2023 Shimano Vanquish Review and Initial Thoughts

[Aguilab1]

54 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

I have the new version and the previous Vanquish and I have fished them both for smallmouth on multiple occasions. 

 

I would say the opposite when talking about the reels being under load. The Vanquish to me has the best and smoothest drag out there for smallmouth. While I would not hesitate to buy another 24 Twin Power, the drag on it is smooth but it's really slow to start and is almost too strong from the on set. I have had a few break offs and a few fish pop off when not paying attention to the drag.  I will say the 2000 Twin Power I have is a pleasure to fish. In a way, it might feel smoother on a normal retrieve (no fish on) than the Vanquish.  

 

I was more speaking about the fighting and cranking. Don’t get me wrong, I was having fun with Vanquish + Varivas PE 0.8 (I had 832 10lb), but I feel more confident with Twin Power + PE 1.5. It could just be the braid strength. I think I just need to spool PE 1.5 on the Vanquish and fish both in the same day to really tell. 

[WRB]

You don’t reel against fighting fish with any spinning reel just keep the rod loaded and line tight.

Tom

[Aguilab1]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

You don’t reel against fighting fish with any spinning reel just keep the rod loaded and line tight.

Tom

I usually let them pull drag, but there’s sometimes I don’t feel confident in the hook set and i try to get them into my net faster. I feel like getting them in faster rather than dragging the fight out helps preserve some of their energy and vitality I’ve noticed. 

[jejenkyns]

On 5/5/2023 at 10:10 PM, FishTank said:

I have been fishing for a few hours each day this week with my new Vanquish C2500S and so far it is amazing. It might be the best spinning reel I have ever used. I knew it would be good but the casting and smoothness are unlike any other reel I have owned or played with, including the new Stella and maybe the Exist.  Only time will tell but Shimano hit out of the park with this reel. I have the same overall impression for the Daiwa Zillion SV. It's a game changer for me. I have paired it with a G. Loomis NRX+ 821S NRR. I wasn't sure about this rod as I had it paired with a Daiwa Emeraldas Air FC LT. Even though I like the Emeraldas, the combo just felt off to me but with the new Vanquish C2500S, it's perfect.

 

There are a couple of things that are noticeably different about this reel outside the smoothness and how light weight it is. One is the drag. It has a slow start up and then it tightens down quick so fighting a fish is just different from other spinning reels. Second is the super slow oscillation of the rotor. Next is this little gizmo below the line roller.

 

 

It is supposed to help with line lay and wind knots. The reel comes with an extra one and is adjustable somehow. I haven't moved mine as it lays the line perfectly out of the box and also, not a single wind knot yet. I am truly amazed at how a simple thing can make my fishing experience that much better.  

 

I do have to comment on the line I used as well.... It's YGK Xbraid Ohdragon X4 Sinking Braid in 13lb #0.8.  I have never used sinking braid before but supposedly it has a higher specific gravity than regular braid and has a fluorocarbon core. In any case, it too is a game changer for me. It is unlike any other line I have used. It behaves differently than braid but yet it's definitely not anything like FC.  It will cut through wind pretty well and sinks as soon as it hits the water, eliminating loose line sitting on top which means feeling that bite on the fall immediately.  It also has the same sensitivity as regular braid. Now for the part that blows me away about this line..... with a 1/16oz ned rig head and a 3in finesse TRD I am getting 120-130'+  casts easily. I can't explain it but the line just explodes off of the spool.  I have often shared my displeasure with braid but not with this line. I really like it so far. I might try a thicker version for a BFS baitcaster in the future. 

 

I have caught 20+ fish this week (all small ones, 14in and under) and this combo of line, reel, and rod have gone well beyond my expectations. I can't put in words how fun it is to fish. I am just dumbfounded and amazed with this one. 

 

 

Thabks for the writeup. I've been thinking about getting one of these. Back and forth between the Vanquish and the newest Airity.

 

I have a 24 Vanford and that anti twist fin has been wonderful for me. My biggest concern was how the drag would perform given its made of carbon but it has been fantastic also.

 

You may have swayed me.

 

I find it ugly though. But last I checked I don't spend alot of time looking at my fishing reels.

[Aguilab1]

1 minute ago, jejenkyns said:

Thabks for the writeup. I've been thinking about getting one of these. Back and forth between the Vanquish and the newest Airity.

 

I have a 24 Vanford and that anti twist fin has been wonderful for me. My biggest concern was how the drag would perform given its made of carbon but it has been fantastic also.

 

You may have swayed me.

 

I find it ugly though. But last I checked I don't spend alot of time looking at my fishing reels.

 
The new Vanford is pretty. It’s on the list to replace the older Vanford on a Zodias. I’ve got the new Twin Power it’s a looker too. The Vanquish is bit shiny for some people, but it matches my Expride well! 🤷‍♂️ I’m hoping to either get another Expride in ML to put it on or say YOLO and go get the NRX+ NRR! 

[FishTank]

6 minutes ago, Aguilab1 said:

I was more speaking about the fighting and cranking. Don’t get me wrong, I was having fun with Vanquish + Varivas PE 0.8 (I had 832 10lb), but I feel more confident with Twin Power + PE 1.5. It could just be the braid strength. I think I just need to spool PE 1.5 on the Vanquish and fish both in the same day to really tell. 

 

I think fighting a fish is better on the Vanquish.  One of the reasons I fish with spinning gear is the drag for hard pulling fish. The Twin Power to me feels a little smoother on the retrieve though. However, the drag is smooth but not as good at keeping fished pinned and running once hooked.  

 

You might be right on the line. I have PE #1.25 YGK Upgrade on the Vanquish and PE #0.8 on the Twin Power.  One thing I have noticed about some Varivas lines, after they have been used for a bit, is that they soften a little.  They just feel different from other braids. Just in case, I have used Dead or Alive, Trout Advanced, AAA (same as Dead or Alive) and Max Power.  All of these had that soft feel to it. 

[jejenkyns]

13 minutes ago, Aguilab1 said:

 
The new Vanford is pretty. It’s on the list to replace the older Vanford on a Zodias. I’ve got the new Twin Power it’s a looker too. The Vanquish is bit shiny for some people, but it matches my Expride well! 🤷‍♂️ I’m hoping to either get another Expride in ML to put it on or say YOLO and go get the NRX+ NRR! 

Life is short my friend. YOLO all the way.

[FishTank]

@Aguilab1

 

I think the choice between the two might also come down personal preference and fishing style.

[jejenkyns]

I don't want to hijack this thread but has anyone had a chance to compare the 23 Vanquish with the 24 Airity or 22 Exist?

[Aguilab1]

1 hour ago, FishTank said:

 

I think fighting a fish is better on the Vanquish.  One of the reasons I fish with spinning gear is the drag for hard pulling fish. The Twin Power to me feels a little smoother on the retrieve though. However, the drag is smooth but not as good at keeping fished pinned and running once hooked.  

 

You might be right on the line. I have PE #1.25 YGK Upgrade on the Vanquish and PE #0.8 on the Twin Power.  One thing I have noticed about some Varivas lines, after they have been used for a bit, is that they soften a little.  They just feel different from other braids. Just in case, I have used Dead or Alive, Trout Advanced, AAA (same as Dead or Alive) and Max Power.  All of these had that soft feel to it. 

Opposite of what I’ve got going on lol. Both reels only for Varivas PE fairly recently. I just to stop being lazy and pull off the PE 0.8 and put the same Max Power PE 1.5 on for a fair comparison. 

[WRB]

PE 1.5 is 20 lb braid, PE .8 is 10 lb.

Medium Light power rod max lifting weight is 2 lbs, Medium 3 lbs.

Max drag force shouldn’t exceed rod lifting power or 1/3 line strength whichever is greater.

Set your drag with reel on the rod and line through all the guides. I use 2 pints plastic drinking bottles for ML rod or 6-7 lb test line (weight 1 pint = 1 lb.)

Put the bottles in a plastic grocery bag and hook the bag by the handles and left carefully (don’t high stick). Set the drag when the bag starts to lift. You will be surprised how much  2 lbs force loads your rod.

Fight fish using your rod power reel to take up line to the rod loaded. We call lifting the rod to control the fish then reeling the bent rod down”pumping” and that is how you get fish fast without cranking them with the reel.

Tom

 

[Aguilab1]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

PE 1.5 is 20 lb braid, PE .8 is 10 lb.

Medium Light power rod max lifting weight is 2 lbs, Medium 3 lbs.

Max drag force shouldn’t exceed rod lifting power or 1/3 line strength whichever is greater.

Set your drag with reel on the rod and line through all the guides. I use 2 pints plastic drinking bottles for ML rod or 6-7 lb test line (weight 1 pint = 1 lb.)

Put the bottles in a plastic grocery bag and hook the bag by the handles and left carefully (don’t high stick). Set the drag when the bag starts to lift. You will be surprised how much  2 lbs force loads your rod.

Fight fish using your rod power reel to take up line to the rod loaded. We call lifting the rod to control the fish then reeling the bent rod down”pumping” and that is how you get fish fast without cranking them with the reel.

Tom

 

The Varivas Max Power I use PE 1.5 =  28.6lb and the Varivas Bass PE 0.8 = 16.7lb. The full timeline is I had a Vanquish with SSV2 10lb, then Sufix 832 10lb, then Varivas Bass PE 0.6, then Varivas Bass PE 0.8. Then I swapped to a Twin Power with Varivas Max Power PE 1.5 to get back to something closer to American 10lb braid that I was used to aka 0.20mm diamater braid. It could be lack of memory or the combo of Twin Power + Varivas Max Power PE 1.5, but I overall felt like it was a bit easier to reel in fish. I plan to spool the Vanquish with the same PE 1.5 to see how each reel compares to figure out where I want them to live. I think it’s going to come down to low start up inertia/lightweight vs the “power” of the TP. 

[qianggustc]

On 5/6/2023 at 9:13 PM, bulldog1935 said:

@msgf91

There's not much difference between Stella and Vanquish - Stella has stainless gears (expensive to broach and wear-proof) and forged magnesium rotor (expensive to form)- Vanquish has wear-coated alloy gears and CI4+ rotor - the rest is the same, including forged magnesium body, titanium bail.  

Vanquish is notably lighter weight than Stella - an ounce.  

Just the facts, ma'am.  

https://www.jpfishingtacklenews.com/shimano-vanquish-2019/ 

https://www.jpfishingtacklenews.com/new-shimano-stella-18/

All the Shimano '18-22 worm drive (except New Stella) interchange parts - and are the same reel design using different MOC and number of ball bearings - '18 Stella, '19 Stradic, '19 Vanquish, '20 Vanford, '21 Twin Power, etc.)  Stella has the stainles gears and forged magnesium body and rotor.  The rest use wear-treated alloy gears and body/rotor MOC that are cheaper-to-make.  Stradic and Vanford are made on Malaysia assembly line - the rest are made on Japan bench with parts-matching for added smoothness.  But they all have the same design improvements of '18 Stella.  

 

@FishTank's '23 Vanquish, built off '22 Stella, has slightly longer spool stroke, and added spindle stiffness to go with it.  

Some info inaccurate. Stella 2500 or larger’s rotor is Aluminum alloy. Only c2500/2000 or smaller is magnesium. Vanquish body is half magnesium and half CI4+. The body cover is CI4+. The handle of vanquish is also CI4+