Daiwa TW80 Ramblings

[Big-Bass]

On 6/3/2022 at 10:14 PM, newapti5 said:

I personally have to have longer handles and larger knobs, especially the latter. There had been many occasions that my hand slipped off small knobs during the excitement of fighting a fish or catching up with it.  

I like the longer handles too (90-100mm) but I have to have flat knobs.  My favorites are the old Daiwa TD-Z style and the RCS style.  Carbon fiber handles can be found for good prices too if you look around instead of a few years ago when most (or all) were $100+.  This little 80 reels seems like a nice option, especially with a longer handle.

[Bass Rutten]

Revisiting. Finally got around to doing a little maintenance, a few drops of oil and a little grease and it’s back to it’s initial out of the box smoothness. Replaced the stock handle with a daiwa paddle style 90mm steez handle, big improvement. Spooled up with some 30lb 832 and mated to a dobyns champion 705cb with their well known balance combined with the 80’s palmability this duo is very light in hand, and makes for one super fun chatterbait and crankbait chucking machine. Another observation, I think the t-wing opening on the 80 may be slightly wider as this is the first tatula I can reel a braid to leader knot onto without issue.

[PhishLI]

On 7/4/2022 at 12:30 AM, Bass Rutten said:

a few drops of oil and a little grease and it’s back to it’s initial out of the box smoothness.

Status quo on the smoothness front still?

[Bass Rutten]

19 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Status quo on the smoothness front still?

All good, been getting a workout too, quite enjoying this little guy with that paddle handle on it.

[PhishLI]

Just now, Bass Rutten said:

All good, been getting a workout too, quite enjoying this little guy with that paddle handle on it.

Cool. I still have mine on a light line setup, but have been thinking of sticking it on a short MH with straight braid for pitching jigs into pads. It's so silky that I wouldn't want to change that fishing it heavy duty. I have so many stout reels for that already But if you say it can deal, I'm gonna do it to it.

[Bass Rutten]

I wouldn’t call the workout I’ve been giving it heavy duty though, lots of casting but mostly topwaters with 30lb braid, I say go for it. I’ve got a jdm major craft rod on the way (a short mh/modfast) I plan on mating with it as a dedicated topwater rod. 

[Bandersnatch]

On 7/4/2022 at 12:30 AM, Bass Rutten said:

Revisiting. Finally got around to doing a little maintenance, a few drops of oil and a little grease and it’s back to it’s initial out of the box smoothness. Replaced the stock handle with a daiwa paddle style 90mm steez handle, big improvement. Spooled up with some 30lb 832 and mated to a dobyns champion 705cb with their well known balance combined with the 80’s palmability this duo is very light in hand, and makes for one super fun chatterbait and crankbait chucking machine. Another observation, I think the t-wing opening on the 80 may be slightly wider as this is the first tatula I can reel a braid to leader knot onto without issue.

No issue bringing the knot into the t wing? Imo, this is daiwa biggest opportunity 

[Bass Rutten]

38 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

No issue bringing the knot into the t wing? Imo, this is daiwa biggest opportunity 

I have 30lb sufix 832 on the reel with a 14 lb sufix siege leader which is pretty thick for it's rating at .38mm, equivelant to some 17lb mono lines. It's on a rod I've been throwing poppers and walkers on quite a bit on hence the thick leader, and to my surprise the knot, a crazy alberto, slips smoothly right onto the reel without issue every time, the opening doesn't look any bigger to my eyes but it works. One small detail I should mention which may or may not make a difference is I finish the leaders tag with a 3 turn uni around the braid back towards the leader and snug it up to the knot which gives it a taper. I've been meaning to take my micrometer to it to measure the opening it but it needs some obscure battery I've been putting off getting, so take this all with a grain of salt, ymmv.