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I am sure this is a loaded opinion question like a lot are on the forums.
I have wanted to learn to fly fish for years. I have had an Orvis Silver Label 8 wt for probably 15 years that has never seen the water. I also have a St Croix 5 wt travel rod that has been dry for probably 5 years now. I would like to start fishing the 5 wt for brookies and browns but do not have a reel for it. I have considered the Lamson Konic 2 but am open to suggestion.
Not looking to spend a ton as I am not even sure how much time I will have to spend on this type of fishing.

Mark


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Lamson makes a great reel. No problems there.

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A lot depends on what you want to spend. A few months ago, I bought a Scientific Anglers System 2 from Sierrra Trading Post for $50 or $60 with one of their email sales offers. They used to be made in England, but I believe they are now made in China.

It's been almost twenty years since I was really into flyfishing. At that time, the System 2 was often considered one of the best bargains in a reel that could stand up to big fish and blistering runs. It's not neccesarily a good looking reel, but it supposedly has the guts to get the job done at a reasonable price.

With that said, I also have a Ross reel that I like a lot. They used to be made in the U.S., and I think some of the more expensive models might still be. I wouldn't be afraid to own a made in U.S.A. Ross reel if you are looking to spend a few hundred $.

Someone gave me a copy of a recent Field and Stream magazine where they compared fly reels at the $100 price point. I believe an L.L. Bean model finished first in the comparison. They were pretty impressed with the reel at that price, FWIW.

Beyond that, you could spend all kinds of money on Abel reels, etc. I've never owned a Lamson, but they have always had a very good reputation.

Here is a link to the F&S article:

$100 Fly Reel Comparison

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Lamson or Ross. Both great reels

As mentioned check Sierratradingpost or Madison River Fly Company for sales

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Thanks guys, I think the Lamson is still up on my radar but the LL Bean store is not all that far away, they may have both in stock and I can see them side by side.

Mark


What part of "Constitutionally !!LIMITED!!" don't you understand?
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LL Bean not bad choice and they have a great warranty.



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So much depends on how much wonga you want spend. A 5wt trout reel holds line and backing, rarely will the drag come into play, especially if you are fishing for bookies.

Galvan, Bauer, Ross, Lampson are all good reputable manufacturers and great reels. I own one or more of each, they're fantastic.

I hate Whorvis, but you go the cheapo route (under a $100) with a good warranty and buy a Battenkill. It is a good trout reel and Whorvis will stand behind it. I'd buy a Battnekill before a LL Bean.


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Cannot imagine putting Ross in the same category with Lamson and Bauer. I have a lot more than a lot of reels and have most brands pretty well covered... The Lamson is my first choice for quality and value.

If I was willing to go a little farther down from Lamson but retain the value it would be an Echo Ion. They are worth finding.

I caught a bunch of king salmon this year to 30# on a new Bauer Mackenzie and was more than impressed.

This year I have fished Hardy, Lamson, Bauer, SA, Ross, and Sage... The Ross remains my least favorite. I have smoked a bunch of reels and Ross has routinely taken less abuse than any reel I have used.


Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Lamson Konic is a lot of reel for the dollar.

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Never had problem with Ross, they've been as good as any of the reels I owned. I have a BG #4&5 on two of my 8wts, Evolution on a 5wt and a San Miguel on a 4wt.

Not to be argumentative, but, I was fishing with the one of the Lamson reps on Tuesday. We were actually talking about the crap product that Lamson has been putting out the last several years. They do have a new reel for 2013 that should be a good product.

My reels see plenty of abuse and the only issue I've ever had with a reel has been 2 Bauers. They fisxed the drag with no questions asked. I still like 'em.

Art, if you don't own or haven't fished a Nautilus NV, give them a run.



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Just buy an Able and be done with it!!



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Got a Konic on my steelhead rod. Love it. Drag that would stop a truck.


Me



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I've got 6 Ross Reels. Mostly Evolutions, but my favorite are the old San Miguels.
Most of my buddies fish Abels.

Never had a problem with any of my Ross reels, and I think they are priced very reasonably. I fish the San Jaun in NM pretty often where you can catch huge rainbows and big native browns all day long if you know what your doing.

A really good drag is needed on the San Jaun because we are fishing 6X leaders with nymphs that are mostly sized 22 to 26 & dry flys that are usually a size 20


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Just to throw a clinker in here, be sure to look at an Okuma reel. I was in the market for a 7-wgt reel recently and tried a bunch of different makes in-hand at fly shops. The Okuma won out for me for overall smoothness, price and even looks. They make a 4/5 and a 6/7 version.


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I own a lot of reels, I have Ables Ross Fin Nor and Hardy along with an Orvis or two. If you were to catch me on the stream, you would have a 99% chance that a Hardy will be on my rod. I even have some pfluggers from the 1960's. buy what you can afford and take care of it, reels last a life time with some care.


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SA with disc drag is plenty for the 5wt.


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I have a fenwick large arbor 5/6 reel new in the box that I would sell you for $35 shipped to the lower 48. It is a nice reel for that kind of $$, I just don't care for the large arbor reels that much

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I only have 2 kinds of reels. I use Pfleugers (various 149x) mostly, but I have 2 small Sages, a Click I and a Click II which I use on a 0 weight rod.

I prefer to fight fish "by hand" rather than off the reel when I'm fly fishing so mostly a reel is just a place to store line, it doesn't have to be too fancy to meet my needs.

Tom


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Here be dragons ...
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TOM, I was that way, too -- until I floated the Missouri this spring and discovered how vital a good reel drag is. I lost some really nice trout trying to handle line with my hand. It didn't work. The day after I got back is when I bought my Okuma.


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My 2 Sages and my bigger Pfleugers have adjustable drags, the 1492s don't. The Sages and the 1492s don't work great off the real 'cause the drag seems to be heavier than the strength of the 1 and 2 pound tippet I'm using with those 0 and 2 weight rods. When I get up to 4-6 pound leader, then they're all fine. The bigger medalist ... 1494G, perhaps? ... has a pretty decent drag on it.

I guess I sort of lied by incompleteness. I was thinking about fishing for little trout. With a winter steelhead on the line, a drag is sort of useful. A big snarl of line on the boat bottom is a lost fish.


Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.

Here be dragons ...
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