Spend my money- want a new baitcaster

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, PhishLI said:

I just used a caliper to measure the height of the 21 Zillion and a Chronarch from the bottom of each foot to the the tallest part of the top of their frames. Both measured a skosh over 1 9/16" nominally. Both reels have a center ported reel seat, and 34 mm spools (approximately) that are situated on the frame as low as possible due to that cutout.

 

I understand that you simply ball-parked the ABU's frame height as roughly 1/4' lower than your Chronarch, but if your ABU has a 34mm spool it's hard to see the difference being that great.

 

Anyway, the Zillion is the same overall height as the Chronarch. Hope this helps.

I'm still a big fan of this reel, as are others on this very thread, but for this exercise most of us are ganging up on @casts_by_fly to get the new Zillion. ?

thanks for the measurement!  I’ll have to dig out my calipers and better define what feels different to me and why it doesn’t fit as well. This is a picture of how I lay them in the boat. the chronarch is on the outside with the full grip rod because it’s easiest to slide it in and out from there. Maybe it is the more full side plate of the shimano, maybe the front of the abu allows nesting of the rods better.   Either way, the peer pressure is working and I am seriously considering the zillion. Basically I can spend $240 or so for a special reel or I can buy some to just get buy on the lowest use rod. 

 

 

[Lead Head]

Can you stagger the rods by just the length of a reel? I'm not a kayak guy, but I must say that is about the best rod holder setup I've seen for one. I guess you have to be careful not to rub it off but it sure looks convenient. 

Back to the point though, if its possible to move the 2nd and 4th rods forward 3-4 inches that would solve your problem. 

[casts_by_fly]

8 hours ago, Lead Head said:

Can you stagger the rods by just the length of a reel? I'm not a kayak guy, but I must say that is about the best rod holder setup I've seen for one. I guess you have to be careful not to rub it off but it sure looks convenient. 

Back to the point though, if its possible to move the 2nd and 4th rods forward 3-4 inches that would solve your problem. 

thanks.  Yeah it’s possible but moving it a reel length means about 3-4”. With a 9” butt area that’s getting to ‘barely there’ on the rack. I’d want to throw the strap on it then which I don’t prefer. With one slightly higher reel I can make it work and put it on the outside or on the inside with the reel up. 

[casts_by_fly]

Hi All,

 

I thought I would update this thread with my choice and logic.  I just placed an order for a JDM Zillion from Digitaka.  If shipping goes to previous performance, I should be able to review it as soon as next weekend.  The logic was simple- with the exchange rate where it is (and its gotten better since this original post) and the absolute glowing reviews, it was hard to chose against it.  I really like my Chronarch which is in the same price bracket, but I think the zillion could be even better.  I'm probably going to put it on my Expert Head turner and that will become my primary jig rod (included bladed jigs).  @Blaine Donders slowed the process down when he offered me a basically new STX last month and I accepted.  That quelled the itch for a new toy for a bit and that reel alone has really livened up that rod (upgrading from the SX that was on it).  I would have been happy leaving it there and I'll fish it there until the Zillion comes in at which point it will replace one of the older STX I have on another rod.

 

Thanks

rick

 

[casts_by_fly]

Just a quick follow up, I got the Zillion yesterday afternoon.  That's ordering on Thursday after they were closed for the day and getting it on Monday.  That's incredible.  I spooled it up with some 17 lb elite and put it on my Falcon expert head turner which is my 6'10" heavy/F for fishing swim jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and just general fishing.  First impressions are that its a pretty nice reel.  Definitely a step up from the Revo STXs which I like a lot (I fished the STX on that rod last night for a bunch of hours).  It is a comparable reel to the Chronarch in fit and feel.  Heck, from the top down it even looks a lot like the Chronarch.  The reel is a bit smaller than I imagined.  The Chronarch is just a touch longer I think (it's in the truck right now), the Zillion is just a touch 'thicker' i think maybe top to bottom.  It might just be the proportions since it is shorter it looks fatter.  Either way, it disappears in the hand and that's the most important bit.  It feels lighter in the hand than the same rod with the STX but I can't confirm that in data yet.  I don't love that the drag star is a molded composite material.  I know its almost certainly fine, but on a reel in this class I'd expect aluminum.  As an engineer, the T-wing is really cool.  I never expected it to move in the manner it does (the entire levelwind mechanism rolls forward).

 

I need to get time on the water to evaluate it fairly, but 15 minutes of pool casting and I've learned how to skip a jig.  I don't know if the reel is better at it than others (need to go try and skip with my other reels now) but it definitely taught me how to skip.  Before I was only able to skip a 1.5 oz soft swimbait on a moderate actioned crankbait rod with no accuracy.  Now I'm tossing a 3/8 swim jig and craw chunk into 2' gaps and getting 5' past the 'bar'.  If that is the only thing this reel is good for then its one really good thing.  I would say it feels about as smooth as the chronarch (which is a good thing).

 

You guys are dangerous.  If the Yen keeps moving the way it has been over the past couple months (ignoring the dip the past couple days) you're going to have me ordering another one.