Daiwa Saltist SD Jigging Reels

We are happy to see Daiwa releasing a new version of the Saltist specifically for jigging, these may look like the same models with a different handle but they're not. Daiwa has added the auto-engage feature that has been seen on all of the JDM Saltiga and Catalina models for years without a big increase in price making these one of the best if not the best slow pitch jigging reels for the money. With these reels you don't have to manually flip the clutch lever when you're ready to retrieve, you can just turn the handle and it will engage on its own which is a super convenient feature for jigging. It's very important to get in gear and crank as soon as your jig hits the bottom so the current and drift of the boat doesn't have enough time to get your jig snagged on the rocks.  The 15 size is perfect for a mix of mid depth slow pitch jigging and shallower speed jigging, with 17.6lbs of drag giving it enough range to fish up to 40lb braid comfortably while maintaining a smooth drag feel. For slow pitch jigging we'd recommend running 20lb braid on this size which gives you a bit over 600 yards of capacity and enough line to not drop the retrieve rate too much even when fishing beyond 600ft of depth. The 35 size would be a good one for deep slow pitch below 1000ft with 20lb braid, fishing black cod or other species. It's also a great yellowtail speed jigging size, using 150-200g lures running 40lb braid to give you a good mix of pulling power and lower scope.