Daiwa BG - A Love Story
Five years ago I found myself in my local tackle shop, restocking on jigheads, soft plastics, and bucktails for the spring striped bass run. Needing to gear up before the upcoming season, I inevitably was drawn to the shiny new spinning reels ever so delicately arranged in the glass casing by the register. It’s hard not to, as your reel is the foundation of every good fishing set up. The only feeling better than setting the hook on a fish is the smooth, graceful humming of a brand new reel. If you intend on fishing saltwater hard year-round you need a reliable reel that delivers quality performance and lasting durability. While the likes of Shimano and Van Staal make premium if not near-perfect reels, I simply cannot justify spending the price. While I agree you pay for what you get, there certainly is a cutoff where you can still catch loads of fish and not have to break the bank. I was ready to return reluctantly to my old setup when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a Daiwa BG reel glowing in a beam of radiant sunlight and knew in that moment that we were meant for each other.
I’d been warned about BG reels in the past. My brother Grady had notoriously sworn off the brand after blowing up two of them during a single spring striper run in Rhode Island a few years before, and he had never gone back. Our friend Max suffered a similar fate, and seeing my brother’s debacle first hand, he was quick to abort as well. Yet in that moment, as a kid with a few weeks of pay from my job at the local fish market burning a hole in my pocket, I was convinced my story would be different. I payed $110 for a new Daiwa BG5000 and raced home to line it with braid and link it with my 8ft Star rod. It turned out to be a match made in heaven. After five seasons of fish scales, accidental splashes, sand, rouge waves, and full on dropping it into the water night fishing with eels, my BG keeps on keeping on. The reel itself is smooth and operates well, and is a nice balanced weight that reduces arm fatigue when fishing for extended periods of time or working an intensive lure such as a pencil popper. Most importantly, it catches fish, and has been doing so reliably for the better part of five years.
At the beginning of each saltwater season, my brother eagerly awaits the news that my BG has finally kicked the bucket, but he is sorely disappointed year after year. As I prepare for the sixth summer since I gazed upon the metallic beauty of my BG that one fateful day, I have utmost faith that it will last me at least one more season. For transparency sake - we are not sponsored by Daiwa (or by anyone for that matter) - this is just a story about true love and the lasting bond between boy and reel. If you need a new setup for this upcoming summer - look no further. The Daiwa BG will be the best fishing purchase you’ve ever made (or you know, it will blow up in one month. Who really knows?).
-Declan
