Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom

Daiwa has discontinued the Alphas Air Stream Custom reel. It has been replaced by the Silver Creek Air TW Stream Custom, which I have not seen.

Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom (Left Hand Retrieve)

The Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom was designed specifically for "Mountain Stream Bait Finesse" - fishing for trout with baitcasters. The biggest difference between the Alphas Air Stream Custom  (ASC) and the SS Air (which itself is no slouch for stream fishing) is that the ASC has a fixed inductor braking system.

Angler holding a brook trout and Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Left on a Tenryu rod.Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Left

The braking system for most BFS reels adjusts the braking force based the speed of the spool revolutions: the faster the spool spins, the greater the braking force. While that makes a lot of sense for longer casts, it is not ideal for the short casts that are more typical of fishing a smaller mountain stream. The fixed inductor design totallty eliminates the time lag between when the spool starts to spin and when a traditional inductor rotor starts to apply braking force. For short casts to small targets, even that slight time lag before the braking kicks in can matter a lot. With the fixed inductor applying braking force from the instant the spool starts to spin, the Alphas Air Stream Custom delivers more accuracy and fewer overruns.

Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Left, a Tenryu rod and a brook trout on a moss covered rock.Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Left, Tenryu RZ53UL-BC

The Shimano Aldebaran gets all the press for it's ability to cast light lures (particularly with the aftermarket Avail spool - which adds another $100+). Realistically, though, you don't have to cast 1 gram lures, even if you are fishing a stream known for having small fish. Even 6" trout will hit a 2.5 gram spoon, which is very easy to cast with the Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom. I have fished with 1.5 gram spoons using the Air Stream Custom, but I can cast 2.5g spoons more accurately, and I find accurate casting to be much more important than lure size.

A Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Left a Tenryu rod and a Northern Pike on the back deck of a boat.Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Left

And if you are fishing where the fish are a bit larger, the Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom can handle them just fine.

Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom Stats

Model
cm/rotation
Gear ratio
Weight
Max drag
Spool Capacity
Spool Diameter
Bearings (Ball/Roller)

Daiwa Alphas Air Stream Custom
69 cm
7.2
5.8 oz
8.8 lb
44yds / 6 lb
1.22"
6/1

Header photo: Tenryu Rayz RZ4102B-UL, Shimano Calcutta Conquest BFS-HG ('17)

Warning:

The hooks are sharp.
The coffee's hot.
The fish are slippery when wet.

Seriously, all the hooks sold on Finesse-Fishing.com, whether packaged as loose hooks or attached to lures, are dangerously sharp. Some have barbs, which make removal from skin, eyes or clothing difficult. Wear eye protection. Wear a broad-brimmed hat. If you fish with or around children, bend down all hook barbs and make sure the children wear eye protection and broad-brimmed hats. Be aware of your back cast so no one gets hooked.

Also, all the rods sold on Finesse-Fishing.com will conduct electricity. Do not, under any circumstances, fish during a thunder storm. Consider any fishing rod to be a lightning rod! Fishing rods can and do get hit by lightning!

Whatever you do, do it with finesse!