Daiwa Sol Review

Dec 10th, 2009 by Crazy BASStard

Daiwa Sol Baitcasting Reel.

The 2009 season marked the first year that I decided to pick up a baitcasting setup, fishing last years season with the e21 Boyd Duckett Classic Gold Carrot Stix, and loving every minute of it I decided to pick up the new e21 21 Carrot Gold Stix baitcasting rod. The next choice was to select the reel I would pair with it, I had heard great things about Daiwa and had great experiences fishing Daiwa products in the past... and of course my mind was made up when I found that they had an orange fishing reel that would match the Carrot Stix perfectly, the Daiwa Sol. "Sol" is the Spanish word for "Sun," thus the bright paint job.

Apart from aesthetics, the Sol is a compact reel which works amazingly for throwing smaller tackle, I was very pleased to be casting size 5 Original Floating Rapalas with ease, something that poses a big issue with heavier casting outfits. Now let us take a look under the hood.

Daiwa Sol Features

Don't let the compact size of the Sol fool you, this reel can spool a LOT of heavy line and and packs some major power. To be more specific the Daiwa Sol can spool 105 yards of 10 pound test or 90 yards of 12 pound test monofilament and sports a 5.8:1 Gear ratio. The Daiwa Sol also features the latest in anti-backlash technology (MagForce V Anti-Backlash), which makes it a real pleasure to fish even for the first time baitcasting user. The low-profile design of the reel lends very well to palming and weighs in at a mere 7.4 ounces. Furthermore, the Sol is constructed with a sealed drag system, a great feature, which allows the reel to be fully submerged in water without inflicting any damage on the reel, this is incredibly helpful when the reel needs cleaning.

Visually the reel is absolutely stunning. The metallic orange paint job along with the sleek low profile shape makes the Daiwa Sol look like an exotic sports car sitting atop your rod.

Daiwa TD Sol Reel Schematic

Weight
7.4 ounces

Line Capacity
10lb(105 yds), 12lb(90 yds)

Gear Ratio
5:8:1

Hands On

After spooling up the reel and mounting it on my new 21 Carrot Gold Stix Baitcasting rod I was ready to hit the water and start ripping some lips. The side of the reel boasts the phrase "Engineered by Daiwa" and my first impression upon holding the reel in my hand when preparing to cast was that this well oiled machine is truly a solid piece of engineering. The Daiwa TD Sol is the smoothest reel that I have ever had the pleasure of fishing, and the anti-backlash mechanism is a huge plus, especially for a first time baitcasting user. In the year that I have fished the reel I have never once backlashed on a normal cast, only when throwing heavy baits into the wind or when I gracefully cast my bait into a nearby tree.

In terms of ergonomics, the low profile of the TD Sol is truly a pleasure to wrap your hand around. Apart from my first impressions of the reel being of solid, durable construction, it just fit my hand very naturally. The combination of this comfort in a compact reel design along with the fact that you really don't have to sacrifice any power when moving to this smaller sized reel is my favorite aspect of the Sol. This also allows for a high level of control, which lends to incredibly accurate and consistent casts.

The TD Sol is meant for, and excels in finesse applications, fishing lighter lines, 10 pound or less with downsized baits, which is ideal for clear water conditions and cold front bass fishing. The setup that I am currently employing the Sol with is a 6'10"Medium Heavy Fast action Carrot Stix, which makes for a feather light combo ideal for finesse. I find the setup most comfortable in throwing 5" Senko style worms , small to mid sized jerkbaits/ cranks, and 1/4 ounce spinner baits, jigs, and Buzzbaits. Throwing larger baits than this would be more comfortably done with a larger rod 7'+ paired with the Daiwa Sol, however for burning larger spinner baits, cranks, and such you may want to consider a full sized reel that can spool heavier line and has a higher gear ratio.

Overall BASStard Rating

Price	9	The TD Sol will run you about $250.00 brand new, however can be found on ebay much cheaper (I got mine for $150.00). For the price you get a solidly constructed great looking reel well worth the money.
Construction	10	The Sol is "Engineered By Daiwa" and they really mean Engineered, the reel is of very solid construction and will certainly withstand the test of time.
Performance	9	In the field the TD Sol performed amazingly. The anti-backlash system nearly eliminates the frustrations of using a casting outfit and provides consistently accurate casts with buttery smooth retrieves.
Design	10	Just look at the thing! A perfect 10 by my measure, of course there are some that would call the color a little "over the top" but it fits the overall design very well and is ideal when paired with a e21 Carrot Stix.
Total	9.5	Overall an incredible reel, I would not think twice before adding another to my lineup!

Unfortunately Daiwa has recently stopped producing the Sol, but there are plenty out there if you take a look on ebay, most priced close to half that of the original MSRP, which was in the ballpark of $250.00. If you are thinking about purchasing the Daiwa sol and have any questions or comments on this review feel free to pop over to our Public Bass Fishing Forum and fire away!

-Happy Bassin' (Discuss This Article and Much More On The BASStard Forum!)