“WaveSpin…the first significant improvement
in salt- and fresh water spinning-reel design in more than 50
years. What set’s the WaveSpin apart from its competitors is
that it’s virtually impossible for the line to bird’s nest during
a cast.” Put to the test by me and some "pretty vile casters,”
Hannon's latest creation lived up to its claims.
Jerry Gibbs
Outdoor Life Magazine - Dec./Jan. 2007/2008
***
"Doug Hannon’s WaveSpin Reels are a radical design at a
time when innovation in spinning is hard to find."
Field & Stream announcing WaveSpin as
Best of the Best for 2008
***
Field & Stream magazine says the new WaveSpin spinning reel
offered by a relatively small Michigan company deserves its 2008
Best of the Best Award, which is saying something when you're
up against the giants of the fishing industry. The publication
chose bass fishing innovator Doug Hannon's WaveSpin reel and
said that its radical new design came at a time when "innovation
in spinning is hard to find." In January, TackleTour.com
presented the reel with its Innovation Award, and Outdoor Life
Magazine's fishing editor Jerry Gibbs wrote that the reel represents "the
first significant improvement in salt- and freshwater spinning-reel
design in more than 50 years." Enough said. I bought the
smallest of the three models, a freshwater WaveSpin, the DH300
that costs $79.95, and decided to give it a hard workout. I wanted
to see whether the WaveSpin's claim that it is virtually impossible
for any type of line on this reel to cause loops or bird nests
during a cast? It's true. And talk about smooth reeling; it is
effortless. The WaveSpin reel features 16 smoothly rounded teeth
or "waves" on the spool lip, which completely eliminate
the eruption of a pile of loose line. If a tiny loop should occur
during casting, the looped line will rest harmlessly between
the waves on the spool and will straighten out on the next cast,
unnoticed and without creating tangles. The changing of line
on the reel is revolutionary. Without requiring a tool, the spool
splits and the old line pops off. Terrific.
Gene Mueller
Washington Times – March 9, 2008
***
Probably most important is the reduction in the number of loops
and snarls. Virtually all spinning reels get these, particularly
when used with the vigorous rod action common in working saltwater
lures. But when Hannon and I took a couple of the (WaveSpin)
reels out for an afternoon on the Little Manatee River last week,
neither of us got a single loop while fishing various weights
of Power-Pro and Stren Super Braid.
Frank Sargeant
Tampa (Fla.) Tribune, Dec. 14, 2007
***
I didn't cast the 10-pound braided line particularly strenuously,
but the quarter-ounce lure sailed out so far in front of me,
I barely saw it land among the milling reds. I jigged it once
- and a red immediately snapped it up and charged away. Not bad
for my first cast of the day. Hannon caught and released another
redfish - after purposely making several loops in the 14-pound
braid on his spool before casting. The WaveSpin is the latest
of 16 patents Hannon holds -- perhaps the best known being the
weedless propeller used in trolling motors around the world.
But the new spinning reel already is receiving acclaim from professional
tournament fishermen, guides and outdoors publications.
Susan Cocking
Miami Herald, Feb. 2008
***
I decided to give one a try late this summer in the local surf
line, and pushed the spool capacity on the WaveCast (predecessor
of WaveSpin) a bit by winding 200 yards of 30-pound Sufix brid
onto the reel, topped with a 4-foot shot of 25-pound fluorio.
The WaveCast cast like a charm, and the “waves” seem to do their
thing keeping the wind knots to a bare minimum (though I did
spool with thicker 30 pound, just in case.) With a couple of
short stripers to its credit, I tested the reel again at the
onset of the fall run by scaling back drastically and re-spooling
the reel with a super-thin 8-pound braid to get a truer sense
of its cast ability. With a Deadly Dick’s metal on the other
end of 20 pound fluorio, this 10-ounce mighty might with the
5.2:1 gear ratio cast a country mile, even though the blitzing
albacore at my feet needed little more than a simple pitch and
crank.
Jim Hutchinson, Jr.
The Fishermen, Oct. 18, 2007 (all editions)
***
Throughout the remainder of the day, the WaveSpin reel performed
perfectly fine. In fact, considering the amount of line I had
on the reel, it performed more than fine, it was actually borderline
impressive.
TackleTour.com
Innovation Award winner 2008
***
This was my wife’s first time using an open
face spinning reel. I was sure I would be spending all day untangling
mess after mess instead of fishing After an hour and half of
watching he learn how to use a spinning reel I was totally amazed
that she never tangled or bird nested one single time. Unbelievable,
wonderful, unbeatable. The WaveSpin reel is a big winner in
my eyes and top quality to boot.
Lee from
Michigan
***
As a new dealer I am always anxious to check out products.
Sometimes they meet expectations and sometimes they are disappointing
and don’t live up to their promotional literature. In the case
of my recent shipment of WaveCast reels, however, expectations
were greatly exceeded by the overall quality and performance
of this product. In field testing, they worked exactly as described,
eliminating those loops which so often lead to a tangled mess,
and casting further than those “good reels” I was currently using.
Also, out of the box it felt smooth as silk, and the bait’s solid
action assured me this was a very high quality product. My customers
have also been delighted with this reel. Once they pick one
up and turn the handle a few times they want one! Once they
see the innovative concepts built in, they need one! Once they
see the reasonable price cost, they can afford to own one! It
doesn’t get much better than this for the retailer or the customer.
I have had no complaints. Also I would like to extend my sincere
appreciation to you and the rest of the WaveCast folks. It has
been a pleasure to work with you. You have always been honest
in our dealings and prompt in answering any questions I have
had. I hope to continue doing business with you for a very long
time.
Mitch
Owner Red Sea Tackle
Rowe, Mass.,
Ph: 413-339-5791
***
Never having been a big fan of spinning reels, the Doug Hannon
WaveSpin has opened a whole new world of fishing for me. It's
the most hassle-free reel I've ever thrown. The WaveSpin has
proven itself on numerous occasions and while it has many
attributes, my personal favorite is that it seems to be
impossible to back lash. In tournament fishing, where every
minute counts, the last thing I need is to be wasting time dealing
with reel hang ups. It simply does not happen with the WaveSpin.
The versatility of the WaveSpin is also impressive; I can cast
a country mile or put a bait under a pier at two feet. Leave
it to Doug to come up with such a genius invention!
Mary DiVincenti
WBFA World Champion
2003
***
Awesome reel. I have fished four tournaments so far with this
reel and have not walked off my line yet! I fished with my partner
and he had to untangle his line four times, while I continued
fishing. It was great not having to waste fishing time to untangle
my line.
Linda Ward
Professional angler
Big
Rapids, Mich.
***
We rate this reel a thumbs up.
Dave White
owner www.basslurereviews.com
***
Very smooth, very high quality, so easy to use, though and a
two year warranty, who could ask for more? Handles line and
loops like all reels should. I love it.
TW from
Charlotte, N.C.
***
Hi Jerry... I just wanted to take a moment to comment on the
Doug Hannon WaveSpin reel..
With a full-time desk job during the day, the only time I can
make it out on the water is in the darkness of night-time fishing,
a scenario that makes for tough fishing when you get wind knots
that you can't see in the dark. I take out many novice anglers
and non-fishing savvy friends and I find myself handing them
this WaveSpin reel for fishing at night because I don’t get the
wind-loop problems like I've had with other reels. I'm not an
engineer and I don’t know how or why this reel reduces those
wind loops but I don’t care….. it works, and its given us more
time to fish rather than spending the time in darkness trying
to untangle spectra knots. Great product, good drag that lands
big fish like this tarpon. And when it comes time to changing
the line on the reel it’s a breeze with the spool-separation
capability. The angler in the photo, Gus Pedrayes, caught this
nice tarpon off Miami early Monday morning. His first tarpon
ever….on the reel.
Good Fishin,
Adrian Gray on Outdoor
Life Magazine blog
http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/gonefishin/2008/02/index.html
***
A client of mine a few weeks back said "spinning reels
were designed by the devil", and I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately,
they are a necessary evil. Many of my clients can't use
baitcasting gear, and at times I do some finesse fishing so light
line and spinning gear is the only way to go. OK....now I'm
a believer! I fished Saturday and Sunday this past weekend for
bass at the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri. The
bite was extremely tough, so I had to down-size everything. I
had 8 pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on the WaveSpin reel and I never
threw a loop or had a knot. By the middle of the second
day my line was noticeable twisted. Some of the lures I
was using would spiral on the fall, or turned-over on the retrieve,
so my line was a mess....not straight at all. Somehow the
WaveSpin kept me from having to deal with the usual loops and
birds-nests that I usually get when bass fishing with spinning
gear. I may have to get a couple more of these reels for
my clients to use. Awesome product!
Larry
Murphy
www.murphyoutdoors.com
***
Hi Jerry, I am the proud owner of the Generation 2 Hannon WaveSpin
reel. In a word, it is awesome. Just got it this winter and although
it's a little bulky to go on an ice fishing rod, I couldn't wait
to try it. It performed flawlessly! No line tangling, absolute
butter-smooth drag, and just great operation throughout. It never
gave me a single problem! I had thought about replacing the handle
with a paddle type but found it to be quite comfortable and it
provided excellent torque on the retrieve. Now I'm dying to get
my hands on the ultra lite model that I know they are coming
out with this year. Wave spins rule!
Posted by: KEITH FORSBERG | February
14, 2008 http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/gonefishin/2008/01/the-wave-keeps.html#comments
***
Hi Jerry, Thank you always for your insights. While I see WaveSpin
is probably the reel of the decade, and it is truly an amazing
reel, and while everyone says this and that wonderful thing about
this reel on the web and in the magazines, I want to add, more
than the fancy drags, more than its advancements in fishing technology,
I simply have a lot more fun taking kids and family fishing with
this reel… They can’t mess it up! And allows them to catch more
fish than feeling sorry for messing up the line… And for the
confidence it gives me when I take it out for occasional night
fishing, this reel is worth all the praise anyone can pile upon
it.
As to the drag and 26 Lbs and 60 Lbs test result, I am afraid
these numbers don’t mean much to me, and I have no idea how these
numbers are derived at. What is important to me is a smooth solid
drag that protects my line season after season. So far, the drag
in this reel is so smooth (I have 12 disc version DH4000), with
none of the jerky start that often breaks line, and even through
out, I nearly forget how terrific this reel is until I compare
it to other reels in my closet.. As Doug Hannon says this ‘lifetime’
drag gets better with more use, I am very peaked to find out
how it performs in next few years as well…
Thanks again for all your thoughts you share with us in fishing.
Posted
by: HMS from Texas | February
14, 2008
http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/gonefishin/2008/01/the-wave-keeps.html#comments
***
Great write up! I gotta tell ya, being from the Deep South,
I was into bait casting reels. Doug and I were talking prior
to the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, when he told me he had designed
a new reel and wanted me to field test it. When Doug asks a favor,
I'm going to be there for him, but when I opened the box, to
my surprise I was looking at a spinning reel. I called Doug back
and said I didn't even have a stick to put this thing on. He
said get one and fish the reel. I told him I hadn't picked up
a spinning reel since I was eight when I promptly knotted from
the reel to the first eye of the rod my father's reel. Needless
to say, I had an aversion to the things ever since. Doug said "Rob,
I guarantee you can't knot the line on this reel!" I told
him never under estimate my ability to mess something up.......But
he was right. I through it with 4 lb mono, swapped to 30 lb braid,
weightless, overweighted and I couldn't duplicate the mess from
23 years before. I know have three of these in my rod box for
a light lure far casting combo. I've also taken up shooting my
lures under docks with a good medium rod and this reel. It's
a winner in my book!!!
Posted by: Rob
Doherty "The Bassin' Fool" February
15, 2008 http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/gonefishin/2008/01/the-wave-keeps.html#comments
***
Glad to see you are keeping an eye on the development of the
WaveSpin reel. I was able to fish with the 3000 version last
season and it lived up to all its claims and more. Talked a few
of my friends into buying one and all agree that this is a great
reel. I just ordered a 5000 and plan to try it in the surf this
spring-I'm expecting great results. Thanks again for continued
interest in this product.
Posted by: Mitch Soviecke | February
15, 2008
http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/gonefishin/2008/01/the-wave-keeps.html#comments
***
WaveSpin Systemby XXX-Stream Tackle, Inc.
