Anyone know anything about the Shimano Bio Master SW4000HG? A good friend is retiring next week and the Japanese factory reps he has dealt with on a lathe knife grinder and supplies gave him one as a retirement gift. I'm highly impressed with this reel.
It looks like it gets 24# of drag but I'm not sure how to convert it, "maximum drag force (N / kg): 107.8/11.0/ weight (g): 310"
Hi Lee,
I don't think there is an SW HG for the 4000 size. For the 4000 SWs, it comes either PG (4.8) or XG (6.2) with listed "ideal drag" of 5.0kg (11lbs) and double that for max drag at empty spool. The non-SW Biomaster 4000 comes in regular 4000 (4.8) and HG (5.8) with "ideal drag" of 6.0kg. The specs you indicated on maximum drag force is actually 11kg or 24lbs of drag.
This model is actually a Japan/Asian Domestic Model STRADIC (non-CI4s) as a mid-range reel for popping and jigging. They have similar cosmetic as Shimano Twinpower which is a step-down of the Stella. I played around with this in the store and they feel right but of course not against a fish. If you have used the Stradic FJs, then, you've fished the Biomaster less the blings.