fished with my new Zillion yesterday. some thoughts

[Darth-Baiter]

it is QUIET!!  if I didnt see my bait flying away from me, I wouldn't know.  it makes ZERO noise casting, ZERO noise cranking.   sadly, I didnt get a big enough bass yesterday to make the drag sing.  it is almost perfect for my regular sized hands.  it allows me to put my fingers in the right spots on the rod.  it feels like I am gonna break the reel.  it feels so whimsical, but sturdy if that makes sense.

 

I have it filled with 12lb Sniper Flouro, and it is perched onto  a Megabass X-bites.  I wanted a light reel, because my Curado 150MGL felt hefty on that rod.  (could be my imagination).  I backlashed it once when I went the wrong way with the brake setting.  I never touched the spool tension from what it is out of the box.  couple of loose spool, semi lashes when I got wild with it.  it casts great, and intuitively I am very very accurate with the set up.  it never feels like the spool is going to unravel at the launch of a cast, i pay attention at the end of the cast, but I didnt feel in any backlash danger at the launch.  

 

here is the honest part.  my old Curado 150 casts further.  by comparison, all noisy out and in, but further.   since the bass were not cooperating, I had time to swap baits.  exact baits: can fling a zero-weight senko further on the Shimano.  I am much more familiar with the Shimano, so I like the drag better.  playing a 14" bass and trying to keep it exciting, adjusting the drag on the zillion felt very on/off almost.  

 

I dont plan on messing with the spool tension.  I figured some Japanese engineer set it where it is supposed to be.  right?  there is no side to side play in the spool like there was on my Tatula SV TW.  did you all go looser?  in only own those two Daiwa reels, so I am not familiar with everything.

 

I have only monkeyed with the drag knob.  and those numbers are always so tiny and same colored (to read)!!  

 

(I'll save up some money and buy a Shimano Bantam to compare...you know, for science)

 

I'm going out Monday.  maybe the Delta, maybe Clearlake.  I need to test it on a bigger angrier fish.  

[PhishLI]

The spool bearings come heavily greased for some reason. It'll break down and get expressed out over time with use, or you can add a little oil to them to thin it out which will speed up the process. It'll open up afterward and your distance will increase.

[dodgeguy]

Spool tension should be your first adjustment due to lure weight change.

[PhishLI]

2 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

Spool tension should be your first adjustment due to lure weight change.

Not with a Daiwa, but he should check it to make sure it's in a neutral position. Zero play, but no tension.

[Darth-Baiter]

thanks PhishL.

 

Monday is going to be hot.  the grease will melt.  hahah..I'll mess with the spool today.  you almost need Hobbit hands to finger that knob.

[casts_by_fly]

Mine is set even for a tiny bit of side to side play. The only time it changes is if I am throwing heavy stuff and don’t want to wear out my thumb. Then I’ll add a bit more. Otherwise 1/4-1 oz I don’t adjust anything. 
 

[Pogues2300]

I have two zillions bought at the same time. One was always geary, the other isn’t. As far as spool tension i always set slight side to side and that’s how they both were pre set. 

[JN94]

The zillion does not cast as far as a Curado 150 (or any Shimano reel in my experience), you are right about that. But definitely adjust the spool tension. They weren't set by an engineer ?. Just by some minimum wage factory worker who cranks out hundreds per day. It won't be perfect. Also correct spool tension is somewhat subjective. I like to run mine pretty loose regardless of lure, but some like it tighter, etc

[Darth-Baiter]

I messed with the tension.  The reel literature is silent about “zero-adjuster ” or anything.  I got a slight side to side click and I tightened it a minuscule amount. I’m at Clearlake tomorrow for go#2.   

[jejenkyns]

curado 150 casts a mile by any standard I know (don't own a million high end reels here though). I do own a metanium and the curado will outcast that reel any day of the week. I don't think this is a knock on the met or the zillion, just a big plus for the humble curado 150.

[king fisher]

23 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

loose spool, semi lashes

My new favorite fishing terminology.  

[Darth-Baiter]

28 minutes ago, jejenkyns said:

curado 150 casts a mile by any standard I know (don't own a million high end reels here though). I do own a metanium and the curado will outcast that reel any day of the week. I don't think this is a knock on the met or the zillion, just a big plus for the humble curado 150.

it's no joke.  it is the only reel I have multiples of.

 

no doubt, these are going to Brazil with me.  they are solid reliable.  

[suzuki2903]

Zillion is a nice reel, especially for close casting or skipping but it’s no shimano in the distance category or refinement.  I even tried ceramic bearings and the worm gear bushings switched to bearings.  
daiwa fans love it but compared to a shimano curado mgl or metanium it’s not in the same league.  

[1984isNOW]

I just got my open box zillion from Midway, spool definitely wiggles. I'll leave it and see how it goes, my Tat sv103 had some wiggle but I'm pretty sure not that much, quite a bit of play here.

 

Anybody have any numbers to put to those casting comparisons?

 

Aside from distance, how's the performance and feel compare? Greater control? And do you feel like it's lacking in distance or just not quite up to the max distance standard of the Curado?

 

Keep messing with that drag and let me know what you think, I'm gonna try to too and see what happens.

 

I'm thinking 12 or 15 pound big game for my buzzbaits (leaning towards 12), this has become my go to lure this season. Will probably throw some spinners with it too.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, JNorman said:

The zillion does not cast as far as a Curado 150 (or any Shimano reel in my experience), you are right about that. But definitely adjust the spool tension. They weren't set by an engineer ?. Just by some minimum wage factory worker who cranks out hundreds per day. It won't be perfect. Also correct spool tension is somewhat subjective. I like to run mine pretty loose regardless of lure, but some like it tighter, etc

These are actually made in Japan reels.  The Curado is however made by some sweat shop worker in Malaysia.   

 

I bought a new Curado 150MGL a few months back......great reel, but it's a far cry from the Zillion SV TW and especially the HD TW imho.   

 

The Curado and Zillion are two different class of reels, they are priced and marketed as such as well.  

[Cbump]

Love my Zillions. But my Japan Mets and Bantams cast farther for sure. 
I don’t use my daiwas for distance though. 

[suzuki2903]

21 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

These are actually made in Japan reels.  The Curado is however made by some sweat shop worker in Malaysia.   

 

I bought a new Curado 150MGL a few months back......great reel, but it's a far cry from the Zillion SV TW and especially the HD TW imho.   

 

The Curado and Zillion are two different class of reels, they are priced and marketed as such as well.  

Only the jdm zillions are made in Japan 

Spool tension with these is designed to have some side to side play… it’s not your typical set it to the lure weight 

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

I just got my open box zillion from Midway, spool definitely wiggles. I'll leave it and see how it goes

Click the thumbar down and zero out the play. There's no sane reason to have a braking interface with play, even if Brent Ehrler likes it that way.

 

1 hour ago, Kites R4 Skyfishing said:

Anybody have any numbers to put to those casting comparisons?

Assuming everything else is equal, you're talking about maybe several feet to a few yards on a max distance cast depending on the specific lure. The difference is that Daiwa Mag Z copes with wind better than just about anything else on high-arc distance bomb casts. Just because the casting distance dingleberry on youtube declares that one reel slaughtered another because it was part of a system including him that casted 5' farther doesn't mean anything in real fishing.

 

A Zillion G isn't a Tatula SV. It's way less braked. It's a good distance caster, especially once you've gotten a grip on its braking curve and have adjusted your casting stroke accordingly. Learn to do that and you'll be able to lower the brake setting which will really open up the reel for greater distance if you see yourself bombing casts often. A few no-look clicks up or down of the dial is all it takes.

 

Besides, is every cast you take made for max distance? Regardless of what might cast a little farther, nothing can touch its braking system for mid to end of flight control. It's a pleasure to fish with, especially if there's wind in the equation. If you're not a great skipper, just juice the brakes up and you'll be able to skip nearly as mindlessly as with a Tatula SV.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

2 hours ago, suzuki2903 said:

Only the jdm zillions are made in Japan 

Spool tension with these is designed to have some side to side play… it’s not your typical set it to the lure weight 

Interesting......all mine are JDM, where are the USDM ones made?

 

 

[PhishLI]

32 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

where are the USDM ones made?

Thailand.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

32 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Thailand.

Dang that's crazy!   Thanks.  

[Woody B]

FWIW I keep the spool tension set the just remove any side play on all of my reels.   Tight spool tension (the way that's recommended for most reels) robs you of distance, and creates the need for extra effort.   With the spool tension set the traditional way (lure barely drops) you have to "heave" the lure to get any kind of distance.  With the side play barely removed a pretty much effortless pitch (and some thumb) ends up with great distance.   However, if you try to "heave" it with this setting you'll end up with line around your neck.   Try both ways, I'll guarantee you you'll get better distance with the loose setting, and an effortless toss with any reel than you'll get with the spool tension tight.  

 

The downside it, you can get a backlash simply threading the line through the guides.   

[Darth-Baiter]

Woody. That last sentence kills me. Haha. 

I went to a park with my only thing close to a practice plug. A bouncing Betty.  I think it’s a salmon fishing thing. 
 

it flies like a bullet.   I had to thumb brake hard to not hit a picnick family. Whoa!  
 

I’ll fuss with it on the water tomorrow. 
 

 

[Woody B]

I've got a small tear in my right labrum.  Effortless casting is a BIG deal for me.  I don't "watch" fishing but I've noticed the pros aren't "swinging for the fences" when they cast.   

[jejenkyns]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Woody. That last sentence kills me. Haha. 

I went to a park with my only thing close to a practice plug. A bouncing Betty.  I think it’s a salmon fishing thing. 
 

it flies like a bullet.   I had to thumb brake hard to not hit a picnick family. Whoa!  
 

I’ll fuss with it on the water tomorrow. 
 

 

what rod you got there? ?