Diawa BG spinning reel

[KDW96]

I aquired TW gift cards for christmas.  I am looking at the DIAWA  BG spinning reel.

Anyone have any expirence with them?

[Hulkster]

I have heard they are good. esp. for the money.

[DBL000006]

Abu Garcia Orra SX is a lot better for the Price..

[Big-Bass]

For the price and for the features, it looks like a really nice reel.  Daiwa has stepped up their game with this one from all that I have read online and based on features per dollar spent.  While many of the Abu reels are nice, they are mostly manufactured in the same factories as BPS, Pflueger, Lew's, etc.  There are only a handful on companies that those manufacturers choose from to build their reel platforms.  (And I am not criticizing as I do own Abu and Pflueger reels)  Daiwa and Shimano use their own factories with their own specs.  If you get one, be sure to report back on how it performs.  Best wishes on the water and good luck with the reel!

[bigturtle]

Played with one in the store and it feels really solid. Im going to get one once my current one breaks.

[new2BC4bass]

Give us a review once you've spent some time with it.  I like to give my fishing buddy in Florida (who also happens to be a brother-in-law) a spinning reel for his birthday once in awhile.  First one was a used 1600SS that he doesn't use because of a problem with the drag.  I planned on getting it fixed for him when I was down there last year, but forgot.  Am having a new RG2500H-AB sent to him.  Hopefully he will have made good use of it by the time I get there in a couple months.  I had considered an Okuma RTX-25S as another possibility.  Maybe next time.  Or a BG depending on your review.  

[burrows]

Solid reel a bit heavy for my type of fishing. 9.3 ounces is not really that heavy at all for the 2500 but I've just been getting used to lighter and lighter so it's not for me but I know it's a smooth reel.

[Sammies77]

5 hours ago, DBL000006 said:

Abu Garcia Orra SX is a lot better for the Price..

Why is that?

 

 

I have the 2500 bg and really like it so far, I've fished with it about 20 days now. It's still smooth, good drag, solid direct drive handle, aluminum body and frame... one of the best sub 100 dollar spinning reels I've owned, SO FAR anyway. If it stays smooth the rest of this season I will buy more. 

 

I definitely wouldn't consider a 9.2oz reel "heavy".

[Angry John]

i like the 2000 series reels and if your going to use braid anywase the smaller spool will not matter.  The T handle i dont find comfortable when you upsize to the 2500.  The weight does not change a bunch 9.3-8.5 but the drag drops a bunch from 13.2-4.4.  I use my reels for small stuff so its no big deal but if your putting it on a rod rated over medium you might want the extra drag.

http://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/reels/bg_sw_spinning/index.html

The lexa has a much smoother transition in drag numbers on the smaller reel.

http://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/reels/lexa/index.html

Edited January 29, 2017 by Angry John

[burrows]

 

 

2 hours ago, Sammies77 said:

Why is that?

 

 

I have the 2500 bg and really like it so far, I've fished with it about 20 days now. It's still smooth, good drag, solid direct drive handle, aluminum body and frame... one of the best sub 100 dollar spinning reels I've owned, SO FAR anyway. If it stays smooth the rest of this season I will buy more. 

 

I definitely wouldn't consider a 9.2oz reel "heavy".

The Abu Garcia orra sx is a really smooth reel and way lighter than the bg. Will the abu Garcia outlast the Diawa? No heck no. 

      I do consider the bg However to be heavy if your looking into the 3000 size what is it like 10 plus ounces.

[Snipe Hunter]

I just spent a couple hours looking at reels at Bass Pro. I was looking for a spinning reel, light, smooth and good drag. I do a good bit of light tackle striper fishing and catch LMB in the same waters, on the same baits so I wanted something that worked for both. I also wanted something I could work a pike with without it beating the reel up so I was looking for something a little larger than what I normally use. At the end, it came down the the Diawa BG and the Shimano Nasci. Both reels are supposedly designed for salt water. I do a lot of tidal fishing. I'll also catch 30+ inch stripers on a fairly regular basis with it. My budget was in the $100 range. It will go on a St. Croix Mojo Bass MH. I wound up buying the Shimano Nasci 5000. I have a Shimano 4000 Sahara and the 5000 Nasci is the same size, just lighter. I intended to get something in the 4000 size range. The Nasci is 10.4 oz in the 4000 size and 10.4 oz in the 5000 size. The BG is noticeably heavier at about three ounces heavier. I was really surprised at the weight difference. Particularly once I put the reels on the rod.  I would have had to buy the Diawa BG 3000 to compare with the weight but the 3000 only has a 15lb drag vs. the 24 lb drag on the Shimano Nasci. Big difference. The drag washers on the Nasci are noticeably larger than the ones on the BG. There were two things I liked better about the BG. One was that I thought the BG was just a tad smoother (maybe) and the bail flipped a little easier after the cast. If I didn't know about the differences in the drag or the weight of the reel, I probably would have bought the BG. I thought 15 lb drag was way too light for the size and weight of the reel.

[Sammies77]

3 hours ago, Pilot. said:

 

 

The Abu Garcia orra sx is a really smooth reel and way lighter than the bg. Will the abu Garcia outlast the Diawa? No heck no. 

      I do consider the bg However to be heavy if your looking into the 3000 size what is it like 10 plus ounces.

You do realize that a 3000 size daiwa is almost the same size even slightly larger than a 4000 size shimano right? 

 

The 2500 daiwa bg is the same weight as the 2500 stradic fj was! Definitely not a heavy reel. 

36 minutes ago, Snipe Hunter said:

I just spent a couple hours looking at reels at Bass Pro. I was looking for a spinning reel, light, smooth and good drag. I do a good bit of light tackle striper fishing and catch LMB in the same waters, on the same baits so I wanted something that worked for both. I also wanted something I could work a pike with without it beating the reel up so I was looking for something a little larger than what I normally use. At the end, it came down the the Diawa BG and the Shimano Nasci. Both reels are supposedly designed for salt water. I do a lot of tidal fishing. I'll also catch 30+ inch stripers on a fairly regular basis with it. My budget was in the $100 range. It will go on a St. Croix Mojo Bass MH. I wound up buying the Shimano Nasci 5000. I have a Shimano 4000 Sahara and the 5000 Nasci is the same size, just lighter. I intended to get something in the 4000 size range. The Nasci is 10.4 oz in the 4000 size and 10.4 oz in the 5000 size. The BG is noticeably heavier at about three ounces heavier. I was really surprised at the weight difference. Particularly once I put the reels on the rod.  I would have had to buy the Diawa BG 3000 to compare with the weight but the 3000 only has a 15lb drag vs. the 24 lb drag on the Shimano Nasci. Big difference. The drag washers on the Nasci are noticeably larger than the ones on the BG. There were two things I liked better about the BG. One was that I thought the BG was just a tad smoother (maybe) and the bail flipped a little easier after the cast. If I didn't know about the differences in the drag or the weight of the reel, I probably would have bought the BG. I thought 15 lb drag was way too light for the size and weight of the reel.

Three ounces heavier??????

The bg 3000 is the same size as a 4000 and 5000 shimano.  And it only .4 ounces heavier. 

 

I own the nasci and bg, the bg is hands down the better reel. Aluminum frame, direct drive handle, and much smoother after a little use. 

[PatrickKnight]

9 hours ago, Snipe Hunter said:

I just spent a couple hours looking at reels at Bass Pro. I was looking for a spinning reel, light, smooth and good drag. I do a good bit of light tackle striper fishing and catch LMB in the same waters, on the same baits so I wanted something that worked for both. I also wanted something I could work a pike with without it beating the reel up so I was looking for something a little larger than what I normally use. At the end, it came down the the Diawa BG and the Shimano Nasci. Both reels are supposedly designed for salt water. I do a lot of tidal fishing. I'll also catch 30+ inch stripers on a fairly regular basis with it. My budget was in the $100 range. It will go on a St. Croix Mojo Bass MH. I wound up buying the Shimano Nasci 5000. I have a Shimano 4000 Sahara and the 5000 Nasci is the same size, just lighter. I intended to get something in the 4000 size range. The Nasci is 10.4 oz in the 4000 size and 10.4 oz in the 5000 size. The BG is noticeably heavier at about three ounces heavier. I was really surprised at the weight difference. Particularly once I put the reels on the rod.  I would have had to buy the Diawa BG 3000 to compare with the weight but the 3000 only has a 15lb drag vs. the 24 lb drag on the Shimano Nasci. Big difference. The drag washers on the Nasci are noticeably larger than the ones on the BG. There were two things I liked better about the BG. One was that I thought the BG was just a tad smoother (maybe) and the bail flipped a little easier after the cast. If I didn't know about the differences in the drag or the weight of the reel, I probably would have bought the BG. I thought 15 lb drag was way too light for the size and weight of the reel.

 

While I am an avid supporter of Shimano's higher end reels the BG is a solid choice at the 100 dollar mark. Honestly you wont get anywhere near 24 lbs of drag out of a Nasci until you do away with the felt washers, and I would put value in the drag curve more so than max drag. Both reels would be good but if I was going to be using it in tidal waters I would for sure want the aluminum body of the BG over the plastic body on the Nasci. Also apples to apples a 3000 Diawa is comparable to the 4000 Shimano.

[Snipe Hunter]

I'm glad you like your BG, I liked it too. I liked the Nasci better, it fit my needs, the Diawa didn't. I thought the BG 4000 was a closer comparison to the Shimano to get the same drag capability on the Diawa, I would have to buy the Diawa BG 5000. It's huge and 22 ounces vs Shimano's 10.4 ounces. As far as the metal body, I've been fishing 45 years and never worn out the body of a spinning reel or broken one so that wasn't important to me. This won't be my first plastic body reel. I haven't heard of anybody wearing out the body or breaking a Nasci. The Diawa reel had zero information about it on Diawa's website. So I can't comment on "direct drive". Not sure what that means in a spinning reel. Obviously, it's got gears, Diawa says theirs is machined so I'm not sure how direct drive and gears can be the same thing. Again, if I were buying a trout reel or something for panfish where drag wasn't important, I might have bought a BG but I'm fishing heavy baits (2+ oz jig heads, heavy spoons) for heavy fish and I would have had to buy the bigger BG.

 

 

[PatrickKnight]

The direct drive handle screws straight into the main gear. I hope your Nasci works well for you. We really are spoiled when it comes to 100 dollar reels now they really are impressive from all manufactures.

[burrows]

11 hours ago, Sammies77 said:

You do realize that a 3000 size daiwa is almost the same size even slightly larger than a 4000 size shimano right? 

 

The 2500 daiwa bg is the same weight as the 2500 stradic fj was! Definitely not a heavy reel. 

Three ounces heavier??????

The bg 3000 is the same size as a 4000 and 5000 shimano.  And it only .4 ounces heavier. 

 

I own the nasci and bg, the bg is hands down the better reel. Aluminum frame, direct drive handle, and much smoother after a little use. 

You do realize that the shimano nasci 3000 is only 8.7 ounces and the Diawa 3000 is 10 plus ounces don't you? Personally I don't like anything over 9 ounces for drop shot finesse fishing that's just my opinion. If I were using it for light salt water I wouldn't mind a heavier reel and I wouldn't mind using the bg in that case scenario. My personal favorite reel to use is my stradik c14 I just personally prefer lighter reels for bass fishing. And if you own both reels the nasci and the bg well there is a saying that we say here on bass resource " pics or it didn't happen "

[Hulkster]

the nasci 5000 size has different drag washers than all the other sizes as its supposedly designed more for in shore use. it has the cross carbon drag washers. I believe this is why it can generate higher drag pressure than the 4000 size.

[PatrickKnight]

14 minutes ago, Pilot. said:

You do realize that the shimano nasci 3000 is only 8.7 ounces and the Diawa 3000 is 10 plus ounces don't you?

 

The 2500 BG is the same size as the 3000 Nasci. The 3000 BG is the same size as the 4000 Nasci. Both are great reels but I don't think 3000 vs 3000 is a fair comparison on the weight.

10 minutes ago, Hulkster said:

the nasci 5000 size has different drag washers than all the other sizes as its supposedly designed more for in shore use. it has the cross carbon drag washers. I believe this is why it can generate higher drag pressure than the 4000 size.

 

I forgot about that! Thanks for the correction.

[burrows]

3 minutes ago, PatrickKnight said:

 

The 2500 BG is the same size as the 3000 Nasci. The 3000 BG is the same size as the 4000 Nasci.

 

I forgot about that! Thanks for the correction.

Well @PatrickKnight I was really hoping nobody would mention that.

Can't win them all?

[Angry John]

3 hours ago, Snipe Hunter said:

I'm glad you like your BG, I liked it too. I liked the Nasci better, it fit my needs, the Diawa didn't. I thought the BG 4000 was a closer comparison to the Shimano to get the same drag capability on the Diawa, I would have to buy the Diawa BG 5000. It's huge and 22 ounces vs Shimano's 10.4 ounces. As far as the metal body, I've been fishing 45 years and never worn out the body of a spinning reel or broken one so that wasn't important to me. This won't be my first plastic body reel. I haven't heard of anybody wearing out the body or breaking a Nasci. The Diawa reel had zero information about it on Diawa's website. So I can't comment on "direct drive". Not sure what that means in a spinning reel. Obviously, it's got gears, Diawa says theirs is machined so I'm not sure how direct drive and gears can be the same thing. Again, if I were buying a trout reel or something for panfish where drag wasn't important, I might have bought a BG but I'm fishing heavy baits (2+ oz jig heads, heavy spoons) for heavy fish and I would have had to buy the bigger BG.

 

 

You do realize I linked the info from the daiwa site in my post.  It's in the sw secton.

[DBL000006]

20 hours ago, Sammies77 said:

Why is that?

 

 

I have the 2500 bg and really like it so far, I've fished with it about 20 days now. It's still smooth, good drag, solid direct drive handle, aluminum body and frame... one of the best sub 100 dollar spinning reels I've owned, SO FAR anyway. If it stays smooth the rest of this season I will buy more. 

 

I definitely wouldn't consider a 9.2oz reel "heavy".

Abu Garcia makes good Reels.