Daiwa Whisker 25QD Honest review

Full review of the new daiwa whisker 25QD against the castizm 25QDA and shimano ultegra 5500

[@MaffTUK]

Hey your at Cockerham, i used to fish there often, i haven't been there since other lake went syndicate, cant beat a good honest review, thank you for the heads up regards Matt 😁👍

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

Hi Matt yea I like fishing there even tho it’s a very slow water now a days if I’m honest but it’s local and handy to nip to. Thanks for the comment and looking forward to your next vid as all ways. 👍

[@markkelly1817]

Decent vid that, Lee 👌

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

Cheers Mark appreciate it. Look forward to a catch up on the bank soon, maybe at the park and you can teach me a think or two about seriously weedy lakes and not just about weedy commercials we as carp anglers tend to fish. Feel I could learn a lot were you earned your stripes Mark. 👍

[@frosty2331]

Hi buddy what make our the rod rests

[@adam1982green]

Would these reels be ideal for a 10ft rod, only really fish small to medium size waters. Great review 🎣

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

Hi thanks, yes there perfect for them, they were made for 9ft and 10ft rods. I have them on my 10ft scopes and on my 12fts now just because they make a 12ft rod so light and so much more users friendly. Don’t be afraid about distance with these reels they only drop around 1 or 2 wraps on my 12fts compared to my big Daiwa casting machines which really surprised me. There so light you will love them.

[@adam1982green]

@@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056 was also looking at the DAIWA - EMBLEM 45 SCW - GOLD SPOOL for my 10ft rods but might be to big & unbalance the feel. Not sure what to go for?? Do love the retro style of the Emblem 45 SCW tho

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

@@adam1982green I have the Daiwa 45s all so in the the red black colour that total tackle sell. They are a little big and heavy for a 10ft. There what I use on my 12fts if I’m going somewhere big and really need to punch distance. I have tried them on my 10fts has it happens and they look ok but are to heavy and do unbalance a 10ft if I’m honest. I wouldn’t get them for a 10ft you will end up regretting it.

[@chrisa4882]

Just the video I've been waiting for. Was undecided between the Daiwa Whisker 25qd, Daiwa Cast'izm and the Shimano Ultegra Ci4 5500. All the retailer's I've spoken to were unsure whether the Whisker qd had actually taken over from the Cast'izm or whether they were just struggling getting the Cast'izm into the country. I had a play with the Whisker qd in a local tackle shop recently but it didn't feel like a £375.00 reel. It felt to me like say a £180.00 reel. Certainly not as well built as the Cast'izm. I think Daiwa are having a laugh with their prices recently. Even the old Daiwa SS2600 has gone up £35.00 from last year. It's funny how Daiwa can make a top flight TDR 4010 match reel that all the top match anglers use that's mag sealed with quick drag and spare spool for only £180.00.

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

Yes it is a little over priced, the closest real Daiwa do for match anglers is the castizm 19TRD Distance 25QD but its not mag sealed I must point that out (cost is £269). The whisker should in my opinion be priced a little more than that as its mag sealed and to help keep the cost down don't supply it with a spare spool as the castizm 25QDA did not come with a spare spool at £269 which is what it sold at and they sold tons of them. In my honest opinion and that the fact it is mag sealed and prices have gone up with everything over the past 12 months then the new whisker should be priced at £300 with out a spare spool. This would make it a little more expensive than the castizm 25QDA but given that everything has gone up it would put it at the correct price. It is worth 299 pound all day long but leaning towards 400 then i think its a little over priced.

[@chrisa4882]

@@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056 I have just sold 3 Daiwa TDR 4010 reels on ebay and they were all mag sealed but a bit smaller than the Castizm feeder reels. I also have a Daiwa Certate which is on another level for build quality compared to the Castizm and costing same price as the Whisker 25qd at £375.00 but again smaller in size. Like you say prices have sky rocketed. Although the local tackle shop which sells the Whisker 25qd for £375.00 also sells the original Daiwa Tournament Basia QD for £400 which is only £25 more than the Whisker 25qd which doesn't seem right somehow. Once I've sorted the reels out I'll be looking for a set of either 10ft or 11ft rods that actually bend. Bought the free spirit hi s but they were way too stiff, also got the century cq 11 footers but they were even stiffer. Might have to go old school with the Baby Ballistas or maybe Armalite MK1's in 11ft.

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

@@chrisa4882 the basia you mention is not mag sealed that’s why it’s only a little more. Once you start with mag sealed basias they are 750 and 900

[@aarondavies8486]

I have okuma trio rexs they are much smoother than these and the shimano 5500 I paid 100 quid and they are much better than the 320 I spent on my shimanos

[@simonoldnall6458]

​@aarondavies8486 castizm are much better reels not sure if the ones you tried had something wrong with them lol

[@awilderireland]

Nice review. I just got a new pair of of the Cast izm 25 QDA's and two spare spools. Discontinued now as you stated but as in your video it seems a better option. Not using for Carp but feeder fishing for Bream and hybrids etc. And also on the rests/pod with a pair of Barbel rods for tench and bigger bream. I'm sure I will find other uses for it. Seems a pretty vesatile reel especially if you're not too fussy about using the reel the tackle companies tell you should be using for each species/application. Sue me I'm a cynic. 😂

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

I agree these reels can be used for anything, i bet you are happy with them. They are one of the best reels i have ever come across and used. Sometimes fishing with a reel can give a totally different view to how they feel in the shop and these are one of them, they are quality and so are the whiskers. Both exactly the same but because of the folding handle on the whisker the castizm just has the edge of feel quality. You did well to find a set.

[@awilderireland]

@@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056 Ordered from Austria. Not a bad price. Ordering from the UK isn't really an option anymore due to Brexit.

[@maracbj]

would you use this reels with 12ft rods, or are they just too small?

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

I have started using these reels on my 12ft as I love the light feel it brings to a 12ft rod. I did have the daiwa emblem 45s on which I still have but find I prefer the whiskers on my 12ft as they cast not far of the bigger daiwa 45s do. I have only used them on fish around 20lb though, so what they would be like on bigger fish I can’t answer. Hope this helps

[@jamiesmith9028]

What rods are they mate got a pair want rods to match 🤣

[@merlinman7300]

Well, I have both and to me the Whiskers are superior.

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

Yep me too, prefer the whiskers. I actually use them now in my 12fts because the rods are so light with them on and I can still punch out far with them. I only use my big reals now if I’m hitting very big waters.

[@twanmartens6431]

Nah i think i going to hold on to my old ss3000 whiskers and there big brothers the ss9000 millionmax and gs9000 millionmax whiskers....so much more charisma. Cheers

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

Old gs have way more carp kudos points for sure. Not as smooth or reliable ect but as far as the true carpie look goes the old daiwas are right up there for looks. Have been fir a long time.

[@BF4pawntard]

The handle on the whisker 25 is ugly as fuck and feels cheap. I was going to buy a set but after having a play with them in the shops I think I’ll stick with my shimano medium ci4 bait runners which feel way better made .

[@bankbuddiescarpfishing1056]

You are judging this reel because of the folding handle, when in reality all folding handles feel a bit naff cos of the folding nature they have to have, which will always mean there are not as long as a normal fixed handle. I have the bigger brother 45s to the whiskers and i bought folding handles for them and they dont feel any were near as nice as the normal fixed handles that came with the reels as standard, its just part and parcel of the nature of a folding handle. Same story with the folding handles i put on a set of ultegras dont feel anywhere near as nice as the original fixed ones thats just the way it is. They do have massive benefits tho when putting them away into a rod bag. I ended up getting another set of the whiskers because i tried them out on my 12ft rods, and i cant tell you what a joy it is to use 12ft rods with a 300g reel that can still hit 25 wraps accurately with ease. In fact i only use my bigger reels now if im going some were which i know i will need to cast over 25 wraps. If you dont like folding handles then no they are not the reel for you, its all about what every angler wants. I dont like folding handles my self but on rods i put into rods bags which is only my 12fts i need to have folding handle myself and am happy to put up with a little reduced feel of quality to have that feature.

[@BF4pawntard]

Ended up buying 3 yesterday and replaced the handles from western developments which were not cheap but I loved the reels and hated the handle . Now they have a slightly longer handle with a nice wood finish and balance lovely on my hi-s bank creepers . Not spooled up yet as not sure what line to use as I have run out of original technium black and the new stuff is rubbish

[@aarondavies8486]

They nash scopes yeah I have the same pair but only paid 38 quid a rod straight from manufacturers not from nash lol

[@connorhird3390]

how did you do this?

[@aarondavies8486]

Its a app from the app store mate

[@aarondavies8486]

App is alibaba

[@aarondavies8486]

@@connorhird3390 sorry mate been trying for days to leave you a comment where I got mine from but KZbin deleted it everytime for the past 2 days now its let me today

[@connorhird3390]

@@aarondavies8486 Much appreciated mate, ill see if I can find them

[@aarondavies8486]

Made in China now days