Lew's and Doyo

[dodgeguy]

5 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

First Lew's I bought for my dad's birthday gift was a BB-1LMG, which was Shimano-made. 

I bought it for him several years before Daiwa non-parts-support on my Millionaire 6H (7-y-o) forced me to buy my first BB-1NG (not Shimano-made). 

That kept me away from Daiwa until I bought my '19 Steez and then '21 Zillion for the aftermarket spools made for them.  (Just bought a Zillion Silver Wolf for my 3rd Daiwa since 1978). 

 

Yes, it was Lew's patent that separated freespool from LW, and wrote a whole new clean sheet of paper and the Next Level in casting that everyone is spoiled with today.  Shimano copied Lew's design, which ended Lew's business relationship with Shimano, and sent Lew's elsewhere to build his idea. 

 

I wouldn't have considered anything but Lew's until I found a better reel for my ML niche. 

And I'm still not sure how this thread ran for 3 pages. 

Because their is so much misinformation about Lew's and it's interesting.

[zell_pop1]

On 7/22/2022 at 3:32 PM, WRB said:

I don’t have any issues with products made in Republic of Korea (South Korea). 

Intellectual property rights, IP, including patents are honored if you register you IP with The Republic of Korea, they are not a member country.

China on the other hand ignores IP including patents and have issues with products made in China.

Tom

X2

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, dodgeguy said:

Because their is so much misinformation about Lew's and it's interesting.

My only motivation for contributing to this thread is because of examples like this:

 

Several months ago a poster expressed his disappointment after he'd found out that either his new Lew's or ABU was made by Doyo. His disappointment wasn't based on first hand experience because of a negative issue in the past, but obviously just from hearsay and regurgitated nonsense. Had he simply stated he'd heard about either Lew's or ABU in a negative light, I'd understand to a degree, but that wasn't where he was coming from. Certain internet sleuths like to stigmatize Doyo, for whatever reason. This gets repeated, and he picked up on it. How many times will he repeat it, then warn others off?

 

If you spend time elsewhere on the net, you'll hear constant crying over Daiwa and Shimano. The intensity of those complaints are enough that I could easily see a new guy being scared off of buying either of those sacred cow brands, or at least certain models of otherwise fantastic reels. Yet no stigma is attached by the people doing the crying, but it is with DOYO somehow.

 

I'm old enough to remember ignorant fools sneering at Japanese cars with claims that they were junk because they were made with recycled beer cans. Label behavior like that how you wish, but in my opinion it was really just a dumb way to diminish someone who bought one.

[bulldog1935]

what both boils down to is being a fan boy

 

If you're not a fan boy, you don't have anything to knock down in order to build your choice up. 

 

Figure out what works best for your where, and plug it in there.  Let everyone else do the same, and avoid oversimplified statements and generalized criticisms. 

 

The tackle that's out there works, or no one would be catching any fish.  Kind of like the pros who are so often trumped here as models of discerning tackle selection -  they fish with what they're paid to fish, not necessarily because it would be their first choice if they were outfitting themselves. 

[dodgeguy]

1 hour ago, PhishLI said:

My only motivation for contributing to this thread is because of examples like this:

 

Several months ago a poster expressed his disappointment after he'd found out that either his new Lew's or ABU was made by Doyo. His disappointment wasn't based on first hand experience because of a negative issue in the past, but obviously just from hearsay and regurgitated nonsense. Had he simply stated he'd heard about either Lew's or ABU in a negative light, I'd understand to a degree, but that wasn't where he was coming from. Certain internet sleuths like to stigmatize Doyo, for whatever reason. This gets repeated, and he picked up on it. How many times will he repeat it, then warn others off?

 

If you spend time elsewhere on the net, you'll hear constant crying over Daiwa and Shimano. The intensity of those complaints are enough that I could easily see a new guy being scared off of buying either of those sacred cow brands, or at least certain models of otherwise fantastic reels. Yet no stigma is attached by the people doing the crying, but it is with DOYO somehow.

 

I'm old enough to remember ignorant fools sneering at Japanese cars with claims that they were junk because they were made with recycled beer cans. Label behavior like that how you wish, but in my opinion it was really just a dumb way to diminish someone who bought one.

Absolutely agree 100 percent.

[Tatulatard]

1 hour ago, PhishLI said:

My only motivation for contributing to this thread is because of examples like this:

 

Several months ago a poster expressed his disappointment after he'd found out that either his new Lew's or ABU was made by Doyo. His disappointment wasn't based on first hand experience because of a negative issue in the past, but obviously just from hearsay and regurgitated nonsense. Had he simply stated he'd heard about either Lew's or ABU in a negative light, I'd understand to a degree, but that wasn't where he was coming from. Certain internet sleuths like to stigmatize Doyo, for whatever reason. This gets repeated, and he picked up on it. How many times will he repeat it, then warn others off?

 

If you spend time elsewhere on the net, you'll hear constant crying over Daiwa and Shimano. The intensity of those complaints are enough that I could easily see a new guy being scared off of buying either of those sacred cow brands, or at least certain models of otherwise fantastic reels. Yet no stigma is attached by the people doing the crying, but it is with DOYO somehow.

 

I'm old enough to remember ignorant fools sneering at Japanese cars with claims that they were junk because they were made with recycled beer cans. Label behavior like that how you wish, but in my opinion it was really just a dumb way to diminish someone who bought one.

But that isn't misinformation.  It's the opposite actually.  They were misinformed into thinking that lews was a reel company and distraught to find out that they are a brand name that orders their reels from someone else with their name out the outside.  That's the truth.  I have a feeling if this was known from the start no one would care or get their feelings hurt.  Its this building up of the brand into something they are not and then finding out the truth that seems to rub people the wrong way as if their ignorance was the brand somehow betraying them.  If anything getting the truth out there so it is widely known would end this cycle.  I like doyo reels.  I like the ones lews orders.   I want one with that quet cast swing arm centrifugal and lews seems to be the only one ordering reels with that brake.

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

I admit it; I’m one of the plebeians who uses - and actually likes - Lew’s products and services.  Don’t know which brand is best; don’t care which brand is best.  When I got back into fishing after a long hiatus, the local DSG happened to have an LFS for $100 and it felt pretty nice so I bought it. The store had no other “big name” models with which to compare it. (If it had, who knows which brand I’d be using?)  Saw no reason to change since it worked for me.  Eventually added a Tournament MB, two Superduty 300s, and finally, a Custom Lite. I did splurge on that last one to put on a custom M/F rod (compliments of @.ghoti. and the Bass Resource community.). If you folks knew the combos with which I’ve come up using these reels, the powers-that-be would boot my sorry butt right out of the group but ya know what?  They all work for me.  In my opinion, when I consider my relatively limited skills that’s really all that matters when I head out to a local lake.  Would better equipment help?  Maybe, but those laws of diminishing returns for increasing expenditures … not good for me.
 

Not sure why I even put my two cents in … but since it’s too darned hot to drag my aging behind out to the lake it gave me something to do.  Might even compose a rant about shopping for a rod to replace a “casualty” and a rave about some progress in my jig fishing abilities - thanks to you guys.  Stay safe!

[PhishLI]

8 hours ago, Tatulatard said:

But that isn't misinformation.  It's the opposite actually.  They were misinformed into thinking that lews was a reel company and distraught to find out that they are a brand name that orders their reels from someone else with their name out the outside.  That's the truth. 

Is it? Perhaps we gauge the tone of what we read differently then. You read this as people being distraught over what you see as corporate duplicity. If you're right then we're talking about a microscopic minority me thinks. Were people who bought Cabela's Arachnids distraught if/when they found out they were actually Daiwa Zillion variants? Doubtful. I read this as a "hold your nose, it's a DOYO" type of thing, or occasionally something akin to feigning gagging, with sound effects included, at the sight of someone else's dinner who's seated at another table in a restaurant. This type of thing clearly happens here and elsewhere, and it has little to do with distress over marketing strategies. I think you know this, and I think this is more of what goes on compared to people getting upset over finding out that Lew's and ABU are really marketing names for DOYO.

[bulldog1935]

How's this for liking your Lew's reel? 

I like my Shimano, too (from 1978 - then and now, the only FD with chain lift designed into the cage)

 

noteworthy in RD, Shimano copied SunTour's 1964 patent before it expired. 

[PhishLI]

5 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

How's this for liking your Lew's reel? 

That's one sharp DOYO, BD.?

[bulldog1935]

14 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

That's one sharp DOYO, BD.?

Thanks, I have another almost like it (lower gears)

[Columbia Craw]

My motive to post: Lews started somewhere.  I didn’t care and still don’t. I loved them then and the brand is relevant now.

[FishTank]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

Thanks, I have another almost like it (lower gears)

 

I have seen you post this reel a few times and I always wanted to ask.... How much of that reel is still a Lew's and how much of it is something else?  

 

[bulldog1935]

@FishTank it has KTF salt-resistant unshielded stainless spool bearings.  Studio Composite RC-SC EX carbon handle, kinda-matching ZPI carbon spindle (brake) knob, and KDW thumb clutch, KDW titanium handle nut. 

There are no spool options for Lews, so it has the stock SDG spool, 20-yds 20-lb mono backing topped with about 120 yds 20-lb Sufix 832 braid. 

It's a rocket, and no words for how light the handle (titanium spindles, carbon knob tubes). 

There's not much else you can replace, and it's comfortable to fish all day.  . 

 

Something to keep in mind, I have a total of 9 baitcast reels in the mix (not counting 40 years worth of retired b/c and a handful of antiques), currently 4 Ambassadeurs (2 surf CTs), 3 Doyo, 2 Daiwa, with 3rd Daiwa arriving tomorrow.  OK, and 2 more near-offshore trolling/jigging reels. 

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

There are no spool options for Lews

I sure wish someone would remedy this situation. Given their popularity, you's think someone would produce them. My two Fuego's with shallow braid spools perform well with 1/8oz and up, but they sure don't palm like an LFS. I mostly use them for light Trigs, shakey heads, and weightless worms on 7' MH XF rods, 20# 832. They're putting a lot of fish in the boat this year.

[QED]

9 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

[stuff deleted]

I like my Shimano, too (from 1978 - then and now, the only FD with chain lift designed into the cage)

 

noteworthy in RD, Shimano copied SunTour's 1964 patent before it expired. 

 

Nice vintage gear!  Back then the contemporanious Campy gear didn't shift nearly as well.  To get best results, you had to overshift and then back off a bit in fairly quick succession. The mid/late 80s Campy Super Record gear mostly resolved that issue.  My bikes are all Italian (except for a Ritchey breakaway travel bike) so I continue to use Campy.  Glad to see that team UAE still uses Campy/Colnogo gear (also my favorite)!

 

[rangerjockey]

15 hours ago, dodgeguy said:

Because their is so much misinformation about Lew's and it's interesting.

As I think about it there may have been a third Manufacturer of the BB1 besides Shimano and Ryobi.

In any case you should pick one up and give it a try. They aren't hard to find.

 You may come back to a more modern design in a hurry but at the very least you will own a piece of bass fishing history. 

 I also have one of the original speed spool spinning reel's from the 70's. I'm not positive but it's probably made by Shimano also.  

 

 

[bulldog1935]

That spinning reel was a Zebco with chopped-graphite-filled plastic frame, and flopped in the breeze.

I gave mine away. 

[dodgeguy]

http://tackletour.com/previewicast22lews.html                                                                                                                                                                     tackle tour preview

 

 

 

 

11 hours ago, QED said:

 

Nice vintage gear!  Back then the contemporanious Campy gear didn't shift nearly as well.  To get best results, you had to overshift and then back off a bit in fairly quick succession. The mid/late 80s Campy Super Record gear mostly resolved that issue.  My bikes are all Italian (except for a Ritchey breakaway travel bike) so I continue to use Campy.  Glad to see that team UAE still uses Campy/Colnogo gear (also my favorite)!

 

nice bike. i had a 1982 Olmo Competition all super record. loved that bike.

[QED]

12 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

[stuff deleted]

nice bike. i had a 1982 Olmo Competition all super record. loved that bike.

 

Wow, Olmo was a super awesome brand!  Any pix you can post?

[dodgeguy]

26 minutes ago, QED said:

 

Wow, Olmo was a super awesome brand!  Any pix you can post?

I wish. It was blue with a chrome fork.Brakes and cranks we're Olmo engraved along with the seatpost and stem. That's when I was in shape. The furthest I ever rode was 143 miles in one day in 95 degree heat.No old pictures around.hers a link to an exact match. Mine was 57 cm this is next size up.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304106537974

[JustJames]

On 7/21/2022 at 2:24 PM, dodgeguy said:

I'm an admitted Lew's fan boy but I try not to knock other brands.

Wasn’t it you that always go into Daiwa or Shimano thread and post “should have get lews” or “lews is the best” compare to what? your only little experience with only lews brand?

[MN Fisher]

On 7/25/2022 at 3:20 PM, QED said:

 

Wow, Olmo was a super awesome brand!  Any pix you can post?

Meanwhile, I'm still riding my 1975 Bridgestone Kabuki Super Light...got it when I started a paper route back then. Ya, still original paint job, fork emblem and sticker...just about everything else has been replaced over the years though.

 

[dodgeguy]

3 minutes ago, Bass_Fishing_SoCal said:

Wasn’t it you that always go into Daiwa or Shimano thread and post “should have get lews” or “lews is the best” compare to what? your only little experience with only lews brand?

That's an opinion offered to someone having issues with one already. I don't come out and degrade all Diawa and Shimano products automatically like people do with Lew's.  Plenty of people come right out and say if Doyo makes it it's garbage. There is a real big difference between the two.i started years ago with Diawa and Shimano. I was happy with Shimano but not Diawa. I stopped buying Diawa and Shimano as prices got to rich for me .The purpose of this thread was also to stop misinformation about the Lew's brand.

 

[FishTank]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Meanwhile, I'm still riding my 1975 Bridgestone Kabuki Super Light...got it when I started a paper route back then. Ya, still original paint job, fork emblem and sticker...just about everything else has been replaced over the years though.

 

 

I had to jump on the bike stuff.....

 

I had a 1974 Schwinn Le Tour. It was originally my brothers but it was a hand me down that I couldn't wait to get. I had it tuned several times over the years but finally gave it up two years ago when the frame started to rust. I road this bike from the time I was 14 until I was 47. The reason I couldn't give it up..... I set the 200m and 500m record for male under 18 at the Major Taylor Velodrome on this bike. The records held up for a few years but as the years have gone by I have forgotten the times and it has been beaten more than once.  The records were a fluke though. I was there with some friends just to watch another rider practice.  I knew nothing of the sport and everyone there knew it too. They made me do about 10 laps before they accepted the time of the guy wearing Bermuda shorts and an OP t-shirt. 

 

Pic is not of my exact bike. I stole it from an article.