# Are expensive Fly Reels over rated?



## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Since I can, I buy american made products. I will readily pay more across the board for American made stuff, if I can find it. I have never really had an inexpensive fly reel. I had friends gift me good gear to get started and I have followed that up by purchasinf additional good gear. How mych better is it? I don't know but I have never had an issue with my abel or ross reels!


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

Not all high priced reels are created equal. I feel that some are worth it and others are not. Sometimes, a tank of a reel isn't necessary for a fish like redfish; however, that well built tank is still running right 10 - 20 years later. Lesser built reels often don't have that longevity.


----------



## Greg Allison (Mar 13, 2018)

Depends where they spend their money on the design. Bob White could hand paint a turd of a reel with a tarpon and charge a lot for it. If it is for durability, it is worth it IMO. I definitely don't adhere to fact that if something is made in China must be terrible. If that was case Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks would not run since tons of their parts are imported. 
You also are going to get some variance in those cheap factory direct Chinese reels, one might work forever, and the next crap out in a few days. The metal in China can be rather inconsistent, and when you are dealing with small parts like springs and pins it can really shine through. But the Chinese have CNC just like us.


----------



## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

Lee Singleton said:


> I know you need a great reel for really big fish and deeper water: tarpon.
> 
> but let’s be honest, most fish under 6lbs can be caught without a reel at all. And fish under 30lbs can be caught on affordable reels with ease. a fly reel has way more simple mechanics than conventional reels, this should translate to possibilities of cheaper and more reliable products.
> 
> I bought the piscifun AOKA off Amazon for 30 bucks 2 years ago. I have fished it hard on my 8wt here in NC and ended up taking it to LA for a week last December. It didn’t disappoint and is still is working to this day. I understand the longevity is not going to stack up to a $400+ reel but for the money it’s hard to beat a $30 reel that will last 2+ years.


Nice fish. You're going to wish you had better equipment when the reel that will last 2 years gives out on a fish of a lifetime.


----------



## Alexander Wilcox (May 15, 2020)

I've bought a piscifun sword fly reel and was given one of their torrent baitcasters for christmas by a family member. Figured since both were cheap/free they'd be worth a try to just experiment with as the have great reviews on amazon, but the sword free spooled fishing for trout in the rockies and the baitcaster literally blew up in my hands on a redfish here in NOLA. 

Will one of their reels work anecdotally? Sure... but the variance in their build quality is so bad that if you're going to need to rely on a reel to be anything more than a line holder then you'll need to invest at least a few bucks into something that has a reliable reputation. For $200 new or $100 used you could by an Orvis Hydros that would be substantially safer to fish with.


----------



## Cork (Sep 10, 2020)

Or, you buy a reel because it was built by your close friend.


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Cork said:


> View attachment 172894
> 
> Or, you buy a reel because it was built by your close friend.
> View attachment 172895
> View attachment 172896


Great reel. I used to have the center pin model. Sold it a decade ago for 5x what I paid for it.


----------



## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

Alexander Wilcox said:


> I've bought a piscifun sword fly reel and was given one of their torrent baitcasters for christmas by a family member. Figured since both were cheap/free they'd be worth a try to just experiment with as the have great reviews on amazon, but the sword free spooled fishing for trout in the rockies and the baitcaster literally blew up in my hands on a redfish here in NOLA.
> 
> Will one of their reels work anecdotally? Sure... but the variance in their build quality is so bad that if you're going to need to rely on a reel to be anything more than a line holder then you'll need to invest at least a few bucks into something that has a reliable reputation. For $200 new or $100 used you could by an Orvis Hydros that would be substantially safer to fish with.


This is the problem with the cheap ones. I bought one thinking what's the harm? It was not a Piscifun, but it was in that price range. It stopped working after less than a year. And I get the idea that on smaller fish, it is just a line holder. But you need to be able to strip line off of it without it binding. And then reel it in when you are done fishing. This reel stopped being able to perform those two simple tasks.


----------



## Mosca Fea (Mar 25, 2021)

I would argue money is better spent on Rod & Line before the reel.


----------



## Hunter Smith (Feb 23, 2016)

I would say a majority of fly fisherman use their reel as nothing but a line holder. In this case, the reel doesn’t matter. If you regularly have fish getting in to the backing, then a die cast reel held together with screws is much more likely to fail than a machined reel. Also, as a guide, I feel my clients expect top of the line tools. I want to have confidence that my things are going to perform for years to come and be backed up by a good warranty. I think the significance of the quality of your tools depends on the person.


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

This is no different than the discussion on old crappy skiffs versus an expensive high end skiff.
This is no different than the discussion of a quality high end rod versus a cheap off brand rod
Can you catch fish on a cheap reel? Of course you can. But I have had some failures in my few years of fishing. NONE of them were with my higher priced quality gear. They ALL were my cheap stuff. 
So I choose to use better equipment. And here's the clincher. You don't know and have no control over when that fish of a lifetime comes along. So I try and do the best I can to control those things I can upfront. My gear is one of those things.

PS - Ancedotal story that is relevant here. Years ago I went on a float trip in Alaska. The body of water we floated was known to have some large dolly varden. So I was prepared to try for a worl record on fly. Followed my own advice. Mostly. Unfortunately it was only mostly. I took a cheap camera with me since I didn't want to haul my heavy and expensive SLR (this was before the days digital). Well guess what. I did land that potential world record. Got all the measurements, weights (certified IGFA scale), and paperwork filled out on the spot. And got all the required photos with that cheap camera. Let the fish swim off happy as can be. Got home and sent the film off for development. Week later got a call from the photo shop to come get my pictures. Stoked! Well until I got there and they said that the camera over exposed every picture to the point where they were totally blurry. So no way to submit my potential world record.


----------



## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

ifsteve said:


> So I try and do the best I can to control those things I can upfront. My gear is one of those things.


@ifsteve you should write a book on Stoicism haha. Very well said, I totally agree.


----------



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have a 2 SA reels. I think new they where under $100 that was 30+ years ago. My 7 wt. Has caught everything in Alaska, lots of bone fish, a small shark and bass, reds etc. I'm still using it.


----------



## Feltonard (Nov 6, 2019)

Is a cheap steak as good as prime beef, it absolutely is, until you taste prime beef.... then its tough to go back because all you think about is that prime steak.


----------



## Paul Mills (Mar 26, 2018)

The saying "you get what you pay for" applies to reels. There are some good value reels out there.



ifsteve said:


> Can you catch fish on a cheap reel? Of course you can. But I have had some failures in my few years of fishing. NONE of them were with my higher priced quality gear. They ALL were my cheap stuff.


+1.


----------



## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

If the true purpose of sport fishing were to catch fish, we'd all be using dynamite and big nets. But, alas, that is not the case. A lot, if not most of the enjoyment we get from fishing comes from catching rarer and harder to catch fish in exotic ways using the most elaborate equipment possible. That's where fly fishing comes in. We enjoy fine quality in all the gear we use, not necessarily because it catches more fish, but because we enjoy having special and expensive equipment. At the deepest level, it's all macho chest thumping...look at me...me caught big fish with expensive shiny reel, special line and long carbon stick. Much chee chee tonight.


----------



## Clubhunter (Jan 22, 2019)

There are no current reels that are made like these. Drags are like butter and the anodization is so tough you can’t saw thru it. Back when they probably sold for 150-200.


----------



## Lee Singleton (Jul 3, 2018)

scissorhands said:


> Nice fish. You're going to wish you had better equipment when the reel that will last 2 years gives out on a fish of a lifetime.





Paul Mills said:


> The saying "you get what you pay for" applies to reels. There are some good value reels out there.
> 
> 
> +1.


Great point


----------



## 7WT (Feb 12, 2016)

You know to each their own. Over the past 35 yrs I have gathered moderately expensive Tibor, Orvis and Ari T Hart reels. Then there are the Lamson's, Ross and such and as well I have lots of others of the lesser cost . I personally prefer the more reliable reels that also require less maintenance. The reliability factor being the key. But in the end it's a personal choice.


----------



## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

A Rolex and Timex do the exact same job at very different price points. The difference? A Timex won't get you laid.

It does depend on the fish. Fish that don't run you to the backing? You don't need to spend the money.

But I've had one of the best big game reels on the market completely crap out on a marlin.

I had another big game reel get destroyed by a massive jack.

I've lost a big permit on a mid priced reel because of the start up friction put too much pressure on the tippet.

I have reels for certain types of fish but don't skimp on ones with great drags, low start up friction, and easy to change drag settings during the fight, which is essential for permit and tarpon.


----------



## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

I built a nice collection by hunting eBay for quality USA made fly reels. I do the same for Japanese made Shimanos...I built most of my shimano collection well before anything was made “offshore”.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

It’s a tool. Cheap tools perform like cheap tools from the start or soon after. What if you hook a fish of your lifetime? Might not need the best, maybe middle of the line would be a good choice.


----------



## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

I thought zebcos were pretty good when I was a kid.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Lefty Kreh told me that up until the late 1980's, most world records were caught using a Pflueger Medalist.


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Yeah probably for reds and snook, a Pflugger medalist would suffice just fine and you could replace it every few years.

A 20lb jack is going to be a SOB to land on that same reel. Same good for a big bone, albie, etc.


----------



## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

I have an assortment of gear from fairly high end to thrift. I freaking love my Tibor Everglades and plan on adding more of them to my arsenal. Over its life there’s never been a glitch. On some of the cheaper reels, over time the drag has got a little less smooth on others, reels have developed a squeak here and there and in general using them is a little less satisfying because there’s an underlying bit of worry about whether or not I’ll have an issue when it matters, or just annoyance at the issues. The Tibor is older with much more mileage than any of my other reels, still outperforms them and likely still will when I’m dead and my daughter sells it to some jack wagon. I think post like the OP are more about trying to get reassurance of your choice to buy cheap gear.


----------



## Stormy Monday (Mar 27, 2019)

I'm moderate, fish Tiogas and Orvis mostly. But back a ways I spent a decade with a Cortland Magnum that held up to tarpon, 20 lb+ jacks, Pacific salmon and a lot of big blues without a whimper. Yeah it eventually gave up the ghost, but for a reel under $100 it was a steal.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

No.

Buy cheap Chinese knock offs and you deserve what you get...


----------



## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

Buy what you want. Who cares?


----------



## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

I’ve always had pretty good reels, Lamson and Ross mostly. Just last week I ordered 2 custom Abel reels. Do I need the strength of an SDS 7/8 to handle the typical redfish I catch? Not at all but the fact of the matter is that I can and I wanted to. The extra cost for the hand painted finish doesn’t make any difference in the quality of the reel and certainly no difference to the fish, but it matters to me. Same thing about me having a custom built skiff made to fit me, to my color specs and options. I can and I wanted to.


----------



## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I've never shredded a reel, but, I have lost a day Tarpon fishing due to a brand new POS TFO BVK rod that broke in half on a line lift. So the cool warranty didn't help because I forgot my real rod onshore and was glad I had the BVK as a backup which was why I had it in the first place. So TFO rods are cheap until you do the math on the total cost of ownership. Take a day off and you need to figure out how much you make an hour, the time you lost in opportunity cost, and suddenly that is a very expensive rod.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

When I started fly fishing I used pretty budget-friendly gear and often made deals for used stuff. It was fine for chasing bass and slot reds (or under) but the first time I tied into a big jack on what I thought was a pretty good Lamson reel I bought off Sierra Trading Post the thing practically blew up when put to the test. Fortunately about that time I was able to afford upgrades to my gear and I didn't hesitate.

These days I make no bones about being a Tibor guy. All of my primary rigs for 6, 8, 10, and 12wts are all Tibor- Backcountry CL-Wide, Everglades, Riptide, and Gulfstream. Eventually I'll get a Pacific for my 15wt to replace the Allen Kraken but I don't have enough chances to use it to justify it to myself right now. And I've upgrade my secondary rigs too. I'm 100% confident I'll be the point of failure in most fish I'm after (I've broken a few rods on tarpon, mainly through my mistakes but it happens with tarpon) and I know those classic Tibor reels are basically bulletproof and with proper care I know they will last almost forever. Personally, I think the only reels made today that are better than these classic Tibor are the Mako lineup but there's a point of diminishing returns, IMHO. In other words, I'm not sure the difference in performance between a similar sized Tibor and Mako would be something I'm good enough to appreciate given the increased price of the Mako over a Tibor.

And I really like the idea that when the time comes my now 10 & 6-year old boys will likely land their first tarpon on the same Tibor Gulfstream I used for my first tarpon.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

Net 30 said:


> Lefty Kreh told me that up until the late 1980's, most world records were caught using a Pflueger Medalist.


That may have been due to their availability. Also, any serious saltwater guy using those Medalists would upgrade them. I forget the guy's name but there was a guy in Florida who made hand-machined replacement spools and upgraded some drag parts. Guys also used a small grinder and cut out a little window in the frame where they placed a piece of leather or shammy as an additional brake where you'd apply pressure to the spool with your thumb (@texasag07 did this on one of his vintage Medalists). So these weren't exactly stock reels.

Additionally, I'm a little surprised Lefty would say that because I seem to recall one of Fin-Nor's marketing points was that their fly reels were responsible for most world records beginning with their early-60's "wedding cake" models up really until Ted Jurascik introduced his "Billy Pate" reels in the 70's. I could be wrong though.


----------



## bluechipfish (Jul 8, 2020)

I have plenty of high priced reels, but my first foray into salt was with a piscifun sword reel. Years later, it's still in service as my beach snook reel. I rinse it, put it away wet, and used it almost every day of the summer last year. It's still smooth, solid, and I caught a fish over 40 inches last year in a situation where I had to apply a lot of pressure. I do love not having to care if it blows up, gets sand in it, etc. It's a non-issue at the price.


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

K3anderson said:


> I've never shredded a reel, but, I have lost a day Tarpon fishing due to a brand new POS TFO BVK rod that broke in half on a line lift. So the cool warranty didn't help because I forgot my real rod onshore and was glad I had the BVK as a backup which was why I had it in the first place. So TFO rods are cheap until you do the math on the total cost of ownership. Take a day off and you need to figure out how much you make an hour, the time you lost in opportunity cost, and suddenly that is a very expensive rod.


Love it. A buddy of mine got a TFO as a spare. Decided to use it one day last month. I didn't tell him my thoughts on TFO rods. Well that is until he broke it on a little 7# redfish. Then I told him my TFO sad tales. Like you I told him yeah they have a great warranty but they break way too easy. They do cast and fish just fine but well I don't trust them. So I changed the name of that spot on my GPS in his honor. Its now a standing joke for us. 

The spot is now named POSTFO......POS TFO.....LOL


----------



## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

ifsteve said:


> Love it. A buddy of mine got a TFO as a spare. Decided to use it one day last month. I didn't tell him my thoughts on TFO rods. Well that is until he broke it on a little 7# redfish. Then I told him my TFO sad tales. Like you I told him yeah they have a great warranty but they break way too easy. They do cast and fish just fine but well I don't trust them. So I changed the name of that spot on my GPS in his honor. Its now a standing joke for us.
> 
> The spot is now named POSTFO......POS TFO.....LOL


BAHAHAHAHA Epic. Are you on the Florida Saltwater Flyfishing Group on FB?? You need to post this. All the TFO guides, Captains, etc always posting how great they are in goose-step.


----------



## CKEAT (Aug 26, 2015)

jay.bush1434 said:


> I’ve always had pretty good reels, Lamson and Ross mostly. Just last week I ordered 2 custom Abel reels. Do I need the strength of an SDS 7/8 to handle the typical redfish I catch? Not at all but the fact of the matter is that I can and I wanted to. The extra cost for the hand painted finish doesn’t make any difference in the quality of the reel and certainly no difference to the fish, but it matters to me. Same thing about me having a custom built skiff made to fit me, to my color specs and options. I can and I wanted to.


Well said, I bet those reel me and skiff also perform very well.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

redchaser said:


> The Tibor is older with much more mileage than any of my other reels, still outperforms them and likely still will when I’m dead and my daughter sells it to some jack wagon.


I didn't know Marie was going to sell me your Tibor. 

I subscribe to the buy once, cry once philosophy.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> That may have been due to their availability. Also, any serious saltwater guy using those Medalists would upgrade them. I forget the guy's name but there was a guy in Florida who made hand-machined replacement spools and upgraded some drag parts. Guys also used a small grinder and cut out a little window in the frame where they placed a piece of leather or shammy as an additional brake where you'd apply pressure to the spool with your thumb (@texasag07 did this on one of his vintage Medalists). So these weren't exactly stock reels.
> 
> Additionally, I'm a little surprised Lefty would say that because I seem to recall one of Fin-Nor's marketing points was that their fly reels were responsible for most world records beginning with their early-60's "wedding cake" models up really until Ted Jurascik introduced his "Billy Pate" reels in the 70's. I could be wrong though.


I'm sure it was due to mass production & the availability of the Medalist. I think Pflueger got a patent on the Medalist in 1930. Lefty was always a big fan of doing more with less and convincing people to spend as little as possible to get into the game. I remember seeing a couple of those old customized Medalists at the Big Pine Flea Market back in the 1980s.

I think Fin-Nor came out with the Wedding Cake in 1967 and then soon after, Capt. Mac introduced the Seamaster.


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

Net 30 said:


> I'm sure it was due to mass production & the availability of the Medalist. I think Pflueger got a patent on the Medalist in 1930. Lefty was always a big fan of doing more with less and convincing people to spend as little as possible to get into the game. I remember seeing a couple of those old customized Medalists at the Big Pine Flea Market back in the 1980s.
> 
> I think Fin-Nor came out with the Wedding Cake in 1967 and then soon after, Capt. Mac introduced the Seamaster.


Yeah, you're correct about the Wedding Cake in 1967. I was reading something else at the same time and 1962 came up.

I like vintage gear and have a couple old Medalists from the early-60s but I wouldn't try to tackle anything bigger than lower-slot reds with it.


----------



## Nway93 (May 9, 2016)

For most people a Allen Kracken or Lamson will do just fine for redfish and bonefish. That being said I have locked up two krackens and seen and heard of the spool fly off a lamson more than once when a big bonefish takes off. Some of the "high end" reels also have their issues. I was a shop rat for close to 4 years and still work in the industry. The only reels I never saw come back to the shop were the classic tibors, abels, and makos and personally have blown up some other brands or seen them fail first hand on redfish at that. I only own tibors now and have a riptide thats nearly older than I am. I fish less than I ever have now and honestly knowing my reel isn't going to let me down when I fish maybe 2-3 days a month means way more than it did when I fished 3-5 days a week. I also like not having to send it off for warranty if something happens, can call up Maryanne for parts, take the reel apart with a penny and fix it in 3 days if you account for shipping.


----------



## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> That may have been due to their availability. Also, any serious saltwater guy using those Medalists would upgrade them. I forget the guy's name but there was a guy in Florida who made hand-machined replacement spools and upgraded some drag parts. Guys also used a small grinder and cut out a little window in the frame where they placed a piece of leather or shammy as an additional brake where you'd apply pressure to the spool with your thumb (@texasag07 did this on one of his vintage Medalists). So these weren't exactly stock reels.
> 
> Additionally, I'm a little surprised Lefty would say that because I seem to recall one of Fin-Nor's marketing points was that their fly reels were responsible for most world records beginning with their early-60's "wedding cake" models up really until Ted Jurascik introduced his "Billy Pate" reels in the 70's. I could be wrong though.


Yeah that was me, I modified the reel about 10 years ago and still fish it a decent bit in saltwater and fresh.

Mine started out as 50-60’s era reel that I chopped and used with the leather patch for years and it worked well. Then after that I added a newer rim control spool, but left the original metal latch.

It mainly gets used for my fiberglass and bamboo 7-10wt as the weight balances good. I went through a phase where it was the only reel I used for nearly a year. With normal washings and a couple drops of shimano spinning reel oil on the spindle its keeps ticking. It’s caught everything from bream to small tarpon, big jacks, bull reds, and a healthy amount of bonita.

That said I like my tibors and other high end reels a lot as well. But they all serve their purpose.


----------



## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

texasag07 said:


> Yeah that was me, I modified the reel about 10 years ago and still fish it a decent bit in saltwater and fresh.
> 
> Mine started out as 50-60’s era reel that I chopped and used with the leather patch for years and it worked well. Then after that I added a newer rim control spool, but left the original metal latch.
> 
> ...


Wow this is awesome. Ted Williams did this mod back in the day, right? And didn't the owner at Pflueger get all pissy about it?


----------



## Stormy Monday (Mar 27, 2019)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> That may have been due to their availability. Also, any serious saltwater guy using those Medalists would upgrade them. I forget the guy's name but there was a guy in Florida who made hand-machined replacement spools and upgraded some drag parts. Guys also used a small grinder and cut out a little window in the frame where they placed a piece of leather or shammy as an additional brake where you'd apply pressure to the spool with your thumb (@texasag07 did this on one of his vintage Medalists). So these weren't exactly stock reels.
> 
> Additionally, I'm a little surprised Lefty would say that because I seem to recall one of Fin-Nor's marketing points was that their fly reels were responsible for most world records beginning with their early-60's "wedding cake" models up really until Ted Jurascik introduced his "Billy Pate" reels in the 70's. I could be wrong though.


I used a Medalist for stripers for most of the 70s and 80s. I forget the Florida guy's name too but I got some parts from him, he sold a brass ratchet to replace the plastic one, machined counterweight (nicer than gluing an old nut to the spool). There was one other thing we did with leather for the drag, didn't cut the spool and now I can't remember it, crap I'm getting old.... For stripers and bluefish it was totally adequate and I still have one for shad.


----------



## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

texasag07 said:


> Yeah that was me, I modified the reel about 10 years ago and still fish it a decent bit in saltwater and fresh.
> 
> Mine started out as 50-60’s era reel that I chopped and used with the leather patch for years and it worked well. Then after that I added a newer rim control spool, but left the original metal latch.
> 
> ...


That is very, very cool.


----------



## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Dan at one pfoot has been making medalist bling parts for a long time. While it looks like his website has changed and isn’t as easy to order from any more he makes some nice parts. 



One-Pfoot | One-Pfoot Pflueger Medalist Upgrade Parts



@K3anderson I’m not sure who the first was to do the mod, the article I saw it on was written by lefty in the 70/80’s I believe.

Here is one of lefty’s reels from a museum I saw recently online.


----------



## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

texasag07 said:


> Dan at one pfoot has been making medalist bling parts for a long time. While it looks like his website has changed and isn’t as easy to order from any more he makes some nice parts.
> 
> 
> 
> One-Pfoot | One-Pfoot Pflueger Medalist Upgrade Parts


I've got a Medalist that I sent to OnePfoot back when Bill owned the company. Sent him a brand new Medalist (1494) and he did the whole makeover with sculpted pillars, line guard, reel handle, and drag parts. It turned a $35 reel into a $200 project - kinda like puttin' fancy wheels and tires on a Yugo. But it fishes great and looks good on a Granger bamboo and vintage Fenwicks. Never regretted it.


----------



## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

Here's another use of leather for a line brake, see them mostly on old Hardy's used for steelhead and salmon:
Leather line brakes - auxiliary drag? | Spey Pages


----------



## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

CKEAT said:


> Well said, I bet those reel me and skiff also perform very well.


Yeah, funny how that works like that 😏


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Another true story.

A month or so before I retired I was with the usual group of guys at work having lunch in our cafeteria. Conversation pretty much centered on my pending retirement and getting to do more fishing. One of the guys also was a fishing buddy and he asked me if I had gotten the new reel I ordered. I said as a matter of fact it should be here today. All the group knew I took my fishing pretty serious so the conversation turned to what reel I was getting. I said I was adding another Abel to my collection. So the fishing buddy told the others that they are a "pricey and very top of the line reel." So one of the guys who was a non fisherman asked "do you mind telling us about what it costs." To which I replied well its no secret they retail for right at $900. Well the non fishing guy started to gasp and said 'are you freaking insane.....that much money for a stupid fishing reel." I just chose not to respond but another non fishing guy jumped in and said to him "John how much was that titanium road bike you just bought....wasn't it like $5000? Well John started to explain how that was "different" then realized how stupid he was sounding and finished the discussion by saying its "cool we have the jobs and make the kind of living that enables us to do the things we love." AMEN!


----------



## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

To me it depends on the application. Need a reel for tarpon, tuna, albies, or some other fish that's absolutely going to be screaming line off your reel? It's going to need to stand up to some abuse. Need a reel for your 2 weight to chase wild brook trout in a stream? All you'll need is a line holder pretty much. So, pick the right tool for the right job. Cost is secondary imo. Will it worth the savings when you're hooked up to the dream fish and your drag blows up? Will you have needed to spend all that money to be able to collect the 30 feet of fly line you've been casting up and down the stream? Up to you


----------



## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

tailwalk said:


> Need a reel for your 2 weight to chase wild brook trout in a stream? All you'll need is a line holder pretty much.


Tenkara


----------



## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

Or that


----------



## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Someone should go buy one these $900 click and pawl saltwater reels and report back. I've been wanting one for a long time and finally someone is building something awesome.






Reels - Cubalaya Outfitters







cubalayaoutfitters.com


----------



## Micro Thinfisher (Jan 27, 2018)

Finn Maccumhail said:


> When I started fly fishing I used pretty budget-friendly gear and often made deals for used stuff. It was fine for chasing bass and slot reds (or under) but the first time I tied into a big jack on what I thought was a pretty good Lamson reel I bought off Sierra Trading Post the thing practically blew up when put to the test. Fortunately about that time I was able to afford upgrades to my gear and I didn't hesitate.
> 
> These days I make no bones about being a Tibor guy. All of my primary rigs for 6, 8, 10, and 12wts are all Tibor- Backcountry CL-Wide, Everglades, Riptide, and Gulfstream. Eventually I'll get a Pacific for my 15wt to replace the Allen Kraken but I don't have enough chances to use it to justify it to myself right now. And I've upgrade my secondary rigs too. I'm 100% confident I'll be the point of failure in most fish I'm after (I've broken a few rods on tarpon, mainly through my mistakes but it happens with tarpon) and I know those classic Tibor reels are basically bulletproof and with proper care I know they will last almost forever. Personally, I think the only reels made today that are better than these classic Tibor are the Mako lineup but there's a point of diminishing returns, IMHO. In other words, I'm not sure the difference in performance between a similar sized Tibor and Mako would be something I'm good enough to appreciate given the increased price of the Mako over a Tibor.
> 
> And I really like the idea that when the time comes my now 10 & 6-year old boys will likely land their first tarpon on the same Tibor Gulfstream I used for my first tarpon.


This is what pretty much sold me on Mako reels 9500 and talking with Jack firsthand. Lots of good reels/choices even in the affordable options but this one I trusted to take with me when fishing Cuba with the late Captain Phil Thompson (r.i.p.).








Ugly Betty


UGLY BETTY This is a story from Jake Jordan, a long-time Mako client and noted big blue water fisherman. Many years ago, a charter captain fishing out of North Carolina purchased a Mako 9550 reel. Most of his fishing charters consisted of chasing albacore tuna on fly off of the coast near Cape...



makoreels.com


----------



## Jim A (Sep 17, 2019)

The Chinese are very capable of making extremely high-end quality products, the problem is American businesses wanting to make something cheap, so they can sell them and make a ton of profit

That said a fish with a couple of the max catch high-end reels just sub $200, and they are wonderful reels, But for a little bit more money on sale you can buy last year’s model Lamson, Ross, some of the Korean reels are terrific.. it really depends on what your buying 
I do have to say one thing it does trouble me that some of the Orvis reels are made in China, and they retail them For over $200, I think this is a case with those wheels are not worth that money, and it’s more about the marketing then the value equation


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Eff China. A buddy of mine was the US distributor for a well known English company. They had developed some pretty decent reels for saltwater and asked me to do some field testing. They seemed like pretty decent for the price point. So I got three of them and they actually fished quite well. They asked my if I thought there was a market for them and I said yes without hesitation. So they finalized the contract with China to get the first batch built and delivered to the US.

Fast forward a year later. After many trials and tribulations (I think mostly excuses from the Chinese) the first batch of reels showed up. Absolute trash. Cleary they didn't give a shit about the product. Once their test reels passed with flying colors they just made an entire batch of crap. I don't remember how many were in that lot but it was something like a couple hundred. They were so bad they didn't even try and GIVE them away. Thankfully the parent companies contract lawyers were smart and had an escape clause once the first batch were delivered. Just chalked it up as a loss and oved on.


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

fatman said:


> Tenkara


What if you need to cast a little farther?


----------



## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

kjnengr said:


> What if you need to cast a little farther?


"That's the problem with Tenkaro!"


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

fatman said:


> "That's the problem with Tenkaro!"


Rainy day at fish camp + Daquiris + Black Drum + Dead Shrimp on a Hook + Tenkara Setup = Solid Gold Entertainment


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Hey I have no problem with Tenkara barra or whatever its called. Just don't try and convince me its fly fishing...lol


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

kjnengr said:


> Rainy day at fish camp + Daquiris + Black Drum + Dead Shrimp on a Hook + Tenkara Setup = Solid Gold Entertainment





ifsteve said:


> Hey I have no problem with Tenkara barra or whatever its called. Just don't try and convince me its fly fishing...lol


I think we'll have to call it a tenkara pole not a rod.


----------



## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

Until you get into Pelagics or big sharks a fly reel is really just a line holder. There are very few inshore gamefish that’s will even warm up a quality reel, much lest put it to the test. With that said there are great reels and absolute crap at both ends of the price spectrum.

The Redington Grande for example, under $100 and I know people who have been using them for like 5 years now in salt and they are still ticking. Then you have the reels that are marketed well and pushed by influencers to retail for $600 and beyond that are absolute dogsh*t. I won’t name names but I had three of the same brand reel that are produced in Florida and very popular with the flatbill crowd fail catastrophically on my skiff just this fall and we are talking redfish here........ Not exactly tackle busters even at their largest.

It’s no secret that I am a Tibor guy for life. They are what I choose to use for my own use and my guide business, and my grandkids will get them From me some day. I use them hard, hose them off and put them away with very little maintenance aside from the occasional soak and re-greasing of the drag. Plus Ted is the American Dream in real time, and I like that.


----------



## fotofinish (Aug 31, 2020)

Alexander Wilcox said:


> I've bought a piscifun sword fly reel and was given one of their torrent baitcasters for christmas by a family member. Figured since both were cheap/free they'd be worth a try to just experiment with as the have great reviews on amazon, but the sword free spooled fishing for trout in the rockies and the baitcaster literally blew up in my hands on a redfish here in NOLA.
> 
> Will one of tir reels work anecdotally? Sure... but the variance in their build quality is so bad that if you're going to need to rely on a reel to be anything more than a line holder then you'll need to invest at least a few bucks into something that has a reliable reputation. For $200 new or $100 used you could by an Orvis Hydros that would be substantially safer to fish with.


Thought the Hydros was built in China!?


Alexander Wilcox said:


> I've bought a piscifun sword fly reel and was given one of their torrent baitcasters for christmas by a family member. Figured since both were cheap/free they'd be worth a try to just experiment with as the have great reviews on amazon, but the sword free spooled fishing for trout in the rockies and the baitcaster literally blew up in my hands on a redfish here in NOLA.
> 
> Will one of their reels work anecdotally? Sure... but the variance in their build quality is so bad that if you're going to need to rely on a reel to be anything more than a line holder then you'll need to invest at least a few bucks into something that has a reliable reputation. For $200 new or $100 used you could by an Orvis Hydros that would be substantially safer to fish with.


----------



## catsNcoyotes (Jun 16, 2018)

I hardly ever join in y'alls arguments or discussions, but I thought I would interject some thoughts on this subject. I am all for saving money and getting stuff for less, but.....
here's some food for thought.

I try to buy all of my fishing and hunting gear from local vendors in hopes that the money for these hugely important funding programs is not lost in the shuffle. 

Pittman - Robertson Act
Dingel - Johnson Act
Wallop - Breaux Act

Here's an article that speaks to the point.








Buying US-Made Fly fishing Gear Helps US Fisheries


DID YOU KNOW THAT 10% OF THAT NEW FLY REEL GOES TO SUPPORT FISHERIES? It's true. Thanks to the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937 and the Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950, a 10% excise tax on all hunting and fishing equipment goes into a trust fund to support fish and wildlife management. The US public...




www.ginkandgasoline.com





..... besides.. I like losing once in a lifetime fish due to cheap ass fishing gear. The stories that they produce....LOL!








80# steel leader, suck ass snap, 8 foot black tip... well he was only about 5 feet, but he gets longer every year.


----------



## Alexander Wilcox (May 15, 2020)

fotofinish said:


> Thought the Hydros was built in China!?


Had to look it up, but you're right! Even still, having fished with both the difference between that reel and a piscifun is night and day. The hydros is typically the reel I recommend to new saltwater anglers, and the battenkill is what I recommend for fresh. If either fails you can simply take it into your nearest orvis and get a new one! 

I personally fish hatches and abels, but that's just my preference


----------



## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

People wanting to go after juvenile redfish or whatever in the marsh, yea, there’s nothing I can see where anything fancy or high end is needed for that. I don’t like the cast aluminum reels simply because they have invariably pitted and deformed under the paint or finish via saltwater corrosion, but the machined and anodized AL holds up much better in the saltwater, in my experience. Fly reels are stupid simple as compared to low profile baitcasting reels, I’ve never had a fly reel stop functioning in spite of my much less than diligent maintenance and care, can’t say the same for low profile baitcasting reels. Even the cast Al fly reels like the Old Lamson Konic still function, they just end up looking terrible with the saltwater working on the cast Aluminum. The kayak and marsh is a rough environment for gear. Grit and mud, lots of banging this or that and hard knocks. Not sure I’d want a pretty and pricey reel out there.

But, saltwater fly fishing means a lot of things, croaker and whiting, sea run trout, jacks, reds, stripers, on up to marlin and tarpon. Kayaks to cabin cruisers. Inches of water to bottomless depths. Blazing tropical flats to Ice water cold Scandinavian shorelines. Saltwater fly fishing seems to or tends to be always lumped together into one big undifferentiated category. “I need a saltwater reel and rod, should I get an eight weight?” Or “what’s the best saltwater fly line?“ 

Cannot be one good answer for every question regarding saltwater fly fishing.


----------



## plisser (Sep 8, 2020)

Clubhunter said:


> There are no current reels that are made like these. Drags are like butter and the anodization is so tough you can’t saw thru it. Back when they probably sold for 150-200.
> View attachment 172932
> View attachment 172932


One of the best fly reels ever made! Collectors item!


----------



## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

catsNcoyotes said:


> I hardly ever join in y'alls arguments or discussions, but I thought I would interject some thoughts on this subject. I am all for saving money and getting stuff for less, but.....
> here's some food for thought.
> 
> I try to buy all of my fishing and hunting gear from local vendors in hopes that the money for these hugely important funding programs is not lost in the shuffle.
> ...


This is a really good point about the tax dollars that go to supporting our habits.

You can add marine gas to the list also.


----------



## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Buy whatever you want. Zebco reels have caught just as many fish as any other reels. It comes down to what you think is important. For me it is to buy fishing equipment from Americans. I will spend a little more for that. I try to support our local fishing stores before I go to a large retailor or online. I go for mid price and built good as the more expensive stuff. Galvan, Ross, Lamson, Colton and a few others. I started out with Pflueger Medalist like just about everybody else and slowly worked my way up. I can't bring myself to spend much more than $500 for reel that really only holds line and has a drag. I have better things to spend money on, but to each his own. Here is a Colton and a Galvan that I use quite a bit.


----------



## Monty (Jan 10, 2018)

Lee Singleton said:


> I know you need a great reel for really big fish and deeper water: tarpon.
> 
> but let’s be honest, most fish under 6lbs can be caught without a reel at all. And fish under 30lbs can be caught on affordable reels with ease. a fly reel has way more simple mechanics than conventional reels, this should translate to possibilities of cheaper and more reliable products.
> 
> I bought the piscifun AOKA off Amazon for 30 bucks 2 years ago. I have fished it hard on my 8wt here in NC and ended up taking it to LA for a week last December. It didn’t disappoint and is still is working to this day. I understand the longevity is not going to stack up to a $400+ reel but for the money it’s hard to beat a $30 reel that will last 2+ years.


So we don't even need a reel to catch a fish under 6 lbs? I get your point but that is a stretch.


----------



## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Context is really key. For example, Lee Singleton says fish "under 30# can be caught on affordable reels with ease".

Ok first off what is "affordable."

And second have you caught tuna 30# tuna on fly? Can it be done on "affordable" gear? Sure. Is that smart? Probably not.


----------



## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> Until you get into Pelagics or big sharks a fly reel is really just a line holder. There are very few inshore gamefish that’s will even warm up a quality reel, much lest put it to the test. With that said there are great reels and absolute crap at both ends of the price spectrum.
> 
> The Redington Grande for example, under $100 and I know people who have been using them for like 5 years now in salt and they are still ticking. Then you have the reels that are marketed well and pushed by influencers to retail for $600 and beyond that are absolute dogsh*t. I won’t name names but I had three of the same brand reel that are produced in Florida and very popular with the flatbill crowd fail catastrophically on my skiff just this fall and we are talking redfish here........ Not exactly tackle busters even at their largest.
> 
> It’s no secret that I am a Tibor guy for life. They are what I choose to use for my own use and my guide business, and my grandkids will get them From me some day. I use them hard, hose them off and put them away with very little maintenance aside from the occasional soak and re-greasing of the drag. Plus Ted is the American Dream in real time, and I like that.


And they will wack the end of your fingers just as hard as any! This from a jack guy... lol


----------



## Gatorbig (Jan 15, 2021)

Just put in an order for a pile of upgrade medalist parts. Feet, drag plates, and counterweights. I feel like I am tuning up an old Chevelle, but I might be putting a spoiler on a Civic. Only 1 way to find out.


----------



## Lee Singleton (Jul 3, 2018)

Monty said:


> So we don't even need a reel to catch a fish under 6 lbs? I get your point but that is a stretch.


I honestly end up stripping them in when I have a lot of line out. The reel ends up as a line holder.


----------



## Fly Junkie (Jun 6, 2018)

I guess an ugly girl is just as much fun... but most of us want a beauty


----------



## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Snakesurf said:


> Buy whatever you want. Zebco reels have caught just as many fish as any other reels. It comes down to what you think is important. For me it is to buy fishing equipment from Americans. I will spend a little more for that. I try to support our local fishing stores before I go to a large retailor or online. I go for mid price and built good as the more expensive stuff. Galvan, Ross, Lamson, Colton and a few others. I started out with Pflueger Medalist like just about everybody else and slowly worked my way up. I can't bring myself to spend much more than $500 for reel that really only holds line and has a drag. I have better things to spend money on, but to each his own. Here is a Colton and a Galvan that I use quite a bit.
> View attachment 173541
> View attachment 173542


I have a Colton Terrapin 1012. The reel is a tank. Super smooth, solid feel and a drag that will screw down more than you want to pull. Sent mine back to Bob to increase the minimum drag pressure. One man, hand made in Pennsylvania.


----------



## CKEAT (Aug 26, 2015)

the reality is, most folks who say they like ugly or fat chicks are saying that because that’s what they have access to. Just sayin 🤣 

mostly kidding guys, relax


----------



## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

CKEAT said:


> the reality is, most folks who say they like ugly or fat chicks are saying that because that’s what they have access to. Just sayin 🤣
> 
> mostly kidding guys, relax


Eager beats pretty 9 out of 10 times.


----------



## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

jay.bush1434 said:


> I have a Colton Terrapin 1012. The reel is a tank. Super smooth, solid feel and a drag that will screw down more than you want to pull. Sent mine back to Bob to increase the minimum drag pressure. One man, hand made in Pennsylvania.


Agreed - Colton Terrapin is awesome. 

Also, having fished it in the surf a lot I can say it's held up amazingly to being dunked, buried in the sand, etc. Drag seems extremely well sealed.

I like Nautilus for my smaller reels but prefer the drag on the Colton on bigger because I can go from very little to "way more than anyone needs" drag in a few turns.

Bob is terrific. Not many places you can buy a reel and also call up and speak to the owner, who is also the guy who built your reel.


----------



## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

mwolaver said:


> And they will wack the end of your fingers just as hard as any! This from a jack guy... lol


Too soon @mwolaver


----------



## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Glad I didn’t have a Tibor and a G Loomis when my fly reel/rod got blown overboard while in the stripping bucket during re-rigging after losing a tarpon. Not sure how this happened exactly as it was in the cockpit, I guess it was windier than I thought. It sunk to the bottom to never be seen again, well at least by me.


----------

