New Review: Shimano Stradic FH & Daiwa Capricorn Shootou

[Zander]

Well after a lot of testing in the lab and the field the Daiwa Capricorn emerges as the winner of our latest spinning shootout against the new Stradic, winning 4 out of 7 categories and tying in 1. If you have fished either of these two reels let us know your opinion.

Tight Lines...

[Nitro]

I totally agree with this review. I have found Daiwa Spinning reels to be a lot more reliable then even the newest Shimano spinning reels (with the exception fo the Stella, which is absolutely fantastic) but I find the exact opposite to be true for casting, where the Chronarchs are still some of the most reliable and refined baitcasting reels out there.

[gyro]

Excellent job, boys. Having had both reels, I totally agree with your review that the Daiwa Capricorn is superior to the Stradic FH. I returned the Stradic for the Capricorn myself because the Stradic's bail arm connector CUTS LINES, uses more plastic parts (sideplate), felt top heavy, and the light blue paint chips easily. Also as you mentioned, the Stradic feels pretty smooth in the store but gets rough fast. Could this be due to the maintenance port allowing sand/water/dust to get into the reel easier (JapanTackle.com mentions that the port could allow for damage of the gears and bb's easier). I was definitely pleased to hear about the Capricorn's SEALED DRAG system vs the Stradic because I do a lot of fishing in sandy water.

Some questions and comments ab the review:

1. I wasn't clear what you meant by "Key to the smooth line pickup is the fact that at the air-bail connection to the teardrop shaped goes over the connection, so no mater how thin the line it slips neatly onto the roller." Do you mean "teardrop shaped [bail arm connector which]"?

2. Although the Capricorn's drag is sealed, the pics seems to show dirt/grime on the inside spool cover of the Capricorn unless i'm looking at it wrong. If so, does that mean it is not completely sealed? And how is it sealed?

3. You mention the total drag pressure being equal for the two reels. What is the total drag pressure and would you know the micro-adjustable incremental drag pressure values for both the capricorn and stradic?

4. You mentioned that the spare spool of the Capricorn isn't coated which i did notice also. But what is the coated spool of the Capricorn coated with? titanium nitride? And was there a casting difference between the coated and uncoated spools?

5. Although the Capricorn clone, Cabela's Prodigy, has 8 bb's, is it really a lot smoother than the 4+1 bb's of the original Capricorn? If these 8bb's are similar in grade as the lower end, Daiwa Laguna, then the Prodigy would be rougher than the original because of the lower grade bb's. If the 8bb's are the same grade as the original capricorn then the Prodigy would be the best overall value. Anyone compare the two?

Overall, Daiwa rules the spinning reel market. And with the introduction of the Capricorn, it combines features of popular reels that are almost double in price, Team Daiwa S and Daiwa SSII as well as the Shimano Sustain. In the bait casting reels market, Daiwa and Shimano are tie.

Keep up the head-to-head reviews since most consumers would find these helpful esp with reels, rods, and lures. It makes it easier for new anglers to compare two reels without having to understand terms such as .....advanced locomotive levelwind vs worm gears, gyro balanced, and
titanium nitride vs. titanium chromium.

Back to work. hehe.

[fishingirl]

How did Cabela's and Daiwa build the Prodigy with 8bb and still manage to reduce the weight of the reel? I checked the price and it is 119.00 for the Prodigy, at 5 dollars more then the Capricorn it looks like a great deal. Has anyone fished with the Prodigy for an extended period, is it just as reliable as the Cap?

Thanx.

[bitesize]

Wow! Sounds awesome!
Gosh, I guess I will have to add another reel to my collection soon.

[MigueldaMata]

Hi Zander,

After reading about the shoot-out, I went to the reviews section for reels and also found the Quantum Catalyst PTi review (10/02). I have always been a Daiwa fan, in the spinning reel area anyway. I haven't used many of their baitcasters yet (but dying to get my hands on a Team Diawa TD-X 100HSD, the new hi-capacity deep spool model, or the 7:1 retreive Procaster PT33SH) but the bulk of my spinning reel inventory is Daiwa and has been for several years. As good as the new Capricorn sounds, the review on the Quantum Catalyst PTi really got me thinking. How would you say the Catalyst stacks up against these offering of the big kids on the block? The initial review gave it high marks and an Editor's Choice - in reflection does that still hold up when compared to the new Shimano and Daiwa offerings? It looks to me like I may have found a new candidate for a peacock bass spinning reel with a Quantum Catalyst CT40PTi. My biggest problem with spinning reels used for peacock bass has been bail failure.

Thanks,

Mike

[gyro]

I just noticed that Shimano Japan stopped making the Stradic/Biomaster or changed it's name. Maybe bc of it's bad rep in Japan. http://fishing.shimano.co.jp/

Miguel, the Quantum Catalysts and kinetics have recently been recalled due to antireverse failures. If you buy one, then make sure the box has an orange dot. If not, stay away.

[MigueldaMata]

Gyro,

Thanks for the tip. Antireverse failure has been my number 2 problem with spinning reels on big peacocks. I usually get a friend in the states to buy my new gear and bring it down when he comes to Brazil.....I'll have to make sure he gets that info. Returning a reel for a recall for me is a big logistics problem.

Mike

[bitesize]

Is the recall for all sizes or just the smallest size(like mentioned in the 10PTi review)?

[gyro]

bitesize,

i've seen orange dots on boxes for the PTi30.

[gyro]

Saw this on http://www.bassfishinghomepage.com....the pt30 are definitely having the antireverse problems. Damn, i almost got it myself but chose the capricorn instead....man, if i lost a big rainbow or pike because of a faulty anitreverse, i'd be pretty pissed.


5/6/03 6:59:00 PM Submitted by smallie1 (152.163.188.6) from PENNSYLVANIA says catalyst problem
Chad, is Quantum doing anything about fixing the anti-reverse problem? I have a pt30 and on the hookset I am loosing the anti-reverse and it sometimes causes the line to go under the spool. I almost lost a big fish in a tournament due to this.

[Joe_Rock]

Well written shootout article, but I disagree and must add in my .02

But first a little about me. I'm a saltwater fisherman and mainly target Striped Bass. Currently I use both the new Stradic FH and Biomaster in the 2500 size. Alright, I admit I'm a Shimano loyalist (with a few Daiwa reels) but my fishing buddy is a Daiwa fan. He uses the Capricorn 2500 which we used to compare the reels.

The shootout should have compared both 2500 sizes of each reel manufacturer as the line capacities are closer than what was actually used. This would also be a better selection for a saltwater shootout. Line capacity goes to Daiwa, but weight goes to Shimano.

Casting, the Stradic/Biomaster consistantly outcast the Capricorn upto 10 yards using 3/4 oz - 1 1/2 oz spoons and aerodynamic plugs. Line of choice, 10 lb Fireline and 10 lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid. What type of line and size lures were used in the article?

Bail cutting line? I've had both Shimano reels for roughly 6 months and haven't experienced this problem at all. Not a single line snag either.

Retrieve, hands down the Shimano is the smoother of the 2 out of the box. And months later of average use, both reels are still smooth as the day they were bought.

Everything else in the article, I pretty much agree with. Again, well written review. I look forward to reading more of your articles and keep up the good work TackleTour!

Gyro, the Biomaster is still listed at the Shimano Japanese website under the Twinpower. 8)

[gyro]

joe,

i also agree that the 2500 Capricorn and 2500 Stradic FH should have been compared. I actually purchased both and used them on the same rod for direct comparison. The Capricorn has more line capacity (essential for big fighting fish) and the Stradic is lighter (good for river fishing). Although 1 oz or less is not noticeable. I've had no problem holding the Capricorn over 8 hours in rivers and on boats. The Capricorn is all aluminum, whereas, the Stradic's sideplate and rotor are graphite. Personally, i found the Stradic too plasticky feeling (cheap) and the casting distance either the same or less for the Stradic. Never had cut line on the Stradic but i did notice some hangups on the 2 points of the bail connection esp with thin line. The Capricorn's bail connection is definitely better constructed with the line never passing over the bail connection.

Smoothness is equal but i found the Capricorn gets better with use. Now it's noticeably better than the Stradics i try in the store. The drag adjustments are more fine in the Stradic than the Capricorn but i found it to be more of a irritation since every time i adjusted the drag i would have to click it at least 4-5 clicks. Even with the CApricorn, i have to click it 2 clicks for a noticeable increase in drag. Too much fine control of the drag, i find, is unnecessary.

Joe, like you, i was a loyal shimano fan and even bought the Stradic first without research. But after having done the research, i think the Capricorn is definitely the superior reel. Oh, the Twinpower is not the Stradic but the Sustain. The stradic is the biomaster which, as u say, is still on the japanese shimano website. Keep us informed about any problems or comments about the STradic and Capricorn....tight lines.