Most sought after Daiwa 34mm spool

[Big-Bass]

For the TD-Z, TD-X Air Metal, SV103, Steez platforms, what are the most sought after 34mm Daiwa spools as far as performance is concerned? Thanks and best wishes on the water.

[IlliniDawg01]

The Blue Emblem and new ZPI spools are pretty slick.

The Zillion SV spool is the best SV spool IMO.

The RCS 1016/1012/1010 spools are probably the best MagZ spools.

The TDZ R+ / Steez 103 spools are probably the best MagV spools.

There are lots of great BFS options in every price range.

DaveJ

[Big-Bass]

I don't have any of the newer ZPI spools and would love a Blue Emblem...

I do have the following:

1 RCS 1016
1 TD-Z Ito Kanji
2 TD-Z Type R+
2 TD-Z 105H
2 Steez 103 Red Dimpled (Type R+)
1 Steez 103 Black Dimpled (Type R+)
1 Megabass IS71
2 SV103
1 ZPI (older orange/red spool)

Thoughts? Thanks and best wishes on the water!

[jvelth74]

I'ze HLC spool is nice, because it's rare :-) It's basicly same as Steez 100 spool but different colour and maybe a little different inductor. Mine was with standard Magforce-Z spring but now I have changed it to HLC Spring.

[Fishing4Fun]

Most sought after for what? Rarity? Performance? Selling price?

I agree with Dave! That is a good summary of most of the big players.

One spool in one reel platform might be wild but in another it is controlled and great performer and likewise some spools that are slow in one platform are much faster in another. It boils down to the give and take relationship between the side plate brakes and the spool. Some have stronger magnets, some have weaker magnets etc.

The only way to know how you will like each combination is just to start experimenting. Some will be great choices on windy days or throwing wind resistant lures. Some will be good for launching aerodynamic lures a good long ways.

Upgraded bearings will have a slight impact as well as your choice of line type. I think you could make a record sized birds nest with a TDZ with the ITO spool with upgraded bearings, fluorocarbon, a bulky creature bait and wind in the face.

[Big-Bass]

Most sought after for what? Rarity? Performance? Selling price?

Just curious your thoughts in those categories you mentioned...

[domthewon]

In my opinion the most sought after right now is probably either the ZPI NRC PG and M spools, or the KTF Kahen Neo and Versatile finesse spools. I say this because I own a mixed dozen of these spools and when people post them they go fast. Also the rare colored ZPI MG spools don’t come up too often , but are still sought after. I’ve seen more ZPI blue emblems than I even thought existed lately on the Japanese market. They aren’t commanding the price they were a few years back but are still expensive for a spool and get snatched up. They are excellent spools and perform great in the TD-Z and older steez reels. The newer KTF and ZPI are really nice and all less than a blue emblem. All four are light weight, well made and perform excellent. For some reason the ZPI’s don’t play well in all reels. Usually one will work better than the other in the same reel, but when you find the right spool for the right reel it’s awesome. I haven’t found the same issue with the KTFs they have been ok wherever I put them. I utilize these spools by line capacity with the PG spools for heaviest line and baits. The M spool and KTF Neo have similar capacity, but the ZPI feels a little more solid. I use it for slightly heavier baits than the Neos although they can both handle the same baits fine. I really like the Neo for weightless plastics especially flukes and wacky senkos. The Versatile Finesse KTF is a BFS spool and it casts very light and well for a 34 mm spool. Lighter than I need to throw fishing for bass. I don’t own many older ZPI spools but I have a few blue emblems and a RC 002 CT-V violet spool which I’ve only seen one other for sale in the past few years. I always wanted a RC-002 MJR. If you don’t own any of those four I would definitely check them out.

[Hogsticker2]

In my opinion the most sought after right now is probably either the ZPI NRC PG and M spools, or the KTF Kahen Neo and Versatile finesse spools. I say this because I own a mixed dozen of these spools and when people post them they go fast. Also the rare colored ZPI MG spools don’t come up too often , but are still sought after. I’ve seen more ZPI blue emblems than I even thought existed lately on the Japanese market. They aren’t commanding the price they were a few years back but are still expensive for a spool and get snatched up. They are excellent spools and perform great in the TD-Z and older steez reels. The newer KTF and ZPI are really nice and all less than a blue emblem. All four are light weight, well made and perform excellent. For some reason the ZPI’s don’t play well in all reels. Usually one will work better than the other in the same reel, but when you find the right spool for the right reel it’s awesome. I haven’t found the same issue with the KTFs they have been ok wherever I put them. I utilize these spools by line capacity with the PG spools for heaviest line and baits. The M spool and KTF Neo have similar capacity, but the ZPI feels a little more solid. I use it for slightly heavier baits than the Neos although they can both handle the same baits fine. I really like the Neo for weightless plastics especially flukes and wacky senkos. The Versatile Finesse KTF is a BFS spool and it casts very light and well for a 34 mm spool. Lighter than I need to throw fishing for bass. I don’t own many older ZPI spools but I have a few blue emblems and a RC 002 CT-V violet spool which I’ve only seen one other for sale in the past few years. I always wanted a RC-002 MJR. If you don’t own any of those four I would definitely check them out.

What do you mean when you say the M feels more solid than the Neo? Stronger? I call dibs on your Neo, should you ever decide to part ways with it

[domthewon]

In my opinion the most sought after right now is probably either the ZPI NRC PG and M spools, or the KTF Kahen Neo and Versatile finesse spools. I say this because I own a mixed dozen of these spools and when people post them they go fast. Also the rare colored ZPI MG spools don’t come up too often , but are still sought after. I’ve seen more ZPI blue emblems than I even thought existed lately on the Japanese market. They aren’t commanding the price they were a few years back but are still expensive for a spool and get snatched up. They are excellent spools and perform great in the TD-Z and older steez reels. The newer KTF and ZPI are really nice and all less than a blue emblem. All four are light weight, well made and perform excellent. For some reason the ZPI’s don’t play well in all reels. Usually one will work better than the other in the same reel, but when you find the right spool for the right reel it’s awesome. I haven’t found the same issue with the KTFs they have been ok wherever I put them. I utilize these spools by line capacity with the PG spools for heaviest line and baits. The M spool and KTF Neo have similar capacity, but the ZPI feels a little more solid. I use it for slightly heavier baits than the Neos although they can both handle the same baits fine. I really like the Neo for weightless plastics especially flukes and wacky senkos. The Versatile Finesse KTF is a BFS spool and it casts very light and well for a 34 mm spool. Lighter than I need to throw fishing for bass. I don’t own many older ZPI spools but I have a few blue emblems and a RC 002 CT-V violet spool which I’ve only seen one other for sale in the past few years. I always wanted a RC-002 MJR. If you don’t own any of those four I would definitely check them out.

What do you mean when you say the M feels more solid than the Neo? Stronger? I call dibs on your Neo, should you ever decide to part ways with it

It’s difficult to put into words but when you fish them side by side you can feel it. Don’t get me wrong both are very high quality aftermarket spools, and are very well built. It’s more the way the neo brakes. It seems more airy and easier to slow down with lighter baits. It has a moving inductor compared to the solid inductor on the ZPI so that makes sense. The ZPI M just feels better for distance casting although it can be very controlled also. Honestly the holes drilled in the spool on the KTFs make me feel like I need to be more cautious on what line, and how tight I tie my line and what baits I throw. I’ve seen examples of these spools being crushed due to the pressure from the line. It’s never personally happened to me, but I’m just more comfortable throwing baits with more resistance, or that I throw into deeper cover on the ZPI’s especially the PGs. I’ve heard the ZPIs can crush also but have seen a couple more examples in KTF spools. I also just have much more experience fishing the ZPI spools, and have put them to the test compared to the KTFs. I really prefer power fishing, and move to finesse techniques when it gets tough which is probably why. Like I said they are all excellent spools and there is a reason I own multiples of each, but they all have a place where they excel in my lineup. Others may have completely different experience, or thoughts from mine, but how I do it works for me. I have no plans of letting any go anytime soon, but if I come across one at a fair price I’ll keep you in mind. Hope this helps explain my thinking a little better brother.

[IlliniDawg01]

What are the weights of the new ZPI and KTF 34mm spools?

Are they designed to be true finesse spools or all-rounders that can throw very light like the SV spools?

[domthewon]

What are the weights of the new ZPI and KTF 34mm spools?

Are they designed to be true finesse spools or all-rounders that can throw very light like the SV spools?

All of mine have line on them or I’d weigh them for you. I use the ZPI PGs for moderate pitching duties and casting chatterbaits or others that use heavier line. I use between 17lb - 14lb mono or flouro on them. They are very controlled and pitch and skip baits well, but can be excellent casting also. The ZPI M is the furthest casting for me. I typically use 10-14lb line usually 12 lb and like casting treble hook baits with them like top water walkers and poppers, weightless baits, and shakey heads. The KTF neo is most like an SV spool being that it has a moving inductor. The G1 sv’s are awesome performing spools and I typically throw similar baits I’d thrown on an SV spool on the KTF NEO, but slightly lighter cause I still have SV spools in rotation. It handles the lighter weight range awesome from like 1/8-3/8, and I use 10-12 lb line on them. I really love weightless plastics and other baits that I want to have a good amount of control on rather than the distance. Like I said I use the m spool if I want to bomb baits out there. As for the Versatile finesse KTF it is a BFS Spool. I keep 5lb on one and 4lb on the other. I’ve never tested the full range of this spool but I can throw a 1/16th oz jig with a tiny trailer and will never need to go lighter even though the spool can. These are just how I use mine.

[Hogsticker2]

Dom - I follow what you're saying. I also appreciate the consistency that the fixed inductor offers, with the new Zpi spools. I won't pay more than what the Zpi spools retail for, in order to acquire the Neo. There's obviously no way it offers twice the performance, and the M series spools perform better than any other 34mm spool I've tried. My sickness runs pretty deep, but I still draw a line with some gear.

[ogrich31]

Try the ito spool in the td-z. It's my favorite spool for the td-z. Imo, it's not as wild as most people say. I set my brakes on higher (7-9 iirc) My 100m spool in my zillion r and alphas Sv are more wild.

Also, for what purpose? I have spools that i like for pitching, some for long distance casting and others for all around use.

Using an oil like tsi321 on the spool bearings will also speed things up a bit as well.

[domthewon]

Dom - I follow what you're saying. I also appreciate the consistency that the fixed inductor offers, with the new Zpi spools. I won't pay more than what the Zpi spools retail for, in order to acquire the Neo. There's obviously no way it offers twice the performance, and the M series spools perform better than any other 34mm spool I've tried. My sickness runs pretty deep, but I still draw a line with some gear.

Completely understand. Even retail on the KTFs with shipping, usage taxes, and whatever else it is you can buy a pretty nice brand new reel. The KTF NEO is really nice though and definitely fills a gap in between a G1 SV spool and BFS spool for me. I look at it like a completely different type of spool than the ZPI NRC’s and don’t really think they completely compare side by side due to inductor style and perform differently. It’s like 4 different weight classes heaviest to the lightest. NRC PG, NRC M, KTFNEO, KTF Versatile Finesse. The NRC M in the right reel can cover the broadest fishing styles excellently, and can easily see why you feel it’s the best 34 mm spool you’ve tried. If you ever get a chance to fish one of the Neos I really think you would appreciate it. They are all great in their own way.

[SSS]

RC001/rc002 for control. slp works 1010, r, r+ for casting distance. Blue Emblem to show off on this forum.