Introduction: Daiwa typically has a large presence at ICAST and this year was no different. If anything the company ramped up their activities making a big push into both fresh and saltwater reels, and doing more to highlight the technologies within those products. On the freshwater reel side their biggest announcements focused on further refinements to their Tatula offerings and a completely new Ballistic spinning reel.

Daiwa has a very large booth at ICAST

Marc Mills, Senior Marketing Manager at Daiwa kicks off the show with a press conference highlighting the company's new launches

Spinning up two new Tatulas: It is no secret that the Tatula series has been a huge hit for Daiwa and the mainstream reel series is popular among both everyday anglers and pros, offering a strong balance of performance for the money. This season Daiwa is trickling down more of their high-end technologies into the Tatula reels and introducing two new reels, the performance oriented Tatula X and an updated Tatula 150.

Pro Angler and Daiwa Prostaffer, Cody Meyer, shows us the reel he is most excited about, the Tatula X

The Tatula X features a new brighter blue-grey finish to set itself apart from other Tatula reels and features the company's Hyperdrive Design which focuses on a more rigid body construction, an updated gear system that optimizes tooth profiles for smoothness, a dual supported pinion gear to reduce flex during retrieves, and a reinforced clutch mechanism for more durability and reliability over time.

The Tatula X brings a lot of value for the money

In short the Hyperdrive design helps bring a more refined and premium feeling to the Tatula X, not only making them smoother but more reliable. Another improvement in this reel is the implementation of the MagForce LC-Concept Z-Spool which is designed to improve max casting distance.

Takeshi Nagayama is one of Daiwa's lead reel designers and highlighted the various technologies inside the updated Tatula reels

The "LC-Concept" means that the spool is designed to maximize casting distance. Daiwa's engineers look to achieve this through a combination of the Magforce Z's dynamic braking and the spool's design, which also features a lightweight construction to reduce inertia and optimize line peel. As usual the Magforce magnetic braking system utilizes a dynamic inductor that adjusts automatically throughout the cast, which works in unison to help maximize casting distance through control through the different cast phases.

The Tatula 150 gets an update and most of the upgrades are internal

The Tatula X reel is becoming available now in 6.3:1, 7.3:1, and 8.1:1 gear ratios in both left and right retrieve for $149 each.

A look inside the guts of the Tatula 150

Also new this season is an updated Tatula 150 reel which is positioned above the Tatula X. This stealthy looking reel features the same Hyperdrive design elements with an aluminum frame, higher bearing count (7BB+1RB versus the Tatula X of 5BB+1RB), and a souped up drag system.

Double supported gearing

The Tatula 100 is available in 5.3:1, 6.3:1, 7.3:1, and 8.4:1 gear ratios in both left and right hand retrieve and retails for $199.

Chris at Daiwa walks us through the updated Tatula reels

For customers in the value segment Daiwa also introduced the Aird 80, a low profile baitcaster built on a composite frame and sideplates. It will leverage 32mm aluminum spool with Magforce LC-Concept braking and 7BB+1RB internally.

The Daiwa Aird is a value oriented reel built on a composite frame and sideplates

The Aird weighs in at only 7 ounces and be available in a 7.5:1 gear ratio at the hotly contested $99 price point.

The Ballistic gets a complete redesign

New Ballistics: Over the past few seasons the Daiwa Ballistic has found a solid following among both freshwater and saltwater anglers for the reel's emphasis on performance, ergonomics, and durability. This season Daiwa completely refreshes the Ballistic with a new Monocoque Body that brings it closer to Daiwa's flagship reels. An Airdrive rotor and long cast spool help improve performance in both finesse and power fishing techniques, and to ensure the reels continue to perform well in saltwater environments the Ballistic reels feature Magseal components on the main shaft to minimize the intrusion of water and debris.

The Ballistic continues to focus on performance and durability and is one of the most affordable reels to use Magseal technology

The new reel stands out with the deep blue and red highlights and will be available in 5.8:1 and 6.2:1 retrieves in a wide range of sizes from 1000 to 4000 for $239 each.

The Prorex is designed for coldwater environments

While the Ballistic will get most of the fanfare Daiwa also introduced another monocoque body reel called the Prorex MQ LT. This reel features a cool dark teal and purple finish and is designed with a Zaion airdrive rotor for lower weight and durability. The key to this reel is that it is designed to do battle with colder water species like smallmouth, walleye, pike, and perch and features a larger thicker main gear that offers increased rigidity, corrosion resistance, and smooth power transfer. The application specific Prorex MQ LT is also light with the 2000 size weighing only 6 ounces. These reels will retail for $219-$229 depending on size.