Information finally released! SALTIGA 35. for tackling large fish! Interview with Kazunari Shimizu, development tester

A tough model that makes dreams come true

The SALTIGA 35 series, designed to catch large fish and big fish that lurk in deep water, will be released in the spring of 2025. Many SALTIGA fans were probably wondering when the reel would be released and what kind of reel it would be. Perhaps for such anglers, the information was released first.

First of all, it has a line capacity of 600m of PE No. 3, 500m of PE No. 4, and 300m of PE No. 6. It is said to be designed to cope with severe situations such as using heavy weight jigs, heavy winding due to line resistance in the water caused by thick line, and fighting against large fish at the root line due to high drag value. The design concept of Daiwa’s bait reels includes a full aluminum HYPERARMED HOUSING that strongly and precisely supports the gears and spool, a HYPERDRIVE DIGIGIGER that maintains smooth rotation, a gear section with HYPER DOUBLE SUPPORT, and a HYPER TOUGH CLUTCH that minimizes trouble. This model is polished with HYPERDRIVE DESIGN, which is the design concept of bait reels, and achieves light and strong winding performance at any time.

The next-generation design concept in Daiwa’s dual-axis reels, in which the level of all basic performance has been greatly improved to ensure long-lasting high initial performance: Hyperdrive digi-gear for sustained smooth rotation, Hyper Double Support for strong and light winding, Hyper Double Support for strong support of the internal structure to prevent distortion, and Hyper Armed Housing for strong support of the internal structure to prevent distortion. The hyper armored housing and the hyper tough clutch, which drastically reduces sticking due to salt gouging, ensure stable performance in any field.

The maximum drag force is 13 kg when the line is wound on the spool to the maximum. UTD” was purposely selected for the drag in pursuit of drag tenacity. This is to allow the angler to take the initiative in the short time available when a large fish hits. In addition, the spool diameter, width, and frame size have been carefully designed for continuous use throughout the day. The frame has been studied for finger grip, and the use of a THUMB HOLDING FRAME, which is easy to palm and summit, enables the angler to hold the reel with less force. The large original knob is designed to allow anglers to reel in the line as if they were pushing it, and the 110-110 mm strong AL crank handle is mounted in the “C” shape to allow anglers to reel in more powerfully.

The THUMB HOLDING FRAME, which was also adopted for SALTIGA15 for easy permitting and summing, was also designed for SALTIGA35 in terms of spool diameter, width, and frame size. Mr. Shimizu and other testers shared their opinions to create the best shape.

The grip is shaped to allow anglers to wind the spool while pushing it. When targeting large fish, it is often necessary to quickly reel in the lure after a hit. Mr. Shimizu decided on a shape that would allow the angler to press down on the grip with the palm of his hand to continue to hold the rod.

A 110-110 mm strong AL crank handle is mounted in a “c” shape. This is another device for strong winding.

The lineup includes a normal gear model with a gear ratio of 5.1 and a rewind length of 104 cm per handle revolution, and a high-gear model with a gear ratio of 5.8 and a rewind length of 118 cm per handle revolution. The high-gear model also has the power to handle heavy jigs. These reels are fully equipped with all the performance needed to catch large fish, making anglers’ dreams come true.

An anode protection system is installed to soften metal corrosion in order to improve durability. Instead of metal corroding, the anode (zinc) plate takes on the corrosion to maintain durability performance.

Special page
https://www.daiwa.com/jp/special/products/saltiga_bait/

Kazunari Shimizu on SALTIGA35
To move to a new stage

Kazunari Shimizu has repeatedly fished using slow jigging as a weapon, from targeting large fish in various locations to light game in coastal waters, and has injected his experience and knowledge into Daiwa tackle. He has been working with the developers to create the SALTIGA35, following on from the previous 22SALTIGA15.
The reason why we decided to create the SALTIGA35 is because we put a lot of thought into the 15 series, but there are still some fish that cannot be caught with it. To target large fish, the lure must have higher torque, be able to be reeled in with the grip pushed in at the moment of a hit, and have a strong body and overwhelming power. The SALTIGA35 was created with this in mind.　　　

In testing the SALTIGA 35, Mr. Shimizu considered how to take the lead in the attack and defense at the root zone, and traveled to various locations targeting greater amberjack. He repeated tests in the fields of Okinawa, Tokara, and Satsunan, making improvements and perfecting the lure.

Mr. Shimizu has repeatedly tested the lure in places where various large fish are present. His target is large greater amberjack, which are often forced to attack and fight along the edge of the roots. This is a target that tests the angler’s reeling power, drag performance, and feel when applying force.

Toughness to catch large fish

With the SALTIGA 35, I could feel keenly that it can compete with large fish. We were able to complete this reel as a reel that can compete with large fish thanks to the Daiwa design concept of hyper drive design that we thoroughly worked on with the 22SALTIGA15. To be more specific, first of all, the hyper-armed housing firmly supports the gears and the internal structure of the spool with high precision and rigidity. Then there is the hyperdrive digi-gear, which provides torquey and smooth winding comfort even at high drag settings, thanks to the durable and firmly meshing gears. This rigidity and high torque allows high gear models to be selected for heavy jigs and deep water fishing. The “weapon” high gear is now ready to be used. Of course, the normal-gear model is so good that there is nothing to say about it.”

The most notable feature of the SALTIGA 35 is the drag.
The ATD drag is a very smooth and good drag mechanism, but the UTD is a little stickier than the ATD when releasing the line. How do you take the initiative at the moment of a hit? How do you apply pressure in the 0 tenths of a second before the fish’s face flips down after it bites? How do you get the fish to turn its face toward you? That is what we entrusted to UTD.
Incidentally, the UTD drag of the SALTIGA 35 can be raised to a maximum of 13 kg.
This 13 kg is with the line fully wound. The drag value of a reel will increase as the line is released from the spool. If a fish is hooked in deep water with the drag fully tightened, the drag value will be 13 kg or more. You will understand that this reel is capable of fighting large fish.

The drag is set at 13 kg. This is the value when the line is wound to the maximum. If the line goes out 100m or 200m, the drag will go in more than that. We dared to use UTD because we felt in the field that the drag needs to be tenacious for a moment after a hit.

The grip shape was carefully selected.

The handle and grip needed to be easy to put effort into, so that I wouldn’t get tired even if I kept on shaking it all day long. I shaped the grip by gripping the handle myself every day. I also set the handle in the “C” shape. When a large fish hits, or when fishing for scampi that hangs at the edge of a root, you want to apply pressure immediately. If you are too slow, the line will be caught by the roots. At such times, it is necessary to deal with the situation by winding the line as little as possible by pushing the handle while holding the rod in a downward position. At this time, we use the entire surface of the palm of our hand to push in. Therefore, I increased the area that hits the palm of the hand. It’s filled with my own grip know-how.”

The shape of the grip is filled with Shimizu’s particular attention to detail. It is meaningless if it is not easy to reel in and easy to use. The shape must be able to be pressed with the palm of the hand when the rod is held straight to interact with the target. And it must not hurt even after continuous use.

When a greater amberjack is hooked at the edge of a root, it must be released from the bottom immediately. The moment it hits and is hooked, reel it in anyway. With the rod straight, reel in even a few centimeters. That will lead to a catch. We needed a reel that could do this, so we created it.

The importance of being able to continue to use it.

In addition, in the SALTIGA 35, as in the 15 series, we have considered the fact that the angler will not tire easily even after reeling all day long. I think this is thanks to the thumb folding frame that we thoroughly developed for the SALTIGA15.

The thumb-folding frame is a unique design that has been developed from the idea of gripping the angler’s hand to the idea of hanging the angler’s fingers on the frame. It is easy to grip, less tiring, and easier to operate.
The SALTIGA35 was also meticulously designed to ensure that the position of the fingers, the angle at which they are held, the ease of inserting the drag with the fingers, and the size of the frame make it easy to grip and less tiring when interacting with large fish. It is also equipped with anode protection, which is also included in the 22SALTIGA15, and although I have been using the SALTIGA15 for quite a long time, it has maintained its smooth reeling feel with little overhaul.”
On big-targeting expeditions, when a problem occurs with the reel, there is sometimes nothing that can be done in the field. Needless to say, it is best that the performance is maintained.

I have always felt that the SALTIGA 35 allows me to catch more large fish.” I want people to experience the power of this reel, the reduced fatigue, the ease of handling, and everything else. And I myself believe that with the birth of the SALTIGA35, I have earned the right to challenge the world’s big fish.”
Kazunari Shimizu’s challenge to catch big fish using the SALTIGA35 will continue. He will be going to every field with the SALTIGA35 to realize his next dream.

Slow jigging involves various ways of holding and thumbing the reel. The best design is one that is not difficult to grip and does not hurt the hand. We worked together with the development staff to create this reel down to the smallest detail.

Product details page
https://www.daiwa.com/jp/product/nqmoniq

SALTIGA35 instructional video

Summary: Angler’s Time Editorial Department