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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442 |
Put me on that list as well. đđđź
Buying American is nice when it works, but itâs very tough. I bought a Dodge truck to stay American, opened the hood & it said âmade in Mexicoâ. Had to buy a Toyota to get an American truck đ
Last edited by brayhaven; 07/08/22.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442 |
Another reel I have on my light saltwater rod that impresses me is an Okuma. I think this one was made in Korea, but I think they can be made in several countries. Not fancy finish, but very smooth and smooth drag.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,653 Likes: 39
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,653 Likes: 39 |
All sorts of good stuff available. It doesnât have to be expensive to work, a reel only holds the line and it doesnât take much to do that.
As far as drag goes, you really donât need it on trout rivers. Applying pressure on the fish with the rod and guides, will give you most of the drag you will need.
Abel makes a fantastic click pawl l reel, although theyâre expensive.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442 |
All sorts of good stuff available. It doesnât have to be expensive to work, a reel only holds the line and it doesnât take much to do that.
As far as drag goes, you really donât need it on trout rivers. Applying pressure on the fish with the rod and guides, will give you most of the drag you will need.
Abel makes a fantastic click pawl l reel, although theyâre expensive. Agreed. Iâve fished from s. FL to Alaska for many years & can count the times Iâve needed a drag on my fingers. On tarpon & redfish & once a big bass. I want a reel to be light, smooth & look good. And there are tons of reels meeting those specs for good prices.
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,494 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,494 Likes: 1 |
Sorry, but I avoid knowingly buying anything made in China. I don't care if it's the best thing ever and comes with a cute Chinese hooker to tie my flies. I would be interested in any reel that had that feature I might at the very least try one onceâŚâŚLOL.
Life can be rough on us dreamers.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,942 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,942 Likes: 10 |
If one wants to put a complicated reel to a true test, take it out steelheading on an icy 15° morning. Lots of drag systems totally lock up if any moisture works its way in.
1Minute
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442 |
If one wants to put a complicated reel to a true test, take it out steelheading on an icy 15° morning. Lots of drag systems totally lock up if any moisture works its way in. Or tarpon fishing. A fight can last over an hour, and salt water does funny things to equipment.
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,494 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 5,494 Likes: 1 |
I use Tibors down here in the saltwater but If I ever got into trout I wouldn't need anything like those. I bought quite a few of them when I was setting up back in 2003-2006. Still using them and they will likely last me my lifetime unless I run over one with my truck. Redfish , snook ,Tarpon and big Jacks will test your reel but seatrout aren't bad. Bluefish down here are smaller. I dont get into many Bonita where I am at. Biggest detriment to your equipment here is the salt , sun and ceiling fansâŚâŚ
Last edited by Boarmaster123; 07/14/22.
Life can be rough on us dreamers.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 17,141 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 17,141 Likes: 2 |
For big fish I have a Fin Nor that was my Grandfathers. He used it up in Alaska for Kings and I've used it for Stripers a couple times but doubt unless I go to Alaska again I have much use for it.
If something on the internet makes you angry the odds are you're being manipulated
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Joined: May 2022
Posts: 74
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 74 |
Hatch reels. Made in Vista, CA. Never had a issue while using them.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 730
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 730 |
A nice fly reel is kind of like engraving on a shotgun. It doesn't do much functionally but sure is nice to look at.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,305 Likes: 13
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,305 Likes: 13 |
It probably depends on what you fish.
My fly fishing is 100% steelhead and browns on Great Lakes tributaries. I need a drag for those steelhead so a reel has some value beyond holding line for me.
I happen to like the Lamson Konic series for such work. yep. I have 2 lamsons over 20 years old I fish a lot in salt water A lot of reel for the money
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,846 Likes: 2
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,846 Likes: 2 |
Nice drag on a fly reel isn't necessary, until it is.
Lots of lightly used reels like Ross and Galvan still perform at a much lower price point.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,942 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,942 Likes: 10 |
Yes, a line holder for our typical trout. When things get up to a dozen lbs or so in big rivers, a drag can come into play.
Down side: A wet drag in freezing temps may lock up and the big one gets away.
Last edited by 1minute; 09/30/22.
1Minute
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Posts: 50,646 Likes: 2
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 50,646 Likes: 2 |
A huge number of posters here have fished with my gear here in AK... We need drags.
Sealed drags are absolutely needed in salt... a real good idea everywhere.
Very few upper end reels are not to be found in my kit. Riley thought it was child abuse to be forced to fish with a Hardy reel. Too loud, tough on knuckles, and uncool
Ross, including the newest are jokes, IME&O. Burned out drags on the first run on a lightly used reel.
TFO has been a huge, positive surprise. The BVK series (four examples) has been beaten brutally and came out grinning.
Sage, SA, some Hardy are good.
Lamson reels use the same drag, top to bottom models, and they work!
Bauer is a proven reel, period! Hatch is also a solid choice.
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,132 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,132 Likes: 2 |
And then there was Lee Wulff who cast a fly to, and boated, a game fish (Marlin I think) - without a reel, or a rod. Silenced a lot of sceptics.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 12
New Member
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New Member
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 12 |
I agree...buy the one that balances your rod. I've rarely picked up someone's rod that was balanced properly, with the reel usually being too light. I fish mostly 5-7 wt rods with Ross Gunnisons on them, and typically use a G-4 on the 6 and 7 weights for balance, not line capacity. The 5 weights have G-3 reels. I've been happy with the drag on Gunnison reels and they are used regularly where I fish, with browns and rainbows into the 20 inch plus range on a meadow stream with lots of willows where they can run and disappear if they aren't slowed down. Tippets are in the 1-3x fluoro range depending on fly size.
As usual, it has now frozen over until April.
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 178 Likes: 1
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 178 Likes: 1 |
I like collecting orvis, hardy and older reels but never thought for trout fishing it was all that important.still have the Pluger and martin reels from 50 years ago when I started and yes they still work fine.
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Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 227
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 227 |
Have to agree with others that fishing for a smaller fish a drag is not needed but. Catching something over 10lbs you really need that drag unless you just want to play tug of war.
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 649
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 649 |
I got Martins, Bronson, Plueger, as well, had some for 60 years, (american made) still working K's of trout later.I also have expensive reels , as well as a cheap chinese reel , for trout fishing it just don't matter.
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