Please help problem casting Daiwa Zillion! 2025

Bass newb reply :

Hello. I am in love with my new Daiwa Tatula and three Zillions. The last Zillion that I bought seems to have a problem...or I am just expecting too much.

It is a 7.3:1 ratio and when I try to set the brakes for a particular bait I am unable to get satisfactory results. The crawdad in the picture below weighs 11 grams. No matter how high I set the cetrifugal brake (magnetic ) it will birdnest in mid cast. Even at the highest setting. The only remedy is to set the spool tension so high that the bait won't move at all when the spool is released. That impedes my casting significantly. When I set it to cast the lead weight in the picture below, it weighs 14 grams, I have no problem whatsoever.

Is this a limitation of my reel? My bass pro qualifiers can be adjusted to throw this craw.

It's not that I don't know how to set up a reel, I do. Is there a defect with this particular reel or is this a limitation?

new2BC4bass reply :

Got to be something wrong with the internals. I believe 25 grams is just over 7/8 oz. That sucker should fly a mile. I don't see how it could be you since you are using 3 other Diawas without a problem. Time to get it looked at. If new, exchange it.

EDIT I see the lure itself weighs about 3/8 oz. Are you casting both the lure and lead or only the lure? Still in all a Zillion should have no problem casting 3/8 oz. a decent fishing distance....provided that the rod is loading sufficiently.

Bass newb reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 7:28 AM, new2BC4bass said:

Got to be something wrong with the internals. I believe 25 grams is just over 7/8 oz. That sucker should fly a mile. I don't see how it could be you since you are using 3 other Diawas without a problem. Time to get it looked at. If new, exchange it.

EDIT I see the lure itself weighs about 3/8 oz. Are you casting both the lure and lead or only the lure? Still in all a Zillion should have no problem casting 3/8 oz. a decent fishing distance....provided that the rod is loading sufficiently.

It's the lead weight that casts great at 14 grams, 11 gram craw doesn't cast. I just have the 25 grams reading with them both on the scale.

Jrob78 reply :

That lead weight is infinitely more aerodynamic than that crankbait so it will cast much more easily. Try the crankbait on your other reels with the same rod, in the same wind conditions. That should tell you if it is the reel or something else.

new2BC4bass reply :

Is it the new model Zillion or the older model? What rod are you using it on? My research before ever buying a Zillion (older models) suggested that 3/8 oz. was the minimum this reel would comfortably cast. (No idea about the new model.) Therefore mine are on MH rods and normally get used with 1/2 oz. or larger. It is suppose to be warmer later this week. Hopefully it will still be warmer this weekend as I already had plans to work with a couple of my reels. I will try to use a Zillion with a 3/8 oz. lure, and see how well it will cast for me. If I know the power and action of the rod you are using, I will mount it on a similarly spec'd rod.

Bass newb reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 7:51 AM, new2BC4bass said:

Is it the new model Zillion or the older model? What rod are you using it on? My research before ever buying a Zillion (older models) suggested that 3/8 oz. was the minimum this reel would comfortably cast. (No idea about the new model.) Therefore mine are on MH rods and normally get used with 1/2 oz. or larger. It is suppose to be warmer later this week. Hopefully it will still be warmer this weekend as I already had plans to work with a couple of my reels. I will try to use a Zillion with a 3/8 oz. lure, and see how well it will cast for me. If I know the power and action of the rod you are using, I will mount it on a similarly spec'd rod.

Thanks. I had it on a tec spec arsenal mh fast action rod. I swapped spools with my 6.4 zillion and put it on my ethos h20 medium medium rod.

I suspect your 3/8ths oz minimum is the limit for this reel.

I believe all 3 of mine are the latest and greatest.

tater555 reply :

I had the same problem with a tdx 105 air metal, the higher I cranked the dial the easier it was to backlash. It turns out the mag mechanism was backwards. The breaks were their strongest when set to 0, and their weakest when set to 10.

Raul reply :

It's not a problem of your reel, it's a limitation of your thumb.

iabass8 reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 8:20 AM, Bass newb said:

Thanks. I had it on a tec spec arsenal mh fast action rod. I swapped spools with my 6.4 zillion and put it on my ethos h20 medium medium rod.

I suspect your 3/8ths oz minimum is the limit for this reel.

I believe all 3 of mine are the latest and greatest.

eh, 1/4oz is more of the bottom range of these reels. A MH/F rod and Medium/Medium rod will throw your crank bait much differently /w the Medium/Medium being the most efficient in casting it. Sounds like a rod issue more so than a reel issue if you're trying to throw it on the MH/F expecting the same results as the M/M rod.

k3bass reply :

Those rebel craws have the wind resistance of a potato chip.

Bass newb reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 8:50 AM, iabass8 said:

eh, 1/4oz is more of the bottom range of these reels. A MH/F rod and Medium/Medium rod will throw your crank bait much differently /w the Medium/Medium being the most efficient in casting it. Sounds like a rod issue more so than a reel issue if you're trying to throw it on the MH/F expecting the same results as the M/M rod.

Thanks. I'm too new to all this to know everything. ..I'll try out a new rod and report back.

gulfcaptain reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 8:47 AM, Raul said:

It's not a problem of your reel, it's a limitation of your thumb.

I agree with Raul. Other then my swimbait set ups, there isn't a reel in my arsenal that has a limit of 3/8oz on a bait. I throw 1/4 and lighter baits just fine. It's just all in the thumb with zero brakes and a slight tension knob adjustment.....no backlash. Now hand this to my buddy, I'm gonna need some new braid or line after he backlashes.

new2BC4bass reply :

You guys that can cast with zero brakes and very little spool tension have to realize that not everyone else can. From what I've seen, every one of you that can cast this way look down your noses at the rest of us. I grew up when baitcast reels had no brakes. Unfortunately I never used a b/c reel until 2009. Maybe I could learn to if I fished 3-4 days a week....and that is a very small "maybe". I'd stand a much better chance learning if I were a teenager, but I am fast approaching 70. I've already proved with my guitar lessons that I can't learn like I did at 16. You are asking me and others to ignore the braking features on our reels. I don't see that happening for the Average Joe.

Learning to cast without brakes and very little spool tension is going to take a lot of time for most of us, and we will probably go through a few 3000 yd. spools of mono. I don't mind my occasional overruns, but I don't want the frustration and loss of time that occurs from removing professional backlashes. Or retiring that reel until I can re-spool it. Instead I invested in reels that will cast lighter weights while still allowing the use of brakes.

A person only needs so many reels that will cast below 1/4 oz. I can guarantee that at least 7 of my reels will do an honest 3/16 oz. and the PXL Type R will do less...........and I use brakes on every one of them. No doubt many of you could cast 1/64 oz. with them. I'll just have to break down and use a spinning outfit for weights that low.

Jrob78 reply :

The next time I see someone cast a baitcaster with no brakes and light spool tension will be the first time.

gulfcaptain reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 10:29 AM, new2BC4bass said:

You guys that can cast with zero brakes and very little spool tension have to realize that not everyone else can. From what I've seen, every one of you that can cast this way look down your noses at the rest of us. I grew up when baitcast reels had no brakes. Unfortunately I never used a b/c reel until 2009. Maybe I could learn to if I fished 3-4 days a week....and that is a very small "maybe". I'd stand a much better chance learning if I were a teenager, but I am fast approaching 70. I've already proved with my guitar lessons that I can't learn like I did at 16. You are asking me and others to ignore the braking features on our reels. I don't see that happening for the Average Joe.

I do not look down on anyone. Please don't think that is the point of that statement. If you feel that way, you're way off. I am more apt to teach someone. And yes it is something that is developed over time. I simply trust myself more then the brakes on my reel. My conventional saltwater reels have no brakes, so it was an easy transition to turn them off. It's a great feature to have on a reel, but when commenting on the limits of what a reel will do, the limits are within the person holding the reel. Not the reel itself. That was the point being made. There wasn't any "looking down my nose" at anyone on here. But if you're complaining because the reels brakng fuctions are hendering the distance one would like to get out of their reel, then to get more distance learn to cast with less braking or no brakes and the tenson knob adjusted. And I don't look down at my buddy either, I only made that comment because he's asked to try one of my rods and he asked me to set up one of his reels to get the distance out of it. Unfortuately the distance he wanted was not going to happen with the brakes set the way he fishes. So he just accepted it as it was too free for him to contol and the distance he wanted he wasn't going to achieve until he got better at fishing less brakes. But again there wasn't any looking down on anyone nor do I think Raul was either. Just a statement.

papajoe222 reply :

One question I didn't see asked was; Are you having the same difficulty using the other reels that you have when casting that bait?

My first suspicion was the rod and not the reel. Check the specs on the rod you're using. If it isn't loading up when casting, any attempt at getting distance on the cast is going to produce backlashes.

TorqueConverter reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 7:14 AM, Bass newb said:

Hello. I am in love with my new Daiwa Tatula and three Zillions. The last Zillion that I bought seems to have a problem..

Sounds like this isn't your 1st rodeo so it's fair to assume you know how to cast a baitcasting reel. Based on the description of the problem you having, I'd hazard a guess that you may be missing some shims from underneath your spool tension knob AKA mechanical brake. I'd locate a manual, disassemble your shim stack in you knob and compare. I had baitcaster that behaved exactly as you described and it trued out that a shim or two were missing.

Tim Kelly reply :

If you can cast that bait on your other reels it's likely to be the reel that's the problem. Daiwa spools have springs that move the inductor in and out, if the inductor is stuck it might explain your difficulty.

Bass newb reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 12:05 PM, papajoe222 said:

One question I didn't see asked was; Are you having the same difficulty using the other reels that you have when casting that bait?

My first suspicion was the rod and not the reel. Check the specs on the rod you're using. If it isn't loading up when casting, any attempt at getting distance on the cast is going to produce backlashes.

I haven't kept track of how many different setups that I have used with this bait but it's certainly 2 or 3 others, and have never had this problem. There have been some good suggestions for me to try before I send this reel in for tech work.

Alonerankin2 reply :

I can tell you first hand that Daiwa kicks out a bad reel or two. If your using other zillions, that should help you further define if it is a problem reel or not.

new2BC4bass reply :

I think it is a safe bet to say that everyone on basssresource not only loves fishing, but is very willing to help others when possible. In the OP's case he has 3 other Daiwas. He is new to using them, but also has BP Qualifiers he has been using. He is only complaining about one reel. I think it is another safe bet to say that he has no problem with this lure when using the other combos. Hence I felt there are 2 possible problems. Either 1) something is wrong with the reel, or 2) he is using the wrong rod. I don't think it is because he somehow forgets how to cast when using this particular reel.

I've often seen the comment, "It's not the reel, it's you." Now I have a lot of respect for Raul and would love to have him for a mentor, but he made the same comment in a post of mine about 1-1/2 years ago when I mentioned I couldn't get the side cover off my (used) Curado 51E and that the spool was sticking on a (used) Fuego that had seen very little use. Guess what. Sometimes it is the reel. I had no problem getting the side cover off my other (bought new) Curado 51E. I had no problem with a spool sticking on my other 2 (bought new) Fuegos...or 40 plus other b/c reels for that matter.

I sent both to DVT. Mike straightened a pin in the Curado as best he could. I can get the cover off now, but it does comes off hard. Mike didn't want to charge me $10 shipping on a .50 cent part which is why he didn't replace the pin. The Fuego spool no longer is sticky.

I am fully aware that no brakes and no spool tension is going to result is the longest casts. I also know that I am a long ways from being able to reach that point. Seriously doubt I ever will be. I also feel that not everyone has the ability to develop the "touch" required for running a reel set up that way. I might be one of them.

Bass newb reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 7:51 AM, new2BC4bass said:

Is it the new model Zillion or the older model? What rod are you using it on? My research before ever buying a Zillion (older models) suggested that 3/8 oz. was the minimum this reel would comfortably cast. (No idea about the new model.) Therefore mine are on MH rods and normally get used with 1/2 oz. or larger. It is suppose to be warmer later this week. Hopefully it will still be warmer this weekend as I already had plans to work with a couple of my reels. I will try to use a Zillion with a 3/8 oz. lure, and see how well it will cast for me. If I know the power and action of the rod you are using, I will mount it on a similarly spec'd rod.

So far it appears as though the answer was a poor choice of rod (m/h). I don't seem to have any issue with my medium rods.

greywalls reply :

Have you tried re-spooling with a different line on this particular reel?

Bass newb reply :

On 1/7/2016 at 9:12 AM, greywalls said:

Have you tried re-spooling with a different line on this particular reel?

Yeah. It does fine with power pro 65lb braid

QUAKEnSHAKE reply :

On 12/22/2015 at 10:29 AM, new2BC4bass said:

You guys that can cast with zero brakes and very little spool tension have to realize that not everyone else can. From what I've seen, every one of you that can cast this way look down your noses at the rest of us.

we sure do

Molay1292 reply :

On 1/7/2016 at 9:39 AM, Bass newb said:

Yeah. It does fine with power pro 65lb braid

I will admit I did not read the entirety of each post in this topic. If I understand correctly you stated you are casting the crawfish lure on 65lb braid. If this is the case, try it with around 12lb FC or CoPoly and report back.

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Please help problem casting Daiwa Zillion! 2025

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