Review: Daiwa Underspin XD Trigger Reel
Keith Lusher 09.22.23
I can remember my first fishing reel. It was a Zebco 33 push-button reel. I used that thing for everything including catching redfish and speckled trout. As the years went by, like most anglers, I got away from spincast reels. I recently was introduced to the Daiwa Underspin XD Trigger Reel recently on a fishing trip with a friend. We were fishing for sac-a-lait on the Tchefuncte River just north of Lake Pontchartrain in Southeast Louisiana. I had been looking for a reel to pair with my jigging pole and this looked like the perfect option. I wasn’t crazy about getting a spinning reel that would require two hands to operate since one of those hands seems to be dedicated to the trolling motor.
I purchased the reel online and after it arrived I paired it with my 11-foot Wally Marshall rod. The reel was pre-spooled with lightweight line which I replaced with 5 lb. Mr. Crappie monofilament line.
On the water, I was impressed with the smoothness of the casts that I was able to make. While I don’t do much casting when I’m jigging, I do quite a bit of underhand pitching to nearby structure. The trigger performed flawlessly and allowed me to use one hand while casting. The gear ratio was 4.1:1 which allowed for 16 inches of line recovery per turn. There was hardly any friction inside the reel which is quite refreshing when dealing with spincast reels. The new redesigned pickup pin is now made of titanium nitride which actually rotates as the line moves around it. This made a big difference on the retrieve.
During the trip, there were no line-jams or overlapping inside the closed-faced reel. The drag performed well as I was able to snag a 14-inch slab which made a hard initial run under some submerged wood. I was able to slide my finger over and tighten the drag quickly in order to muscle the fish up and net him.
In the end, I was totally impressed with the reel and being that the body is made with aluminum alloy with metal gearing, it looks to be a lifetime reel if I hit it with WD-40 every once in a while. If you’re looking for a great reel to pair with a jigging pole to use for crappie, then I’d give this The Daiwa Underspin XD Trigger Reel a try. Its lightweight feel and small body makes it a great ultralight option as well if your targeting bluegill or chinquapin.
