Daiwa Zillion TW HD 2018

[Dalleinf]

I have the Crazy Cranker version, which I have been happy with. Use stock spool, catalina/hlc/diy spools as necessary. Plenty of power for hard running atlantic salmon.

[LowRange]

Testing the fixed inductor spool with 20# big game and a 2oz Megabass Big M4.0.

[LowRange]

Just a lob cast and the rod launched that 2oz bait and the spool keeps the line flying off but tamed. A real thumb tip burner. Does GREAT with big wiry mono. Went to do my 1st cast over the shoulder to see how far it can go without really leaning into it and it dumps over half the spool and ends up in the top of a tree 150+ft away. There goes that lure. Shows promise though. I should be able to launch a bait like that over 200 ft with this rig.

Played around yard casting an S Waver 168S into and with the wind. Also threw it on a budget rig with braid to compare. I could throw the clumsy S Waver with the wind 120 ft and about 100 ft into the wind on 20# big game. That Twing and spool tame that line no problem. It just flows off in a nice controlled manner. Wasn't a believer in the Twing until now. Game changing with big wiry non braid. The budget rig was a dual brake BPS Revolution on a 711 XH Veritas Which. The 1 5/8 oz was feeling like near the top of the 3/4 to 2 1/2 oz rated rod. Had to max out the brakes on Revolution but keept the spool tension minimal. It's like a big 300 size version of a gen or two ago Bionic Plus reel. It could almost match the Zillion HD with 65# braid. No way it would have done as good with 20# big game. Both seemed up to tossing the S Waver about as far as it would allow. Too bad I lost my only Big M 4.0. That thing was a distance monster.

[RustyHook]

I'm a bit confused. I am new to Daiwa baitcasters. I am looking at the Zillion Tw Hd 1520 as a freshwater bass / saltwater Inshore backbay reel. But the specs seem to be different depending on where I see the info.

Looking on a number of sites the 1520 seems to have magforce Z brake . See it on Australia Daiwa info. I also see it listed in Cabelas description. Yet on other sites its not mentioned at all which makes me think base magforce and in some posts here it's stated to be only standard magforce. It's left me a bit confused.

I am not even 100% clear on how the Magforce braking applies as in if I wanted the long casting of the HLC spool and I swapped it in the HD would that give me the HLC tuned mag z braking for max distance with my 1-2 oz spoons? I am a bit new to the whole spool swapping for performance etc. I have kept my stock spools or grabbed larger capacity spools for extra mostly shimano.. This just opens up a whole new way for me to configure and new hole for my money to fall into.

I am wanting a higher end reel that is saltwater OK with more capacity than say the 19 morethan 1000 but not as large as a round bc like the 300 ryoga or bc lexa 300hd. Seems the Zillion Tw HD fits this. Not sure what's a good price for almost any premium reels since the covid got people crazy. I can find the Zillion TW HD for around $330? Is that a decent price?

Thanks for any help you can give.

[LowRange]

I was in the same boat and kept spooling my LIN10 Black Jungle and TD Zillion HLC on my Hyuga 72H throwing a bigger frogs, ploppers ect and got a Zillion HD for the additional capacity and ability to toss up to 3oz swimbiats. The Zillion HD does not have Magforce Z. Is has the base magforce for whatever reason. It's not a bad braking system but it does not do as well with hard casts and bombing of compact baits like spoons and frogs as a magfroce z spool but it is good enough with 1 oz and up. It does do well with clumsy big baits that tumble through the air too. If you want an HLC you can swap in an Zillion TW HLC spool. It is the spools that has the breaking profile in daiwa reels. Take a look at the Catalina TW too. Same platform but with a faster spool. I have 65# braid on my Catalina TW spool and can cast all the line off with a 1oz plopper on a Orochi x4 711. I wouldn't shy away from a Curado 200k either if it has enough capacity. Even if you do get a Zillion HD there are aliexpress spools to give it a distance tuned SV spool like these although they may not offer more capacity than a deep 34mm spool due to how shallow they are despite being 36mm and wide. In my case I went with the Zillion HD and stock spool for mono and bit baits and use a Catalina TW spool for braid and compact baits.
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/329736480 ... HLB1qXK1bc

[DrTrevorkian]

I like mine well enough for running mono on the stock magforce spool for Steelhead and Cohos. I run 12-14lb mono specifically on this reel for the line capacity. It not as refined as my Morethan, which I run braid on, above freezing.

You can get a Magforce Z spool in the 1520 Ryoga spool, which runs great with spoons and braid. I use my Morethan for that, so it’s kinda a back-up deal for me, or if I’m fishing a specific open area with kinglies around. They can rip some line out, ha ha ha!

Overall, I’m happy with mine for the mono capacity and durability. Also glad I got a deal on it. I agree it is not a $400 reel...

[DirtyD64]

Are there many differences between this HD and the regular Zillion TWS. I added a DIY spool to mine and love it. Very tough reel, heavy, big, casts lighter lures still well enough, but all around solid.

[RustyHook]

Lowrance,

Thank you for the help. If I may if the braking profile is in the spool does that mean if you swap say the Catalina TW spool which is mag Z into the Zillion TW HD is that now using mag z braking? I guess what I am asking is there any difference in the reels brake control between mag and mag z outside of the spool or is it the spools that make a reel mag or mag z? I hope that makes sense...

I do find it odd that the Zillion TW HD spool did not get mag z when it seems they can tune its profile to be slower or faster braking curve profiles. Just looking at the hlc, Catalina, 19 morethan all have different braking curve profiles it seems but all mag z.


Dr Torvorkian,

Thanks for the info. I am still trying to get a grip on how all the various spools can be swapped around in which reels and the changes in perf and line it affords.



A question then to anyone,

As this reel is going to be used for bass snakeheads etc in FW and slot sea bass / redfish / snook / trout etc in SW given the ability to swap reels around would the Zillion Tw HD or Ryoga 1520 make more sense?

I know it's apples to oranges in most ways,, being a low pro vs round BC, price, weight etc.. I just had not taken into account being able to swap spools to get different brake profiles, perf, and capacities. Starting to see why these Daiwas are so much fun. Never had use of this kind of configurability.

I see it as the ryoga leans toward the SW side more being HD bigger, heavier, more $$. The Zillion leans to fresh water fish more compacted less robust but refined and less $$. But if I can get the same casting ability in terms of rig weight and distance etc from either reel with a spool swap and cost was not an issue...?. For me it's about how light rigs it can effectively cast. I come from saltwater so all these reels are from light to ultra light to me lol.

So if you had the choice of a Zillion TW HD and a Ryoga 1520H which would you take and why?

[BARRAMANIAC]

Are there many differences between this HD and the regular Zillion TWS. I added a DIY spool to mine and love it. Very tough reel, heavy, big, casts lighter lures still well enough, but all around solid.

The 2018 Zillion HD and HLC both now have alloy gear side plates and set plates vs zaion in previous models essentially making the reel more rigid. The 2018 HD2020 also has the deeper spool that is standard magforce.
HLC has alloy gears and HD has brass gears.

[RustyHook]

Did not know the HD had brass gears. Is that all gear ratio versions? That makes it a good bit stronger than I had assumed.

[LowRange]

Lowrance,

Thank you for the help. If I may if the braking profile is in the spool does that mean if you swap say the Catalina TW spool which is mag Z into the Zillion TW HD is that now using mag z braking? I guess what I am asking is there any difference in the reels brake control between mag and mag z outside of the spool or is it the spools that make a reel mag or mag z? I hope that makes sense...

I do find it odd that the Zillion TW HD spool did not get mag z when it seems they can tune its profile to be slower or faster braking curve profiles. Just looking at the hlc, Catalina, 19 morethan all have different braking curve profiles it seems but all mag z.


Dr Torvorkian,

Thanks for the info. I am still trying to get a grip on how all the various spools can be swapped around in which reels and the changes in perf and line it affords.



A question then to anyone,

As this reel is going to be used for bass snakeheads etc in FW and slot sea bass / redfish / snook / trout etc in SW given the ability to swap reels around would the Zillion Tw HD or Ryoga 1520 make more sense?

I know it's apples to oranges in most ways,, being a low pro vs round BC, price, weight etc.. I just had not taken into account being able to swap spools to get different brake profiles, perf, and capacities. Starting to see why these Daiwas are so much fun. Never had use of this kind of configurability.

I see it as the ryoga leans toward the SW side more being HD bigger, heavier, more $$. The Zillion leans to fresh water fish more compacted less robust but refined and less $$. But if I can get the same casting ability in terms of rig weight and distance etc from either reel with a spool swap and cost was not an issue...?. For me it's about how light rigs it can effectively cast. I come from saltwater so all these reels are from light to ultra light to me lol.

So if you had the choice of a Zillion TW HD and a Ryoga 1520H which would you take and why?

The spools contains the mechanism to actuate the inductor rotor and well as the rotor itself. The only factor the reel plays in braking profile is the intensity of the magnets. The spool itself is the determining factor. A Catalina TW spool in a Zillion HD will cast like a Catalina TW provided that both reels have similar magnets.

[RustyHook]

Thanks that explains it for me.

Now just have to decide zillion or ryoga.

Is it a confirmed the Z TW HD has brass gears? I recall all the confusion and claims when the 19 morethan was released. Daiwa sure doesn't help with mistakes at errors and bad translations.

Looks like 330 is about as good as it gets for a new Zillion these days. Most are 399 and up. I would kill to have 2019 prices back.

[LowRange]

I was wrong. Catalina TW spool does not quite match the TD Zillion HLC spool in distance. The Catalina only holds maybe 10 yards more 65# braid than the TD Zillion HLC spool and leaves more than that on the spool after a cast

[Dalleinf]

Got a question on the NiceFish spools, which may be of interest to others.
I have 3+ of those spools - red, pink, silver.
I got them for my Ryoga/Zillion/Catalina to chase atlantic salmon where I need some line capacity and the ability to comfortably toss light lures of 5-10 gram.
I have not used the spools much as mostly go to smaller streams for seatrout.
I found my reels and some spools. I can confirm the weight of around 8.4 gram. I spooled the red spool in my Catalina with 135 meters or 148 yards of 0.18 sufix matrix pro (13.5 kg test). Put the spool on a custom 8’ rod and attached a 7 gram rubber casting plug.
The spool is a delight to use. As I was casting on the road, I did not give it full throttle, but easily attained close to 35 meter / 115 feet. Reel set a 50% mag and spool with some side-side play.
I can recommend the spool, if you would like an extra spool (just in case) or have the need to cast light lures.

[dragon1]

Got a question on the NiceFish spools, which may be of interest to others.
I have 3+ of those spools - red, pink, silver.
I got them for my Ryoga/Zillion/Catalina to chase atlantic salmon where I need some line capacity and the ability to comfortably toss light lures of 5-10 gram.
I have not used the spools much as mostly go to smaller streams for seatrout.
I found my reels and some spools. I can confirm the weight of around 8.4 gram. I spooled the red spool in my Catalina with 135 meters or 148 yards of 0.18 sufix matrix pro (13.5 kg test). Put the spool on a custom 8’ rod and attached a 7 gram rubber casting plug.
The spool is a delight to use. As I was casting on the road, I did not give it full throttle, but easily attained close to 35 meter / 115 feet. Reel set a 50% mag and spool with some side-side play.
I can recommend the spool, if you would like an extra spool (just in case) or have the need to cast light lures.

I may have missed this information previously, but where can I acquire a "nice fish" spool?