Daiwa's Ninja range of rods and reels have rapidly become incredibly popular with UK anglers, thanks to their outstanding performance and more than reasonable price. And this Black Friday anglers can pick up a bargain deal on one!
The newest range still boasts all the features and quality anglers have come to expect with a few new additions to make them a slightly more versatile match reel. The Ninja Match and Feeder now boasts an improved Distance Control line clip, to cater to those anglers who require accuracy, as the old clip was quite poor and something we would have changed ourselves.
The reel features slightly revised sizes of 3012 (in single and double handle) and 4012 (in single handle only) options, with a 2508 reel added to the range to balance the new wave of shorter 7ft and 8ft rods that have hit the market recently.
The graphite body and Air Rotor have helped keep the weight to a minimum, even in the larger sizes as to not unbalance even delicate float rods. The oversized rotor system on the reel significantly reduces any wobble whilst winding in, something that can often occur with slightly cheaper reels.
The same great winding power has been enhanced slightly, by Daiwa opting to include a geared down retrieve and the ever reliable smoothness is achieved via 4BB and Infinite Anti-Reverse.
THE VERDICT
We were really impressed with the original Ninja reels, which are super smart, practical and really versatile little reels. These new Ninja reels have seen slight upgrades to their cranking power and sizes to cater for the more serious match and coarse anglers.
The Ninja Match and Feeder is great for doing exactly what it says, for any sort of feeder fishingthe bigger 4012 reel is superb. Its smooth and effortless winding capabilities, coupled with the slightly larger spool to improve casting distances, just make them a really fantastic reel and for less than £70 it offers remarkable value for money.
The 3012 is a great all-round reel, we have used them for catching barbel and chub on the float, feeder fishing on local commercials and even as travel reels for using abroad when lure fishing for some hard fighting, saltwater species. There really is nothing we have found the reel to be incapable of.
If you want a versatile and durable reel, then the Daiwa Ninja Match and Feeder reels take some beating in their price bracket and we still aren't sure if Daiwa have mistakenly priced these up, as they feel and perform far above what they cost.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS PRODUCT AND OTHERS FROM DAIWA HERE.
TECH SPEC
- New Distance control line clip
- Double handle options
- Air Rotor
- Twistbuster II
- Digigear II
- ABS
- Infinite Anti Reverse
- Spare Spool
- Sizes: 2508, 3012, 4012
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The perfect fishing reel for all manner of methods. Available in three sizes and packed with Daiwa's best features at a super affordable price.
Pros
- Comes with a spare spool.
- Improved cranking power to cater for more serious competition angling.
Cons
- There are better reels for really heavy duty end tackle and feeders.
Our pick of the alternatives
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Whilst relatively new to the match scene, Nytro have been producing some quality tackle and the Impax Super Feeder Reel is no exception to that, it's a fantastic reel, at an even better price.
Its best to describe the reel as a mini-big pit reel, its a little larger than a standard fixed spool giving it the cranking power for any situation whether you're feeder fishing on a commercial for skimmers or casting large feeder on the Trent for barbel, it really is that versatile.
The reel is designed for distance, the shallow long cast spool and s-curve oscillation system ensure line peels off freely on the cast and the line lay is perfect on retrieval. A twist freeline roller will prevent the line twisting to help reduce frap ups and the drag is smooth, with a really satisfying click when it's operating.
Pros
- Versatile, all-round feeder reel.
- Great for distance casting.
Cons
- Slightly heavier than the Ninja.
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The Preston Extremity Feeder Reels are definitely some of the best reels the company has ever released and are perfect for feeder fishing, so much so they are Lee Kerry's go to reel, if they are good enough for him, they will be for us too!
The Extremity Feeder reels are designed with worm drive gearing, which not only results in compact and powerful reels, but surprisingly light ones too, they have cranking power in abundance and will have no issue reeling heavy end tackle and large fish in from any distance. The 520 reels 84cm per turn with the 620 returning 89cm, the former best for distances upto 80m with the latter best for anything over that.
This top-end extremity is available in 520 and 620 sizes, each with a dual line clip and a Speed Drag System that allows fast tension adjustments when playing fish.
Pros
- Lee Kerry's go to reel.
- Quality drag.
Cons
- Bail arm is a little heavy.
Best for commercial silvers
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Developed for both float and feeder fishing, the Matrix Ethos XR Reel are awesome reels for silverfish, they are light weight, weighing around 300g for both the 3000 and 3500 models, helping to balance any rod you care to put them on.
The reels feature 7 ball bearings and have loads of cranking power, whilst this isn't really necessary for silverfish it's nice to know the reels have it. It also means they can be used when bigger fish are the target such as chub on rivers or when fishing a feeder for bream.
The Graphite anti-flex body not only makes the reels lighter and more durable, but it also stops and movement when you are winding, which eliminates any wobble, delivering a much smoother experience. The drag on these reels needs mentioning too, it's very smooth and will result in you landing more of those bonus fish.
Pros
- Graphite anti-flex body eliminates wobble.
- Lightweight build.
Cons
- A quick drag would be a nice addition.
Author Mark Sawyer holds the position of Tackle Editor at Angling Times, boasting more than thirty years of experience working within different fields of the angling industry.