrieve, automatic rotor brake, Ultimate Tournament Carbon drag for putting the brakes on hooked fish and a sealed two bearing line roller.

Saltiga reels will be available in the UK from April 2015 and the Exist models from May 2015.

Preston Innovations PXR Pro 3000 Reel

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£79.99    

If you fancy a classy high-performance reel to partner the Korum Twin Tip Drop Shot rod, look no further than Preston innovations’ striking PXR Pro 3000.

This lightweight (252g) aluminium-bodied reel in superb black and red livery boasts a host of features ideal for drop shotting.

You get a fast retrieve 5.1:1 gear ratio, hard chrome braid-resistant plated line roller, shallow spools (which cut the cost of spooling up with expensive braid), as well as a precision front drag system.

The reel purrs along effortlessly on six stainless steel ball-bearings. 

Shakespeare Agility FS reel

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£59.99

The Agility FS reel, available in 60 and 40 sizes, is the ideal partner for either EXP Specimen rod. This freespool model is reliable and strong, backed up by a wealth of a technical specifications such as a super-robust large diameter bail-arm, two line clips per spool, oversized line roller guide, and a 5.0:1 gear ratio.

Other features include two deep aluminium spools and a double handle option. The smaller Agility FS 40 is perfect for all light carp, Method feeder and barbel fishing, while the 60 size steps up a gear for specimen carp and predator fishing.

Browning Ambition FD & RD

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£34.95

These affordable Ambition reels come in front and rear drag versions. Features include a balanced rotor, folding aluminium handle with left or right-hand configuration, non-twist line roller, rugged hollow alloy bail-arm, and a spare spool as standard. In 3000 and 4000 sizes.

Browning Black Viper

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£129.95

Browning is known for designing tackle specifically for long-range feeder tactics –commonly used across mainland Europe. The eye-catching new all-black Viper MK 850 FD reel is a perfect example of a purpose-built distance caster, loaded with specialist features including sophisticated worm shaft gears for effortless retrieve and impeccable line-lay.

Its wide, shallow-profiled spool can be filled without resorting to lots of backing that can often impair the line-lay.

Frenzee FMR 300 Reel

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£94.99

An ideal companion for the Pro FXT 10ft Feeder rod is the matching Frenzee FMR 3000 sized reel. This model, like its larger 4000 stablemate, incorporates a unique Precision Braking System that gives the angler full control of the backwind facility when the anti-reverse lever is switched off – with no worries about over-spins and tangles.

The function is easy to operate by fine-tuning the setting knob on the reel’s handle. Packed with features, the FMR 3000 also has precision-cut steel gearing and a well-balanced double handle that prevents any wobble on the retrieve. It runs seamlessly on 7 + 1 Titanium Nitrate ball-bearings, producing a gear ratio of 5.2:1. And it’s supplied in its own carry case with a spare spool.

Shimano Rarenium CI4+ FB reel

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£219.99 to £249.99.

The elegant Rarenium C14+ FB reel is constructed from Shimano’s exclusive CI4+ composite. With four models in the range, they carry a host of features, including Shielded A-RB bearings, one-piece bail, waterproof drag, Dyna-Balance and Power Roller.

Fox Rage Ultron Pro 1500, 2500 and 3500 Reels

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£54.99

Designed to complement the Rage range, these front drag reels, are perfect for jigging, spinning, twitching or drop shotting. Available in three sizes – 1500, 2500 and 3500 – they cost £54.99, £59.99 and £69.99 respectfully. Technical features include extreme lightness (195g, 275g and 350g); 5.1:1 ration and six SS ball bearings.

Daiwa Legalis Reel

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£79.99

Apparently this reel is not to be pronounced ‘leg-less’ and I was severely rebuked for suggesting that it was for weekends only. Between them, the five models offer an ideal choice of body sizes that will cope with all fishing methods. Boasting fast retrieve rates of up to 6.0:1 as well Daiwa Twistbuster line rollers and Digigear drive mechanisms, the reels come with a spare spool.