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Daiwa’s SV TW Baitcaster – A
Winning Combination!
| Date: |
9/20/17 |
| Tackle type: |
Reel |
| Manufacturer: |
Daiwa |
| Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.63 -
EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD
Introduction: There
was a time when if you asked anglers what are the most exciting and unique reels
to fish they would often put Daiwa on the top of that list. In the last five
years the competition has only gotten tougher, not only from old guards like
Shimano and Abu Garcia, but new brands that didn’t even exist half a decade ago.
Daiwa like other stalwart reel manufacturers had to up their game and Daiwa did
it the best way they knew how, by innovating.
We fished with Pro Angler Brent
Ehrler during these tests and demonstrated how the new reel could cast even the
lightest baits
Change is hard
and when they committed to the T-Wing system throughout their high end lineup it
was polarizing for many anglers. But the company stuck to it, and I’m glad they
did because Daiwa reels are now becoming what they were to so many anglers a
decade ago… exciting and unique all over again. The Tatula SV TW is the first
Tatula to make use of the combination of the T-Wing system and the company’s SV
spool design and the result in performance might just surprise you.
|
Daiwa Tatula SV
TW TASV103XS Casting Reel
Specifications |
|
Line
Capacity (lbs / yds) |
14/100, 16/90 |
|
Gear Ratio |
8.1:1 (6.3:1, 7.3:1 also
available) |
|
Measured Weight |
7.2 ounces |
|
Measured Max. Drag |
13.8 lbs measured
max drag (13.2lbs. published spec) |
|
Number of
Bearings |
7 + 1 (2CRBB) |
|
Features |
Die cast aluminum frame, T-Wing (TWS), SV Concept, Air Rotation,
Ultimate Tournament Drag, 90mm swept handle, soft touch handle knobs |
|
Origin |
Thailand |
|
MSRP |
$199.99 |
The most exciting component? The
SV Spool of course
Impressions:
The Tatula SV TW may not be a flagship reel but you wouldn’t know it based on
the loaded feature-set. Daiwa has packed a lot into this new series including
the T-Wing casting system, an SV Concept design and SV Spool, a 90mm swept
handle and oversized soft-touch knobs, and a finish that is much more similar to
the company’s polished high end reels than Daiwa’s more aggressively priced
Tatula, and below, offerings. There are a total of six Tatula SV TW reels and in
this lineup there are three main types, the 100H, 103HS, and 103XS which feature
gold, red, and purple anodized highlights respectively for quick identification.
This is the first time that the SV
Spool has been available in a Tatula
I was instantly
drawn to the purple version, both because the color gives the reel a more
enthusiast looking feel and also because I wanted to try out the quick 8.1:1
retrieve ratio for fishing topwater baits and power fishing plastics.
My initial thoughts on the SV TWS reel the second
I unboxed it was just how attractive the new baitcaster was. Other CT reels look
utilitarian in comparison to the SV TW and it is clear that Daiwa put some extra
effort into trying to differentiate this Tatula from the rest of the lineup. It
looks more “Zillion” than it does “Tatula.”
The Tatula is available in a range
of retrieve speeds including 8.1:1
Real World
Tests:
To see if the new Tatula SV TW is more than just a better looking reel we put it
through the paces over the course of a five month period, fishing for largemouth
bass in the California Delta, Clear Lake, and other Northern California
reservoirs. We purchased a second reel from Tackle Warehouse so that we could
fish different line type’s side-by-side and compare the reel’s performance with
mono, fluorocarbon, and braided lines. In all of the Tatula SV TW tests we
spooled up with various line offerings from Sunline.
The new Tatula reel handles all
line types beautifully
Next Section: Casting that impresses...
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