Okuma Hakai DT

[12poundbass]

As I continue to phase out some older reels from my arsenal and add new, I’m looking to bring new workhorses into the stable. Looking at the Okuma Hakai it checks many boxes for me. 
 

What’s been your experience with the Okuma Hakai?

 

 

[T-Billy]

My experience with it is fairly limited. My wife confiscated it the first time she tried it. It's her favorite baitcaster. 😂 I've enjoyed what time I've spent with it though. Seems well built and is very user friendly.

[Bluebasser86]

I use one for my trap rod. It cast really well and is a great “workhorse”, type reel. It was a little finicky to dial in, but it was a “set it and forget it”, once I got it dialed.

[Mike L]

I have one also and like it. 
Mine is a 8:1

20lb Drag

33” line retrieve

7 bearings total 
 

It’s combination of matte and shiny black which looks good. 
 

It fits perfectly in my stubby hands which allows me to place my little finger on the cut away of the rod. 

It has a magnetic only brake system which is a first for me.
However, it doesn’t matter as I thumb a reel from cast to splash down anyway. 
I set it at the mid range setting and let it do its thing, they engage smoothly with no over run or flat spots. 

I especially like the line indicator. 
I can’t remember what pound test line I have on anything anymore but with this I set it and forget it. 
 

The handles are molded EVA with a slightly larger end which helps with slippage, they aren’t too big or too small 
 

It also have a built in drag clicker if that’s important 

 

All in all I really like it. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Columbia Craw]

I’ve had mine for three years.  It does cast well.  I have it set up for throwing poppers.  It handles lighter weighted lures really well.  Palms nicely.  I’m actually surprised it isn’t talked about more. 

[TnRiver46]

I’d agree with @Columbia Craw, it’s fairly small so it fits quite easily in the palm of your hand. I was launching a fluke halfway across the river with it Saturday

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

6 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

I’ve had mine for three years.  It does cast well.  I have it set up for throwing poppers.  It handles lighter weighted lures really well.  Palms nicely.  I’m actually surprised it isn’t talked about more. 

I've been saying it for years, Okuma is such an underappreciated brand in the bass fishing world. I've owned, and still own, many of their rods and reels and they always rank among my favorites. I caught my 8.49lb fish last week using their ITX Carbon spinning reels. I've got an RTX that is over a decade old on my dropshot rod that has been one of the most dependable spinning reels I've ever owned. I have another old white spinning reel I bought on clearance in a blister pack that I use for brush busting and creek fishing, that thing just refuses to die. My oldest son caught a tank wiper on it a couple years ago out of a creek small enough to jump across and it handled it no problem. The Helios and Helios TCS reels that I have are probably close to a decade old and I beat those things up every year and they just keep going. 

 

I could keep going but I don't want to completely derail the original topic of the post. The Hakai has been a great reel for me for a couple of seasons now. Before I went to Texas, my biggest fish of the year was caught using it to fish a suspending IMA lipless bait. 

 

[new2BC4bass]

I'm another that feels Okuma reels are underrated.  Especially am fond of my Helios Air reels.

 

Really can't comment on the Hakai.  Had it and a new Zillion out for a short time one day.  Definitely need more time with it before making any comments on how well it performs.  Not going to fish it for 15 minutes and tell you it's the best thing since cinnamon buns!  Hakai purchased used.  Can't budge the line size dial.

[NorthernBasser]

When I got my Hakai I wasn't sure how I'd like the knobs. But it didn't take long for me to realize how much I was gonna love them. I wish more of my reels had them. 

 

My only (minor) issue is the plastic on the top of the reel. Makes it feel a tad cheap. But overall I love it (as well as their X Series reel).

[MiceNReets]

12 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

I'm another that feels Okuma reels are underrated.  Especially am fond of my Helios Air reels.

 

Really can't comment on the Hakai.  Had it and a new Zillion out for a short time one day.  Definitely need more time with it before making any comments on how well it performs.  Not going to fish it for 15 minutes and tell you it's the best thing since cinnamon buns!  Hakai purchased used.  Can't budge the line size dial.

I bought mine new and the line size dial is a hassle to move so I don’t even bother with it.  

[Eric 26]

Although my 2 aren’t technically Okuma I have the Dream Tackle version who created the spool in the Hakai and other than the spool it’s the same reel as far as I understand. I will also agree with @Columbia Craw in that when I tried it out with a med light crankin stick I couldn’t get over the ease of casting a KVD 1.0 square bill, I liked it so much I bought a second one to dedicate to the crankin stick. I’ll also add thanks to the gear review on this site along with @MiceNReets I have 3 Okuma rods with my TCS-A med plus being my favorite. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've been saying it for years, Okuma is such an underappreciated brand in the bass fishing world. I've owned, and still own, many of their rods and reels and they always rank among my favorites. I caught my 8.49lb fish last week using their ITX Carbon spinning reels. I've got an RTX that is over a decade old on my dropshot rod that has been one of the most dependable spinning reels I've ever owned. I have another old white spinning reel I bought on clearance in a blister pack that I use for brush busting and creek fishing, that thing just refuses to die. My oldest son caught a tank wiper on it a couple years ago out of a creek small enough to jump across and it handled it no problem. The Helios and Helios TCS reels that I have are probably close to a decade old and I beat those things up every year and they just keep going. 

 

I could keep going but I don't want to completely derail the original topic of the post. The Hakai has been a great reel for me for a couple of seasons now. Before I went to Texas, my biggest fish of the year was caught using it to fish a suspending IMA lipless bait. 

 

Okuma definitely doesn't get the praise they deserve.  The Makaira is one of the best sealed HD reels out there, built like a panzer.  When they want to design a nice rod they usually hit it out of the park and market it at a great PP.  The Rockaways are one of the only budget surf rods that not only stack up to other rods twice the $, but actually holds up to years of abuse and are actually really fun to fish.  

Ima another sleeper company here in the US as well. I really like their squarebill for shallow water.  It comes stock with good hooks and hardware.  The lip stands up to abuse really well and the action is great.  I caught a nice SM right by Ikes house the other day on one.  

In terms of versatility, those suspending traps are about as good as it gets.  I have 1 tied on all winter.  I do really well on the ghost AYU, even in dirty water.  The one in the pic is in shimmer shad?

 

[little giant]

I have 7 speed Hakai, lefty. Use for 1/2 oz spinnerbaits. Great reel and great to use. Casts very well once dialed in, good mag brake.

On the inside, a heavy duty brass main gear and pinion and huge drag- 20 lbs! Frame is magnesium. Built like a tank! But still light, 6 ozs.

I have 3 Dream Tackle Design BFS reels, all 8 speeds. They're built on the Hakai. Love em!

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Okuma definitely doesn't get the praise they deserve.  The Makaira is one of the best sealed HD reels out there, built like a panzer.  When they want to design a nice rod they usually hit it out of the park and market it at a great PP.  The Rockaways are one of the only budget surf rods that not only stack up to other rods twice the $, but actually holds up to years of abuse and are actually really fun to fish.  

Ima another sleeper company here in the US as well. I really like their squarebill for shallow water.  It comes stock with good hooks and hardware.  The lip stands up to abuse really well and the action is great.  I caught a nice SM right by Ikes house the other day on one.  

In terms of versatility, those suspending traps are about as good as it gets.  I have 1 tied on all winter.  I do really well on the ghost AYU, even in dirty water.  The one in the pic is in shimmer shad?

 

I've got several Okuma reels I use for big catfish because of their durability. I love their big baitfeeders because they're well built and I don't have to spend a ton to get a reel that will surely end up in the sand or mud multiple times during it's lifetime. I also use one of the big Citrix 364's for catfish. It's a huge, low profile reel with a bait clicker, the thing is a beast on big blues and flatheads. 

 

That was the Shimmer Shad color, that fish absolutely hammered it on the pause. 

[Mike L]

The Hakai reel and Cerros rod I just got are the first Okuma anything I’ve owned. 
 

Really happy with the reel as I explained above 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike