What is Your “Cadillac” Reel?

[newapti5]

I love all TD Zillions and TD-Zs. Any Daiwa Z variants would do as well.  

BTW, there's a thread called "show off your stuff" pinned to the top, which shows all the "precious." 

 

[islandbass]

Honestly, I’ve never given this any thought. Not even on my radar. Back in day, one reel that really caught my eye when I first started fishing was the original Daiwa Pixy, red or yellow. Figurative drool dripping down, and I’m generally a shimano guy 😱😎

[msgf91]

Bantam. I have one on a LTB 7'4 H that I use for reaction baits and horny toads. There's something magical about it that keeps me turning the handle. I'll tell myself "Ok one more cast and then I have to go". Then I'll tell myself the same thing one hour later. 

[crypt]

Ambassadeur Morrum......or an older Calcutta 50.

[newapti5]

18 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

This one right here. I have wanted it for years....

 

It's extremely difficult to find new ones, but occasionally used ones in mint condition pop up on jdm sites:

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/p1115431246

[WRB]

Cadillac today doesn’t mean what it did a few decades ago.

Dressed up Chevy no longer luxury a car and never was a performance vehicle.

Today the high end high priced performance casting reels are Japanese Daiwa’s and Shimano’s. Hot Rodded Ambassador’s are cool.

Tom

 

[bulldog1935]

@WRB @casts_by_fly

What makes mid-frame round reels nice are the offset-grip rods the Japanese still make to match them.  

Also, when you set these up with shallow spool, full-BB-LW, internal mag + centrifugal, they cast as reliably as any modern LP reel with modern brake system.  

  

 

speaking of Japanese rods and rod blades, following my own embedded link, just stumbled on this Kuramochi effort - US flags woven into the rod wrap.  These arrived and sold out since the last time I visited Headhunters Lure Shop website.  The "Japan Underground" market is all small batch, and you have to keep up to snag exactly what you want.  

[Bucks Bass and Bourbon]

Here I go looking up all these reels…

[PourMyOwn]

@newapti5, I just got a TDZ Type R+ with swapped 5.7:1....I like my Cadillacs 20+ years old and already scratched.

[Bandersnatch]

Steez CT SV 

10 hours ago, Wprich said:

I got a used but flawless Steez Ct Sv few weeks ago hopefully get to fish it first time tomorrow see if it's as smooth as the reviews say.  Got a Stella and couple Exsences as well that are so sweet really love the Exsence great real.

They are perfect 

[Bird]

All my reels are Honda's, they keep running but nobody looks.😂

[iabass8]

Daiwa Bape. Will probably never find one. 

[MiceNReets]

2 minutes ago, iabass8 said:

Daiwa Bape. Will probably never find one. 

Just looked it up.  Pretty awesome.  

[newapti5]

4 hours ago, iabass8 said:

Daiwa Bape. Will probably never find one. 

 

So, a TD Zillion in vomit green.  Sorry but hard pass. I guess not ALL TD Zillions are my favorite.

 

[onenutinthewater]

I have more expensive reels but for pure satisfaction I would have to say my Zillion SV. Over 100 hard fighting steelhead on it and still butter smooth.

I have had many cars in my life (96 to be exact) and the most satisfying of them all - a 2009 Cadillac DTS. Still have it too!

[Bucks Bass and Bourbon]

Really fun following these answers. 

[Columbia Craw]

My Daiwa SV103.  I just had it serviced and a drag update by DVT.   Why Daiwa dumped the platform is beyond me.  This reel is a stand alone.  

[FrnkNsteen]

I would have to say my favorites right now are a couple old TD Fuegos and TDZs.

 

I just love how they disappear into your hand on the right rod. Don't understand why they went away from that body shape.

 

I know some of it was the addition of the Twing, and having to widen the body to allow it to fit, but I personally think they tried to solve a problem that didn't exist. I like the old body up through the SV103. Classic!!

 

Believe it or not,... Of recent reels,... The SLX MGL 70/71 ranks up there with me. I have higher dollar reels, but for the whole package compared to price..... That little reel punches WAY above it's pricepoint. Small, comfortable, smooth casting and reeling.... Nice little reel. Hope the new replacement SLX 70/71 didn't ruin it!!!

[FishTank]

My Cadillac reel is a Shimano Conquest 101. 

 

 

But if that's a Cadillac, then this my Ferrari. 

 

 

My dream reel would be a custom Megabass Monoblock. Not the ones they made short runs of. I'm talking about a specially made one off. I have only heard rumors of there existence (might be a fairytale).

[bulldog1935]

@FishTank that's probably do-able if you can find Mr. Ito.  

The whole purpose of a Japan broker, like Masamichi at noppin.com is to solve the language barrier, payment issues, and shipping across the big pond.  Eighteen years ago, he baby-sat a custom inshore fly rod for me, rolled from scratch on order.  

 

Our friend @redmeansdistortion hasn't played on the forum for awhile.  I know he's in constant communication with Simon Shimomura about new Ambassadeur upgrade parts in the pike.  I would love to hear his answer to the OP question.  

[btoups]

MIne is a Shimano Conquest 50.  I really don't like using it much because I don't want to scratch it.  Lol.

[new2BC4bass]

On 3/2/2024 at 2:17 PM, islandbass said:

Honestly, I’ve never given this any thought. Not even on my radar. Back in day, one reel that really caught my eye when I first started fishing was the original Daiwa Pixy, red or yellow. Figurative drool dripping down, and I’m generally a shimano guy 😱😎

 

OP:  If by Cadillac, you mean the most expensive, then my PXL Type R (bought new at 40% off) fits the bill.  Love it on the rod it currently sits on.

 

islandbass:  Total cost of one of my used Airy Reds was just over the PXL Type R.  Have more in upgrades and tuning than what I paid for the reel.  No regret at all for spending the money on it.

 

OP:  I lean more towards Daiwa so I'd vote for a Steez.  Don't know if the cost of one over the new Zillion would be worth it, tho.

 

Like MN Fisher, I did the same thing but with the older blue Patriarch XT.  Consider the last one I bought to be the best deal I ever got.  Fine reels almost never mentioned, but not available new any more. 

 

[MiceNReets]

3 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

 

OP:  If by Cadillac, you mean the most expensive, then my PXL Type R (bought new at 40% off) fits the bill.  Love it on the rod it currently sits on.

 

islandbass:  Total cost of one of my used Airy Reds was just over the PXL Type R.  Have more in upgrades and tuning than what I paid for the reel.  No regret at all for spending the money on it.

 

OP:  I lean more towards Daiwa so I'd vote for a Steez.  Don't know if the cost of one over the new Zillion would be worth it, tho.

 

Like MN Fisher, I did the same thing but with the older blue Patriarch XT.  Consider the last one I bought to be the best deal I ever got.  Fine reels almost never mentioned, but not available new any more. 

 

i just got a PX-Type R a few weeks ago.  Really looking forward to trying it out   What do you use yours for? And what rod?

[new2BC4bass]

12 minutes ago, MiceNReets said:

i just got a PX-Type R a few weeks ago.  Really looking forward to trying it out   What do you use yours for? And what rod?

Trebles.  Older Fenwick Aetos 6' 6" MLM.  Don't use it as much as I'd like.  Just a pleasure to use.

[bulldog1935]

I think the OP's question is more about aspiration than possession.  It deserves better than pragmatic answers.  

Something along the lines of function and form complimenting each other in a way that exceeds their sum.  

If you have something like that, or simply dream about it, it belongs here.  

Photos make it better for the rest of us.  

(my surf lure reel, built around a hens' teeth barstock frame)