Daiwa sent me their flagship Steez SV TWS baitcasting reel last fall to fish with and review. This reel shows off all of the newer Daiwa technologies and some of the best craftsmanship with the finest materials available in baitcasting construction. The result is an ultra high-end reel with every bell and whistle imaginable. This reel is not meant for every angler, but if you’re interested in the higher end enthusiast baitcaster fishings reels on the market, check out my pictures and experiences with this reel over the last 6 months.
All of their features piled into one magnesium reel
There is a laundry list of features packed into the Daiwa Steez SV TWS. I specifically tested the TW1016SV-SH which is a 7.1:1 gear ratio baitcasting reel that features 11 pounds of drag, 12 ball corrosion resistant ball bearings plus a roller bearing. It includes their T-Wing System (TWS) for cast control, giving the line more room to flow off the spool for longer smoother casts. This reel also features their SV Spool concept that eliminates the back and forth play and gives the reel a more free flowing operation that minimizes backlash while improving casting distance even with lighter lures. The G1 Duraluminum spools give them increased strength with reduced weight without having to drills the spools to eliminate weight.
The results of all these features is a super smooth operating reel that makes using a baitcaster a joy for any level of experience in bass fishing. I love fishing with this reel. I’ve fished weightless senkos and magnum jerkbaits with this reel. I’ve thrown topwaters and lipless baits on it. I’ve skipped jigs and Chatterbaits around with it. It’s a beautifully performing reel. It just feels like such quality in your hand from the operation to the ergonomics.
Super lightweight even with 13 bearings
The magnesium frame is a High Precision Machine Cut AIRMETAL Housing. Because of this design, it is lighter while also being more durable with way less play than most reels on the market. It gives you the best of all worlds from precision operation to ultra-light weight at 5.5 ounces in a small package that is built like a bulletproof tank.
The outside of the reel did scuff and scar some through the last 6 months of heavy use. But I try to baby it as much as I can but I also wanted to see what it could handle. I would recommend keeping a reel cover on it and not hanging your lures on any part of the frame where hook rash might cause wear to the finish.
But the reel feels as solid and smooth as it did 6 months ago with zero added play or slop in its performance. A very quality build throughout.
Crazy good aesthetics
I love the way the Daiwa Steez SV TWS reels look. Simple accents, a finish that goes from dark to light depending on the amount of light forced on it. It looks ultra sleek like a high end sports car on your rod. I have fished this reel mostly on Megabass Orochi XX and Destroyer rods. A reel of this quality deserves to be paired with a high-end rod. The High Grip I-Shaped knobs are very comfortable and solid while setting the hook and fighting fish. The are smooth and round out the looks of this flagship reel nicely.
Zero tension adjustment needed on these reels
Because of the SV Concept in this reel, there is no tension adjustment. All the adjustments to casting performance are made at the magnetic brake.
All of the controls are in the magnetic brake now
The brakes are easily and quickly tuned as you change lures and techniques and changing your casts with the situation to skip under cover, feather a roll cast in tight or bomb a long cast offshore. How quickly and easily you can tune and set the reel is maybe it’s biggest selling point to me.
TWS and SV Spool make for ultra smooth performance
The Daiwa Steez SV TWS baitcaster reel casts buttery smooth, retrieves lures with an seemingly effortless motion while giving you a better feel and sensitivity on the rod blank. It’s crazy how much you can feel on the rod with this reel paired with it.
Pairs beautifully with crisp sensitive rod blanks
Some rods are made for a lot of lifting power and durability. Other rods are manufactured to be more crisp and sensitive to impart intricate actions to lighter lures. I think this reel pairs amazingly well with those crisper more sensitive blanks that can often be overpowered by bigger heavier reels. It makes the whole combination such a joy to pick up and fish with it.
Have you ever had a combo that felt so good, that you constantly kept picking that rod up and throwing the bait that was on it repeatedly even though they were biting other things a bit better? That’s the effect this Daiwa Steez SV TWS has had on me. I constantly want to pick it up and fish with it, even when they are biting another lure better.
Feels and fishes so beautifully
This Daiwa Steez SV TWS is one of the most palmable and comfortable reels I’ve seen in the Steez line. It’s such a small form factor and it’s perfectly balanced and weighted. It performs so smoothly that you feel like you have a better connection to your bait in the water. It’s a fairly rare experience.
While the $499 is out of most people’s budget (mine included), I would save up and buy another one just to have the experience.
I know a lot of fishermen who only have one rod and reel or just a few rod and reel combos, but they are all super high-end combos with reels like the Daiwa Steez. They are not after having 20 rods and reels all exactly they same. They are after the experiences of fishing with the highest quality you can get. For them the one day or maybe few days a month or year they get to fish are about maximizing those precious experiences, and they want to have the most memorable experiences they can which is enhanced when using the very best equipment available. I can see that being appealing to many, and I would certainly recommend this reel to those that fall in that enthusiast category of bass fishing anglers.