2009 High Speed Reel Shootout : And the Winner Is...
The moment of truth. We've thrown all the scores out the window, tore each reel apart, compared components, put them back together, mounted them on identical rods and compared performance statistics head to head. The winner of our 2009 High Speed Reel
Shootout is...
Quantum rounds out our low
speed cranking reel shootout with the Energy PT “Power” reel which features a
low speed 5.1:1 gear ratio to help retrieve deep diving long lipped crankbaits.
This high torque reel features many of the features that Quantum is known for
including use of ceramic components.
Low Speed Reel
Shootout: Daiwa
gets Crazy with the Zillion Cranker Daiwa’s Zillion Crazy
Cranker features an extra low speed 4.9:1 gear ratio and is designed with a high
torque gearbox for powerful retrieves of the deepest diving crankbaits. This is
the most powerful reel in the high end Zillion lineup and now joins the fray in
our low speed cranking reel shootout.
2009 Highspeed Reel Shootout : Shimano Reinvents the Chronarch!
Enter our trip to Dream Lake Alabama during the Fall of 2008. The event was
our first chance to gain some on the water insight and experience with the new Curado and Citica
reels, but when we arrived, Jeremy Sweet, Product Manager for fishing reels with
Shimano pulled us aside to show us what he was working on...
Low Speed Cranking Reel Shootout Part 2: Abu
Garcia Revo Winch is all about Muscle
Abu Garcia’s robust lineup of Revo reels have
enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity, and for good reason, these reels blend
plenty of features and performance into a very compact package. The Revo Winch
is designed to be the brute strength “cranker” of the series
PRODUCTTPREVIEW: Shimano debuts Talica II compact leverdrag reel for fly-lining
live baits
In advance of ICAST next week Shimano is introducing their newest saltwater
reel, the premium Talica II which is a compact conventional reel designed for
fly-lining Livebaits 30-40 feet underhand into the chumline. This reel is
designed to fish PowerPro braided line with short fluorocarbon topshots.
Pre-ICAST Sneak Peek at Penn's New Premium Rugged Saltwater
Spinning Reels
Penn, one of the most well known brands in
saltwater reels is about to give anglers the most rugged, made in USA, saltwater spinning
reel to date. the team at Penn gave us a pre-ICAST sneak peak at their new Torque
and Conquer spinning reels designed for the harshest of conditions.
Hot New Reels, Sizes, and PT Technologies from Quantum in 2010
Quantum has been hard at work on a complete line of new
reels that place and emphasis on improved refinement, extra features, and
upgraded ergonomics. In a pre-ICAST scoop we take a sneak peek at the upcoming
2010 products soon to be officially launched by Quantum.
2009
Highspeed Reel Shootout : Daiwa's 50th Anniversary Hyperspeed Zillion
The special editions of this reel have been a
favorite amongst our readers. Unfortunately, those versions of this reel are
only available as Japanese Domestic Market products. That was until January of
this past year. Presenting the special edition, US Domestic Market 50th
Anniversary Hyperspeed Zillion!
2009 Highspeed Reel Shootout Part 2: Abu Garcia Revo SX
Abu Garcia’s workhorse line and our token budget
reel for the shootout – that is, if you can imagine a $170 reel being considered
as budget! Does this sub $200 reel have what it takes to compete with the next
tier of $200 - $300 reels? Let’s find out.
2009 Highspeed Reel Shootout : Quantum
Tour Edition PT VI The
first entry into our 2009 High Speed Reel Shootout: The Quantum Tour Edition PT
VI. That’s right, for the very first time Cal is fishing a Quantum, but of
course, not just any Quantum - the new, redesigned and re-engineered, top of the
line Tour Edition PT VI.
Obsessed with
Weight, the new lighter generation of baitcasters What is it with
bass anglers? Admit it, were all obsessed with weight. Whether we are talking
fish, rods, or reels we count the ounces with fervor. Sure heavier is better in
regards to fish, but when it comes to baitcasters weighing in as lean as a
supermodel is all the rage.
Daiwa’s Pluton can
be described with one word…. Solid
The Daiwa Pluton has
arrived and is already available now at a number of online retailers. Since our
original preview of the Pluton we have tested a mass production reel in a number
of applications and it is now time to release our complete field test of this
solidly built round reel.
Shimano blends Power with Weight Reduction with the Sophisticated new Chronarch
D
Shimano prepares to
introduce the much
anticipated redesign of the
Chronarch series, the new D
version is a major departure
from the previous generation
reel and places greater
emphasis on weight reduction
and improved ergonomics
without sacrificing power or
refinement.
Shimano's new Citica 200E -
Completely Redefined
Shimano’s mainstream
Citica reel gets a major makeover that follows the popular Curado series in
terms of reduced weight and improved ergonomics. Our field tests take us from
the California Delta to Dream Lake, Alabama as we find out just how good the new
reel is, as well as how it stacks up to the more expensive Curado E.
Does the Patriarch have the guts to reign at the top of
Pflueger reels?
The new king at the top of the Pflueger line is now the Patriarch, a reel that is only thirty dollars more than the Supreme. Is Patriarch worthy? Let's find out. Introducing our review of Pflueger's new flagship, the Patriarch.
World's first look inside the Team Daiwa Pluton So far,
details of the new Daiwa Pluton have been hard to come by, but we managed to get
our hands on one of the very first reels to roll off the Daiwa line and are able
to bring to you this exclusive look into the makeup of this new, highly
anticipated round reel from Daiwa.
Detailed photos and information on the 2009 Abu Garcia Revo baitcast and
spinning reels
There is no doubt that the
Revo has been a phenomenal
hit, and this coming season
Abu Garcia enhances the
series with thrilling new
additions. Some of the reels are already available at
retailers, some you've seen snapshots of, some you have heard rumors of, but
here is the inside scoop.
First look at the newly redesigned lightweight Quantum
top-end baitcast reels
Quantum brings out the big
guns by revamping their top
of the line reels making
them lighter and giving them
a more stunning appearance
by paying closer attention
to fine details. Here's a
peak at what we can expect
to see on store shelves in
the late Fall.
The introduction of a meaner greener Curado, and an enhanced Citica
With rumors and blurry
snapshots of the soon to be
announced Curado E popping
up all over the internet we
have finally obtained
concrete details of the next
evolution of the popular
series, as well as a first
look at the enhanced new
Citica E.
The
Ultra Lightweight Steez
series gets a Speed Bump!
It seems Daiwa is all about
speed this season as they
not only boost speed in
their Zillion series but
also prepare to introduce
new faster versions of their
flagship award winning
magnesium based Steez reels.
A Peek at Daiwa's Hyper Speed Zillion, soon to be the
world's fastest compact baitcaster
Back in 1987 Daiwa was the
first tackle manufacturer to
introduce a reel with a
blazing fast 7.1:1 gear
ratio a benchmark that
competitors were unable to
match for nearly two
decades. Daiwa prepares to up the
ante once again with the
world's fastest compact baitcaster.
An In-Depth Look at a Reel Made Entirely in the USA: The
Ardent XS1000
Reels that are completely
made within the USA are a
rarity these days. Today we are here to see what Ardent has to offer
with a closer look at the Ardent XS1000, the reel that Alton Jones used to win the 2008 Bassmaster Classic.
Spy
photos of a possible new Shimano “Green” Reel
TackleTour has obtained
spy photos taken by an angler at El Salto that indicate that Shimano is now in
the process of field testing a new “green” reel.
