Holding 240 yards of 40-pound Samurai braid and with a 22-pound max drag, Daiwa’s six new Lexa 300 series baitcasting reels are built for strong lines and big fish. Whether your preferred game is stripers, bluefish, steelhead, tarpon, drum, salmon, muskie, you name it – and whether you are using big swim baits, doing some precision flats casting or for most other inshore saltwater tasks – Lexa 300 sized reels can handle it all with a full choice of high power and high speed retrieve ratios. Common features on all Lexa 300s include a completely new mold design that fits in your handle more comfortably; an oversized “Swept Handle” with weight-reducing cutouts that do not impact its overall strength or leverage; an aluminum frame and side plate (on the gear side); an “Ultimate Tournament Carbon Drag” (UTD) that can be dialed down to a max of 22 pounds; a seven-bearing support system for maximum smoothness and reliability; a Magforce cast control to allow anglers to dial in just the right amount of resistance to minimize any unwanted “bird’s nests”; an infinite anti-reverse for positive lock-ups; and a super lightweight, extra strong A7075 aluminum spool. Other unique features on the Lexa 300s include extra line capacity for heavier test braided lines that can weather the runs of stronger and more powerful fish and an oversized counter-balanced Power Handle on 300 Hyper Speed models.
Daiwa’s exclusive CRBB bearings are specially treated stainless steel and last up to 12 times longer than standard stainless steel bearings in a corrosive saltwater environment. They are sealed to shield out sand, fine grit, salt crystals and other abrasives. Ordinary “corrosion resistant” bearings are typically open to saltwater and grit, which can quickly compromise their performance. Daiwa’s exclusive “Swept Handle” moves the paddles closer to the rod’s centerline. The result is less wobble of the rod and reel in your hand as you crank, which translates to less wasted energy and a more powerful retrieve. The advanced carbon materials of Daiwa’s six-piece UTD (ultimate tournament drag) ensure smooth, fade-free stopping power to control hard-running fish. All Lexa 300 baitcasters have aluminum spools that are “braid ready”, with a through-spool tie-off to prevent the braided line from “spinning” around the spool and losing traction. No mono backing material is required underneath the braid. You can tie direct to the spool without worries. The low profile design and lower thumb rest offers anglers a better grip on the reel and greater “palming” comfort during retrieves.
Daiwa’s new Lexa 300-series baitcasters are offered in a half-dozen different models that increases that likelihood that there is one out there with “your” name on it, including a trio of “lefties” in the mix. The following is a brief summary of each:
LEXA300HS-P
7.1:1 gear ratio; 32.4 feet retrieve per turn; Power Handle; 11.3-oz; right-hand.
LEXA300HSL-P
7.1:1 gear ratio; 32.4 feet retrieve per turn; Power Handle; 11.3-oz; left-hand.
LEXA300HS
7.1:1 gear ratio; 32.4 feet retrieve per turn; paddle handle; 10.5-oz; right-hand.
LEXA300HSL
7.1:1 gear ratio; 32.4 feet retrieve per turn; paddle handle; 10.5-oz; left-hand.
LEXA 300H
6.3:1 gear ratio; 28.8 feet retrieve per turn; paddle handle; 10.5-oz; right-hand.
LEXA 300HL
6.3:1 gear ratio; 28.8 feet retrieve per turn; paddle handle; 10.5-oz; left-hand.
All Lexa 300s can be spooled with your choice of either 240 yards of 12-pound mono; 190 yards of 14-pound mono; 120 yards of 20-pound mono; 240 yards of 40-pound super braid; or 180 yards of 55-pound super braid. The street price for these new Lexa 300s is $199.95 and they are available through your local tackle shop or from a variety of online retail outlets. If you enjoy the challenge and control of fighting a large coastal gamefish with a baitcasting reel like I do, then one of these Lexa 300s may be just what you are looking for to enhance your rod-bending time on the water.
