Daiwa Tierra LT Spinning Fishing Reel Review

Hey guys, welcome back to Beach and Fishing and my Daiwa Tierra LT spinning fishing reel review. Now, as you are probably aware, fishing is one of those past times that holds two essential truths:

1. There are a great number of variations of every piece of equipment, tackle and accessory that you could be looking for.
2. Everybody has an opinion on which of these variations is best at any given time – which is generally due to the fact that that particular item has helped them catch fish.

So with that in mind, one thing I have tried to do on this site is review the products I use, as well as the ones that are popular at the moment to give you an idea of what may work for you as you head out to the water and chase the big ones.

Hence, for this review, I will run you through:

• What the product is
• What I bought if for
• Pros and Cons
• Cost
• My recommendations

Also known as ‘open face’ reels or ‘eggbeaters’, these reel types wind the line onto a front spool which is held on by a ‘bail’. Line is wound in via a handle on the side which is ratioed to bring the line in faster than the handle is turned. In general, spinning reels are made from a corrosion-resistant metal, carbon fiber and/or aluminum body with variations of the following:

• Bearings – As with a car wheel, the mechanisms inside a spinning fishing reel generally incorporate ball bearings for smoother operation. From my experience, most come with between 3 and if the specifications are listed as 10 + 1 for example, this means that there are 10 ball bearings in the main housing and also a roller bearing incorporated into the bail to make line retrieval easier.
• Ratio – One advantage of a spinning fishing reel is the winding ratio. This is usually set anywhere for 3:1 up to 6 or 7:1 (often listed as 6.0:1 etc.) This simply means that for every time the user turns the handle a full rotation, the spool holding the line has actually turned 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 times meaning less winding for faster line retrieval. Higher ratios are good for fast retrieval fishing such as with a lure or if there are a lot of snags etc. Lower rations assist with the big fish catches.
• Drag – The drag of a fishing reel is its ability to release a little bit of line when a fish strikes or is being pulled in. This is in place to reduce the chances of a bigger fish snapping the line as it fights. As with anything, the more you pay for a reel, the better the drag system should be with the more expensive models containing precision setting capabilities.
• Casing: This is the part of the reel that contains the springs, levers, gear cogs etc. that make much of the stuff above work. I’m my opinion, avoid any reel that doesn’t have this all housed in a sealed, waterproof casing. These are low maintenance and the components will not rust.

So, I walked into my local tackle shop and told the guy that I wanted a long casting reel for surf fishing. This was so I could chase some fast swimming winter fish that we go after down here called Tailor. I wanted something that was smooth and could cast well with a decent sized line on it.

I had a couple of choices but was assured by the salesman that the Daiwas he had were very well suited for surf fishing especially for casting with lures etc. So based on his advice – I have bought a bit of gear off him in the past and he has not let me down yet – I purchased this Tierra 6000D and have loaded it with 30lb braid. This is definitely an overkill for the tailor but I do intend to give this a good workout chasing larger Mulloway and on the boat as well.

As far as the reel goes it is definitely a higher quality than the base budget models with CNC machined gearing as well as fully sealed bearings which is important for someone like me who plans to use it predominately in salt water. I did like the smoothness of it in the hand and it is definitely a lot lighter in weight than others I looked at such as the Penn Spinfisher IV.

• Model: Daiwa Tierra LT 6000D (sizes range from 2000 to 6000)
• Bearings: 5 + 1 Corrosion Resistant Ball Bearings
• Ratio: 5.1:1 (models range from 5.2 on smaller models to 5.1:1 on 6000 model)
• Composition: Full Metal/Alloy body with precision CNC machined “Tough Digigear” internal components and soft EVA knob handle
• Drag: Front of spool – “Automatic Tournament Drag” 6 washer carbon fiber drag – up to 26lb (12kg) on 6000 model
• Anti-reverse switch: Yes
• Weight: 13.1 oz (370g)
• Line specs:
• Mono (yds/lb) – 14/310, 20/250, 30/150
• Braid (yds/lb) – 15/420, 20/300, 30/220

Note: Specs change for different sized models.

• Extremely light and smooth winding
• Nice drag adjustment capabilities
• Nice long casting capabilities

• Body not completely sealed (unlike Shimano Nasci for example.)
• I have had problems with bail ‘snapping’ back as casting.

I paid $AUD180 however have seen these priced online at anywhere between $150 to $200 for the 6000 model.

As mentioned above, I purchased this model based on my need for a longer casting reel. And you know what, I am more than happy with my purchase. It not only casts very well with both live bait and lures but it is evenly balanced (I used it predominately on a 12ft Daiwa Sensor Wave surf rod) and light weight when in the hand. I have had problems with the bail snapping back whilst casting which I think may just be the way I move my hand on the rod but it is something to watch.

At the end of the day, in my experience, If you are looking for something to use with lures or fresh bait in most general settings then you could definitely do a lot worse than this one – especially if you want something durable that will cast like a dream.

So there you have it, my honest review and appraisal of the Daiwa Tierra LT spinning reel. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experience with these reels.

Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.

Until next time

Have fun

Paul