Sports Illustrated: “I didn’t get a single backlash”

When the American publication Sports Illustrated – Fishing On SI tested the Swedish baitcasting reel Svivlo Draken ONE, the question was simple:

Can a baitcaster really work without bird’s nests?

After two days on the water and hundreds of casts, the tester had a clear answer.

Not a single tangle.

The Test: Two Days on the Water

During the test, writer Kurt Mazurek fished intensively with the Draken ONE over two days in varying conditions.

He cast spinnerbaits in the wind, made long casts with frog lures, and tested the reel without changing any settings.

The result surprised him.

He describes making a long cast and then completely removing his hand from the reel before the lure hit the water.

When the lure landed, the spool calmly stopped on its own.

No thumb.
No tangle.

A Different Kind of Baitcaster

What makes the Draken ONE different is CastGuard, a mechanical braking system that responds to how the lure pulls line during the cast.

As long as the lure is pulling line, the spool runs freely.
When that pull fades, the spool stabilizes automatically.

For the angler, that means something very practical:

You don’t need to adjust the brake when the wind changes.
You don’t need to fine-tune when switching lures.
And you don’t need to save the cast with your thumb at splashdown.

“Cast as far as you want”

After hundreds of casts, the tester summed up the experience like this:

Cast as far as you can.
Take your thumb completely off the reel.

And still — no bird’s nest.

Throughout the entire test, he didn’t experience a single backlash.

Less to Think About — More Fishing

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the test wasn’t a single cast.

It was the feeling during the entire session.

When the reel no longer demands constant attention, the rhythm of fishing changes.

You cast.
You fish.
You keep going.

Less time is spent adjusting the reel or clearing tangles.

More time is spent on what actually matters:

Having your lure in the water.