Leaders knots and AGS guides on Daiwa Battler rods

oshanda · #1 05-07-2014, 09:05 AM

Has anyone had any issues with leader knots on their Daiwa Battler rods?

I've just bought a Battler Kung Fu Prancer and when I got it home I found that it included a yellow sheet of paper with special notes from Daiwa about using rods with AGS guides.

What surprised me was that the sheet recommended that you use leaders shorter than 1 metre and that, before casting, you make sure that the leader knot is outside the top guide. The sheet warns that casting a leader knot may damage the guides (I assume it means the knot running through the guides could damage them).

I have other Battlers and haven't noticed an issue with the guides and I haven't had the AGS note with the other rods. The set up that's been suggested in the documentation I've got doesn't sound practical. Unless I look at running mono or flouro straight through.

Gofishing · #2 05-07-2014, 10:28 AM

I dont know what knot Daiwa recommended to use with AGS guides. I been using Gekka AGS rod for years with FG knot...never have any issue at all. Love the FG knot.

PS: My leader is usually a rod length minimum...

redfinfisho · #3 05-07-2014, 10:37 AM

my baewolf didn't come with the note it has quite large guides though, I think that the leader knot issue only applies to the battlers that run micros/ small guides which are in all the lighter models. I'd use either a slim-beauty or a FG and see how that goes.

freshwater.adam · #4 05-07-2014, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redfinfisho

my baewolf didn't come with the note it has quite large guides though, I think that the leader knot issue only applies to the battlers that run micros/ small guides which are in all the lighter models. I'd use either a slim-beauty or a FG and see how that goes.

Nah mate my beowolf came with this warning too.

matt jorg · #5 05-07-2014, 06:30 PM

Hey mate, like Redfin I have the Beowulf and waterzombie without that warning, I'm sure all the lightest battlers with megatop tip except the feral kat have that warning. But maybe the shop took it off?
My Beowulf handles 6lb leader with a neatly trimmed Albright easily.
I run 3lb flouro on my zombie.
It makes sense to me with the tiny carbon guides and solid tip, I'm sure they'd be breakable in the hands of the wrong fisho.
I'd use no more than a 4 lb leader personally and they were probably designed with light flouro in mind anyway.
Cheers matt

benny88 · #6 05-07-2014, 08:26 PM

I can't imagine this would be an issue with an FG knot. They are 99% knock free on the way out.

bamm · #7 05-07-2014, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oshanda

Has anyone had any issues with leader knots on their Daiwa Battler rods?

I've just bought a Battler Kung Fu Prancer and when I got it home I found that it included a yellow sheet of paper with special notes from Daiwa about using rods with AGS guides.

What surprised me was that the sheet recommended that you use leaders shorter than 1 metre and that, before casting, you make sure that the leader knot is outside the top guide. The sheet warns that casting a leader knot may damage the guides (I assume it means the knot running through the guides could damage them).

I have other Battlers and haven't noticed an issue with the guides and I haven't had the AGS note with the other rods. The set up that's been suggested in the documentation I've got doesn't sound practical. Unless I look at running mono or flouro straight through.

improved slim beauty try it see if you like it i find it a lot quicker to tie in the wind

spork · #8 05-07-2014, 09:59 PM

Tie the FG at home where you aren't in a hurry, with a long (3-4m) leader, that will give you enough for plenty of lure changes before you need to re-tie.
SB if need to retie out on the water.

Geedup · #9 06-07-2014, 07:47 AM

I've been using FG with my Gekka and my mate uses FG with his Beowolf and we've had no issues.

But with my O3 I was told not to run any leader knot through the guides even if it was an FG

oshanda · #10 06-07-2014, 07:49 AM

Thanks for all of the replies gents. I appreciate it.

I put the question to Daiwa on Facebook last night. They came back with a reply early this morning and said it was a recommendation only and that the issue is that a bulky leader knot could damage any guides, not just AGS.

Daiwa recommended the Slim Beauty.

The G factor · #11 06-07-2014, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oshanda

Thanks for all of the replies gents. I appreciate it.

I put the question to Daiwa on Facebook last night. They came back with a reply early this morning and said it was a recommendation only and that the issue is that a bulky leader knot could damage any guides, not just AGS.

Daiwa recommended the Slim Beauty.

isn't that a bit of a cop out response?

Why have they never suggested this for previous rods that haven't used the AGS system?

I have no problems with Daiwa rods or anything, but what really put me off is when a company advises its consumers to use their product in a certain manner that places restrictions on how the product should be used.

What If I use a double uni knot on an AGS rod and it passed through some guides and it breaks, does that make it user error as they suggested not to?

For such expensive rods to come with warnings about what leader lengths to use is concerning I reckon, even if the products themselves are fine

manno · #12 06-07-2014, 08:36 AM

I figured it was Daiwa being cautious. The warning is there for a reason though. They've obviously observed at the very least one issue with large knots passing through the guides during testing but personally having used 5 different AGS models now, im not worried at all.

Love the AGS rods!

Anyone know of any problems with these guides so far?

piketronic · #13 06-07-2014, 11:00 AM

It can be the same problem I experienced with tiny Fuji KR on Major Craft.Even Slim Beaty tends to stuck in tip guides,when making a force cast.Had lost couple of nice lures(shot away),so should use only short leader since then-disappointment.

monstaf1sh · #14 06-07-2014, 11:06 AM

A mate of mine told me he broke some guides while casting for tailor...
He ended cutting the guides off to continue fishing, think I'd rather stay with the cheaper rods than stress whether I'm gonna break a guide.

Jewel · #15 07-07-2014, 07:34 AM

I have been using the KFP and a Gekka for a while now with 4lb and 6lb tied with a 5 turn surgeons and have had no problems. Leader lengths range from 6-20 feet.
The Feral Kat starts getting a little noisy with 10lb leader going through the guides (same knot as above) but so far seems ok. It definately came with the little yellow warning note.