Daiwa Dogfight - what is it good for?

[Brandon Khoo]

when you lose a fish to a terminal failure, you usually have noone but yourself to blame. On the other hand, gear failure is really bloody annoying and really leaves you feeling very angry especially when it is happens to something of this price. Your bearings in the handle collapsing is a new one to me. I really like the Saltiga but there are a small number of really annoying weaknesses. They are easily addressed so I don't know why Daiwa simply don't bite the bullet and deal with them.

One other fault you need to watch out for is on the bail arm. If you look at the bail roller, you'll see it is connected to the bail arm by a hexagonal screw (you need a hexagonal headed screwdriver). This has an unfortunate tendency to work itself loose after some time. i have't had this problem myself but I do know someone who lost a good fish when this worked itself loose. You should check this on a regular basis.

All my spare spools are standard Dogfight spools. All I have done on them is upgraded the drag. I have found it very convenient carrying the spare spools because you're back fishing so quickly. I actually have the bimimi tied and the twisted leader attached on each spool already so all I do is change the spool, pull the leader through and attach a lure and I'm back fishing.

[Che Carson]

No worries Josh..

Some more info for you re saltiga range

6000 is medium capacity, lower gear ratio
6000GT is smaller capacity casting spool, high gear ratio
6500 Expedition is large spool, lower gear ratio, golf ball handle
6500 Dogfight is Expedition with high gear ratio

Just got wind of this as I am new to this site. To put the record straight:

Saltiga Z6000 is 4.3:1 ratio and holds 300m of PE6, exactly the same capacity as a Saltiga Z6000GT. Ratio on the GT is 6.2:1.

The Expedition and the Dogfight are upgraded models of the above two reels. They both come with larger spool capacity holding 300m of PE8. The other upgrades are the handle knobs (golf ball style) and bearings both these two reels run Daiwas CRB bearings in the line roller and handles where as the standard models do not run CRBB in those areas.

I know alot of this is personal opinion but having worked in the trade for several years now and worked on more than my fair share of reels both servicing and repairing Saltigas are my choice hands down.

I know the drags are in no way comparable to Stellas out of the box,  but that is the only thing Stellas have on Saltigas. IMHO Saltigas are the shizz-nitz.

Cheers,
Che'

[Brandon Khoo]

Che - do you know if they have strengthened the handle shaft in the 6500 series? I know a number of people this has happened to including just recently on my trip to Shoalwater. I'd feel much better knowing I don't need to carry a spare handle on a long trip

[Hal Harvey]

I've been checking to see if I can find a full aftermarket handle for the reel

We're going to have to send you back to website school!

http://www.bluewater.net.au/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_209_395&products_id=736

one of  the guys managed to snap off the t-bar handle on his 6000GT

T-Bars and spin reels don't mix. They suck for popperchucking anyway, flapping around when casting. Daiwa have stopped making the aftermarket T-Bar anyway, which may well be because they resulted in too many handle breakages. Round knobs are best for popperchucking.

I put an aftermarket handle on one of my Saltigas, and now carry a spare on every trip; tho' I've never broken one. When Saltiga 6000s first came out, we saw a few broken, but haven't seen one broken for a while now, so they may have fixed it within the metallurgy sometime.

Peter's is the first time I've heard of 'bearing failure' - doesn't sound quite right, as I would have thought (without experimenting) that it would have taken the screw coming out to allow the knob to come off. We've seen plenty of these things punished extensively on samsons, with no handle failures except for those involving T-Bar knobs.

[Brandon Khoo]

Hal - How do you find the Studio Ocean handle compared to the original? I'll take some comfort that you've never seen a handle breakage with a Dogfight or Explorer.

website school. Mmm, well, I suppose I was the guy who took a month to figure out how to attach a photo!

The bearing failure is the first one I've heard off too. i can't really understand how it happened or even what happened.

[Che Carson]

Brandon, like Hal the only times I have ever seen handles broken is when the reel has effectively been misused (if there is such a term).

Every time, and there has only been two, has been when the angler has been lifting with the handle this becomes exaggerated with a t-bar handle and a rod with a gimbal fitted. If the angler is wearing a gimbal belt the rod cannot twist and all the force is centred on the join between the handle stem and the arm.

To their credit Daiwa Australia have never knocked back a warranty claim relating to this problem.

Just for the record we also stock and sell Stella and Accurate. No vested interests just a firm belief. But as they say each to their own.

Che

[Hal Harvey]

How do you find the Studio Ocean handle compared to the original?

No different, but it does help identify which reel is yours amongst a boatload! Wearing a pair of gloves vs not wearing a pair of gloves makes more difference than any handle.



I put a Mooncraft knob on the original handle too. Nice.

[Brandon Khoo]

The one at Shoalwater was the fifth time I've seen a handle on a 6000 go and that is why I started to get the creeps and whether I needed to carry a spare handle for my Dogfight. I think he more extreme forms of fishing like really heavy popping and jigging are where the angler is really struggling and finds themsleves in a bad position and then - bang!

I always take two reels for a trip with both the Dogfight and 10000 but I'd feel really depressed to have my Dogfight out of action.

i don't think the way i fight a fish puts a lot of stress onto the reel handle but on reflection, I think I might be putting a fair bit of stress onto the handle when jigging. My jigging reel is a 20000 but I've never seen a handle go on one of those.

It really is a case of each to their own. I probably have a slight preference for the Dogfight over my 10000 but I also know a few of our members here swear by the Stellas as they have served them faultlessly over time.

Hal - what is it about the gloves that makes more difference? Are you saying that you get a better grip with a glove on a ball handle than you would without a glove on a T-handle?

Brandon, like Hal the only times I have ever seen handles broken is when the reel has effectively been misused (if there is such a term).

Every time, and there has only been two, has been when the angler has been lifting with the handle this becomes exaggerated with a t-bar handle and a rod with a gimbal fitted. If the angler is wearing a gimbal belt the rod cannot twist and all the force is centred on the join between the handle stem and the arm.

To their credit Daiwa Australia have never knocked back a warranty claim relating to this problem.

Just for the record we also stock and sell Stella and Accurate. No vested interests just a firm belief. But as they say each to their own.

Che

[Hal Harvey]

what is it about the gloves that makes more difference?

Not dwelling on the size or shape of the handle knob, just saying that even the worst handle knob works if you're wearing gloves. There's less effort required to grip the knob, and it's more comfortable, especially for long sessions.

The best handle made, whatever that is, is improved by wearing gloves too.

[Peter Lowe]

Quote:Brandon, like Hal the only times I have ever seen handles broken is when the reel has effectively been misused (if there is such a term).

Promise I didn't abuse/misuse it  , I really do love and take great care/mainteneance with all my gear - The "screw" that holds the ball handle on was still connected and in place as I am looking at the ball in one hand and the rod/reel in the other and my lovley big GT taking advantage of my circumstance, unfortunatley destroying me.

I have no schematic of the handle, so look forward to it's return and info on what is expertley believed to have happened but to my understanding it was the outside support bearings case that failed, I base this on the bearing balls that were inside the handle and the fact that it did come completely off ? Not that I am claiming to have any higher level of knowledge on this, just my educated guess...  I will let you know if you are interested?

ps... I don't use gimbles......



 

[Brandon Khoo]

Pete - I am having trouble trying to picture what happened to your saltiga. If the screw and ball came off, the only way I can picture that is that something has snapped. Normally, what has happend wtih these is that the shaft which the t-bar handle sits on snaps off. In your case, this sounds like it is still in one piece. I'm having trouble picturing it

I have a schematic of a Dogfight in front of me and it shows everything at the component level except the handle!! Great lot of good that is!!

[Greg Burt]

Bernie, Stella schematics show every thing!  snigger! snigger!

Sharks have just beaten the Warriors.

[Brandon Khoo]

tell you what, that bloody Daiwa ball handle......... I've spent the past half hour trying to bloody remove it and I don't have a screwdriver that actually fits it. I thought I had just about every imginable shape but obviously, i dont.

YESSS!!!! Go the sharkies  I reckon the Warriors are the most inconsistent team in the competiiton. They can beat anyone but they can also lose to anyone. The fact that they lost to the sharkies pretty much sums it up

of course, the sharkies winning is an accident     I've given up on them after 30 years. The only thing worth following about the sharks these days is their cheer squad   

[Hon-Su Chin]

Why does it have to be BLACK and GOLD?? Thats SOoooo.... PENN !!

Why not red and black?? ie Certate Custom R, Fuego......or even Orange!!....TD-Sol

Glad they called it Dogfight, not Catfight....

[Brandon Khoo]

I'm not sure that their marketing department would have gone for that!   

Do any of you remember the Toyota Camry ad in years past with that poor chicken? Apparently, when Toyota Australia first showed it to head office, they had a great laugh because they thought it was a joke. When they were advised it was serious, there was stunned silence. They got approval on a "be it on your head" basis.