The Verdict on Vadel – Andrew Badullovich

I was honestly impressed at first glance. The new Vadel from Daiwa is extremely appealing, and easy on the eye. The over-sized EVA handle knob is perfect for gripping power, and is a welcomed feature when battling strong fish. The Vadel 4000H is a smooth operator, and is well balanced for a high speed reel. I have been using my Vadel for most land-based fishing situations, and have found it to excel during beach and rock fishing scenarios. This reel is Magsealed, which is great for surf and rock fishing applications. The Magseal feature ensures the elimination of water penetration, meaning it will cope with the odd splash of water or basting of sand.

The main reason behind my preference for the 4000H was its versatility. It boasts a high-speed retrieve ratio and conveys a generous spool capacity which allows you to pursue line burning pelagics. It also doubles as a decent reel for chasing drummer and groper if the pelagic action is quiet. The vadel boasts 8kg of drag, which is also silky smooth! You really want the line to peel from the spool smoothly under heavy drag settings, and the Vadel does not disappoint. I recently battled a large Blue Groper from the stones, and owe the victory to the smooth drag system of this reel. It was a torrid fight; however, the Vadel performed flawlessly.

Although the Vadel is well suited to light Shore-game fishing, it would be right at home casting poppers, working jigs or a spot of light trolling from a boat. It would also make a great reel for bait-fishing for hard slogging reef fish or even live-baiting for mulloway, snapper or kingfish. Even though this is a light-weight reel, it is incredibly strong with minimum flex under load. I’ve had the privilege of using some of the “high-end” reels from the Daiwa stable, and can honestly rate the performance of the Vadel highly. It’s even more pleasing to announce that this reel boasts great value for money.

I’ve match my Vadel to a Lateo 110XH, but I reckon the Vadel would complement most spin rods.