# Orvis hydros? What other 7wt options?



## MikeChamp12 (May 17, 2021)

I have the Orvis Hydros IV 8wt. Had it for about a year now. No complaints.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

That’s a very good reel at that price point.


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## Snagly (Dec 17, 2019)

I have two Orvis Hydros IV size 8's and I've retired them from saltwater flats fishing because the startup drag inertia is too high for larger bonefish or tarpon of any size. I'm ashamed to say that I've had breakoffs and pulled hooks three times spread over two trips (bones and baby tarpon) before I pulled the reels and swapped in my backup reels (old Teton Tiogas), thereby ending the problem. Here are the specifics:

1. Long cast, 30' of line stripped in . . . long follow by a big bone . . . the eat (whoopee!) . . . line clearing off the deck . . . fish comes tight . . . rod loads and POP! (Pulled hook) Drag setting: maybe 2lbs

2. Fish on! Not a huge fish, but a 5lb bone with a few mangrove shrubs close to where I am (but too deep to wade out beyond). Fight the fish on a very (!) loose drag until it's tired. Get it in close the shrubs and I tighten the drag because I'd lost the last fish on a 360-degree trip around a barnacled branch. PUFF! Another pulled hook on a fully loaded rod with drag resistance going from <2lbs to maybe 3lbs.

3. The next month, dumb-dumb Snagly is fishing baby tarpon with several drunken animals (i.e., my fishing buddies) who are laughing their asses off at stories (1) and (2). They fish Nautilus, Bauer, Hatch, etc. costing $600+ per. They note that my fly rods are expensive (NRX/ NRX+) so why economize on the fly reel? "Because the Orvis Hydros IV won a fly shops 'Best of 2018' award or something similar, and I got them on sale at less than half price of what you guys paid."

Determined to prove them wrong, I have the Hydros on both my 8 and 9 weights. I land the first tarpon of the trip (for anyone) visible to the other boats working the flats. Certain parts of my anatomy grow considerably (in addition to my hat size). I then lose the next two tarpon hooked in a manner identical to story #1 . . . off come the Hydros, on come the backup (20-year old) Tetons, and no more problems.

I still use the reels, just for freshwater fish that don't have bonefish/tarpon speed. Looking back, I wouldn't buy them again.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

I have had no issues with the hydros reels I have used.

you can go down to a size 3 for a 7 if you dont need a ton of backing.


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## sjestok (Sep 17, 2019)

I’ve really enjoyed my Lamson Guru 7+, big fan of Lamson as a whole


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## Roro (Nov 15, 2021)

BrownDog said:


> I have had no issues with the hydros reels I have used.
> 
> you can go down to a size 3 for a 7 if you dont need a ton of backing.


Have a Hellios 2 also have an Okuma at one tenth the price (or less than the cost of an H2 replacement tip plus shipping) - the Okuma casts just as well.


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## Roro (Nov 15, 2021)

Roro said:


> Have a Hellios 2 also have an Okuma at one tenth the price (or less than the cost of an H2 replacement tip plus shipping) - the Okuma casts just as well.


Just sayin


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

I’m confused here. What model of Okuma reel outcasts a helios 2 reel?


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## emptysea (Jul 14, 2019)

G loomis cross current and Scott Sector are both fantastic 7wts


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

The Redington Grande is an amazing reel for $300. Beefy drag and mine has withstood years of abuse, caught big jacks and bullreds and still works like new.


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## Roro (Nov 15, 2021)

Surffshr said:


> I’m confused here. What model of Okuma reel outcasts a helios 2 reel?


Okuma makes a fly rod series (SLV.) Was out Long Island Sound this past fall and we had a H2 and an H3 and a St Croix onboard. A buddy brought a 7wt SLV uploaded with 8wt Rio Short - he bought it as a back-up. just as a back-up. We were sort of joking that line at $99 costs more than the rod at $89.

Bite was slow so we broke it out and had a chance to comparison cast rods (in wind same fly) The SLV was pretty sweet. I bought an 8wt uploaded it to 9wt (same Rio Short) and fished 10-15 times in Montauk this past fall.
No more worrying about trashing my ludicrously expensive Hellios when up tight to the beach in an ocean swell with a couples of mates aboard hooting it up and stuff getting banged around on boat. I also distance measured on my lawn at the SLV tosses line as far as my H2. Just sayin - save your money these expensive rods are overblown.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

Roro said:


> Okuma makes a fly rod series (SLV.) Was out Long Island Sound this past fall and we had a H2 and an H3 and a St Croix onboard. A buddy brought a 7wt SLV uploaded with 8wt Rio Short - he bought it as a back-up. just as a back-up. We were sort of joking that line at $99 costs more than the rod at $89.
> 
> Bite was slow so we broke it out and had a chance to comparison cast rods (in wind same fly) The SLV was pretty sweet. I bought an 8wt uploaded it to 9wt (same Rio Short) and fished 10-15 times in Montauk this past fall.
> No more worrying about trashing my ludicrously expensive Hellios when up tight to the beach in an ocean swell with a couples of mates aboard hooting it up and stuff getting banged around on boat. I also distance measured on my lawn at the SLV tosses line as far as my H2. Just sayin - save your money these expensive rods are overblown.


Awesome story bro. OP was asking about reels tho…


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## Bertbot (Aug 6, 2020)

I never had a problem with mine


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## Kingfisher67 (Jan 11, 2016)

Orvis Hydros are a great reel for the price point. I've owned two for a few years without a single issue. Another reel you might want to consider (I'm thinking about getting one myself) is the Ross Evolution LTX. The reel was recently redesigned, and you can find new ones on Ebay for around 350-375$. A little bit above the cost of a Hydros, but the internals would be worth it. When you take the Hydros apart and look at it...there's a lot of plastic. Doesn't really make me feel all warm and fuzzy, eventually something will break.


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## UpStateAngler (Sep 2, 2021)

I use 7wt all the time, it's become my go-to. NRX+ for me. Take a look at a NAUTILUS X reel. Think it's like 4.7ounces, great little reel that can handle Bass, Redfish, Stripers, etc... Nice to have a really ultra-lightweight set-up. Fun to cast.


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## APoole (Jun 23, 2020)

If you're mostly going to use it for freshwater, the Hydros is fine. I second a few others on it's salt application though, can't recommend it.


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## Featherbrain (Nov 5, 2021)

Kingfisher67 said:


> Orvis Hydros are a great reel for the price point. I've owned two for a few years without a single issue. Another reel you might want to consider (I'm thinking about getting one myself) is the Ross Evolution LTX. The reel was recently redesigned, and you can find new ones on Ebay for around 350-375$. A little bit above the cost of a Hydros, but the internals would be worth it. When you take the Hydros apart and look at it...there's a lot of plastic. Doesn't really make me feel all warm and fuzzy, eventually something will break.


You know what, I really do like the look of that Ross reel. If I could find one new on eBay for $350 or so I would definitely be interested.


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## rkyslone6 (Jan 2, 2022)

For reels, I on a budget check out Sierra Trading Post to see if you can find a sealed drag at a steep discount. They usually have Lamsons or Cheeky’s 40-60% off. Rods - G Loomis CrossCurrent 7 weight is an awesome rod for the $. I have the 1 piece version (it stays on my boat) and love it but not sure if they are making that one any longer. Casts great, aesthetically pleasing, good warranty, priced around $400


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## saltyhackle (Jun 28, 2020)

I have had the newest hydros IV in the salt for a year now. I love the price point but as some others have said, it’s performance pin the salt is questionable. I have yet to have any failures, but it’s been accidentally dunked a time or two and the clicking went silent. The retrieve is super gritty and bumpy now too… I don’t fish bones or tarpon, but I would be nervous about using mine for them. Really I’m just hoping someone releases something new in that price point in the next year or so.


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## dtaylo1066 (Sep 28, 2021)

Hydros hard to beat for the price. I have a new TFO BVK SD III reel. For not much over $200 I think it is a screaming deal. Light, also. Have not used in the salt, but for $220 how are you going to go wrong?


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## Daz (Jul 14, 2015)

I've got a NIB Hardy 6000 CADD in the classifieds right now that meets your price point. Awesome light weight reel.


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## captgeorge (Jan 2, 2022)

orvis hydros iv does not work well in the salt if you are wading and fishing. I have had 3 of them and you need to be careful if its being dunked it will rust the pin and the action gets gritty. And while its a made in china reel and looks the part, I belive the made in korea reels by hardy and redington are much better in quality for the similar price point. What you buy with the orvis is the warranty and guaranty which is one of the best if not the best in the industry. They will replace a run in your pantyhose. They make their money selling overpriced clothes so they can afford to take care of the fishermen who buy their tackle and promote their lifestyle.


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## Featherbrain (Nov 5, 2021)

Daz said:


> I've got a NIB Hardy 6000 CADD in the classifieds right now that meets your price point. Awesome light weight reel.


Looks like I will be doing some thinking 🤔


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## Todd (May 23, 2018)

I’m in the process of sending two of my hydros IV back to the manufacturer for saltwater intrusion. Didn’t realize that needed to open my sealed drag regularly to see if the seals failed, constant opening would also lead to seals failing. These reels were rinsed with freshwater after use.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

Snagly said:


> I have two Orvis Hydros IV size 8's and I've retired them from saltwater flats fishing because the startup drag inertia is too high for larger bonefish or tarpon of any size. I'm ashamed to say that I've had breakoffs and pulled hooks three times spread over two trips (bones and baby tarpon) before I pulled the reels and swapped in my backup reels (old Teton Tiogas), thereby ending the problem. Here are the specifics:
> 
> 1. Long cast, 30' of line stripped in . . . long follow by a big bone . . . the eat (whoopee!) . . . line clearing off the deck . . . fish comes tight . . . rod loads and POP! (Pulled hook) Drag setting: maybe 2lbs
> 
> ...


Fun stories, except for the pain of you losing your fish, particularly in front of witnesses/your buddies who can say "see, I told you"...

Was your Hydros IV the SL (prior version to current model) or the current Hydros? Orvis has made several different versions of the Hydros.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

Todd said:


> I’m in the process of sending two of my hydros IV back to the manufacturer for saltwater intrusion. Didn’t realize that needed to open my sealed drag regularly to see if the seals failed, constant opening would also lead to seals failing. These reels were rinsed with freshwater after use.


Sorry for your pain, but this is a perfect example of the 'sealed' drag not working so well when it isn't 'sealed'. Not to hijack the thread, but sealed drags are sealed, until they aren't, and a reel owner won't know the seals are leaking until the reel fails. That's why I'm still a big proponent of the non-sealed drag reels offered by Abel, Tibor, Ross, Galvan, et al. (with that said, I do own a Nautilus NV 8/9, and I love it, but I also love my Super 6 and 9, Cimarron II, Gulfstream, and Animas).

Thanks for letting me get on the stump.


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## Snagly (Dec 17, 2019)

Richarde206: I don't have the reels with me. I bought them in October 2019 on sale from the Orvis website, so I imagine they are/were an older model that was being discounted for Black Friday to make way for the new and improved versions.

Off topic, but I use a Galvan Torque 8 in the salt and have never had a problem with the drag. However, despite rinsing in fresh water (not very well, apparently), I have noticed corrosion on the spindle. Arrgh.


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## Todd (May 23, 2018)

richarde206 said:


> Sorry for your pain, but this is a perfect example of the 'sealed' drag not working so well when it isn't 'sealed'. Not to hijack the thread, but sealed drags are sealed, until they aren't, and a reel owner won't know the seals are leaking until the reel fails. That's why I'm still a big proponent of the non-sealed drag reels offered by Abel, Tibor, Ross, Galvan, et al. (with that said, I do own a Nautilus NV 8/9, and I love it, but I also love my Super 5 and 9, Cimarron II, Gulfstream, and Animas).
> 
> Thanks for letting me get on the stump.


Right, bought 4 tibors and looking for more, won’t have that problem again.


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