Daiwa TD Black 4000 / Supercasta IV 7'6'' Rod & Reel Combo
By Hayden Speed - Mayhem Fishing
For me, softbaiting has to be one of the best, most active ways of fishing. You are quite literally hunting individual fish and attempting to fool them with what is essentially a piece of plastic - which makes for such an entertaining, satisfying - and often productive way to catch fish! However, with the popularity of softbaiting comes a market loaded with different rod and reel options - often making it tough to know where to start or what to look for while matching the product to your budget.
As we all know, the saltwater environment is extremely harsh and will make short work of low quality gear simply not built to last.
I’ve been using the Daiwa TD Black range over the past four years and have been seriously impressed. My 'go to' in the range is the TD Black 4000D-C reel paired up with the TD Black Supercasta rod. I fish hard and this combo is on the boat almost every trip out so it is vital that the gear is up to the task.
After countless trips, plenty of punishment and minimal babysitting, this setup has proven it can handle real-world saltwater fishing without missing a beat.
My thoughts on this deadly combo are below:
Sunrise casting at Spot X providing some unreal scenery
Daiwa TD Black 4000D-C Reel
The reel itself is an absolute workhorse. This thing gets thrashed with the amount of use it receives and still feels brand new; which is pretty impressive after 4 years. The reel is lightweight (230 grams) and packs a crazy 12kgs of drag. The amount of technology packed into this small, affordable reel is exceptional.
Daiwa’s one piece Monocoque (MQ) body design being a contributing factor. Having only a one piece body design eliminates unnecessary parts that can get in the way - and increases the strength and power through the reel. There’s nothing worse than feeling the reel itself start to twist and flex when under load from a big fish! To name a few more features, the ‘Airdrive’ design makes fishing with this reel a dream as it reduces the amount of effort it takes to turn the handle, making for a silky smooth operation which truly is exceptional.
The ATD Type-L and carbon drags deliver super smooth drag even at the higher drag levels. It’s one thing advertising a reel capable of high drags but having a smooth drag at those levels is where it really counts!
Reel Specifications:
- Mono line capacity (mm/m): 0.33/160, 0.37/130
- Braid line capacity (lb/yd): PE2/300
- Reel weight: 230 grams
- Max drag (kg): 12kg
- Gear ratio: 5.2:1
- Bearings: 5+1
- Line retrieve: 82cm per crank
- Reel handle position: Left or Right
- Reel features: Air Drive Design - Automatic Tournament Drag - Monocoque Body
An absolute ripper pulled out of the shallows for @mayhem_fishing
Daiwa TD Black Supercasta Rod
This is a 7’6” rod with a Medium Heavy action, rated to cast between 7-28g (1/4 - 1oz). While not the longest model in the range I've found that it has been long enough to get a very solid cast while still being easily manoeuvrable. This comes as a result of Daiwa's X45X Full Shield Technology they packed into this rod. Essentially this strengthens the blank and minimises twist and energy lost while casting, allowing for a more crisp and longer cast.
The rod has a sensitive tip which is awesome to detect bites, but also has a lot of power through the mid and butt sections which allows for a solid hookset and some serious power when required. A lot of my softbaiting is done in less than 10m of water over very heavy reef. This requires tight drags at times, so having the power to stop fish and turn their heads is an awesome feature! As much as it is my go-to over the rough stuff it is definitely still equipped for those sandy areas, be it along beaches or harbours where heavy drag and power isn’t required to the same degree.
Rod Specifications:
- Rod material: HVF Nanoplus Graphite Blank
- Rod length: 7'6''
- Pieces: 2
- Line rating: 5-10kg
- Lure rating (If Applicable): 7-28 grams
- Reel seat: Daiwa Zero Seat
- Guide type: Fuji
- Gimbal type: EVA
- Rod features: HVF Nanoplus - V-Joint - X45 technology - Braiding X - Fuji componentry
Another Bay of Plenty pannie falling victim to the TD Black combo
Super reliable and smooth rod and reel for those flat calm days and fishing can be real picky
This fishing rod and reel retails at a combo price of *$699.99 which places it in the mid range as far as softbaiting sets go. Yes, it could be on the upper limit for someone looking to just start out but it is an investment that will allow you to do pretty much everything in terms of softbaiting – in comfort and with confidence for a very long time.
Cons (if you can call them that)
The length of this rod may not be favoured by all as some people prefer a longer rod for greater casting and sensitivity factors. This rod is suited to mid range lures, anything from 1/4 - 1oz on a 5'' or 7'' bait is perfectly suited however, you may find it harder to get similar cast distances with ultra light or significantly heavy lures. This could potentially limit the combo for some very specific applications.
Overall, this is an awesome piece of kit that is well affordable for the keen angler and is definitely one worth considering to have in your arsenal!
You can find all of the lads adventures across on their YouTube or Instagram pages.
YouTube - Mayhem Fishing
Instagram - @mayhem_fishing
Do you have any questions?
Please, contact our friendly team on 0800 102041 or email: website@burnsco.co.nz
We provide general information on products, not personal advice. Always seek the help of a relevant tradesperson if you have a technical query.
*RRP $699.99 at time of publication
