Daiwa Laguna/Kastor/Caprice and Fireline

I have recently come across two other Breamers with the identical problem with their new Model Daiwa Reels.


Is anyone else experiencing the same issues?

It seems that the Daiwa Laguna/Kastor/Caprice models and Fireline do not mix.

The issue is the plastic parts of the bail, surrounding the line roller are particularly large, lumpy and not smooth enough. This catches the Fireline and so the first you notice is the reel is jammed - and looking down you find line wrapped around the outside of the bail and reel body.

This happened to me ten times in an hour - straight out of the box - new line, no wind, perfect conditions.

The tangle is usually easy to retrieve but a regular nuisance.

Daiwa claims that these reels are designed for braid. Yet the next model up in the same series (Capricorn) has a " Braid Friendly Air Bail" - where the plastic parts that seem to cause the problem are replaced with smaller and smoother metal guides.

It makes no sense to me. If the base models are supposed to work with braid then why pay $100 more for a " Braid Friendly Air Bail"? Either the base models are NOT braid friendly or someone is being ripped off by paying $100 for an Air Bail. Daiwa can't have it both ways and live with two opposite claims.


Please let me know of your experiences - so maybe I can get a joint solution out of Daiwa Aust or Japan for us. Perhaps some retrofit parts.

Has anyone found a solution?


Help!

Gary

[yaker]

I've been using a Diawa Kastor 1500 with 4lb Fireline since the start of the year and apart from the occasional loop haven't had any problems. I love the reel!

Tony

not only the three new hardbody models have these problems, my regal Z-C has the same problem too (with Super 100 mono).
The plastic bail arm design is carried over from the outgoing regal ZC onto the new hardbody range. Now I got little groves on the bail arm where the line has wrapped itself.
Is it possible to get the Capricorn's bail arm assembly and retro fit it? If so how much would it cost?


_________
Hon-Su

[Strewth]

I have two Regal Z's and find them a dream to use with 4lb and 6lb fireline. Never heard of this problem before.

You can easily fit an airbail from the Capricorn to the Laguna - I used such a reel on the weekend. From memory, the cost is about $30. Not sure about the Kastor and the Caprice. The performance of the reel with 4lb fireline was great - better than a Regal Z.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Strewth

[richard2]

Ar-hon,

the capricorn bail will fit the laguna,but i was quoted a price of $90 for the bail assembly, so adding all costs up you are better of buying the capricorn in the first place,also anyone considering purchasing a capricorn you will notice that the prices have dropped considerably, the reason behind this is that the new model is just about to be released and it has its bearings fully sealed, so be careful when you purchase making sure you are getting what you paid for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

richard

[dantheman]

i'm getting a saltiga. and a capricorn.
both seam to be fine with braid.
cheers dan

[Angry]

Had the exact same problem on tues with my Shimano. ended up going home in disgust , not to mention down about 30 metres of spiderwire (braid). I've already junked the line (money down the toilet) and will be rplacing the real ASAP. The Capricorn is on the short list (amongst others) because of the bail arm assembly.

[Bream Master]

I use a laguna and two Regal Z 1500c's and haven't had a drama with them on a regular basis. You will get the odd flip over the top of the spool, the trick is to find it before you recast. I always make a habit of winding in through my fingers every 100 casts or so to reapply tension to the line on the spool.

A lot has to do with putting the fireline on the spool originally. You must take the line off the fireline spool with it lying on the floor, not straight from a spinning spool. This puts the line on your reel the same way it is on the original spool. Also, if you get the spool the wrong way up on the floor you end up with an opposite twist that will give you an ongoing problem. It takes a couple of goes to master the twist but once you have all future spooling should be correct.

Warren.

[Angry]

I always use that method of applying line Warren, unless its put on at a tackle shop (reel to reel). Do agree that tension of line on the spool has a lot to do with it.

[Shauno]

I had the same thing happen with an earlier model shimano stradic. The line was creating a groove because the guide wasn't doing it's kob and sending the line to see the line roller!
I'd just like to add apart from the Top shelf shimano, Diawa kick ass over anything shimano could produce from the same price point, Don't get me wrong the shimano stuff is good but I've had both and I prefer my team diawa over anything else.

[pw-bream]

Originally posted by Bream Master
You must take the line off the fireline spool with it lying on the floor, not straight from a spinning spool. This puts the line on your reel the same way it is on the original spool.

Didn't Steve Starling debunk that one in his spinning reel part 2 article in the August edition of Modern Fishing?

[Aquaholic]

Gary,
I've got the 1500 Kastor and the only problem I have with this reel is that the bail arm sometimes doesn't click all the way back after a cast, resulting in line peeling off the spool when I strike. A week after buying this reel coincided with my holiday to Broome so I got to break the reel in on some queenies and trevally, and since then, the only problem I have had with it is the one mentioned above.
As for spooling - I prefer the method Warren has mentioned with the spool lying on the floor. Never had any problems with this method yet - so long as you have the line coiling off the spool the same direction as it is coiling onto the reel. Having said all this, I do remember a Rex Hunt episode that showed Bushy getting his mate to stick a pen through a line spool whilst adding pressure to it while he reeled it on. Which ever way you do it, you can always rectify it if you have realised you have done it wrong by running it out the back of your boat while motoring and then reeling it all back on again,

Cheers,
Aqua H.

[Hammerhead]

I had a problem with a small Shimano Sahara and 2kg Spiderwire.
Hooked a mahi mahi and when it ran the line cut into the plastic surrounding the bail roller.
Took the whole thing to Shimano who happily replaced the plastic part with a more recent metal item, however I now have issues with the line getting in behind the bail roller even on a slow retrieve. Have had it back to them again but no joy.
Been happy with other reels from Shimano though, so have assumed this was a one off.
Will just have to load a short length of a heavier class onto that reel I guess.
Hammerhead.

[Angry]

Just to drag this back up.

I Reloaded the Shimano with 4lb fireline (good price at breammaster by the way), layed it on nice and tight. Took it out casting today for a couple of hours and not a problem. No loops, no tangles, no laying line down on the spool body. All I did was retension the line every now and then.
I'm still buying a new reel though, just cos I wanna.
Didn't get no fish either, But who cares, It was a nice way to spend a few hours