They need to make the drag sound really loud, that way when you get a fish on everyone around you knows and gets  jealous lol

Been a Shimano only guy forever, my first setup was a Shimano Sahara 4000 with a Shimano Clarus rod 6'6 I was new to artificials.  As I started catching fish and learned how to read the water I started to upgrade.  Got my first reel over $200.00 and of course it was a Stradic 3000 as I never had any issues with the Sahara, but it was lighter and felt nicer.  Paired it with a Avid St. Croix 7' and my game picked up big time more castability and sensitivity with the rod.   I stepped up again to the white Stradic 3000 you shown and paired it with a 7'6 St. Croix Legend elite.  Wow did the sensitivity and cast distance increase two-fold.  Then bought the next series of stradics in 3000 CI4's and paired with St. Croix's Legend inshore rods.  7'6 Med. and 7'6 med light again totally felt the sensitivity and castability increase again.  Then worked my tail off and bought my first Stella in a 4000 for being able to do more with that investment.   Felt like butter and I really just enjoyed fishing it. So, I bought a second of the same model.  Fished those for years.  Sent them in for Service top notch service and turn around so my faith has always been with Shimano.  I now own last series of a Stella 3000 paired with St. Croix Legend Extreme inshore 7' med fast.   Excellent set up can cast across a lake with accuracy.  Then decided to try Gloomis NRX inshore rods so have the last series not the new plus ones.  Paired with the new Stella and the Twin power Love them.   They feel a little lighter on action than my St. Croix's but very nice rods.

So now being a member of Salt Strong, they do not sell Shimano reels not sure why, but they sell mainly Diawa.   I get pretty huge tackle discount purchasing from them, so I have their combo they put together with a 7'6 med action fast TFO pro with their 2500 Otis reel which is a Daiwa but not sure what model but man it's a great little setup for the money.

I liked it enough to try the next combo which is their Slam Stick custom rod  7'6 med. Fast  paired with a Diawa Fuego 2500 that also has felt good to me and no issues as of yet.

So my next plunge was the Slot Machine their high end customer rod 7'6 med. Fast paired with the Diawa BG MQ 3000  have yet to fish it as I just got it today and of course its been raining most of the evening but I can see the comparison to the stradic as well.   I have the newest stradic 3000 also and the first run of the Vanford in 3000 both nice reels but I prefer the stradic over the Vanford.

Thanks for your reviews and inputs I do value them.

Respectfully,

Chris

Shimano stradic FH first year made was 2001, so it's 22 to 23 years old.I bought my first one in 2002 and still have it in excellent condition.

The air bail on the Ballistic MQ might appear bigger but it's a hollowed bail, where the BG MQ has a solid bail. I wouldn't say the Air Bail is heavier. I feel you on the BG MQ being very solid, I fished the 3000 size BG MQ for a year and definitely love the big gear in a solid aluminum MQ housing. Love the content, you seem to know your stuff compare to a lot of other reel talkers on YouTube. Subscribed!

I just got a bass pro catalog in the mail I was so excited. Nostalgia trip

I use both and the daiwa never gave me problems while the shimano got salt water inside so it required more maintance.

One thing you might have mentioned is that Diawa uses a hollow bail wire. That is why it is thicker. But it is stronger and it weighs less. Both MQs are sealed better to stop water incursion. That's important with a salt water reel. Oh and by the way, the Daiwa people called and they want to talk with you. LOL.

When bought a ballistic mq and a vanford at the same time I brought the vanford back to have them check it out because of how much smoother the ballistic mq was. For almost $100 more at the time I thought something had to be wrong. They said there was nothing wrong with it. A month later the roller bearing went out. Since then I have only used Diawa mq reels and have had zero issues with them.

I still run my Stradic FJ from around 2014 lol. I used it a lot for 2-3 seasons then stopped fishing for years till this year (2024). So it’s still pretty fresh. But I chose a Stradic due to getting an overwhelming majority of recommendations for it over anything else.

I switched to Shimano back when the Stradic ci4+ launched in 2016. I now own a Stradic FL and ci4+, Vanford, and a Sahara. Along the way I picked up a Daiwa BG and Ballistic LT. In my experience, Shimano makes better reels. The BG has been great but my Ballistic LT was a bit of a disappointment. Not as smooth as any of the Shimano reels and I’ve had the bail snap shut when casting multiple times. I’ve wanted to try out an MQ reel from Daiwa but seeing as it’s hard to service one yourself is a bit of a turn off. Daiwa doesn’t sell an MQ side plate tool and doesn’t sell magseal oil. You’d have to buy non authentic tools and oil from eBay. Not to mention how expensive the non authentic stuff is. Hopefully they begin to sell or include an MQ side plate tool with their reels and sell the magseal oil.

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For the rest 👍👍

I personally use both and some penn and tsunsmi cant go wrong, im a fan of fishing and fishing products!!

Good comparison forgot to mention warranty and service turn around 👍

That ballistic mq it’s 🔥🔥🔥 super smooth reel

i have the daiwa ballistic mq lt 2500d-xh and it is an absolutely amasing reel. I took it to saltwater and it did not flinch, there is absolutely no "start resistance" which is great when you havw 6.2:1 ratio, and the reeling itself is super smooth.

Man, your "back in the day" is like my yesterday. I have Stradics from before the turn of the century. The Toyota Camry of the reel world. Also love my Daiwas.

Great video!  I still have the original Aero Stradic 2000.  It's pearl white with a wooden handle and a aluminum spool and came with a spare. I've caught thousands of Bass on it.  My P.B. 12.5 LB. Largemouth and believe it or not, a 140Lb. Tarpon (After a 3 hour fight).  Now it's collecting dust because it weights 9.7oz.  I have a few 18' Tatula's and 2 Stradic FL in the 1000 and 2500 sizes and just love my Stradics.  I don't feel the need to get the FM.  My FL''s are perfectly smooth with NO handle play.

Love your video man before i buy something i just watch your video and i saved a lot of money 👍👍

Shimano/Daiwa -Ford/Chevy both excellent, just preference

I have an 89 wood handled Stradic. It was called the Aero back then. I broke my wooden single handle and replaced it with a Double handle Spirex! Still smooth like butter but the Anti Reverse gave out.