Daiwa Gekkabijin PolyEster line TYPE-E | Review and Comparison

[@edmusa7117]

I really appreciate all your videos, honestly, I look forward to them. Thanks to you and Randy, I also use the varivas ester line and use it on one of my reels. It’s by far my favorite line. I have to tell you it’s been very reliable for me. I fish my local pond for small 7-10 inch bass in the mornings before work and today I caught a 4-5 pounder and the line didn’t break. In fact, I haven’t broken the line on a fish once. I don’t even use a leader. I have the clear line not the orange. Maybe there is a difference between them.

[@ifishcatfish]

Good to hear! Do u fish around brush? I fish mostly for crappie, around some kind of brush or cover.. Maybe abrasion resistance is the problem. I see randy catch nice bass with it too, and he doesn't have too many problems. But he also doesn't really fish around burh. He fishes those bunks but i dont think there are trees around them..

[@waynegreatone4701]

Glad I had a video to watch with my Sat morning coffee. Good review and video!

[@ifishcatfish]

appreciate u stopping by, Great One

[@stevethepyro420]

The music at the end is awesome! Plus the reviews, and the fishing, this is why I subbed you! Keep it up! 👍

[@ifishcatfish]

Thanks Steve. I need to do more catfish videos. I lost all of my Tennessee subs..

[@cincinnatiking8008]

Thank you for another good review! I had never heard of this line before this video

[@ifishcatfish]

I think this line actually replaced the Daiwa Presso polyEster... that's why they feel so similar..

[@ifishcatfish]

was gona review one line, but ended up talking more about another line : ) A lot of you recommended me the VARIVAS super thin braided lines.. - I am trying to completely move away from braid. I dont like playing fish with braid. I also don't like casting with braid in the wind. I know it is sensitive and strong but i dont like it.. what can u do..

[@flbufl]

Get you hooked on BFS reels?

[@ifishcatfish]

Yifeng Wu i have a few from AliExpress. Ut nothing expensive. They cant throw what i need.

[@quanloikid1]

great!

[@2musiclover534]

Thanks!! I don't remember if you mentioned it though I watched the video. What lb test does the Varivas break at? I actually have a couple of spool due to Randy's recommendation. However, I've yet to use it to this day because when I fish, 6 lbs trout is a real possibility and I have to keep them from running into the underwater bushes. That said, I use 2 lbs Sunline flourocarbon and they seldom break. My understanding though is that the Varivas absorbs shock far less well.

[@ifishcatfish]

Brand new it breaks at 0.9 KG. If u fish around bushes and grass.. in my experience abrasion deteriorates strength rapidly. I fish it in deep water, when i want the lure to sink fast. It is so good for that. Also great sensitivity when fishing 30 feet deep. But i dont mess with it around brush.. The other problem is, if u get snagged, very often will break exactly at the first guide, and u end up losing 40 feet of line, which sinks and u cant even get it out of the lake. That said, i have fished other polyesters, 5 other maybe, and NONE of them can compare with this line in casting distance and sensitivity

[@2musiclover534]

@@ifishcatfish Thanks. I subscribed a few days ago. Will try to give you a thumbs up on everyone of your video going forward if youtube informs me when you post something. Thanks!

[@stevemartin4249]

Hi Victor, Based on one of your earlier videos, I picked up a spool of 2.5 lb Varivas Polyester, and loaded it onto a Hedgehog 2000ss spool. I bought that spool because because it is interchangeable between the Caldia 1000S-P and the Luvias 2000S-XH. I was hesitant about buying the Luvias, but spool inter-changability with the Caldia, and the cheaper Hedgehog spools being half the price of original Daiwa spool while also having rust resistant bearings ... pushed me over the edge. Curse you, Hedgehog. ;-) Like you, I have mixed feelings about the higher priced Luvias. Though the Luvias is noticeably lighter, the cheaper Caldia has a lower start-up inertia, and except for its shorter handle, the Caldia just feels better when winding. And with the magenta-bling dress up parts from Hedgehog, the Caldia was the perfect reel for my lady friend ... another topic for another video. Back to the line. I am somewhat familiar with Varivas mono as being popular here in Japan because it is so soft and supple. But yeah, the polyester line is another story. Much thanks for the heads up about this new line, and I agree with your first video about the characteristics of this line. Last weekend, I was casting jigs between 2 and 3 grams for bluegill and small bass at Kawaguchiko in the Fuji 5 lakes area, but a low pressure system moved in, and after two days of fishing, all I caught was a couple of slices of pizza and a tall glass of beer. But as the old saying goes, even a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work. Since my lady friend is a terminal novice at fishing, I loaded her Caldia with 4 lb. test Varivas monfilament, and my Luvias with the 2.5 lb Varivas Polyester. Her rod was a fairly cheap but new Daiwa Braiding Trout X 6'4'' Ultra Light - fairly light at 85 grams for 1.93 cm, but still with larger guides for smooth line flow. I was using an equally cheap, but even lighter (68 gram) SZM 602 UL, slightly shorter at 1.82 cm (just short of 6 feet). The SZM uses Fuji guides, and though they are not micro guides, the first guide collecting the line as it leaves the spool is noticeably smaller than the Daiwa rod's first guide. While casting, I could not help but to notice the loops of line slapping back and forth on the lower half of that first guide ... and found myself wishing that first guide were just a bit bigger. And though I hate that high startup inertia, the heft and balance of my rod and reel combo in hand reminded me of a favorite jazz song back in the day ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4O9aKluZ9uMp7s So the variables include line type, line diameter, rod length, rod recovery time at the end of the cast (the Daiwa had a slightly slower action and recovery time), first guide size, and lure weight (about 2.7 grams for a jig with curly-tail worm). The upshot, when I cast with both set-ups, I could not notice much of a difference in distance, but because of either the line or the rod, I could definitely feel the tiny jig crawling on the bottom with the polyester loaded reel. The polyester was less supple than the mono and seemed to have a bit more spool memory, but I am guessing the slipperiness of the surface made up for that in casting distance. Although I did not try the Luvias/polyethelene on my Tenryu SFADA, I suspect it may cast a little further - but with the rod's action being so soft and slow, I didn't feel confident in setting the hooks into any largemouth that might have come my way. One down side I found was that since I was not using a leader on either set up, and tying the lure directly to line, after freeing the jig from a couple of snags on both outfits, I noticed that polyester line had a visible and tactically detectable rough patch about 12 inches above the lure. I don't have a line tester, but I suspect that part of the polyester line is weakened enough for me to have to cut the line and retie the lure. With similar snags on the mono set-up, I didn't notice any rough patches or feel any abrasion. I agree with Jim Scott (under comment by Andrew Delgado) - if there is a chance of abrasion, a short leader of mono is the way to go. By the way, I visited a somewhat large, but family owned fishing tackle shop at Kawaguchiko, and while window shopping, saw some gorgeous, custom feather-light spinning rods. Though I can't remember the maker ('Rock' something or other), two things I DO remember ... they were expensive, about $500.00 U.S., and they were the first rods I have seen that included recommend polyester line sizes. PE, mono, and flouro line ranges printed on the rod are all fairly common over here, but this is the first time I've seen polyester ratings. But like a lot of the 'narcissism of small differences' in fishing tackle, it may be more of a marketing / branding gimmick because the range of polyester line sizes is so narrow, maybe 1.5 lb test to 3 lb. test. A couple of weeks from now, I will spend a few days in Shimoda and put both lines, as well as .3 and .4 braids, through their salt-water paces for aji (horse mackerel), and anything else hanging around the docks. If the weather is good, will pump up the SeaEagle Kayak, and use traditional braids and conventional reels (about the same size as bait casters) for red grouper. Since those get up to 50 cm or more, I guess even .6 braid will be considered 'ultralight' ... but yet another story for another time. Til then, cheers from Japan, Victor. Love your videos. - steve

[@ifishcatfish]

you know, with 5000 subs i still have time to read and reply to all comments, but you have to be a little shorted if u want me to read everything : ). I Know you are a writer or editor or something because u write very well, but that's just too long man : )

[@stevemartin4249]

Got it. I usually don't expect replies from the video poster ... you are an exception because you have integrity and try to see everyone as individuals. But as the numbers of your followers increase, it will be impossible for you, and a waste of your video making time. So I will not take offense if you don't reply. Just consider my comments as 'added value to entertain or inform others who follow you. Will send you a quick note about the other thing we chatted about.

[@WesLovelace]

Victor....Wish I could use lighter line but big fish and nasty bottom require at lest 10 lb. Tournament Grade Mono from Ande with at least 30 lb.Tourney mono as a leader!! I tried braid on some Ultra Lites and hated the stuff....I'll stay old school till they drop my ashes in the Gulf....LOL....Sea Ya!!

[@ifishcatfish]

yeah, thats not for ur world : )

[@troutmagnetman]

Good video...I've tried a lot of ester lines. I haven't found any I like better than the Varivas Master Limited. There are times when I am forced to use nylon or FC line but 98 percent of the time it will be ester for me. One thing I never mentioned in my review of the Varivas is I found that I need to change it out every couple of months or so. The break strength starts to deteriorate and I am assuming it is from UV exposure. Man shipping cost are getting out of hand for sure.

[@ifishcatfish]

i noticed u dont complain about line strength and wonder what I am doing different. I know i fish more brush than you but i think it matters that u change it often. Brand new it is pretty good. But i feel i have to throw 10-15 feet on every session, because even if u dont see nothing, there must be some damage somewhere, because sometimes i know it broke before it reached 2 pounds of pressure. TWO full pounds of pressure is A LOT.. problem is the line doesn't seem to retain that after some fishing. Also u probably use better leaders than me.. Either way i can't find substitute for this line as main line either

[@davidf2699]

Have you tried the Varivas Ajing Master Ester (its the red one). I've found the sensitivity and casting distance to be similar to the orange trout version with less line management issues. With the correct spool fill level and feathering the end of the cast I don't have much unruly line issues with the Ajing ester vs the trout ester which will still sometimes jump off the spool even if you are being careful. It might be worth a try (I personally prefer the Ajing version). Its a similar price and slightly thinner for the same lb test.

[@ifishcatfish]

No, i never got it because of the color. But now i have the new Abu rod that has red accents and the color may look good on that rod. That's good feedback - thanks for sharing. I will probably get it next time i order something from Japan. And i know what u mean by feathering the cast. I always try to do that, but when u fish close and off a boat, the cast that i use the most is underhand lob. With a lob i find it impossible to slow the line at the end. With overhead cast its manageable.

[@InfinityFishing]

@@ifishcatfish hey mate great review..i 'd like to try ester lines and your review has been a good start for me.About colour ajing master has clear colour if you like : www.varivas.co.jp/en/Product/searchgroup/name:Ajing+Master/type:/view3:2/id:4219 my question is ; can we use clear ester line without a leader? Since it is clear no visibility issues such as braid.I know leader is good for shock absorption but id like to fish with pure ester line in ajing ( saltwater mackarel ) What do you think?

[@ifishcatfish]

I sometimes fish the orange without leader and still catch crappie. U can check my daiwa presso videos where i didn't use leader and was catching them just fine. Also, make sure u check my community page. Interesting things there, but u will see a picture of half a dozen spools of the clear color varivas.

[@AddictedAngler]

i think diawa does make real good lines , love their braidlines nothing comes close to matching them

[@gobybryant1001]

I wouldn’t say all that lol

[@ifishcatfish]

Braid competition is so tough lately. Used to be only 2 brands. Now there is 100 and most of them are good enough. I am kind of done woth braids though

[@TheRadivoje]

I would recomend use of shallow spool,2506,2508 and other reels who are made for PE lines,hell daiwa LT 2500,3000 with shallow spool is good .If you go from Spider line,Sufix and other hanging man ropes you will not like PE lines.They are made for fishing with long landing net,not so much lifting and use of leader and for fish who do not go in the holes when hooked.Gekka is ajing type PE,and Area is trout fishing with small spoons.you need YGK jiggerx8, to use with jigheads.

[@ifishcatfish]

well that was a lot and i didn't understand everything... i think something was lost in translation..

[@victorsimonsen921]

have you ever tried the berckley nano braid?

[@ifishcatfish]

yes, i still have some. But in higher pounds. It is smooth but super stiff. I dont think its something for ultralight fishing but for bass would be great

[@shahmee_]

Where did you buy the daiwa presso and gekkabijin polyester line? From which site?

[@ifishcatfish]

I dont remember, was more than a year ago. But there is not that many - Plat, digitaka, japantackle, or ebay. Each of them have deals on different stuff.

[@shahmee_]

@@ifishcatfish I see. Will try to find them on those sites. Noted with thanks. Also, you should try sunline aji no ito, shimano sight laser, tict joker, thirtyfour pinky. Those are also good polyester lines

[@ifishcatfish]

I got one from sunline but all my reels are spooled. Will prolly try in spring. Will try more of these next year for sure! Thanks for the tip!

[@DaiwaExist0826]

Hi, where did you get the line tester? I would like to check a lot of my jdm fluorocarbon. Thanks!

[@ifishcatfish]

Nah... lines take forever to test and review. I am interested in testing ultralight rods though. This is called drag tester. I got it on ebay, but u can find it at most big foshing shops

[@flynnellison9435]

would that stuff work good on saltwater bream (fish 20-40cm long) using cranka crabs (sinking lures) down here in Australia

[@ifishcatfish]

mmm... too thin. You can still make it work, but you will have to play every fish for 5 minutes until they are completely out of gas

[@muslim-hl6dr]

Can you do comparison between Varivas Ajing Master line and Varivas Super Trout Area Master..

[@ifishcatfish]

I haven't used the first one yet, even though i have a spool of it. Later in the year..

[@muslim-hl6dr]

@@ifishcatfish i think it was the great ester too.. i'm so excited to waiting your genuine review..

[@andrewmdelgado86]

what line do you use as a shock leader?

[@ifishcatfish]

i dont have a fancy shock leader. I use Seaguar Invizx or Red Label fluorocarbon, in 4 or 6 pounds. I don't really use it as shock leader, but for abrasion resistance, so i can land occasional bass and channel catfish and whatever else i get by accident. But i haven't bought any of those shock leader materials..

[@jimscott4552]

For a shock leader, especially if concerned about abrasion I would go mono. Probably go Ande. If you are not worried about abrasion and want sensitivity, then a fluorocarbon could work better. They both have similar stretch. If you need sensitivity in slack line situations, then straight fluorocarbon is the best way to go. Just remember, when high abrasion resistance is required, mono stands up the best.

[@ifishcatfish]

honestly i have no designated leader and every time use whatever i find in the bag..

[@jimscott4552]

@@ifishcatfish lol, despite my comments, I am really more like you. I was just giving advice based upon my research on the matter. Have not personally put it to the test and may never.

[@israelgoodlookingangler]

Good video

[@ifishcatfish]

Thanks for the visit!

[@mishahagihiruko1256]

Have you ever heard thirty34four Pinky polyester line

[@ifishcatfish]

no. And i have so many lines here to test, i am really backed up. Don't know when i will buy more line..

[@mishahagihiruko1256]

@@ifishcatfish if you looking for 3lb test(~0.6), I suggest Gosen, less stiff than varivas but still no stretch, but harder to cast 1.5g or lower. 1.5-2g is the sweet spot. Anyways love your vid man👍

[@MAX99999]

Monotone voice. Check. Great command of the English language? Check. Fair review with both positives and negatives included? Check.

[@ifishcatfish]

aw maaan? Monotone voice? Now im gona be conscious of that.. I already knew my reviews can be hard to watch.. I have to integrate some surprise and disappointment and other emotion..

[@gabrieltudor6165]

@@ifishcatfish Hey man, don't take that to hearth, you are doing great and we love your videos. keep it up !

[@MAX99999]

i_fish when you feel yourself slipping and losing energy, pause, and turn the drag and spool for the clicking ping.. it’s your custom fidget spinner.