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The Thoroughly Capable, If
Somewhat Uninspiring New Alphas
At the end of January 2021, we shared a preview of
Daiwa Japan's new, Alphas SV TW 800. In that article, we took a detailed look in
to the differences between this latest refresh and the original, purple
powerhouse. Since that preview, I've had time to fish this reel to discover just
how well the updated platform holds up and whether it answers the call to its
legacy as the original Scorpion killer. |
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Return of the Enthusiasm : Shimano Japan's Calcutta Conquest
As I sit down to write this review, I looked back
on the last time I explored a Shimano Calcutta/Conquest DC (digital cast
control) reel. A quick look through TackleTour's archives reveals a review
published in August of 2011 for the Conquest 50/51DC. Has it really been almost
10 years since I fished this platform? |
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Daiwa's Last Holdout, the Alphas, Has Been Assimilated
Just before 2020 came to a close, we had our first look at the 2021 Steez Limited SV TW 1000. At the end of that preview article, we mentioned Daiwa made a few other early introductions as well. One of those additional introductions is an Alphas, based off the same platform as the 2020 Air TW, but built to support a more general scope of work. For 2021, Daiwa
has now introduced the Alphas SV TW 800. |
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Built to Vanquish the Competition, but Equal to Stella?
As Shimano continues to make that transition to a global lineup for their bass fishing reels, more and more traditional JDM models are becoming easily available stateside.
For those who actually prefer their
prize reels remain more difficult to acquire, there remain a few gems still
under JDM-only control. The Shimano Vanquish is one such reel... |
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Evergreen International Defines "IT" Again : The Orion OCSC-71H+ Black Rose
The Black Rose, specifically, is designed for
versatility allowing you to fish in everything from tight cover situations to
open water environments. It is designed to do everything to flipping and
punching soft plastics to casting and retrieving big swimbaits. |
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The Potent Sting of Shimano Japan's Scorpion MGL
Once the gateway reel to many an enthusiasts' addiction, most
anglers now know Shimano Japan's Scorpion is simply their version of the Shimano
America Corp Curado. The reels are identical in just about every way save for
the color and finish treatments. Yet something about fishing a Scorpion versus a
Curado just feels more enthusiast. |
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The New Megabass Destroyer
JDM Rod Lineup is Coming to America
In the world of Megabass the Destroyer line is the
king of them all, but much like in Game of Thrones there are many that call
themselves kings, or
queens, which often results in epic battles to determine who will ultimately sit on the throne. This season Megabass Japan will debut a
new lineup of Destroyers, and with it a slew of new technologies and features
that aim to once again raise the bar. |
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Round Reel Refinement - The
JDM Daiwa Millionaire CT SV70
Originally brought onto to
TackleTour as a specialists of sorts, concentrating primarily on enthusiast
tackle, my responsibilities have expanded through the years to include product
spanning the spectrum from affordability to "you've got to be kidding me."
Recently, I've been writing about far more of the former than the latter, but
enthusiast level tackle will always have my soul. |
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One for the Enthusiasts: The Shimano Antares A70 Baitcaster with
MGIII
Every lineup needs a flagship, and in Shimano’s low
profile baitcasters series the one reel to rule them all is the Antares A70, the
smallest and most advanced non-DC equipped Antares the company has introduced.
Designed to usher in a new benchmark in refinement and casting performance, with
the implementation of the new MGII spool design, this reel might just be the
company’s most sophisticated yet. |
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What's New Is Old School : Megabass of America's F7-76X Valdivia
Once considered Megabass's
entry level of rods, Destroyer is now viewed upon with an entirely different
perspective - at least in the North American Market. We can thank Levante and
Orochi XX for that shift in perspective, but for me, "Megabass" still starts
here...
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Evergreen International's Next Generation Super Stallion
While traveling in Japan in
2013, I came across a variant of this stick in Evergreen's new Kaleido Inspirare
series. It was a stick with the same name and ratings only with a different,
more aggressive handle design. Here now is our look at Evergreen International's
Inspire Super Stallion Black! |
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Megabass of America is on Target Once Again : The '17 Destroyer Javelin
We first shared with you our general impressions of Megabass
of America's 2017 Destroyer Lineup in June of that year. Since that time we've been busy testing, fishing, and evaluating other sticks from that series. Today, we take a closer look at the one stick that stood out to me during our first day on the water... |
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Aldebaran is Next to Receive Shimano's MGL Upgrade
The Aldebaran MGL shares the same size and shape as the previously reviewed
2015 Aldebaran 50/51, but there are differences in the reel's finish as well as spool capacity. The
MEL
version features a kind of metallic steel blue paint scheme that looks either
grey or midnight silver depending on how bright the lighting conditions are.
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Daiwa's Stealthy New 2018 Ryoga
For those unfamiliar with the platform, Daiwa's Ryoga served as
the basis for the USDM Pluton back in 2008. The original intent for this reel is
as an inshore product but of course fishermen, especially bass fishermen, don't
pay attention to this... |
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TackleTour Shootout : Stella FJ vs Exist LT
It's that time again. Time to
cast aside our review mentality and really get into the nitty gritty side by
side comparison of product. It's been a few years since we've conducted a good
old fashioned TackleTour Shootout but early in 2018, two products presented
themselves before us that inspired a true head to head comparison. |
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Light and Tough? It Does EXIST and It's Made by Daiwa
It's been eleven long years since I've sampled a new Daiwa Exist. At least, that's the last review on our site of Daiwa's top end JDM Spinning Reel.
To be honest, I like that reel so much and it has performed so well for me
through the years, that I haven't really paid attention to updates on this reel. |
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Forget the Street Car, Book the Bullet Train to this New Stella
How excited were you and how much anticipation did you have to take to the water and make your first cast? Remember that feeling? That's what being an enthusiast is all about - enthusiasm. |
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Beware the Bait Finesse Addiction : Shimano's Scorpion BFS
Once only available to the most
dedicated enthusiast with a big budget, reels like Shimano's Brenious and Daiwa's Alphas SV are built to deliver BFS capabilities for right around $250. No where is it more evident that the BFS movement has gained real traction than in the availability today's subject of review - the Scorpion BFS. |
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Shimano's Fully Machined BFS Masterpiece
The first thing to strike you when lifting the Calcutta Conquest BFS
out of its box is the reel's finish. It does not feature the traditional
gold/bronze anodizing of its Conquest brethren but instead has its own stealthy
pewter finish... |
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Tackle Your Enthusiasm with Shimano's Metanium MGL
When Shimano USA introduced the 2013 Metanium to
the North American bass fishing market in 2014, we hailed it as a “welcome back”
to the brand that co-defined high performance and refinement in a low profile
baitcasting reel for nearly two decades prior...
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Precious : Shimano Japan's 2016 Antares DC
When I reviewed it's more primitive doppelganger
back in 2014, I hailed the Shimano's 2012 Antares as having DC like performance. Today, we test that theory, so pull out your virtual reality goggles and strap yourself in as we take Shimano Japan's 2016 Antares DC low profile baitcaster (aka my precious) out for a spin. |
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Shimano Lowers the Price Barrier to DC : Their 2017 Scorpion DC
Back in late 2011 and into 2012
I was so excited to purchase and fish the original Scorpion DC but was then
ultimately disappointed because that reel's whine had been silenced and it just
didn't feel that special anymore. So when I caught wind of a new Scorpion DC for
2017, I was skeptical to say the least... |
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Megabass of America's 2017 Destroyer - Ownage is Onager
Our first in depth, full blown
review of a Megabass of America Destroyer Series rod, and what better way to
kick things off than with perhaps the biggest, baddest Destroyer stick ever to
be assembled. Introducing Megabass of America's F10-711X Destroyer Onager.
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Channeling the Joy of a JDM Classic : Shimano's Scorpion 70/71 Platform
Any tried and true JDM bass
reel enthusiast has a special place in their tackle heart for the Shimano
sub-brand of "Scorpion". This is the lineup that has initiated the majority of
Tackle Enthusiast for the last fifteen to twenty years. |
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Shimano Japan's New Gateway JDM Reel
Shimano has been on a tear of late introducing new, budget friendly reels like the $99.99 Caenan and $79.99 Caius. When I first heard about the new Casitas, I confused it with the discontinued Castaic thinking this new reel was a reintroduction model of the former flipping reel. It wasn't until Zander had his USDM model out on a few trips before it clicked in my head that this was an entirely new model inserted between the Citica and Caenan. |
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Evergreen International's Light Cavalry CLCC-71H
Earlier this year, we introduced you to an Enthusiast worthy travel rod in St. Croix's Legend Trek LTC76HF. Of course, there are those who won't consider a stick, no matter how worthy, "enthusiast" grade unless it's made for the Japanese market. We were able to hunt down a multi-piece stick made by the one and only Evergreen International, so here now is a close look at their Combat Stick, Light Cavalry CLCC-71H.
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Re-Test : Megabass's F4st-69RSDti Hedgehog Evoluzion!
In 2006, I fished a rod that met up with the most unfortunate demise in the F4st-69RSDti Orochi Hedgehot Evoluzion by Megabass and documented this
occurrence in the product's incomplete review... |
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Fulfill Your Destiny With Shimano's 2015 Metanium DC
Once the buzz around the
fishing industry, Shimano's DC cast control system has been really quiet as of
late. Instead, the manufacturer's newer SVS Infinity braking system has taken
center stage - and rightfully so. Still, in today's age of digital everything,
it's difficult not to wonder if Shimano has abandoned the system all together or
of their continuing to refine it. |
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Daiwa Japan's Ryoga Shrapnel - Take No Prisoners
Recently in Japan, the
manufacturer introduced an update to their limited edition Black Sheep reel
designed for targeting invasive snakehead. This reel is based off the
Pluton/Ryoga product line only upsized for greater line capacity and blacked out
for a stealthier, more hard core look. Here now is our look at Daiwa Japan's
Ryoga Shrapnel. |
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Shimano Re-Ignites Their Shining Star : The 2015 Aldebaran
Originally introduced back in 2009 and dubbed the Alphas Killer (in reference to Daiwa's Alphas platform), the Aldebaran has been a staple in my collection ever since. Six years later, in 2015, Shimano re-imaged this reel and upped the ante by including it in their JDM import lineup to be sold in US stores. |
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Check Practicality at the Door : Evergreen's Leopard
In 2014 Brett Hite set the Facebook, Twitter, and fishing discussion forum worlds on fire by winning an FLW event on storied Lake Okeechobee throwing a chatterbait on a "mysterious" red and black rod. Of course, the only real mystery was the rod's model number and name since most are aware Brett Hite is sponsored by Evergreen International... |
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Bearing Down on Megabass : The F5st-611X7
Since the merger of Megabass USA together with Megabass Japan to create Megabass of America, the influx of new product has been dizzying. From several different new rod lines to new lures to new colors of old lures to variations of new lures and colors, the accessibility of Megabass product has been a classic case in point of be careful for what you wish.
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Can the Brenious Hold up to Fresh as Well as Salt?
The term "bait finesse" is
easing its way into the consciousness of North American bass fishermen with each
passing year. The concept of making finesse presentation with bait casting gear
is nothing new to bass anglers in Japan, but it's taking a long time to grab
hold outside of that country... |
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The Ultimate Conquest - by Shimano Japan
Low profile reels change shape and evolve with every passing year. What's considered small and comfortable one year can be obsolete in the matter of three to five. Round reels on the other hand are much more enduring. After all, there's not much you can do to change the shape of round. Most bass fisherman are familiar with Shimano's USDM flagship round reel, the Calcutta, but how many are aware of that reel's JDM counterpart, the Conquest?
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Daiwa's Beloved Alphas Gets Another Variant - SV
This year, Daiwa Japan has
taken the very popular SV spool design from their SS SV baitcasting reel,
incorporated it into the Alphas platform, and have introduced the brand new
Alphas SV. Does this reel have the same magic or even surpass that of the
original? We procured one from Japan to find out! |
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Daiwa Japan's SS SV : A Steez in Disguise?
If there is one thing Daiwa, and especially Daiwa Japan does well, it's produce tackle worthy of our enthusiasm at the high end. Maybe not everyone appreciates the performance aspects of some of their high end product - case in point the Steez 103H/L - but when it comes to this segment of the market, Daiwa seldom disappoints. |
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Rapala Canada's Spin 72 Concept Ti
We've had some of their Concept
Ti rods for some time, but have held back on reviews for these sticks because
they were changing nano-resin suppliers. Now that this has been straightened out, and the line remains intact, we're happy to share our findings on these sticks with everyone. Here now is our first look at the series, presenting Rapala Canada's Concept Ti NT85SP72ML1 (Spin 72) |
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Megabass's Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Whimey, Bassy Wassy, Sonic Fishing Stick
Well, we saw the prototypes first hand back in
2013 while visiting their factory in Japan. Late last year we finally got to
fish these sticks for the first time. Today we bring you our findings.
Presenting our review of Megabass's Evoluzion C40 F4.5-610ti Elseil. |
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Megabass's Destroyer X7 Aaron Martens 71!
By all accounts, Megabass's
strategy of introducing in an entirely new audience to the experience of their
product with the debut of their "budget" series, the Orochi Double X over two
years ago was a success. However, established fans were less than enthused. Last
year, the company addressed these fans and upped the ante with a revamp of their
base destroyer line... |
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The Search for One : Shimano/Jackall's Biwako Versatile X
Introducing our first look at
the new joint venture Poison Glorious like from Shimano and Jackall. Here's our
look at the 173MH Biwako (Lake Biwa) Versatile X. |
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Don't be Fooled, Here's the Deal on Shimano's Exsence DC !!
To this day, the Chronarch D is
a highly sought after reel for its refinement and excellent casting performance.
While the reel is technically still available with a magnesium frame and known
as the Core, not all consumers are fans of magnesium framed reels for their
limitations to freshwater environments and considerable increase in cost. |
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Evergreen International Re-Enters our Search with the Black Racer
As stated in previous reviews of rods in this same Kaleido lineup from Evergreen, the Black Racer is another example of the clean, precise detailing of JDM rods. Though not as ornate as a rivals Megabass, Shimano/Poison, or GanCraft, the Kaleido series is very simple yet extremely elegant. |
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A Shining Star Amidst a Milkyway
of Reels: The Antares by Shimano
Shimano Japan's flagship low
profile baitcasting line is the Antares (USDM Calais). In 2012, this reel was updated
a new set of casting brakes, new gears, and the company's already well integrated X-Ship. Here now is our look at the 2012 Antares by Shimano.
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Crank It Up! : Is Megabass's F4.5-711GTA Worthy of its Name?
If there's one category of bass
rods that are a tough sell within the Enthusiast subset, it's cranking sticks.
Bass anglers have a tough time cranking up their enthusiasm for a stick that's
built for reaction baits because the general consensus is you don't need a high
performing stick to throw cranks - just about any decently built rod on a good
fiberglass blank will do. |
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Welcome Back Shimano : The 2013 Metanium
For years, we've wondered why large manufacturers like Shimano go through the effort to make specialized products for one market versus another when the overall applications of each product are more or less the same. Of course, we're speaking primarily about fishing reels, and even more specifically, bass fishing reels.
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2013 Bait-the-Finesse Finale : Daiwa T3 Air
The T3 Air came
away from our late March 2013 Product Insight article with the early lead in
this shootout. It is a reel based on Daiwa's first generation T-Wing platform,
the T3. Made in Japan, the T3 AIR is a modified version of the flagship variant
in this line and not the Ballistic which is made in Thailand instead of Japan.
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2013 Bait-the-Finesse Finale : Shimano Aldebaran BFS
As its name
would suggest, the Aldebaran BFS is built off of the Aldebaran, Shimano's 2009
compact magnesium baitcaster introduction known stateside as the Core 50Mg. The
interesting note here is that while the BFS shares the overall same dimensions
as the original Aldebaran, there are a few differences. |
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Skip, Hop, Drop, Cut and Shake by Evergreen International
Over the last several years, we've combed through just about every stick in Evergreen International's Kaleido lineup. These are among the finest rods we've ever fished. But going through ALMOST every stick means there's still room for a few more. Today, we dive back into the Kaleido-scope and share with you our thoughts on the TKLS-61ULX Cut In Shake.
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Bait the Finesse?!? Shimano -v- Daiwa Product Insight
In bass fishing, there's a certain fascination
with baitcasting reels. Among experienced bass fishermen especially, there
exists a stigma associated anyone who favors spinning gear over baitcasting
gear. Anglers who fit this description are simply not taken seriously... |
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Creature Fever
: Demon versus Valiant
Presenting an exclusive
Creature Fever Feature : Super Red Demon versus Wild Stallion Valiant. Yes, it's
Megabass versus Evergreen International. |
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What the Finesse No Trigger? Evergreen's Stingray 66
What
really intrigued us about this new product, a fishing rod, from Evergreen was
its reel seat. Presenting our look at the intriguing Kaleido Stingray
TKDC-66MLBF-Pro. |
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A Question of Access in Shimano's New Calcutta
Sometimes, during the course of reviewing a product, there's news and
information we want to share during the process. Rather than wait for the entire
review to play itself out, we can now share these stories with you through our
Product Insights. We hope you enjoy this new series and our debut article on
Shimano's new Calcutta. |
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Daiwa Pixy Epiphany : PX68/68L SPR
The PX68 SPR is an interesting departure in Daiwa Japan's casting brake philosophy. Normally relying upon their magnetic brake technology, Daiwa decided to go centrifugal on the SPR to help deliver brake assistance during the early part of the cast. |
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Creature Fever Double Feature... Megabass!
The FX-711X4 is
very much a toned down version of the very first Megabass stick we reviewed here
on TackleTour, The F7-711X Seven Eleven from the Destroyer lineup. It has the
prototypical thin handles of the X4 lineup, but made of cork to tie back to the
Destroyer line. Further, and again reminiscent of the original, the X4 Seven
Eleven has spiral wrapped guides (turning to the left). |
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Megabass's Own Insanity : The LIN 10
The first thing that strikes you with the LIN 10 was how light it felt. It's not even a full ounce lighter than the Ryoga 1016HL, but for some reason, the weight difference feels significant.
This reel was built to celebrate Megabass's 25th Anniversary. Supposedly, there
were only 200 ever made...
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The Search For One... Rapala Canada's R-Type
The
workhorse of the Rapala
Canada lineup ais an the R Type. We had one of these rods with us on our recent trip to the Amazon in search of peacock bass and today we bring you our review of Rapala Canada’s R-Type RT45TR72MH2, 2 piece casting rod.
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Have Your Crank and Feel It Too : Evergreen International's Husky Winder
A $350 cranking stick? Thanks to the current state
of affairs with our exchange rate, let's try over $500. Walking away from
this article yet? What if we told you the subject of today's review is actually
an eight hundred dollar plus ($800+) cranking stick? |
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What the...
Finesse Alphas?
It's been almost eight years since we published our very first Enthusiast Tackle review. Eight long years of fishing some of the best the tackle industry has to offer. Do you recall the subject of our first, published enthusiast tackle review? It was the original, and now legendary Daiwa Alphas.
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Stop Whining? It's Shimano Japan's Scorpion DC
If there is one group of reels
that rarely fail to intrigue me they are the digital brake control reels of
Shimano and perhaps more accurately, Shimano Japan. As a whole, these reels may
not be perfect, and you can still experience professional overruns -especially
if you're as professional as we are - but the shear joy they enable each and
every time you shoot your cast is nothing short of addicting.
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WTF?!? : Evergreen International's Heracles Series Black Regius
The Heracles sticks are
Evergreen’s tuned versions of their Tactics rods and every bit as powerful and
sensitive as the Kaleido at about two thirds the price. We got our hands on a
HCSS-64ML Black Regius for “What the Finesse” and here’s how it all turned out.
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The Two Faces of Ryoga : Daiwa Japan's 1016HL
Like most of our readers, I had known about the
smaller sized Ryoga for quite some time only I resisted ordering one from
overseas because the exchange rate has not been in our favor for quite some
time... |
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Imperfect Perfection : Shimano's Conquest 50/51 DC
Last year, Shimano Japan introduced an updated DC technology to their Conquest line of reels. With that update came a new look for Conquest DC. Gone were the gold highlights and in was a new, silver monotone motif. The overall tone of the reel is almost more pewter than silver and certainly gives it a more understated aura. |
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What the Finesse ?!? : Daiwa's PX68/68L
If there is one fishing reel
that personifies the diehard, TT Enthusiast, it is the Japanese market only,
Daiwa Pixy. Since 2004 when we first wrote about this fabulous little finesse
baitcaster from Daiwa Japan, the Pixy has been the subject of, or shared
bi-lines with other reels in at least five separate articles. |
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WTF!?!
: Yuki Ito Works His Magic Once Again, the F1-66ZKS Kirisame Limited
The F1-66ZKS Kirisame Limited by Megabass is a two piece stick rated in the “light” power range and features a custom, Megabass real seat together with Fuji AT guides featuring titanium frames and SiC inserts. It is, as with most things Megabass, exquisite.
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Megabass Lays Destruction to the Perception of JDM
Up until recently, even with official US
distribution, Megabass was still largely considered a rod made for the Japanese
market because all their lengths, tapers, designs, and frankly, prices, catered
to their home country. Late in 2010, Megabass set out to change this with their
Orochi series... |
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WTF?! : Evergreen International's Fastbreak Alley-Oop!
When it came time to research their product in hopes of finding a
suitable candidate for our finesse themed year, imagine the smile that came
across my face when presented with the name of their Kaleido
series, TKLS-64LX spinning rod, the “Alley Oop”! |
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Yuki Ito's Take on Daiwa's Flagship : The IS73
It's been over two years since we reviewed a Yuki
Ito tuned fishing reel. Our last journey into the Ito Engineering Reel Division
was with the Ito Monoblock 100XR/XR-L. Since the introduction of that reel,
there has been a shift in the Ito Engineering landscape. |
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Evergreen International's Super Stick : TKLC-71MHX
Next up? Another stick that
qualifies in our Search For One, assuming your search is for an all purpose, heavy powered stick. Introducing Evergreen International's coveted TKLC-71MHX, The Super Stallion.
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WTF?!? : The Megabass Racing Condition 256
Marketing photos of the RC 256 are inspiring. The reel is showcased in an all black environment with hints of its outline and form highlighted by strategically placed lights. It is a prime example of what we come to expect from Mr. Ito's designs.
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What the Finesse : Shimano Japan's Ultegra Advance
So what does the Advanced really have to offer? Why don’t we kick off our 2011 Enthusiast category WTF theme with a look at this little gem from Shimano Japan. Introducing the Shimano Ultegra Advanced 2500S. |
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Shimano Japan Updates a Classic : The Scorpion 1000/1 XT
Those already familiar with the Aldebaran or even its USDM
counterpart, the Core 50mg, will feel immediately at home with the Scorpion
1000/1001 XT. As far as we can tell, this is the same exact reel except with
aluminum parts where the other two are magnesium.
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The Search for One... When "Good Enough" Isn't - Paraizo by Megabass
Anticipation turned to pure
anxiety when we caught the price tag of these sticks - roughly one thousand, one
hundred dollars ($1,100)! Then, anxiety turned to pure desire. The result?
Naturally, here is our review of the Megabass ARMS A6505X Paraizo. |
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The Search For One... Heracles and The Nine Trials
Evergreen International's
second entry to our Search For One theme invokes the mystique of Greek
mythology. Heracles (Hercules in the Roman version) was a half god, half human
Greek hero son of Zeus and Alcmene whose labors, challenges, and victories were
immortalized in ancient folklore. |
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The Search For One... Megabass's Chimera Evoluzion
This year, we look at a stick
that is one step higher in power than the Elseil and has been in the Megabass Evoluzion series for just two short years. Can the F5-69XDti Chimera Evoluzion pick up where the Elseil left off? Let's find out! |
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Daiwa Bradia : Enthusiast Value or JDM Clearance?
Imagine the buzz then, when one JDM spinning reel from Daiwa Japan found its way to US shores through a couple of big time e-tailers. That’s right, the JDM Daiwa Bradia,
a “low end”, $300+ spinning reel was and still is available briefly through US
retailers...
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ProducTTpreview : Megabass's Orochi X4
One tidbit of information has recently found its way to TackleTour headquarters. Following on our review of the Evergreen International Kaleido series Black Raven fishing rod, we heard rumor that Megabass was upping the ante on their own version of the cross weave graphite blank made popular in their big impact, Orochi series of rods. |
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Daiwa Japan Continues to Earn Interest Off Their Millionaire Platform
Two years ago, Daiwa finally addressed the original RinGa’s deficiencies by upgrading its braking system with a MagForce Z rotor and polishing up its edges. We’ve been fishing this reel on and off over the course of the last year and finally, here is our take on the 2008 HL-SSS Ringa.
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The Search for one... Shift to Canada for Rapala's new rod
Rapala Canada demonstrates that a high-end look and feel with a corresponding, respectable list of components does not necessarily have to come with an exorbitant price tag. Their “Shift” line of rods, currently their top end freshwater offering, comes with very contemporary stylings... |
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Cardiff or Conquest? You Choose: A Battle of 50s
Admittedly, I had no interest in the Cardiff
50/51DC when it was released initially because of one thing – actually a
combination of two. I wanted a “Conquest” 50/51DC not a “Cardiff”. In North
America, to those almost exclusive to top end gear, the “Cardiff” line is a cast
off – good if you’re on a budget, but certainly not Calcutta GT TE material. |
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A Look Inside Daiwa Japan's New Pixy
As of this writing, the PX68 has been out for about a month and information is slowly trickling in. The left hand version of this reel has just been released and finally arrived on pre-order from JapanTackle.com to TackleTour
headquarters. |
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A Burgundy with a Compact Body : Shimano Japan's Scorpion 1500/1501 XT
The Scorpion 1500/01 XT comes only in 6.3:1 and
7.1:1 retrieve ratios but both versions of this reel are indeed available in
left and right hand retrieve. Introducing our review of Shimano Japan’s Scorpion
1500/01 XT
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The Search For One May Very Well Be Over... Evergreen International's Black Raven
Despite its nearly carbon copy statistical match up with our baseline rod, I couldn’t get over the feeling that the Black Raven felt every bit like a finesse stick. As such, it spent a lot of time matched up with a modified 2004 Daiwa Pixy as well as my standard “do everything” reel, the Daiwa Steez 103HL.
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CB Rod Wars part 18: Megabass's New GTZ
After having already reviewed product from each of their two series of crankbait rods, GT3 and GTC, we thought for sure our Year of the Crank Rod Shootout was going to go on without a participant from Megabass.
The company was scrapping the GTC line and replacing it with a new series of graphite cranking sticks, the GTZ series. Presenting our review of the Megabass F4-72GTZ ICBM Biwako Guide Special (BGS). |
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Abu gets back into
the Enthusiast Fray with the Revo Elite Aurora
Following on the heels
of our Revo SX review in
the midst of our High
Speed Reel Shootout, I
got wind of a limited
edition, JDM version of
the Revo Elite in Japan,
the Revo Elite Aurora. |
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A New Star Emerges in the Dark Enthusiast Sky : Shimano Japan's Aldebaran
The typical pre-debut frenzy was upon
us and the Aldebaran was
already a pre-release
star dubbed “the Steez
Killer” and
affectionately referred
to as “Bob”.
Well, the time for projection and hyperbole is over. Introducing our review of Shimano Japan’s 2009 Aldebaran. |
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CB Rod Wars Part #9 :
Gan Craft's Scarface
Gan Craft rods are now
relatively easy to
source and we’re happy
to report their highly
touted cranking stick,
the KB-003-68M Scarface,
is an official
participant in our 2009
Crankbait Rod Wars. |
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CB Rod Wars Part #5 :
Daiko Calls on Jackall's Pair and Raises a Spiral Wrap
Back in 2006, we
reviewed the Daiko
Burroughs BRSC-68M as
almost an afterthought
following our Enthusiast
Rod SuperCast Shootout.
So impressed were we
with that stick that
upon discovering they
had a cranking stick
(the BRSC-70MG) in this
same lineup, I jumped at
the chance to acquire it
for our 2009 Crankbait
Rod Wars. |
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CB Rod Wars Part #4 :
Evergreen International's Super Nova
Arguably,
Japan’s number one rod
manufacturer for tournament
professionals, it was a no
brainer to include Evergreen
International in the
Enthusiast section of our
2009 Crankbait Rod Wars. Up
for the challenge is the
TCSC-70MG Super Nova, a
7’-0” glass cranking stick.
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Daiwa Big Bait Special? Not So Much
Several years ago, prior to the introduction of the Zillion, back when the TDZ was still Daiwa's Flagship low profile baitcaster, Daiwa introduced their TDZ Big Bait Special. This was essentially a beefed up, aluminum version of their TDZ
100M, a popular cranking
reel back in the day, and is
still in production over in
Japan. |
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Evergreen International's Encore to Their Original Masterpiece: The Opus-1 Nero
A little over one year ago, we debuted our review of Evergreen International's first foray into the fishing reel market, the Opus-1 spinning reel. Enter 2008 and it appears Evergreen is at it again...
and this time TT Girl Ms.
Casey introduces this
enthusiast reel.
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Taking a Look at Two JDM Masterpieces Which Together Form an Enviable Classic Combo
Part of the fun of
Enthusiast Level tackle
is finding pieces that
are no longer in
production. Even more
fun is if you can find
two pieces like a rod
and reel to pair up with
one another and build
your own classic combo.
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Does the Founder of Megabass Japan Still Have What it Takes? : The Ito Monoblock
Enter 2007, two long years since the introduction of the Alphas Ito Ai, and four years since the original TD-Ito Series were introduced. The Ito Monoblock
100XR / 100XR-L was
announced and the
anticipation grew once
again. Only this time,
Enthusiasts seem to be
playing a "wait and see"
game. |
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Nories Enters the High End Trout Market with Their Trout Program Stream 63
Most of our coverage of "Enthusiast" tackle from across the pond is concentrated on products related to bass fishing, but today we take a slight departure from that and look at a very refined piece of equipment by Nories offered both in Japan and Australia... |
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Be Very Careful of What You Ask: Shimano Japan's Metanium Mg DC
Since the debut of
Shimano's Conquest
100/101DC, Tackle
Enthusiasts throughout
the world have been
anticipating the release
a low profile version of
these digitally
controlled reels. Now
there is a new DC reel
available in Japan, and
it is a magnesium one!
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Swimbait Rod Wars Installment #11: Deps Joins the Frey With one of Their Sidewinder Sticks
In our last installment of the Swimbait Rod Wars, we got caught by mistakenly trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
We're doing the same thing only this time, we know full well that we're asking this rod to do something for which it may not have been designed. Introducing the Deps Sidewinder HGC-77XR Dom Driver Flipping Edition. |
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Swimbait Rod Wars Installment #7 : The Megabass White Python
Some, myself included, would argue that most of what's exciting and new in terms of bass fishing reels originates overseas in Japan. Hence the affinity of many of our readers for what we refer to as JDM (or Japanese Domestic Market) products. |
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Bordering on Greatness: Shimano Japan's Final Dimension Bass Rods
If you, like I, were
looking forward to
something a little more
aggressively styled with
clean, new details from
Shimano's line of bass
rods debuted at ICAST
2007, then you might
want to keep reading and
see what the factory
over in Japan has been
producing for their home
market for the last
several years. |
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A Detailed Look at Two, Special Edition Zillions: The Daiwa/Deps ZDV Zillion and Zillion HLC
In the latter half of
2007, through a
partnership with Deps and through the efforts of their own version of skunk works, the I'ZE factory, Daiwa Japan produced two special edition Zillion reels that have taken flight with destinations to many a Tackle Enthusiasts' arsenal. |
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TackleTour's Legion of SuperTTuned SuperReels: Enabled by Office
ZPI
Join us on our journey
with eight great reels
and witness what fruit
our winter time superttuning efforts bear. Introducing TackleTour's Legion of SuperTTuned SuperReels!
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Swimbait Rod Wars Installment #3 : A Walk on the Exotic Side with Evergreen International's Balista
When we left our Swimbait Rod Wars last, our spirits were filled with renewed optimism thanks to the Best Value Award winning sticks from Okuma. We contrast that enthusiasm with a representative from the opposite end of the spectrum. Introducing the TMJC-74XXX Balista from Evergreen. |
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Something Wicked this Way Comes :
The Antares DC7
Over a year ago we
completed our in
depth review of the
premium positioned
Shimano Calais 4xD
DC. As we draw to a
conclusion this 2008
season we have some
fun as we take a
second look at the
Japanese version of
this "wicked" reel. |
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A Cranky Finesse Stick With Power: The Megabass F3 1/2-65GTC Hien Type-S
Megabass introduced
a set of graphite
cranking sticks to
supplement their
already successful
fiberglass cranking
line, the Tomahawk
GT3. We've spent a
full year getting to
know one of the rods
from this lineup and
as with most
products from this
company, the more we
use it, the more it
reveals itself to
us. |
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One Last Look At the Old Destroyer Line From Megabass : The 2006 F5-66X Bearing Down
The tide is changing now in 2007 as Megabass revamps the lineup with a new, standardized rear grip design. We take one last look at the old Destroyer line before this change takes place: Presenting the 2006 Megabass F5-66X Bearing Down. |
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Move Over BaitMonkey, There's a New Agent In Town and She Has Something to Behold: Evergreen International's Opus-1
Evergreen International has made its first foray into the
fishing reel
segment. That product? The limited run, uber-expensive
Evergreen Opus-1. |
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What a Difference The Blank Makes: The Nories Road Runner Voice 680H
Today, we take
another step back to
give Nories their moment in the sun with a look at their 680H, a rod featuring a higher modulus graphite blank but the same overall design, weight and balance as the HB680M. |
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Megabass's Own Mutant X-Rod, The Extraordinary and Limited Edition Diablo SB
This limited version of the Diablo featured Megabass's new slant bridge handle.
We were lucky enough to procure one of these sticks and had it sent over
directly from Japan: Introducing the Megabass Evoluzion F5 1/2-68XFti Diablo SB
(Slant Bridge). |
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The Makeup of a Flag Bearer:
A look back at the Shimano Stella SR 2000s
Why would I ever need to spend the extra bit of cash on the Stella when I was
perfectly satisfied with my Daiwa Certate? Well, as any good Enthusiast would
do, when presented with such a question in mind, I tossed aside these
reservations and decided to find out for myself. |
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Taking a Spin with the Evergreen International EsDrive
While our introduction to Evergreen International came by way of their Temujin Crossfire rods, it is no secret to the vast majority of Japanese Domestic Market (JDM)
tackle fans out
there that this
company also offers
several full lines
of bait products as
well. |
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Be Forewarned for Pure Evil Lurks Within : The All Purpose, All Species Megabass Mephisto
Invoking the
mythology
surrounding this
name that represents
one of the devil's
chief minions,
Megabass all but
acknowledges their
role in seducing the
weary angler to the
dark side. After
all, what self
respecting
Enthusiast can
resist an evil magic
wand that is known
by the name
"Mephisto". |
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Capping off Megabass's
Trio of Finesse
Application Spinning
Sticks: The Shabbler
In the Megabass line of spinning rods, there exists a trio of sticks that are considered to be the same basic tool only with different degrees of advancement, or as Megabass
refers to it,
evolution.Completing the
trilogy, today we return to the baseline rod of this trio, the F3-69XS Shabbler |
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Daiwa's Version of
the Little Black Dress:
The Exist 2004
Approximately two decades ago, Daiwa introduced us to their original Tournament Whisker series of spinning reels. Daiwa has since gone through a couple of generations worth of new designs like the former Hard Bodies and the current Real4 products. |
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Megabass Turns Their Sights on Trout With Their Very Elegant Pagani Line
Megabass, as their name implies, is best known for their insane offerings in the realm of bass fishing. But how does their particular
interpretation of the tackle world translate to other segments of the market? |
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Revisiting Evergreen International's Temujin Crossfire Rods : The TXFC-68MH Stallion
Evergreen's Temujin
Crossfire TXFC-66MR
Steed, did not fare too well in the shootout, but only because the rod's action did not match our expectations, based on the manufacturer specifications. Today, we look at the Steed's big brother, the TXFC-68MH, a heavier action stick with a bit more versatility. |
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Major Craft Delivers an Ultra-Light Stick Armed with an Extra-Fast Punch
In our effort to bring you the many stories within this diverse world of the tackle industry, we share with you now, our most recent adventure with an Ultra Light offering from Major Craft Japan. Introducing the Major Craft Toy II MSS-602UL, a two piece ultralight stick from Japan. |
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Continuing Our Look into Daiko Japan with Their Mid-Level Lineup, Gallet
We were so impressed with the BRSC68M from Daiko Japan we wanted to see what else
was offered. Instead of staying with their top-end product, we moved down a couple of steps looking for something less exotic and just a little more practical: the two-piece Daiko Gallet GLS-632L
spinning rod |
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Exotic
Practicality? The Reality That Defines an Oxymoron, Major Craft's Day's Season DC-644M
Looking for a rod that is portable, affordable and possesses a flavor of that
import rod allure? Major Craft is a growing Japanese rod manufacturer that
produces quality product at an affordable price.
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Introducing the Twain-esque Daiko Burroughs
Formerly in the
top three of the
Japanese market,
their business
model has taken
a drastic
change. What has
happened? We
took it upon
ourselves to
investigate by
acquiring a rod
from their
current top
lineup,
Burroughs, and
put it through
our usual
battery of
tests. |
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Know Their Steez, Daiwa Japan's New Flagship Low Profile Baitcaster
You can be sure
when a company
like Daiwa Japan
introduces a new
reel, there will
be an endless
amount of
anticipation
surrounding this
reel's debut. Introducing our review of the much anticipated Daiwa Japan TD-Z replacement, the Daiwa Steez Baitcaster. |
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Don't Get Stung by the Stinger Tip : The Megabass F4-69RSDti Orochi Evolution
Found only on
their exclusive
HedgeHog rods,
the stinger tip
is an
approximate
eight to nine
inch section of
tubular
graphite. The
intent is to
provide a true
extra-fast tip
section that
transfers into a
stronger than
normal backbone
to deliver
instant
hooksetting
without
sacrificing
sensitivity.
Confused? |
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There Can Only Be One: The 2006 TackleTour SuperCast Shootout
Earlier this
year, we
previewed our
2006 TackleTour
SuperCast
Shootout: a
promised battle
between four of
Japan's top rod
manufacturers.
The following
pages represent
quite possibly,
our most
detailed
shootout to date
culminating in
our 2006
SuperCast
Shootout winner. |
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Shimano's Next Generation Metanium XT
The
unprecedented
release of the
US Chronarch B,
prior to the
debut of the new
Metanium XT,
sent scores of
consumers into a
tailspin. It's
been a good year
now since all
the anticipation
has come and
passed, and it's
time to share
our thoughts on
the new Metanium
XT from Shimano |
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Megabass
Invokes the Spirit of a Dragon to Bring to Life their Fiberglass Cranking Stick
The word "Shiryu" as defined by Megabass USA, is Japanese for "purple dragon". But the dragon is also the symbol of springtime and what excites bass anglers and tackle enthusiasts more than early signs of their favorite season? How about a review of a F4-610GT3 Shiryu from Megabass. |
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Announcing the 2006 TackleTour SuperCast Shootout!
Announcing the
2006 TackleTour SuperCast Shootout, a battle between four of Japan's top rod
manufacturers. In the coming months, we will bring you the results of our
detailed field testing efforts, but for now, let's introduce you to the players
and see how they relate to one another in the lab. |
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Redefining the UL Market : The Uber-Ultra Light Daiwa Presso Baitcaster
Based on the venerable Pixy, but
marketed as a true ultralight baitcasting reel for trout, the Presso comes to us
in an even lighter overall presentation and shrouded in a black and orange color
scheme. |
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A Reel Novelty : The Abu Garcia EON Pro 3600C/3601C
Daiwa and Shimano are not the only manufacturers producing reels for exclusive
sale outside the United States. We acquired one such product that has been discontinued but can still be
easily found thanks to the likes of online auction houses. The very unique and intriguing Abu Garcia EON Pro 3600C/3601C. |
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A Spinnerbait
stick from Daiwa Japan, the Heartland-Z Hama Special
The fishing rod market is hotly contested within Japan and Daiwa reserves some
of their most intriguing product for their home market. We take a look at one
such offering, the Daiwa Heartland Z Hama Spinnerbait Special (HZ-6101HRB-ti). |
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Uncovering the Weapon of a Bass Pro: Megabass's 2005 F3-610DGS Aaron Martens Limited
Presenting the brand new, 2005 F3-610DGS Aaron Martens Limited from Megabass.
The split grip spinning rod with the unusual silver sleeve detail between the
rear grip and butt cap. |
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Power and Balance in a Burgundy Wrap : The Shimano Japan Scorpion G4
Straight out of Shimano Japan comes a rather intriguing product that shows
design and innovation is strong within Shimano's rod lines.... the captivating
interchangeable Scorpion G4 line of fishing rods. |
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TackleTour's 2005 SuperCast Championship : The Daiwa Millionaire I'ZE Light vs The Shimano Conquest 101DC
Take an in depth look at our two, 2005, ultimate, round baitcasting reels, The Daiwa Millionaire I'ZE Light 103L and the Shimano Conquest 101DC. |
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SuperCast Shootout Round 2 : Daiwa Millionaire I'ZE Light vs Daiwa Millionaire RinGa
In July, we brought you the first semi-final matchup in our 2005 SuperCast Shootout: the Conquest 101DC versus a supertuned Mörrum Ultra Mag S2.
Today, we bring you our second semi-final match, a sibling rivalry between two limited edition Daiwa Millionaire reels. |
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The 2004 & 2005 Limited Edition Daiwa Liberto Pixy Reels...is
there a casting advantage?
In late April of this year, the 2005 Limited Edition Pixy debuted sporting a
lighter Duralumin spool instead of the traditional GIGAS resulting in a reel that overall, is even lighter than its already feathery predecessors. How could this be possible? If true, how would it affect performance? |
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Before the TD
Luna existed there was the Daiwa Japan Millionaire Bay Casting Special
Before the new TD Luna existed Daiwa Japan had already offered anglers overseas
a robust souped-up version of their popular CV-Z reels
equipped with an externally adjustable MagForce V sideplate, corrosion resistant bearings, and a lightweight, Gigas
spool. |
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Round 1 of
the TT SuperCast Shootout: The Abu Mörrum Ultra Mag vs Shimano Conquest 101DC
2005 marks the year Tackle Tour has chosen to pay homage to the round baitcaster and launch our very own renaissance as we take four top end, overseas offerings from three different manufacturer's and shoot them out against one another in our very first Tackle Tour SuperCast Reel Shootout. |
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Prepare to be
Assimilated : The 2005 Alphas
Ito Ai
We've moved past our own initial disappointment with this reel's aesthetics and
have taken it upon ourselves to investigate whether or not 2005 Alphas Ito Ai
really does miss the mark or if something magical exists beneath the shroud.
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The discontinued but ever so brilliant Shimano Metanium MG
Concurrent with the
announcement of their, newly designed 2005 Metanium XT reels, Shimano Japan made it known that the very popular Metanium
MG was to be taken out of production. |
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"Fish with Mindfulness - Beware the Dark Side" : The Daiwa TD-Ito
We've received countless inquiries for further information on the fabled Ito.
With that in mind, this editor took one of the most prized items in his
collection out of its case and mounted it onto several different fishing rods.
Pull up a chair as we give you our true thoughts behind the 2003 TD-ITO |
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The Smooth Operator :
Daiwa's Real Four Engineered Certate 2000
In the middle of last year, Daiwa upped the ante with the introduction of
the Certate, the goal was to reduce unnecessary friction and vibration to
smoothly and efficiently translate every bit of mechanical energy in turning the
handle to the purpose of winding line onto the spool. |
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A Rod to Truly Make Your Collection : The Megabass Super Destroyer III
We thought we'd bring one in for a test run and see just what a signature series
rod direct from the US division of one of the most popular rod manufacturers in
Japan is all about. Introducing the F6-69X Super Destroyer III. |
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Enthusiast shootout, the Daiwa Alphas and Shimano Scorpion
Mg duel for the crown
At the close of 2004 we presented a heavyweight shootout between the flagship
enthusiast baitcasting reels. As a sequel to that stalwart battle, we decided to follow on with a match up that's slightly more attainable and a bit more relevant: the Daiwa Alphas versus the Shimano Scorpion MG. |
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Going neck and neck in
a enthusiast shootout, the Shimano Antares AR VS Daiwa TD-Z Type R+
An enthusiast super tuned shootout between two of the very best Japanese baitcasters, the Daiwa TD-Z 103ML Type R+ and Shimano Antares AR! The closest
shootout ever fought in TT history. |
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An Ultra-Light
Baitcaster Worthy of Serious Anglers - The Daiwa Liberto Pixy
Tired of the line twist issues inherent with spinning gear? Ever wish for just a
little more control while throwing finesse baits? Ever wonder what it’d be like
to fish 4lb test on a bait casting rig? Well, wonder no more. |
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The Makings of
an Import Legend - the Shimano Scorpion 1000/1001
For many tackle enthusiasts, it all starts here, the Shimano Scorpion 1000/1001.
Discussion forums throughout the internet praise this reel’s value and
performance, and at online auction houses, despite the reel’s import status,
sales are closed almost daily. |
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A truly exotic flipping rod, the very rare
Megabass F7-711X
Megabass Custom Rods of Japan has an almost legendary reputation and underground
following within the United States for insanely detailed, supremely, hand
crafted, very exclusive products. |
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The Extreme Collectibles for the Supreme
Enthusiast - Team Daiwa Limited Edition Reels
Daiwa Japan has, within the last couple of years, brought the hobby of
collecting fishing tackle to an entirely new level of obsession with limited
edition, supremely engineered, and elegantly crafted offerings. This article
gives an overview of two such offerings, the 2004 TD-Z Custom and 2003 Ito
Reels. |
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A decisive balance of might and refinement, the Shimano
Conquest 50
A little over a year ago,
TackleTour introduced you to the Shimano Calcutta GT series, we took a
closer look at the GT’s Japanese Market counterpart, and downsized our test with
the Shimano Conquest 51. Could this ultra light sized reel deliver when it
counts? You better believe it. |
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The Versatile Petite Purple Powerhouse, the Daiwa Alphas
Not in recent memory had the anticipated arrival of a new reel caused as much
Internet banter as that of the Daiwa Alphas. Targeted in size somewhere between
the top end Team Daiwa TD-Z 103H and the diminutive finesse reel Pixy, the
Alphas is Daiwa’s answer to the established legend from Shimano Japan, the
Scorpion 1000 series reel. |
