Words & Images: Dean Linardos
The Shimano Talica may seem like a standard reel you’d find on any serious game angler’s boat, but it wasn’t always this way. It first emerged onto the scene in 2010, among quite a few other Shimano overhead reels with names that all began with a T – Tiagra, Trinidad, Torsa, Torium, Tyrnos, and TLD – so it was fair that anglers weren’t instantly aware of what the Talica offered or where it sat in the line-up. It also wasn’t cheap, and it’s hard to pull an angler away from the classic Tiagra, which has been a staple for serious game anglers for over 20 years.
The Talica came in multiple sizes, with both single gear ratio and two-speed variants. It’s now available in sizes 10, 12 and 16 in single speed, and 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25 and 50 in two-speed. The 2024 release of the Talica II introduced new 8, 10 and 12 sizes in two-speed variants, along with updated and improved versions of the 20 and 25 – which is the focus of this review. But first, a bit of history and why this reel became such a weapon for the modern game angler.
Angling Evolution
Slowly, game anglers caught on to the fact that it was a superior mini-game reel to anything that had come before and had brought game reels into the future. It was more compact, lighter, smoother in operation, braid-friendly, and offered huge line and drag capacity for its relative size. It was also castable (or perhaps more accurately, pitchable), which suited the emerging NSW South Coast marlin scene that was gaining traction thanks to a strong return of the species and more effective angling methods such as slow trolling livebaits and pitch baiting.
I was an early adopter of the Talica and immediately saw its potential and the advantages of fighting fish with lighter rods and without the need for cumbersome gimbals or harnesses when pitching and slow trolling livebaits for striped marlin on the NSW South Coast. In the 50 size it was also fast becoming the go-to reel for broadbill swordfish among anglers in Tasmania, who were among the first in the country to successfully target them during daylight hours.
It might seem hard to believe now, but I recall being on boats with mates running a fleet of Tiagras who wouldn’t let me put the Talica in the spread. Slowly, most light to medium tackle game anglers came around and realised how good this reel really is – and now it’s been improved. I’ve gone on to catch countless marlin and multiple broadbill on this reel across many boats and I genuinely don’t know of anything else that can rival it. While Tiagras will always have their place in my reel fleet, Talicas have replaced them when targeting marlin on the NSW South Coast.
Talica II A
I purchased two of the new Talica 20IIA models at the start of this year’s marlin season. I was keen to see how the upgrades translated on the water, and whether the changes were noticeable and advantageous.
The first major improvement was instantly obvious when spooling up. For marlin, my set-up is fairly simple: 60lb braid, a 150lb shock leader tied with an FG knot, and a 4/0 circle hook crimped on. What stood out immediately with the new Talica is that the frame is now evenly balanced. On the original model, the circumference was wider on the right-hand side where the gear housing sits. This new design lays the leader more evenly on the spool, feels better on the rod, and generally handles better.
The new model is noticeably smoother when cranking under heavy load, thanks to refined lower gear ratios. The Talica 20II maintains the same high gear ratio of 5.2:1, but the low gear ratio has been reduced from 2.3:1 to 1.9:1. This change delivers noticeably more torque, making it easier to wind in heavy, hard-fighting fish – especially during the final stages of the fight. This feeling of smoother, more controlled operation is further enhanced by Shimano’s Infinity Drive technology, which reduces side-load pressure on the main shaft and results in up to 40% lighter rotation under heavy drag. I generally run around 8kg of drag pressure, and occasionally bump it up to 12kg. We caught multiple marlin to 130kg on the new Talica, and the difference was clear. My 14-year-old son managed to knock over several marlin in a single day under these pressures without too much of a struggle.
The drag is noticeably smoother, thanks to the upgraded Cross Carbon Drag system. While it’s capable of delivering up to 25kg of drag, we never push anywhere near that level. The drag is consistent and responsive across a range of pressures – from just in gear while feeding out a bait, through to strike and heavier drag near sunset (which I set at 13kg).
The handle has also been tweaked. The 20 still features the ball knob, but it’s been reshaped and feels more comfortable in the hand.
Cams and Scaling
The Talica comes with two cams that are easy to change out – the standard cam and a ‘light game’ cam. Personally, I’ve never felt the need to use the light cam. It’s labelled ‘light game’ on the cam and in the manual and is said to offer a steeper drag curve with a recommended lighter drag capacity. Some good anglers I know have switched it out, but I couldn’t see the benefit. After chatting with Hooked Up’s esteemed editor, we decided to scale-test both cams.
We didn’t notice any real difference apart from the light cam not achieving as much drag at the top end – the difference was only about 2 kilos. We contacted Shimano to ask if using the light cam with heavier than recommended drag would negatively affect the reel. Their response was that it wouldn’t. We were left scratching our heads about what the second cam actually does. The manual claims it changes the curve, but it doesn’t – and both cams let you set the drag however you like. It may affect the inertia of how the drag starts up, which can’t really be measured on a scale. So, to play it safe: if you’re chasing IGFA or GFAA records with light mono, use the light cam. If you’re fishing heavy braid, stick with the standard cam.
The key takeaway here – whether you’re using a Talica or any lever drag reel – is to set your drag with quality scales. Do it off the rod, get it right, and don’t let anyone fiddle with the cam dial once it’s set.
Conclusion
The Talica was already an outstanding reel, and Shimano has managed to refine and improve it even further. The differences are real and noticeable, and I’ll be swapping out my current Talicas for the new model without hesitation.
