1981 Daiwa Magforce Reel: Vintage Nostalgia or Better Than Modern Fishing Reels?

Are Vintage Fishing Reels a Legitimate Option Today?

In 1981, Daiwa introduced its innovative Magforce reel, a fishing tool that promised to eliminate backlash. But how does it hold up against modern reels like the Shimano Curado DC? / Kurt Mazurek

In 1981, Daiwa introduced its innovative Magforce reel, a fishing tool that promised to eliminate backlash. Raiders of the Lost Ark was a big box office hit and a little startup cable channel called MTV started showing music videos 24/7. It was the year of the first space shuttle launch and the first Delorean sports car. Gas was only a buck-twenty-five per gallon, but a 19-inch color T.V. would set you back $400. But wait, never mind all that, said young teenage me. What’s this…MAGFORCE?

Rediscovering the 1981 Daiwa Magforce Reel

I remember the feeling of owning that cutting-edge fishing technology at that young age. Obviously, the fish don’t stand a chance now, I thought, very incorrectly. In my much less experienced fishing mind, I was pretty sure that somehow the magnet dial on the side of the reel could turn up the bass’ willingness to bite.

The 1981 Daiwa Procaster Magforce 10S: a piece of fishing history that still impresses decades later. / Kurt Mazurek

As my passion for fishing increased, so did my rod and reel arsenal. It was the early-1990s when my brother, Craig and I, and two of our buddies, loaded into Craig’s Jeep Grand Cherokee and set a southern course for Springfield, Missouri, the home of the biggest, most amazing, retail fishing store in the world, Bass Pro Shop. At the time, it was the only Bass Pro Shop. Word of their legendary, Spring Classic Fishing Event, had lit a fire in me, only exceeded by the fire of my credit card burning a hole in my pocket. Let's say I bought a lot of new gear at that event. And just like that, the early-80s reel I had loved so well, was yesterday’s news. It wasn’t broken, it just wasn’t “shiny” like all of my new equipment.

Fishing Technology: Then vs. Now

Now, many years later, I have a collection of a dozen, or so, retired, sentimentally important reels on a shelf behind my desk. I glance at them every time I walk by and occasionally pick one up and spin the handle for old-time’s sake. Recently, it occurred to me that it might be cool to knock the dust off of the ones that still work (some have been fished to death, beyond repair) and see how they feel compared to what I’m used to now.

For the past couple years, the reel I’ve relied on more than any other, is the Shimano Curado DC. Like the Daiwa Magforce nearly forty years earlier, it claims to have eliminated backlash forever. But unlike Daiwa’s relatively simple magnetic solution, Shimano DC reels have a tiny onboard computer that monitors the spool speed every 1/1000th of a second, and applies or releases a brake as needed. I can tell you, the DC is pretty amazing. With the right settings, you can just remove your thumb from the spool, mid-cast, and when the lure touches down, the line will stop feeding out, like magic. It’s a pretty high bar. But, that said, I have definitely experienced some backlashes with these reels.

Where it all began: These vintage Daiwa Magforce ads highlight the groundbreaking magnetic braking system that set a new standard in fishing reels. / Daiwa

How Magforce Anti-Backlash Holds Up Decades Later

It’s been 30-years since I’ve experienced Magforce’s anti-backlash control. Could it still work? Did it really even work then, or was it just better than other reels of the time? If it does work, should I consider bringing this reel out of retirement? Could it become part of my current bass fishing arsenal?

So, I added a few drops of oil and spooled her up. As I inspected the reel more closely than I had in a while, I remembered that mice had chewed little teeth marks into the handle one winter long ago. Then I noticed a single, tiny, machine head screw sticking out of the reel foot that connects it to the rod. I remembered that the spot weld that held it to one of the two cross-braces, had broken somehow. I kind of remember fixing it back in the day, but looking at it now I’m very impressed with the precision and craftsmanship I showed. It’s still holding just fine.

I was impressed how quick and easy it is to tear down and service this 1980s Daiwa reel–not something you see in manufacturing these days. / Kurt Mazurek

Let’s hit the pond! I tied on a small spinnerbait, rationalizing I’d like to just chunk-and-wind a little bit and see how she performs. I tightened the drag, adjusted the spool tension knob, and set the Magforce dial to five on a scale of zero to ten. For the first time in 30-years, I loaded the rod over my shoulder and let the cast fly.

“Ggggrrrgrrggrr,” she screamed, but the lure sailed out over the lake beautifully. I engaged the spool and started winding. Okay, the handle feels really small by modern standards, but my line was winding in just fine. I couldn’t find any indications of gear ratio printed on the reel, and an internet search came up empty, but just by feel, it’s quite a bit speedier than I would have guessed. I imagine it’s somewhere in the high-five-to-one range, probably not six. Genuinely, not bad. I made a few more casts.

The sound was pretty terrible—a metallic, rattling, grinding noise that you can actually feel a little through your hand. But somehow it felt solid. It was noisy, but I didn’t think it was about to blow up.

Casting distance was what I would describe as acceptable. I would estimate it reached about two-thirds to maybe three-quarters my range with my modern reels. I was surprised.

It wasn't long before this old reel was doing its thing: the Magforce caught fish in 1981, and it still does today. / Kurt Mazurek

And then I caught a fish. It worked! Just like I knew back in 1981, the fish can’t resist the Magforce! And then I caught another, and another.

It didn’t take long before I had pretty much forgotten there was anything out of the ordinary with my fishing that day.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW -MY FIRST DAY BACK WITH THE1981 DAIWA MAGFORCE

Sentimental Value or Practical Performance?

And then, after a couple hours, I realized I hadn’t backlashed a single time. The wind was blowing pretty good that morning, but I hadn’t made any corrections to the line on my spool at all, let alone correct a backlash. It was perfect. Yes, at this point, I’m a pretty accomplished caster, but on a typical day there’s generally some errant cast or brief loss of focus that would cause me some form of trouble. But not today. Magforce delivered as promised. It’s not fussy or flashy, it just took care of business. I’m impressed.

That old Magforce reel might be the least backlash-y reel I’ve ever owned. Who would have guessed that my first reel would have been the pinnacle?

Why the Shimano Curado DC Sets a High Bar for Modern Reels

From magnets to microchips: The Daiwa Magforce’s simplicity contrasts sharply with the Shimano Curado DC’s advanced braking system. / Shimano

So, based on that, should I start using this reel on a regular basis? Honestly, no, I don’t think I will. Yes, it performed shockingly well, especially the anti-backlash part. But, my newer reels, like my current favorite, Shimano Curado DC, are very good, too. And, I would say by every other measure, like distance, speed, capacity, weight and overall smoothness, the old Magforce gets absolutely crushed. Let’s be honest, the Curado DC has an actual microcomputer in it. That’s going to be pretty tough to beat.

But, in a contest of sentimental memories, nostalgia and general warm fuzzy feelings, the Daiwa Procaster Magforce 10S gets a perfect 10 from me every time.

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