Drag: This reel sports a surprising seven and a half pounds of max drag pressure which is two and a half pounds more drag pressure than our stock CV-Z 103L. During our first trip on the water with this reel, I was throwing a lipless crank out up on the banks of a local reservoir when I hooked something good. The fish hit within five feet of the shore, but after I set hook, she charged straight out into open water. My drag setting was at about half or two thirds of full but the fish just continued her tear out into open water. I had to turn the boat and chase her with the trolling motor. Then she turned around and went for the other side of the boat basically taking me in a circle all the way around. Finally, I got her close and as her bronze reflection came up from the depths, I could see I had snagged what I estimate to be a twenty (20) pound carp in the back. I was able to release the lure before she dove again but I did not want to take her out of the water because she was wide and obviously full of eggs. What a test for this reel!

Ergonomics: Round baitcasters are often overlooked when put up against their low profile counterparts because they are simply not as comfortable to grasp in one's palm. That consideration aside, the Millionaire Bay Casting Special is quite comfortable to palm for those with medium sized hands or larger. Its 100 series size means it's smaller than the traditional 200 series size of baitcasters and its position in the reel seat is very low for a round baitcaster. The advent of its externally adjustable brake control as compared to the standard CVZ reels is an outstanding upgrade that is both easy to locate and easy to actuate using the base of one's thumb to press in and then turn to achieve the desired setting. This reel is as easy and comfortable to use as any round baitcaster we've tested.

Design: Round baitcasters all seem to be pretty basic and free of frills in their design. As noted earlier, the most striking component of this reel, we found, was it's somewhat unique blue and gold finish. This reel is solidly crafted of almost all aluminum parts with the only plastic being the protective cap shielding the bolt that holds the handle to the reel. It's a reel that inspires confidence in construction when you grasp it in your palm. One criticism of design we did discover was the use of the standard, unfinished foot at the base of the reel. While it certainly serves the intended purpose, such careful consideration was given to all other components in the reel, we felt a bit more attention could have been paid to this very important component. Otherwise, while nothing really sticks out about the reel, we found nothing else to really criticize either.

Ratings:

Pluses and Minuses:

Conclusion: Daiwa Japan's Millionaire Bay Casting Special is a solid performing reel that leaves a little to be desired in the design department. While we found nothing significant lacking in this reel, we wanted just a bit more "umph" having spent top dollar to acquire this gem. That having been said with features like a 7.5 pound max pressure drag, bearing supported knobs, a lightweight, Gigas spool, and an externally adjustable brake control system, one could certainly do a lot worse than this reel. Top it all off with an attractively styled blue and gold themed finish, and while this may not be our most favorite reel in our vaults, it's certainly earned a spot among the tried and true TackleTour arsenal. A lot of the features and performance we see in the Bay Casting Special should translate over nicely in the new TD Luna, and with a US born price point the new reel is definitely something to look forward to.