Little unhappy with my Zillion Coastal

[DrawDown]

Ordered my zillion coastal last week. Got it in friday and got it spooled up with 15lb Berkey Big Game mono. Everything looked and felt nice. Reel was super smooth. Took the reel out yesterday for some jetty fishing. I usually hit several spots along the Galveston north and south jetties. Depths range from around 6ft all the way to 50ft. Ive caught just about everything out there from flounder, speckled trout, redfish (tons of bull reds) all the way up to a 50lb Ling (cobia). Anyways, got the reel set up and started chunking little live bait to find some fish. Started hooking redfish after redfish, mostly slot reds to 27" and about 5-10lb. Of course as most know, they are fighters and give the drag a workout. Thats where I was a little unsatisfied. I didnt think the low drag weight would bother me, but it is kind of an inconvenience having to button the drag down tighter to slow a fish down a little. It seemed to even slip a little reeling up my bait/weight which is only a 3/8 oz weight and a large live shrimp. That really is my only gripe, but makes me wonder if I shouldve just gone with another Revo inshore as I already have 2 (one for me and one for the wife) and they both work flawless or maybe a calcutta 200. Would adding carbontex drag washers help at all, or am I "sol". Other than that, the reel is great and casts great. Thanks for the help if you have any.

[Gulfcoastwader]

Carbontex would definitely help. I swap the stock drags in my Zillions with Carbontex (dry) and have zero problems.

I have some spare ones for a Zillion - PM me and I will send you a set.

[SankTheBoat]

Definitely try the Carbontex washers first. They're an inexpensive and generally positive addition to almost any reel.....

If that doesn't work, you could consider the Quantum Energy PTs. I have a Revo Inshore, Zillion Coastal, and Energy PTs. For me, the Quantum casts better than the Revo and has a significantly stronger drag than the Zillion.... so it's basically a compromise between the two others. Not sure if you're a Quantum-phobe or not, but the Energy PTs is pretty much a slightly heavier, sturdier, more corrosion resistant Smoke 100.

The model I have is "E100HPTs."

[Reeltor]

The Zillion Coastal comes with carbontex drags. I don't own one but I do have a Zillion 50th anniversary which has the same gears and same drag and I have never experienced that. I also own a Revo Inshore and it has about the same amount of drag as my Zillion 50th. You might have gotten a defective one.

[DrawDown]

Sent you a pm Gulfcoast. I really appreciate the offer. I'm thinking those will probably help. Ill let y'all know.

[Speckled]

Maybe the drag washers have too much drag grease on them from the factory?

That said, I think that most of the Zillion's models are rated at 8.8 lbs of drag. Which should be adequate for most FW fishing. Should work for most SW inshore fishing, but reds put up a great fight compaired to most FW fish and most SW inshore fish. I don't own a Zillion Coastal, so I'm not sure what type of material the drag washers are made out of, or whether they are carbon-tex or not.

You can contact Daiwa USA and let them know your issue with the Zillion Coastal reel and the lack of drag and see if they offer up the option to buy the drag system for the Zillion Type R as a replacement. The Zillion Type R's drag is rated at 15lbs and should fit the other Zillion models . At least, I think it would.

If you want to get rid of it, let me know. I will buy it off your hands for the "labor day sale" price, minus the "used" mark-down .

Try the carbon-tex washers at the minimum. I think they will fix your drag issue.

[facelessnewsouth]

Bull reds can definitely peel some line off...I hooked one the other day on a spinning reel with a carbon drag rated to 14 lbs buttoned down all the way, and he just took off through the grass like it was nothing...i did manage to get him back to the boat though!

But yea, get some new drag washers and give it a try. Definitely couldn't hurt. Like Speck said, I'm sure someone here will take it off your hands if you still don't like it...

[SankTheBoat]

And don't forget to check ALL of the drag washers for water and/or grease while you have the reel apart. I somehow managed to get water AND grease in the drag washers of my Alphas Ito a couple of months back, and it "couldn't stop a hog in a ditch" (as my dad would say) until I replaced the stock washers with Carbontex and wiped off the metal washers thoroughly.

[Nitroman77]

Are you sure the washers under the drag star are correct?
() or )( and not ((??
Just a thought

[muskyhunter]

exchange it for a type-r, it has double the drag power.

[Nytron]

Low profile reels are like fishing with a fisher price toy when fishing saltwater, I'd go with a round baitcaster. If you want a reel that is built like a snap-on tool, Calcutta TE is your reel.

[bigreddog]

It seemed to even slip a little reeling up my bait/weight which is only a 3/8 oz weight and a large live shrimp.

If this is happening, then I have to believe there's something wrong with the drag or your line isn't properly secured to the spool.

Unless by "large live shrimp" you really mean "8 pound lobster."

[DrawDown]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm positive there's nothing wrong with it and I'm probably just being a little picky due to being use to the drag on the revo inshores, and upgraded ambassaduers and curados i have. Im not one to button down a drag most or all the way to get good pressure. Honestly its probably just me not happy with my purchase lol. Thinking bout swapping for a Calcutta 200 TE. We will see.

[MondayMonkey]

That is why I switched to a Revo Toro and sold off my Zillion coastal. The toro has been great for me even pulled up a 50lb halibut on that beast. It does wonderful on the rockfish and lings I hunt down on my kayak.

[Finnz922]

Ordered my zillion coastal last week. Got it in friday and got it spooled up with 15lb Berkey Big Game mono. Everything looked and felt nice. Reel was super smooth. Took the reel out yesterday for some jetty fishing. I usually hit several spots along the Galveston north and south jetties. Depths range from around 6ft all the way to 50ft. Ive caught just about everything out there from flounder, speckled trout, redfish (tons of bull reds) all the way up to a 50lb Ling (cobia). Anyways, got the reel set up and started chunking little live bait to find some fish. Started hooking redfish after redfish, mostly slot reds to 27" and about 5-10lb. Of course as most know, they are fighters and give the drag a workout. Thats where I was a little unsatisfied. I didnt think the low drag weight would bother me, but it is kind of an inconvenience having to button the drag down tighter to slow a fish down a little. It seemed to even slip a little reeling up my bait/weight which is only a 3/8 oz weight and a large live shrimp. That really is my only gripe, but makes me wonder if I shouldve just gone with another Revo inshore as I already have 2 (one for me and one for the wife) and they both work flawless or maybe a calcutta 200. Would adding carbontex drag washers help at all, or am I "sol". Other than that, the reel is great and casts great. Thanks for the help if you have any.

Berkley Big Game! That is your first problem! Just kidding. I think the other guys are right check the washers () - )(, and maybe carbontex. Good luck.