What's Next???

[DirtyD64]

So given recent sales, is the SV105 at $165 a better deal than $250 for the SV103???

[Big-Bass]

Get the 103H at $195. Get the gear set from TTT if you wanted to switch but the 6.3 is a great reel. I have another one on order and two SV105 in 7.1 to try out.

[DirtyD64]

Get the 103H at $195. Get the gear set from TTT if you wanted to switch but the 6.3 is a great reel. I have another one on order and two SV105 in 7.1 to try out.

Thought about that, but I like to crank with a faster reel, because I don't really crank, all chatters and exposed hook swimbaits on my 7'6" MH mod.fast. Just didn't feel like doing the gear set, by the time I did all that work I would have wished I just bought the purple monster 7.9.

[DirtyD64]

Well I am a traitor. Benedict Arnold style bought a Shimano. It isn't that I didn't want the SV103, but the 7.9 was a little fast for what technique I had planned and it wasn't going to balance well with the 7' Medium rod it was going on. I love tacklewarehouse so I went with them, got the $5 discount and also used an old gift card to get a few extras. Total price was like $240 for line, reel, few lures, and some terminal tackle; the SV103 was going to be $250 for reel only. The reel was from a big retailer, but the hurricane could delay shipping and I was unsure to order from them. I also don't like sales tax so that didn't help.

I really hope to like the MGL, going to do a shootout between it and the Zillion SV TW coming up. They are both 7 speeds, around 30 ipt, 90mm handles, similar weights, similarly marketed, etc. so it should be a good comparison.

[Big-Bass]

Both reels will be really nice (MGL and Zillion) and hopefully they will have the durability and connected feel of the SV103. Good luck with your purchase and hopefully the MGL works well...I had one and returned it since it felt "flexy" if that makes sense (replaced it with a Scorpion 1000XT LNIB) (and also had an Zillion SV TW and it was returned). I hope you decided based on longevity and not about a few days where delayed shipments/sales tax would save a buck or two. In the long run, you have to decide that. Let us know how you like it and all the best with the new purchase! Best wishes on the water!

[freelancer27]

I have the SV103XS for about a month now and I am in love. Just ordered another one (6.3 speed retrieve). I will use the 7.9 for top water and the 6.3 as all around reel. I also have a Metanium MGL and after 3 months of use the gears feel like there is some sand in it and the reel itself is full of big scratches (I am a bank fisherman). For me the SV103 feels more solid than the MGL. Casting wise I do not see a big difference between the two either.

[DirtyD64]

I have the SV103XS for about a month now and I am in love. Just ordered another one (6.3 speed retrieve). I will use the 7.9 for top water and the 6.3 as all around reel. I also have a Metanium MGL and after 3 months of use the gears feel like there is some sand in it and the reel itself is full of big scratches (I am a bank fisherman). For me the SV103 feels more solid than the MGL. Casting wise I do not see a big difference between the two either.

This is what scared me for a while. It was a birthday gift card/present though, and I have wondered whats out there for a while. I am not scared to call a company though or make sure I get a good product. I really wanted the SV103 and had I needed a bigger stronger reel it would have been an obvious choice. Actually it was already an obvious choice, but I just had to know what else was out there. We fish lighter lures in open water though, so that brutal tank feeling isn't 100% necessary. If this turns into a dud though, I will forever regret not buying a legendary Daiwa. I have like 8 reels though so I mean it won't kill me, just had to know. If I get too mad could just sell it and work an extra shift, then I will get the Sv103 too... I'm not hard to please though, I LOVE my ss/sv and everyone knows how that one went over...

[freelancer27]

I have the SV103XS for about a month now and I am in love. Just ordered another one (6.3 speed retrieve). I will use the 7.9 for top water and the 6.3 as all around reel. I also have a Metanium MGL and after 3 months of use the gears feel like there is some sand in it and the reel itself is full of big scratches (I am a bank fisherman). For me the SV103 feels more solid than the MGL. Casting wise I do not see a big difference between the two either.

This is what scared me for a while. It was a birthday gift card/present though, and I have wondered whats out there for a while. I am not scared to call a company though or make sure I get a good product. I really wanted the SV103 and had I needed a bigger stronger reel it would have been an obvious choice. Actually it was already an obvious choice, but I just had to know what else was out there. We fish lighter lures in open water though, so that brutal tank feeling isn't 100% necessary. If this turns into a dud though, I will forever regret not buying a legendary Daiwa. I have like 8 reels though so I mean it won't kill me, just had to know. If I get too mad could just sell it and work an extra shift, then I will get the Sv103 too... I'm not hard to please though, I LOVE my ss/sv and everyone knows how that one went over...

I dont think that the SV103 is a tank. Ok, it is not as light as the MGL, but to be honest after some time of fishing you will hardly feel the difference. What convinced me though are three things:

1.Torque: even with the 7.9:1 I feel I have a lot of it to fight bigger fish
2. Sturdiness: Just feels very well made and not as fragile as the MGL (which you have to really pet to keep in a nice shape)
3. Refinement of the gears. Really feels like a swiss knife.

I really do not see a disadvantage of the SV103 vs the MGL, especially that it is half the price...

[DirtyD64]

I have the SV103XS for about a month now and I am in love. Just ordered another one (6.3 speed retrieve). I will use the 7.9 for top water and the 6.3 as all around reel. I also have a Metanium MGL and after 3 months of use the gears feel like there is some sand in it and the reel itself is full of big scratches (I am a bank fisherman). For me the SV103 feels more solid than the MGL. Casting wise I do not see a big difference between the two either.

This is what scared me for a while. It was a birthday gift card/present though, and I have wondered whats out there for a while. I am not scared to call a company though or make sure I get a good product. I really wanted the SV103 and had I needed a bigger stronger reel it would have been an obvious choice. Actually it was already an obvious choice, but I just had to know what else was out there. We fish lighter lures in open water though, so that brutal tank feeling isn't 100% necessary. If this turns into a dud though, I will forever regret not buying a legendary Daiwa. I have like 8 reels though so I mean it won't kill me, just had to know. If I get too mad could just sell it and work an extra shift, then I will get the Sv103 too... I'm not hard to please though, I LOVE my ss/sv and everyone knows how that one went over...

I dont think that the SV103 is a tank. Ok, it is not as light as the MGL, but to be honest after some time of fishing you will hardly feel the difference. What convinced me though are three things:

1.Torque: even with the 7.9:1 I feel I have a lot of it to fight bigger fish
2. Sturdiness: Just feels very well made and not as fragile as the MGL (which you have to really pet to keep in a nice shape)
3. Refinement of the gears. Really feels like a swiss knife.

I really do not see a disadvantage of the SV103 vs the MGL, especially that it is half the price...

There isn't one. I literally would have rather bought the Daiwa, just wanted to see what Shimano had to offer. I bought the Chronarch by the way, not the Metanium, got it for like $230. I used a friends Ci4+ during a tournament once and just liked it. Figured it was worth a shot once, if it doesn't work out I will go back to Daiwa (don't plan leaving anyways), if I sell my Tatula HD I will be buying the SV103 anyways...

[Jeffbro999]

I've posted many pictures on here of some big redfish caught around bridges on my CI4s. These fish will rip drag like nothing is stopping them, and you can't give them any room around those big bridge pilings, so high drag settings and added thumbing is usually required. Never felt any flex at all, and would definitely not call them fragile. Still have the same gearset in them since they were new, and they are holding up great with no geary feeling at all. My maintanence routine may have something to do with it but these composite Shimano frames are nothing like the T3 frames, very sturdy. Have frogged and punched with them a lot, and that is simply a non issue. It's funny to hear terms like "fragile" and "flexy" when that's simply not the case. They added Micro gears to the MGL, so I'd be willing to bet the MGL is even sturdier than the CI4s. Just my honest opinion, great reels.

[freelancer27]

I've posted many pictures on here of some big redfish caught around bridges on my CI4s. These fish will rip drag like nothing is stopping them, and you can't give them any room around those big bridge pilings, so high drag settings and added thumbing is usually required. Never felt any flex at all, and would definitely not call them fragile. Still have the same gearset in them since they were new, and they are holding up great with no geary feeling at all. My maintanence routine may have something to do with it but these composite Shimano frames are nothing like the T3 frames, very sturdy. Have frogged and punched with them a lot, and that is simply a non issue. It's funny to hear terms like "fragile" and "flexy" when that's simply not the case. They added Micro gears to the MGL, so I'd be willing to bet the MGL is even sturdier than the CI4s. Just my honest opinion, great reels.

I was talking about the Metanium, I can not speak about the Chronarch..

[LowRange]

You might want to get the SS SV off the crankbait rod and find a way to use it as a senko and jig skipper.

[Jeffbro999]

I've posted many pictures on here of some big redfish caught around bridges on my CI4s. These fish will rip drag like nothing is stopping them, and you can't give them any room around those big bridge pilings, so high drag settings and added thumbing is usually required. Never felt any flex at all, and would definitely not call them fragile. Still have the same gearset in them since they were new, and they are holding up great with no geary feeling at all. My maintanence routine may have something to do with it but these composite Shimano frames are nothing like the T3 frames, very sturdy. Have frogged and punched with them a lot, and that is simply a non issue. It's funny to hear terms like "fragile" and "flexy" when that's simply not the case. They added Micro gears to the MGL, so I'd be willing to bet the MGL is even sturdier than the CI4s. Just my honest opinion, great reels.

I was talking about the Metanium, I can not speak about the Chronarch..

Gotcha. Didn't realize the Metanium was in the discussion. My bad.

[DirtyD64]

I've posted many pictures on here of some big redfish caught around bridges on my CI4s. These fish will rip drag like nothing is stopping them, and you can't give them any room around those big bridge pilings, so high drag settings and added thumbing is usually required. Never felt any flex at all, and would definitely not call them fragile. Still have the same gearset in them since they were new, and they are holding up great with no geary feeling at all. My maintanence routine may have something to do with it but these composite Shimano frames are nothing like the T3 frames, very sturdy. Have frogged and punched with them a lot, and that is simply a non issue. It's funny to hear terms like "fragile" and "flexy" when that's simply not the case. They added Micro gears to the MGL, so I'd be willing to bet the MGL is even sturdier than the CI4s. Just my honest opinion, great reels.

This. My PB was on a 3.3" Keitech, using a ML rod with a Stradic Ci4+ FA2500. Bass pulled like crazy, stopped, charged, jumped, flopped, etc. That reel felt solid the entire time. If a stretched out, lanky spinning reel doesn't flex, I doubt a semi compact extra rigid baitcaster will. I will probably regret passing on the SV103, but maybe I will like Shimano a bit, who knows...

[DirtyD64]

You might want to get the SS SV off the crankbait rod and find a way to use it as a senko and jig skipper.

So cool when anglers think alike... thinking of the ss/sv for skipping on 30/40 braid (stock spool) and adding a Zillion SV TW spool for long bombs. Now with stock spool and 12lb fluoro the ss/sv is for close range squarebills on a 7' medium moderate, and the MGL will switch out for long range jerkbaits or medium divers. I'm not underestimating Shimano yet though, it might match the Zillion on a 7' medium, fast. Could also put the MGL Chronarch on the 6'6" Medium fast Avid X for shakey heads/jerkbaits/midrange target casting and just put a Zillion TWS on the MH. I must be easy to please, I love my Zillion TWS reels, very solid.