25 Proteus Ex

The 25 Proteus EX is Daiwa's updated premium West Coast offshore rod series, released in 2025 and designed for serious salt anglers made for tuna, yellowtail, lingcod, and other large saltwater gamefish from party boats and private vessels. It replaces the earlier Proteus generation with improved blank material and a distinctive fore-grip. The series covers West Coast staple presentations: live bait, surface iron, and heavy-sinker bottom fishing. Blanks use Daiwa's HVF Nanoplus graphite, a high-volume-fiber construction with less resin and more fiber than standard graphite, producing a blank that is lighter and more sensitive while retaining strength.

X45 bias-fiber wrapping minimizes blank torque under load. The signature feature is a Spiral Cord Wrapped fore-grip that maintains grip security with wet or slimed hands. Guide rings are Fuji Alconite on bait models; spiral-wrapped models use silicon nitride rings. Blanks are reported to be slightly stiffer than the predecessor Proteus. The 16 models divide into casting (baitcasting, 'B' suffix) and spinning ('S' suffix), spanning 6'4" to 8'10" in MH through XXH power, all Fast action. The PRTEX64XXHB (6'4" XXH, 65–150 lb) is the series outlier, a short, stout bait or rail rod for big-game or heavy-sink applications where leverage matters more than length.

Mid-range 7'–7'6" MH and H models in both casting and spinning cover the broadest range of West Coast live-bait and iron fishing. The PRTEX810MHB (8'10" MH casting, 20–40 lb) is the longest model, suited to longer casts or sinker-rig work.