Baitcaster Reel for Rivers, Shimano or Daiwa

[Bugle M In]

So, looking for a bait casting reel for river fishing in the future.
I am set on a 300 series reel, and from either Shimano, which i know has a great reputation and good
quality internal in their Tranx Series of reels.
And that Daiwa is quite often close but often just a slight step down, usually in regards to the main gear
being cast on a Daiwa, rather than milled/forged on a Shimano although it hasn't seemed to make a
difference long term from the reviews i can find.

The Tranx would be a no brainer, except for the fact that Daiwa has come out with a new Lexa in the
TW Series (T-Wing).
Also seems to have a higher braking poundage now vs Tranx.

Thing is, there are no new reviews on the internal components of this new LexaTW.
I am assuming that other than the better braking and the T-Wing addition, that Daiwa is still using a
cast main gear.

Does anybody have any extra input or thoughts.
Anybody here know if the new TW has any new changes to the internals??
Again, i know Shimano has the better reputation, but Daiwa is pretty close at times and if they just
rethought of few things, they probably would have the better reel.

[IronNoggin]

Used both.
You should also be considering an Abu Garcia out of Sweden.

The Shimano still runs well, and has seen many miles.
The Abu has been my workhorse, and has been present more often than not when I am not running an Islander Center Pin.
The Diawa I had made it 2 seasons, and crapped the bed. I won't be getting another.

Cheers & Best of Luck in your decision!
Nog

[835]

Shimano Calcutta..... loooove it.
i am a die hard shimano reel guy, all my spinning reels have been shimano. i ran a Bantam Curado level wind for a pile of years of severe service, actually back when i fished hard and there was alot of Steel out there. always wanted a Calcutta, when the curado died thats what i got.. its drag is seamless.....

But as Matt has mentioned, in the day if you hit a river on the island that had lots of guys and did a survey.... 50% would have been runnin an Abu...

Calcutta,
seemless drag,
metal gears
backlash system that allows you to just belt it!
and its gold....

[tim3500]

Get a Shimano better selection and smooth stay with a 300 series reel more than enough and lighter diawa isn't a bad bet either .
I have used lot's of Abu Garcia reels just found them big and clunky they became stuff that I lent out kind of utilitarian for me but there a good bet also

[Jagermeister]

My go to level wind b/c is the Abu Garcia 6501C. And an even older Abu Garcia 6500C (197. There is nothing clunky about the Abu Garcia. But of course you can pay double the money+ for a Shimano Calcutta or Conquest and it gives you bragging rights of having deep pockets.

[warnniklz]

Can't really go wrong with a 6500, but a Daiwa Luna makes it feel like casting a soup can

[adriaticum]

My best reel is Quantum Pro Tour low profiler.
For river fishing I used to use low profile reels only.
I have one Abu I used for a long time, reel workhorse.
Still good, serviced by Mike's in Abbotsford once. 20+ years old.
I've been using centerpin for the past decade and not sure what's new out there for baitcasters.
Shimano is always good, but over priced I think.

[Bugle M In]

Thanks for the input so far, but fyi, i am looking at a pure baitcasting reel (low profile), not the level wind version of
baitcasting (although both types in actuallity are level wind).

I do have a Swedish made Abu that is a level wind bait casting which i certainly use on the Fraser For the Sockeye run and the once ago Chinook run.
I do love that reel, and yes, i would recommend it.

But i am looking at this version/style, and in which case, the Abu's aren't that great (watch Tackle Advisor on youtube as he
tears them down).
Here are photos of the type/style i am referring to:
(sorry for the confusion)

[adriaticum]

Berry's has Curado for $250

[BRvalley]

I dunno, I would categorize my old swedish abu as a clunker, albeit reliable but still a clunker, not nearly as refined and smooth as other newer offerings (I was still rightly pissed when it was stolen lol )....my modern production abu 7000 had worm gear/pawl failure that mike's reel repair upgraded to their ceramic pawl, which has since been reliable....drag also became sticky pretty quickly and I replaced with carbon washers....still good reels, but they are what they are, work horses, not the same class as calcuatta's or lexa's imo

grew up a diehard shimano fan, but past few years I've grown to like my newer diawa stuff...tatula and BG spinning reels, and couple lexa's

my lexa really hasn't been put to the test yet, had some fun on the kitimat but not a ton of abuse yet....guys back home in ONare using the 400 HD and burning double 10's with good reports....I personally think river fishing is pretty easy on reels, they only get tested when you hookup....but chucking and retrieving musky lures all day will really work them, and both the tranx and lexa are getting good reports there, so I don't think you would go wrong with either

back to the original question, I noticed the daiwa drive gears tend to be oversized for the model, on my reels when I lube them up, perhaps to make up for cast vs forged? if you aren't familiar with Alan Hawk's reviews yet, I would check to see if he has done a review, very thorough and usually does new reels pretty quickly