[Nick Phillips]

I know iv'e said it before but still can't decide between:
Branzino
Certate
Stella
Am leaning towards the Certate because have read that some people think that these reels are the best their is,although not the most expensive.
The difference between the Branzino and the Certate seems to be the carbon spool (who needs it ?) and a few cosmetic things etc.
The Stella would have been my automatic choice a month or so ago but I think I'd like a change.(I do like the Stella though).
The Certate is very good value for money and offers everything that I want but............................ :?:

 

[Simon L]

The Certate is very good value for money and offers everything that I want but............................ :?:

but .......................... you like fishing with the 'best' . . and is it the best ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?

 

[Nick Phillips]

The Certate is very good value for money and offers everything that I want but............................ :?:

but .......................... you like fishing with the 'best' . . and is it the best ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?

What is the best these days :?:
I dont know anymore...................I always have been a Shimano man for all my reels but those Daiwas are really turning my head

 

[Vidar Thomassen]

Go for the Certate – I assure you that you won’t be disappointed

The Certate, as you point out yourself, offers brilliant value for money and is proper workhorse with a surprising level of refinement and smoothness.

 

[Simon Clapham]

I know iv'e said it before but still can't decide between:
Branzino
Certate
Stella
Am leaning towards the Certate because have read that some people think that these reels are the best their is,although not the most expensive.
The difference between the Branzino and the Certate seems to be the carbon spool (who needs it ?) and a few cosmetic things etc.
The Stella would have been my automatic choice a month or so ago but I think I'd like a change.(I do like the Stella though).
The Certate is very good value for money and offers everything that I want but............................ :?:

:shock: :shock: I thought you were built around a stradic Nick, why the change?
Is smoothness/looks that important? Does line lay really make a heap of difference? (my VS is useless at this, but every cast has still gone out and back without any problems).

 

[Alex Jordan]

I would definately check out the new Stradic CI4 - even turned my head at around 130 quid!

 

[Simon L]

I would definately check out the new Stradic CI4 - even turned my head at around 130 quid!

Doesnt appear on the Shimano UK page. Where can they be sourced from ?

 

[Alex Jordan]

good old ebay from the states!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

quite a few going - both the 2500 and the 1000

 

[Nick Phillips]

I know iv'e said it before but still can't decide between:
Branzino
Certate
Stella
Am leaning towards the Certate because have read that some people think that these reels are the best their is,although not the most expensive.
The difference between the Branzino and the Certate seems to be the carbon spool (who needs it ?) and a few cosmetic things etc.
The Stella would have been my automatic choice a month or so ago but I think I'd like a change.(I do like the Stella though).
The Certate is very good value for money and offers everything that I want but............................ :?:

:shock: :shock: I thought you were built around a stradic Nick, why the change?
Is smoothness/looks that important? Does line lay really make a heap of difference? (my VS is useless at this, but every cast has still gone out and back without any problems).

Yes mate I do love the Stradics but I "need" (you know what I mean) a smaller reel to go on my Sages.
The 5000s are a little to big for such small rods,also I think I need a change and something more modern.

 

[Mike Kennard]

Nick,
I have a Certate 2500 and Branzino 3000. There isn't a huge amount of difference when fishing but the difference is more than just cosmetic. The Branzino has different gearing made from a harder material. Whichever one you choose it should last a long time if looked after. My Certate is five years old now and still going strong (it was bought in Tokyo before they were available here). Either reel will go well on your Sages. If you are down this way (nr Brighton) you can try mine to see what you think.

 

[Nick Phillips]

Started to look at Shimano again and visited the 'stripers' on line thing,Not totally good news.
Many people with the same problem.
The bail arm tripping over on the cast,and thats enough to put me off totally :? :?
Its going to be a Daiwa in the 3000 size.

 

[Mick Ward]

I'm sorry for the advert again but the Branzinos have landed if anyone wants one....they too are so hard to get hold of in this country, stupid really. Do you know that Daiwa UK imported 6 Branzinos last year for the whole country, I sold 5 of them. This year they have imported 10 for the whole country for the year, and I have bought 5 already, and remember, Daiwa wont give me an account!! I get them through a friend that has a Daiwa account.

 

[Mike Hayes]

Its a weird one, shimano always seems to sell a fair few high end reels, or is that a common myth?

 

[Mick Ward]

Its a weird one, shimano always seems to sell a fair few high end reels, or is that a common myth?

I believe I sell the most! Well thats what Shimano say anyway, maybe they just say that to keep me sweet. Its not as big a market as many believe, and not giving away all the secrets but in the last year the high end Shimano reels I have sold are roughly, 3 x 5000SW Stellas, 4000FD Stellas x 8, 4000FD Twin Powers x 20 and then there are few random ones like the Rariums etc that are starting to sell. Remember its a fairly new market this modern approach on SW lure fishing over here, and I am only one shop, so surely Daiwa with a bit of a push could really do some business in this country. Thinking about it its probably towards 30 of the Twin Powers. Stradics are probably my best sellers and thats probably cos they are £150, a nice price range.

 

[Mike Kennard]

I think a lot of it is down to marketing. Shimano are vastly better at marketing and creating market share in the UK. Daiwa seem to work in a different way, more subtle. People are far more familiar with Stellas and the like than a Branzino. Very different in other countries though, Daiwa seem to have a very big market share in Japan and that is a huge market.
I find Daiwa in the UK to be very resistant to change, like pulling teeth trying to get them to move with e times unless it is carp, poles or beach gear then they are a bit more awake....... infuriating that we can't get their top Japanese kit like Branzino rods (apart from one that nobody wants!)

 

[Guest]

Hi all, I bought a Certate in Aug this year and have had nothing but problems with it. When i turn the handle it is stiff, when reeling in it is noise, if i switch over the anti reverse the handle will not move. I have used the reel about 10 times and it is washed after every trip.

 

[Harold]

I use a Stella 5000 FB and a Stella 4000 FD before.
For now i use the Certate 3500 and a Exist 3012.

I prefere the daiwa,s and have no problems at all after 2 year.
The are just briliant !! smoot strong and a perfect retreve from 81/82 cm a turn

 

[Mick Ward]

Hi all, I bought a Certate in Aug this year and have had nothing but problems with it. When i turn the handle it is stiff, when reeling in it is noise, if i switch over the anti reverse the handle will not move. I have used the reel about 10 times and it is washed after every trip.

I have had a Certate brought in the shop that did the exact same as yours. I stripped it down and found the anti-reverse lever or spring had broked in the one mechanism thingy. Its a fiddly bloody system, you do need to be pretty confident or lucky to get it back together, if you are not 100% cool with how these things work I wouldnt attempt it, it pushed me to the brink! Send it to Daiwa in Glasgow, they will sort it.

 

[Nick Phillips]

What about the new Twin Power SW ?

I keep wandering back to the Shimano reels :? But that bail arm thing seems to plague the high end Shimanos which is very surprising and i'm amazed that they havn't sorted it out etc.
If you read reviews on other forums etc from around the world its a common complaint.

 

[Simon L]

Nick . . . . what did you decide ???