Daiwa Certate 3000

After the 2007 bass season, my Shimano Stradic was starting to show its age. The drag was no longer up to the job and the gears had slipped once or twice. I sought the advice of Jim Hendrick of SEAi before investing in a new reel and Jim suggested the Daiwa Certate 3000. My biggest concern with this reel was its size. Would it be able to withstand the stresses and strains of bullying big bass on a lightweight lure-fishing setup? Jim assured me that he had thoroughly tested the model and that it was up to the job. That was good enough for me.

I have been using the reel since April on two rods, a Smith Blow Shot BS-86SPL, which is a fast action rod that casts 6-16g lures, and a Smith Blow Shot Boron Riversider 86, which is a medium action rod that casts 10-35g lures.

Despite the small size of the reel, it has a really solid feel. The bail arm, in particular, is really sturdy, in contrast with some of the thinner wire-like arms of other reels. The line roller is smooth and never fails to rotate, even when using light 6g lures. The line-lay, which is critical if you're using braid and fishing light lures, is first class. The drag system on the reel is smooth and gives you confidence to bully fish when required, without the fear that it will stick. The profile of the line-lay can also be adjusted, although I've stuck with the factory setup which has a wider line-lay at the top of the spool. The finish on the body of the reel is also excellent and has withstood the ill-teatment that is hard to avoid when scrambling over rocks and unhooking fish. After almost six months of use the reel is still pristine.

When you fish with light lure rods, you rely on the reel a lot to be able to bully bigger fish, land them quickly without excessive playing and return them with some fight left. The Daiwa Certate is up to the job. Unfortunately I haven't been able to test the reel on anything at speciment weight, but it has been used to pluck several bass of over 7lbs out of strong currents without complaining.

This reel is a joy to fish with.

Good stuff Jonathan. I'd be interested in reviews of the rods as well.
john
ps nevertheless, the stradics won't be going in the bin!

My Stradic lasted 10 years and a lot of abuse. No complaints there!!

I was also looking at the Shimano Stella but Shimano seemed to be fiddling with the reel sizes at the time and I couldn't get the size I wanted.