daiwa capricorn

[pete s]

im in the market for a 2nd reel and seriously thinking about a capricorn. anyone used one and what are your thoughts if you have??

im still waiting to win lotto to afford an airity :( :(

[Duncan M]

G'day,
I have a capricorn (2000) and so far have no complaints, I've only had it 2 months or so but it has had plenty of work and so far has performed very well. I definitley rate it above my old stradic.
It also has a very nice sounding drag hehe :D
Seriously though, I know one tackle store owner who rates them up there with stellas, big call but they are very nice reels. Sorry if this is hardly insightful, but mine has done the job so far.

Cheers
Duncan

[Geoff R]

I reckon Diawa are a very good manufacturer of quality fishing gear, I have both Shimano and Diawa reels and like them both equally. The thing I don't like about Shimano is the price, but I can see in some reels why they have such a high price.
I reckon the Diawa's need a little bit more care in regards to putting them to bed after a session, but it has never let me down at all.
Go for it man the capricorn is a fine reel
Geoff

[pw-bream]

Pete,

Kris has a Capricorn, he reckons it's very good.
It sits in the range where your Emblem did in the old range, right under the Team Daiwa. I've got a Laguna and it seems fine, excellent drag.

[pw-bream]

Pete,

here is an article from "japan Tackle" endorsing the Capricorn and a couple of other non-Aus market cousins. Look at the second half for spinning reels.

http://www.japantackle.com./juns_recommendation.htm

[Kris]

Pete,
Think I saw you the other day spinning down at the yarra,would have loved to have joined you ,but i was working:(

I have had the 1500 Capricorn for about a year now and am blown away by how good these reels are!!!!

Super smooth drag,ABS spool plus spare,smooth winding,GREAT sounding drag ...................very happy with mine,
the only prob i have found is they will chip easily if you drop them on the ground,
but i can live with that.

[pete s]

thanks for the advice guys.

my emblem s is rather battle weary ....a chip oer 2 here and there doesnt bother me....makes it look like its well used.

im waiting for the new innovator nitro 7ft 6in rod.....mmmmmm...its christmas all over again :) :)

I just got a Kastor - and I am not impressed.

I have a spare spool on ist way to me - and will let you have it if you are still looking for one.

Gary

[FisherMatt]

G'day fellas,

I just bought a Kastor a fortnight ago and i reckon its a great little reel for its price.

Gary, what are the problems you have been having with your kastor??
Any information that could lead to my preventing these problems would be great.

Hi

The Kastor keeps getting odd tangles - around the bail - and around the body of the spool. Despite what the local Rep told me (that the Kastor will suit Fireline and BREAM) it is only the Capricorn that is Braid friendly - according to the advertising.

Buying a spare (metal) spool puts the total cost of a Kastor and two metal reels at so close to the next model up (Laguna) that you had best buy a Laguna anyway. Though the Laguna comes with one Lagune reel and one cheaper metal reel. (Kastor Level)


Why would they sell you a good reel and give you a spare spool - only to find that the spare is a lessor quality or even plastic - not even my cheap K mart reels have plastic spools! My little guys $15 rod and reel set has a plastic Spool. It seems upon investigation that with all Diawas with spare reels - the spare is always a lower standard than the origional. That's just deceptive and dishonest marketing. ( I lecture in Marketing) . If I want spare I want the same standard!

So even after being assured by Daiwa management (twice) that they had spare spools - at great expense - it seems there are none in the Country and no expected delivery date!

Would you be happy if you bought a Porsche with Pirelli tyres to find that the spare tyre is a Kmart special? ( space saver tyres are a different issue and actually cost the manufacturer more.)


But the worst problem is harder to explain. On most reels there is a bail "dead spot" - an area of the rotation where if you open the bail it will not stay back and lock open. Something to do with the bail return mechanism.

I would usually just open the bail without looking and mostly get the large "sweet spot" the sweet spot is usually 350 degrees of the rotation. Or more.

But on the Kastor this sweet spot seems to be just 160 degrees to 220 degrees of the rotation. So I hit a dead spot most of the time.

( ACTUALLY I just measured it - on my cheaper Shimanos the dead spot is 5 degrees - on the Kastor a full third of the circle - around 140 degrees!)

Combine this with the tangles and my first test - from a jetty for 1 hour left me so frustrated I wish I had not wasted my money.


I hope this is clear.

If you have not used your Kastor try to get a refund!

Gary

[FisherMatt]

Hmmm, very interesting stuff Gary.

I must admit that mine has had a few tangles similar to the ones you describe, but i always just thought it was me being slack and not winding the line on under tension!!!!
Ill have to further investigate that one I think.

As for the 'dead spot' in the bail, i havent encountered that in my reel. Ill definitly have a closer look, but at the point at which i pick the line up with my finger when casting, the bail roller is always at the "top" (ie closest to the rod) and ive havent yet found the dead spot to be a problem.

I cand feel a few tests coming on.

Thanks for the info mate, greatly appreciated.

[pw-bream]

Originally posted by Gary Fooks

The Kastor keeps getting odd tangles - around the bail - and around the body of the spool. Despite what the local Rep told me (that the Kastor will suit Fireline and BREAM) it is only the Capricorn that is Braid friendly - according to the advertising.


Gary/Matt,

I have experienced those same tangles around the bail roller support arm (grey plastic part) with my Laguna. Daiwa blamed line twist for the problem. Personally I think it is a design fault.
The Capricorn (with the "Air bail"), has a completely diferent design at the end of the bail arm with a smooth metal tapered part to lead the line onto the roller and without shapes to catch the line. I asked Kris (a member here who has a Capricorn) if he'd had that trouble and he said that he never has. I saw a message somewhere (japantackle.com?) about retrofitting the air bail from the Capricorn to the other lower model Hardbodyz reels somewhere, maybe that is the answer to these annoying niggles with an otherwise decent reel?