Shimano or Daiwa?

[newyorktoiowa57]

Choice of reel isn't going to affect the fish you catch, but I have come to prefer shimano reels for their refinement. 

[5by3]

Tatula sv for pitching/skipping and shimano for everything else. Really you can’t go wrong with either. Both are great brands.

[Bluebasser86]

Gotten rid of almost all of my Shimanos and switched to mostly Daiwas. Still have a few 200B Curados, a 50B Calcutta, 200E5 Curado, and 100B Chronarch. Only Shimano I'm keeping is a 300E Curado and I'm not completely sold on keeping it. 

[jbsoonerfan]

I have owned a ton of both brands. High end (Steez, Antares) to low end (Tatula, Citica) and EVERYONE of them have been excellent. You cannot go wrong with either. 

[NHBull]

12 hours ago, newyorktoiowa57 said:

Choice of reel isn't going to affect the fish you catch, but I have come to prefer shimano reels for their refinement. 

^this......before I went deep with shimano, I spoke to several of the top guys know for reel service and all told me they have far fewer problems with Shimano. Doubt they will weigh in on the topic

[Spankey]

I still use a 1300 Gold Long Spool SS from around ‘92. Possibly a bit older than that. I love it. I replaced parts and sort of done my own rebuild of it back some years ago. Wish I could buy another just like it. Not sure if the new versions are every bit of the old Japan versions. But I do own newer Daiwas that have been great. 

[FishTank]

I like and own both but personal preference is Shimano.  You really can't go wrong with either. 

[Cgrinder]

Use both. Pick the standouts from both manufacturers. I am currently all Daiwa but a Bantam might edge out a Zillion here shortly. 

[drscholl14]

Daiwa for me.  Used both, liked both, but the Daiwa's just feel smoother to me.

[CrankFate]

They’re both great brands. I give the edge to Shimano, for one reason only. Mechanical friction brakes. The way I cast, magnets are just not sufficient. A mechanical brake, IMO, handles very hard, high rpm casts better. Otherwise, Daiwa is not worse and might work better when I’m not casting as hard.

[drew4779]

Both awesome.  Pick one...can't go wrong with either.  I'd give a slight edge to shimano but only because I sometimes alter the external brakes on the daiwa's mid cast due to the way I palm reels.  I've owned many brands (daiwa, shimano, bps, lews, Abu, pflueger, quantum, browning) and I reach for shimano or daiwa 90% of the time.  IMO, shimano and daiwa are the most versatile. 

[Brett's_daddy]

Wow, what a can of worms...lol. Honestly, you couldn't go wrong with either. It's like saying which would you rather have, a Porsche or a Ferarri...you'll be happy with whichever one so if you can go into a store and put your hands on the different rods/reels just pick the one that feels better to you, at this point it's all personal preference as both company's make top of the line products IMO.

[deadadrift89]

I fish several Curados on Diawa rods ?

[Chowderhead]

18 minutes ago, stratoliner92 said:

I fish several Curados on Diawa rods ?

Nonconformist

[RB 77]

Both. They are the top two industry leaders and its not even close (IMO), and I own all Shimanos. That's saying something. I have owned Daiwa in the past (among all the other popular manufactures) and they are the only ones I feel match Shimano's build quality. I just personally prefer Shimano's ergonomics more.

[smithy97]

I have and love both, but what I prefer about Shimano is that they offer all models and gear ratios for both right and left handed. Daiwa only offers certain high speed options to right handed (ie, you can't get a tatula ct in 8:1 in left handed, only in right). Being a lefty, I had to start experimenting with Shimano. After buying a Curado K and a Chronarch MGL I wasn't disappointed. I do think they are more refined than my Daiwa's, but the brakes take a bit more getting used to. 

 

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I have multiple issues with the last 2 daiwa baitcasters I have purchased so it will be some time before they get me a third time. Shimano bc reels have been spot on so most likely continue with them. 

Spinning reels is just the opposite more likely to buy daiwa over shimano.

[Yumeya]

Both, but I seem to go towards Shimano.

[MassYak85]

Right now I have all Daiwa reels because ei love the tatula lineup but my next baitcaster will probably be a Shimano just because I want to give them a fair shake. 

[Timberwolf530]

Both make good products, but Daiwa has MUCH better customer service. So does Garcia.  Shimano C.S. sucks with a capital S.

[Fried Lemons]

I have some of both and could make a lineup from either company and be satisfied. I don’t have any of Daiwas latest low profiles because I’m not digging the TWS they pushed on all their reels. I’ve used the older Steez and Zillions which I really liked.

[king fisher]

I have been a big fan of Shimano for 40 years.  I owned a Diawa spinning reel when I was a kid.  The line wore a grove in the bail, causing the line to fray.  My next reel was a shimano, and I have been a big fan ever since.  Last year a friend talked me into buying a Diawa BG spinning reel for saltwater use.  I paid around $100.  It is by far the best Saltwater spinning reel under $600 I have ever owned.  I decided to buy a Tatula CT. for bass fishing. Cost was also around $100  Best bait caster I have. I can cast farther with it than other brands costing twice as much.

   I still think the top of the line Shimano reels are the best especially the larger salt water models, but do believe Diawa has the edge in the $120 dollar or less market.  Time will tell if the Diawa reels have the durability I have become accustom to with Shimano products.  

[Hartwood71]

Similar to other comments, ford/chevy, coke/pepsi, i'll add Canon/Nikon.   I have been a Shimano person and not been let down.  The most important thing you can do is choose the proper specification for the style of fishing you're going to do.  Making those decisions properly, canon the door to many other brands beyond Diawa and Shimano.   Equally important, is making the right decisions with the line and tackle you use for the style of fishing: ie- mono for flex on top water if rod is stiff, flouro for slow deepwater,  etc.    Have fun with both companies and make good decisions around how you use them.   

[evo2s197]

I've had both, mostly mid range to high end.

 

I've settled on Daiwa, I just like them more, but they are both solid and light years ahead of all the other options especially at the $180 mark and up.

 

I do feel that Daiwa spinning reels are a lot better than shimano in the spinning reel department dollar for dollar.

[swhit140]

This will be a never ending debate no matter what reel company anyone prefers. I've used both, my reel lineup are Daiwa. I don't care what people use, if they are out fishing and enjoying what they are doing is the most important part.