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PRODUCTTPREVIEW: Shimano
debuts Talica II compact leverdrag reel for fly-lining live baits
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Date: |
7/6/09 |
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Tackle type: |
Reels |
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Manufacturer: |
Shimano |
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Reviewer: |
Team TT |
Introduction:
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 offer both high speed and high power with a robust drag that is
designed specifically for PowerPro braided line with short fluorocarbon
topshots.
At ICAST next week Shimano will
debut the new Talica 2-Speed, a compact reel designed for fly-lining livebaits
30-40 feet underhand into the chumline
The
Talica II looks to break the mold:
If you enjoy catching big fish with small lever drag reels the Talica II has
your name all over it. Typically star drag reels are better casters by nature,
as they have lighter spools because the drags are in the gears not the spool
itself, while lever drag based reels tend to have more power in the drag system
because their washers are so much larger. Shimano is looking to break the mold
with the Talica 2-Speeds, and their goal is to make a 2-Speed leverdrag that
can underhand a sardine 40 feet to the chum line with ease. They also wanted
to increase the fishable drag capabilities of a small diameter reel to fish with
heavy braided lines like PowerPro® with short fluorocarbon top shots which are
popular among saltwater anglers that fish superlines. Shimano draws upon their
previous experience with HEG (High Efficiency Gearing) in their star drag reels
and the Talica II is engineered with fast line pickup
compared to traditional 2-speeds but with plenty of cranking power in either
gear ratio. The reel features a one-piece cold forged and machined aluminum
frame, the aluminum handle-side sideplate is also machined and the spool is cold
forged machined aluminum.
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Shimano
Talica II Specifications |
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TALICA |
Line Retrieve per Crank (in) |
Mono Line Capacity (# Test/Yd) |
Power Pro Line Capacity (# Test/Yd) |
Full Max Drag with Freespool (lbs) |
Strike Max Drag with Freespool (lbs) |
S A-RB Ball Bearings |
High Gear Ratio |
Low Gear Ratio |
Weight (oz.) |
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TAC8II |
38/25 |
15/280, 20/200, 25/165 |
40/395, 50/390, 65/235 |
20.0 |
13.0 |
6 |
6.2:1 |
4.1:1 |
18.2 |
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TAC10II |
38/25 |
15/380, 20/270, 25/215 |
40/540, 50/535, 65/335 |
20.0 |
13.0 |
6 |
6.2:1 |
4.1:1 |
18.6 |
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TAC12II |
41/22 |
20/350, 25/280, 30/230 |
50/700, 65/400, 80/355 |
40.0 |
22.0 |
6 |
5.7:1 |
3.1:1 |
25.7 |
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TAC16II |
41/22 |
20/440, 25/350, 30/300 |
50/845, 65/485, 80/430 |
40.0 |
22.0 |
6 |
5.7:1 |
3.1:1 |
26.5 |
A
Compact Design:
Shimano made ergonomics a priority on the Talica II and the reel is designed to
really blow anglers away when it comes to the power to weight ratio. Jeremy
Sweet Shimano’s Reel Product manager confirmed that the company actually went
through five different gearbox angles and shapes to get it to look and feel just
right.
The Talica II blends both high
speed and high power and features heavy drag curves designed for PowerPro with
short Fluorocarbon topshots
Casting:
To maximize casting ease and distance Shimano makes use of extremely high grade
greaseless ball bearings that don’t flex under side load for an “unbelievable”
freespool. This light weight spool is optimized for casting small livebaits such
as anchovies and sardines and Shimano aggressively machined the spool to
maximize weight savings while maintaining strength. Typically livebait rigs are
very light, and traditionally to cast these baits, good anglers need to “bump”
the spool during the cast to get the spool moving and avoid the bait from flying
out, then suddenly getting jerked down by line not coming off of the spool and
slapping hard on the surface of the water. Shimano addresses this by further in
defining the ability of Talica to cast well underhand to enhance bait
presentation.
The Talica gearbox position was
redesigned 5 times for the optimal angle ergonomics
What a
Drag:
Any quality saltwater reel needs to come armed with a drag worth its weight in
gold and the Talica features oversized carbon drag Washers for ultra-high drag
pressures. This drag is designed to be smooth and is designed to handle 3 line
classes heavier than what would normally be expected on a reel of this size. As
can be expected the Talica’s waterproof drag was engineered to handle superlines
and even the smallest Talica, TAC8II, will fish 50# PowerPro easily.
Robust power in low and in high
speeds is what makes Talica a joy to battle big fish with. No longer will you
have to decide between power in low gear or speed in high
Next Section: Shimano fights
corrosion with "E.I." treatment 
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