Reviewed

Daiwa 23 Emblem 45 SCW QD Fishing Reel

Name: Daiwa 23 Emblem 45 SCW QD Fishing Reel
Brand: Daiwa
Price: 161.36 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (161 reviews)

In stock eTackle score 8.7/10 4.9/5 161 external reviews from 3 sources 161 reviews

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£161.36 from Fishing Tackle & Bait

Compared across 10 shops, with 9 currently in stock

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5 Things To Know

It uses a 45mm LC Long Cast spool, which is central to the reel's distance-casting design.
The Slow Cross Wrap system helps line sit evenly on the spool for cleaner release on the next cast.
The QDM drag gives quick adjustment, going from loose to locked in a few clicks when needed.
The spare deep spool gives anglers a second line-capacity option without buying another reel.
The 104cm retrieve per handle turn helps recover line efficiently from longer ranges.

Daiwa 23 Emblem 45 SCW QD Fishing Reel Review

The Daiwa 23 Emblem 45 SCW QD is the big pit I'd step up to once you've outgrown an entry-level reel like the Crosscast, and it brings a lot of Daiwa's distance technology in below Tournament prices. It's built around a 45mm LC Long Cast spool with Slow Cross Wrap line lay, a ZAION V Air Rotor and Digigear II, with six bearings and a QDM drag that goes from free spool to locked up in a single turn.

It also comes with two spools, a shallow C for normal casting and a deep LD for when you need more line, so one reel covers a lot of different waters. For carp anglers who fish big pits and want a proper distance reel without paying Basia money, I think it's one of the best choices around.

Build quality 8.5/10

Cast and retrieve 9.0/10

Drag / clutch 9.0/10

Value for money 8.3/10

How well is it built?

The Emblem is a clear step up in build from the Crosscast. It has a DS4 body, a ZAION V Air Rotor that saves weight while keeping the rotation smooth, and six ball bearings rather than three, which is what you feel when you start winding.

Daiwa have finished it properly too, with an aluminium machine-cut handle, a T-shaped handle knob that gives you a good grip and a metal HIP line clip that's built to take the strain of clipping up cast after cast without damaging your line.

At 620g it's a solid big pit rather than a featherweight, and that's the one area where it can't match the lighter, dearer reels in the range, but for a reel that spends its life on the pod and gets cast hard all day, I'd much rather have the strength.

How well does it cast and retrieve?

The 45mm LC Long Cast spool is the heart of this reel. Paired with Slow Cross Wrap, which lays the line evenly across the spool, it lets the line come off with less friction, and that's what helps you hit the same spot at range time after time.

You get two spools in the box. The shallow C is the one I'd use for normal mono casting, and the deep LD gives you the extra capacity for venues where you need plenty of line on, so you don't need a second set of reels for different waters.

The 4.9:1 gear ratio sounds slow, but the big spool still brings in 104cm of line per turn of the handle, and the low gearing with Digigear II gives you plenty of power when you're winding in from range or playing a fish at distance.

How useful is the drag system?

The QDM drag is one of the best things about the Emblem. It goes from free spool to fully locked up in a single turn of the drag knob, so you can fish with it slackened off while you wait for a take and tighten it in a moment once you're in.

It's rated to 15kg, which is far more than you'll need for UK carp, and the front drag knob sits right where your hand falls when you pick the rod up.

For anglers who've only used baitrunners, a quick drag takes a session or two to get used to, but once you've got the hang of it, it's a lot more precise than flicking a lever, and I think most carp anglers end up preferring it.

Is it good value for money?

The Emblem 45 sits in the middle of Daiwa's big pit range. It costs more than the Crosscast 45, but for the extra you get double the bearings, the ZAION V rotor, an aluminium handle and a spare deep spool, and that's a big step up for the money.

Compared with the Shimano Ultegra 5500 XTD it's a little dearer, but you're getting the bigger 45mm spool and the QDM drag, and it's a fraction of the price of the Tournament Basia, which is the reel to buy if money's no object.

It suits carp anglers who fish big pits and larger waters, want a proper distance reel with a quick drag and the option of a deep spool, and would rather spend their money on a set of three good reels than one flagship.

Pros

45mm LC Long Cast spool with Slow Cross Wrap for distance
QDM drag goes from free spool to locked in one turn
Shallow C spool and a spare deep LD spool included
Six bearings, ZAION V rotor and an aluminium handle
Retrieves 104cm of line per turn of the handle

Cons

At 620g it's heavier than Daiwa's dearer big pits
Costs a fair bit more than the Crosscast 45

Features and Specifications

Feature	What this means
45mm LC Long Cast Spool	A long stroke spool with Daiwa's Long Cast lip profile. Line leaves the spool in wider coils, reducing friction at the guides and adding genuine distance. A proven design across the Daiwa range.
Slow Cross Wrap	Daiwa's SCW oscillation system lays line in a very tight cross pattern. This creates an ultra-smooth spool surface that reduces friction on the cast and prevents line bedding in under tension.
ZAION V Air Rotor	ZAION is Daiwa's proprietary carbon composite material, lighter and stiffer than standard graphite. The Air Rotor design reduces rotating weight, so the reel feels more responsive and balanced during the retrieve.
QDM Drag System	Quick Drag Mechanism lets you go from free spool to your pre-set fighting drag in a quarter turn. Set your drag once, then flick between free and fighting mode without ever losing your setting.
Digigear II	Daiwa's digitally designed gearing system that uses computer modelling to create precisely cut gear teeth. The result is smoother engagement, less play, and better long-term durability under load.
Metal HIP Line Clip	High Impact Polymer clip in a metal housing that holds line securely without nicking or weakening it. Reliable clipping up is essential for consistent distance work.
Spare Spool Included	Comes with a spare spool (0.35mm capacity 530m), so you can have two different mainlines ready to swap. Useful if you want mono for one venue and braid for another without re-spooling.

How It Compares

See how the Daiwa 23 Emblem 45 SCW QD Fishing Reel compares with other carp reels on overall score and current price.

Name	Price	Overall Rating
Daiwa 23 Emblem 45 SCW QD Fishing Reel	£161.36	8.7
Daiwa 26 Tournament Basia 45 SCW QD	£669.00	9.3
Spomb X Reel	£161.99	8.8
Okuma Obsidian Carp Reel Inc Spare Spool	£134.99	8.6
Shimano Aerlex XTC Spod Reel 14000	£104.99	8.4
Daiwa 20 Crosscast 45 SCW QD Reel	£104.45	8.3
Sonik SK-47 Carbon Reel	£55.95	8
Korum Radius Freespool Reel	£44.99	7.9
Sonik Turbospod Reel 14000	£79.95	7.9