# Best 8wt reel???



## Mnigro (Apr 24, 2018)

I think Mako/Charlton would take the top spot of any “best reel” list but there’s probably another 6 to 8 reels that would tie for 2nd place if you looked at actual statistics for % failures - not that this data is available.


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## Fatherof4 (Jul 29, 2019)

I think, in an 8wt...most any will suffice. I have an Orvis hyros iv, and just bought a Hardy Carbon...the Hardy is a really good reel, but at double the price....not sure it's that much better....The fish we catch on an 8wt, IMO, anything decent will do...the bigger the fish, the more important the reel/drag...Just my simple thoughts.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

For my kind of fishing with an 8wt reel, what is really going to fail? Even bull reds are not likely to test the limits of the reel. When you get to 10w - 12w reels, then yeah, there are fish out there that will test it. So therefore, most of my smaller reels are ones I find on sale lol.


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

The best? all the top manufacturers are going to produce great 8wt reels. I have used my hatch 7 plus for about 8 years with no problem, from bonefish to redfish.


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## BestofTexas (Jul 18, 2021)

Ok let’s say your strictly using it for large bonefish, where the failure of your drag is more likely than with reds.


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## Mnigro (Apr 24, 2018)

Cork draw bars from Tibor or Abel have been around for a long time. I trust my Everglades will outlive me.

I hooked a monster bonefish in HI that may still be running for the horizon - broke me off on the reef edge. My Galvan Torque performed flawlessly on that fish and dozens more before and after. I’d buy another for sure.

Had a Bauer M4 completely freeze on my while steelhead fishing and a “sealed” Sage 4230 get all wonky after a dunking in the river. Back to normal once it drained. Lamson Litespeed had a clutch rust out before they went stainless steel. Replaced the clutch and that reel is now 15+ years old and still performing.

My Ross Evo LTX is pretty nice but not tested over the long haul.

I know this wasn’t much help but I guess the moral could be to buy a reel that’s been around for a long time and been proven reliable: Tibor, Abel, Hatch, Nautilus, Galvan, Lamson, etc.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Check out the IGFA fly records and the majority are caught on Tibor Reels.


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## BestofTexas (Jul 18, 2021)

Zika said:


> Check out the IGFA fly records and the majority are caught on Tibor Reels.


Definitely a fact.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

No such thing as the "best" - it all depends on how and where you're going to be fishing.... An 8wt for bonefish wading (or walking the beach for hours and hours casting at snook in the surf)? For that a very light reel (after a few hours without being able to set it down you'll see what I mean..). My Nautilus reels will do nicely for that. The perfect reel for really big fish using an 8wt (a 40lb tarpon on an 8wt is all you can stand..). My anglers get to do that on night trips in winter, locally... In that situation, I'd again use a Nautilus - this time - one size larger than needed (for the retrieve rate...). An 8wt for going to exotic locations where you need the most bullet-proof reel you can find - that will never let you down? My old Billy Pate Bonefish model in direct drive... Long before all the great modern reels everyone can buy today, Teddy figured out how to make the smoothest, most durable saltwater fly reel ever - without using a single bearing.... Some day, long after I'm gone someone will still be using one of my Pates - they're that bullet-proof... By the way, the Pate reels were made (all those years ago) by the outfit that today is called... Tibor...


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## Alexander Wilcox (May 15, 2020)

I think with 8wts it really boils down to what catches your eye. Most reels are going to function similarly. My personal 8wt favorites are the Hatch finatic/iconic and the Abel SDS. Neither have ever failed me and fish well. 

Plus...they're pretty.


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

I'm very happy with my Lamson reels on all my rods 5 thru 10wt


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

You will not go wrong with the through drawbar and cork disk of the classic Abel or Tibor.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Like Captain Lemay said what are you fishing for with that 8?

My answer for largemouth would be different than permit or jacks.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Galvan Torque 8. Nice, lite, open spool and smooth drag (not sealed).


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Mnigro said:


> Cork draw bars from Tibor or Abel have been around for a long time. I trust my Everglades will outlive me.
> 
> I hooked a monster bonefish in HI that may still be running for the horizon - broke me off on the reef edge. My Galvan Torque performed flawlessly on that fish and dozens more before and after. I’d buy another for sure.
> 
> ...


I stopped a couple of those big bones in HI with my Lamson that were trying to get back into the Pearl Harbor Channel.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

As said above a few times, any of the top quality reel manufacturers 8 wt reels will be more than enough for the typical 8wt fish. Where the difference is, is when you hook "that" fish that is way above the 8wt fish you are targeting and how does the reel and drag hold up. I guess the other measure would be when on that trip of a lifetime, like the Seychelles, where there isn't a chance to get another one or get one fixed if it breaks. You spend $20k to go fish a remote tropical island and you certainly don't want your gear to let you down.

Mako, Abel, Tibor, Hatch, Nautilus, Ross are all great reels.


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## tarawa1943 (Apr 4, 2020)

SS06 said:


> I'm very happy with my Lamson reels on all my rods 5 thru 10wt


Ditto on the Larson’s. I have a 6,7 and 8. Unfortunately I never caught anything to put them to a real test!


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## BestofTexas (Jul 18, 2021)

Thanks for the input everyone, I already fish with Abel and Tibor reels, I just wanted to know if I was missing something out there that was just spectacular. I know the Mako is awesome, but the price hurts my heart.


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## btpeck14 (Mar 18, 2021)

I've got a Tibor Everglades and a Hatch 7+. Both are great. I grab the Hatch if I'm wading, the Tibor if on the boat,


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## BestofTexas (Jul 18, 2021)

btpeck14 said:


> I've got a Tibor Everglades and a Hatch 7+. Both are great. I grab the Hatch if I'm wading, the Tibor if on the boat,


The Everglades is a reel I do not own, how often are you doing maintenance on it? I know they’re bullet proof, but how often do you have to fully disassemble and clean?


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## btpeck14 (Mar 18, 2021)

I rinse it after every use and store it with the drag loose. Other than that, I just disassemble and clean at end of each season in the Fall before putting the reel away (I live in the Northeast).


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## Mnigro (Apr 24, 2018)

Yeah BoT, that’s why I mentioned my experience with Bauer freezing up and the drag failing. If I were fishing/wading in sub freezing temps I would be using a sealed drag reel.
Wading in the surf where dunking a reel would be highly likely, maybe opt for sealed drag too but then again, my Torque and Everglades wouldn’t fail if dunked. Cleanup would just take a little extra effort at the end of the day. I think there’s limited situations that I’d really be concerned about having a sealed drag and in those cases, any sealed reel from a top manufacturer would give me equal comfort.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Have seen or heard about too many sealed dragged reels failing when you needed them the most.


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

Tibor Everglades is my favorite. Most of the modern sealed drag reels just seem cheesy to me.


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

btpeck14 said:


> I've got a Tibor Everglades and a Hatch 7+. Both are great. I grab the Hatch if I'm wading, the Tibor if on the boat,


I kind of "bucket" reels that way, too - I'm 90% wading either flats or surf, so my go-to has been the Nautilus CCF-X2 as it's been exceptionally well-sealed. 

If I were fishing from a boat and wasn't dropping my reel in salt and sand all day, I'd get a classic like a Tibor or Abel, though a Shilton is really high on my list.

If I were traveling to a faraway land, I'd start with a Nautilus still but want a Tibor, Abel, or Shilton as a backup just in case.


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## BestofTexas (Jul 18, 2021)

So I’m everyone’s opinion, if I mostly fish off the boat, the Everglades is the one? As I said above, I have a Hatch, an Abel SDS, and a Tibor Signature.


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## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

An 8wt fly rod should feel like a rapier sword, not a battle axe. Try a lighter reel than the Abels and Tibors and you will likely be pleasantly surprised.


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## scrapiron (Jun 13, 2020)

I’ve enjoyed my Tibor Sig 7/8… a little more than a NV-G which is no slouch.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

BestofTexas said:


> The Everglades is a reel I do not own, how often are you doing maintenance on it? I know they’re bullet proof, but how often do you have to fully disassemble and clean?


I would venture to say that probably 90% of anglers that own an Everglades will never need to disassemble, clean or service it. The worst thing most people do is put the reel away wet in its pouch.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

TheAdamsProject said:


> I would venture to say that probably 90% of anglers that own an Everglades will never need to disassemble, clean or service it. The worst thing most people do is put the reel away wet in its pouch.


I've got Tibors that are 20+ years old that I've never done anything more to than rinse.

I do think that Tibor days rinse them with the drag on and let it off after it dries.


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## Tripletail (Apr 8, 2021)

I have an everglades on an axiom 2x and love it bass to Jack's and everything in between, triangle taper on it for the win


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have a 30+ year old SA system two, 7-8wt. Fly reel. It's caught more bone fish than any other reel I have. Now I'm not saying it's the best reel. Years ago,before the internet my fly fishing buddy's and I read an Article on SA reels. It said you could improve the drag disc by gradually sanding them down with fine sand paper and showed how to do it. I still have the bag of supplies. We took the disc out put a bolt through it and put it in a drill. While spinning we sanded down the disc with progressively finer SP. The disc turn out to be smooth and shiny
So that reel has caught bones up to 9.5 lbs
I still use it


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## BestofTexas (Jul 18, 2021)

Jason M said:


> I've got Tibors that are 20+ years old that I've never done anything more to than rinse.
> 
> I do think that Tibor days rinse them with the drag on and let it off after it dries.


This is what I like to hear.


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## Tailingpermit (Oct 11, 2020)

Jason M said:


> I've got Tibors that are 20+ years old that I've never done anything more to than rinse.
> 
> I do think that Tibor days rinse them with the drag on and let it off after it dries.


I’ve had one issue with a Tibor reel, and it may have been me not flushing it enough after a lot of wading and submerging the reel. The drag sticked just a little bit but enough to cause concern. It was right before a tournament so I overnighted it and had it back on the rod within a week, no charge from Tibor. Good as new. 

In regard to an 8wt reel, I got this God awful ugly red Everglades reel for winning the SuperFly tournament in Key West. Other than being an eyesore it worked perfect for Banana River and Mosquito Lagoon reds. 

I will not buy any reel other than the original Tibor, that’s not to say that there aren’t better or equal reels out there - but this is what I trust.


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## rams (Jun 16, 2015)

For bomb proof ease of use cork drag reel are super. Less moving parts and fewer failure with minimal maintenance. Also self serviceability is easy unlike sealed systems. 

That being said, the sealed drag reels are sweet until they fail.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Tailingpermit said:


> I’ve had one issue with a Tibor reel, and it may have been me not flushing it enough after a lot of wading and submerging the reel. The drag sticked just a little bit but enough to cause concern. It was right before a tournament so I overnighted it and had it back on the rod within a week, no charge from Tibor. Good as new.
> 
> In regard to an 8wt reel, I got this God awful ugly red Everglades reel for winning the SuperFly tournament in Key West. Other than being an eyesore it worked perfect for Banana River and Mosquito Lagoon reds.
> 
> I will not buy any reel other than the original Tibor, that’s not to say that there aren’t better or equal reels out there - but this is what I trust.


Agreed. The brilliance in the Tibors is how simple they are built. I'm sure that there are other ones that are awesome. If someone wants to give me a Mako I'll DM you my address.

I think there's a chance that if the corks gets some water in there things could get squirrelly. I think that's why Ted said leave the drag on while rinsing and let it dry and then back off the drag.


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## Mnigro (Apr 24, 2018)

numbskull said:


> An 8wt fly rod should feel like a rapier sword, not a battle axe. Try a lighter reel than the Abels and Tibors and you will likely be pleasantly surprised.


I agree that a light weight reel makes casting all day a bit nicer. But comparing the weight across salty 8’s, most fall into the 7.5 to 8.5oz range. Abel, Ross, Tibor, Galvan, Orvis, etc. Nautilus NVG is one of the few exceptions, and Lamson.


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## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I got this one on the way today from Tailwater Outfitters.


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## tarawa1943 (Apr 4, 2020)

I meant to say Lamsons


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

BestofTexas said:


> This is what I like to hear.





TheAdamsProject said:


> I would venture to say that probably 90% of anglers that own an Everglades will never need to disassemble, clean or service it. The worst thing most people do is put the reel away wet in its pouch.


I might be a maintenance nerd, but i usually take mine apart every 2-3 months just to check the grease, clean if needed, etc. usually there is nothing more than maybe some dust.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

If you're talking bonefish, it's the Nautilus. 
Bonefish on the Brain had done a test of all fly reels on the market, ripping drag at 40mph, estimated speed of a bonefish. They did dunk tests where they submerged them in saltwater. The only two reels that survived all the tests was all nautilus ccfx2, and lamson lightspeed. 

Theses days, I would go with the Nautilus XL Max Classic. As the drag is even improved from the CCFx2. What you're going to want for bonefish is a reel with great startup inertia. A drag that can also keep up with a bonefish ripping large runs. As some know, some of the largest bonefish come from Biscayne Bay (Miami) where Nautilus reels are made.


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## FLopes (May 27, 2021)

The Lamson Cobalt 8 pairs nicely with my Meridian 8wt. The drag is practically bomb proof, and IMO it’s a reel that’s often overlooked. I had a CCF-X2 8/10 for a while but as was said above, had a battle axe feel to it.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

Remember when talking sealed drags and reels that things are perfect and sealed right up until they are not. I am not putting down any of those reel manufactures but I would just not get too hung up on a reel that has to be sealed. There was a Tibor Pacific that spent 3 years on the ocean floor and a little cleaning and it was back to working order. (See photo). 

Also, there was another Tibor Gulfstream just found that spent approx. 5yrs on the ocean floor after a client lost it overboard on a tarpon trip in the Keys. I have not seen the drag yet but after a rough cleaning it is quite smooth and the detents on the drag knob are still in proper working order. It was sent back to Tibor and currently being inspected.


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## Hooked Up (Aug 8, 2016)

BestofTexas said:


> I feel like starting a CIVIL conversation about the absolute best fly reel for saltwater applications. What do y’all think is the best out there? What reel will never let you down? Discuss please.


 I've had my Orvis since 1978. And a hand built Fenwick rod. Can't say there the best or worst. I can say, they still do the job. Worked in the Bahamas for 25 years. Countless bonefish, a lot of small tarpon and a handful of permit. No eye candy, just well built and well taken care of.


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## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

The only real test I've ever put an 8 weight reel through is bonita on my galvan t8. It was flawless. Loved the smoothness and the drag knob is super easy to adjust on the fly. That said I love my Everglades cause you know, tibor.


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## mt hwy (Mar 18, 2021)

permitchaser said:


> I have a 30+ year old SA system two, 7-8wt. Fly reel. It's caught more bone fish than any other reel I have. Now I'm not saying it's the best reel. Years ago,before the internet my fly fishing buddy's and I read an Article on SA reels. It said you could improve the drag disc by gradually sanding them down with fine sand paper and showed how to do it. I still have the bag of supplies. We took the disc out put a bolt through it and put it in a drill. While spinning we sanded down the disc with progressively finer SP. The disc turn out to be smooth and shiny
> So that reel has caught bones up to 9.5 lbs
> I still use it


I was reading through this thread chuckling to myself thinking about my 30 yr old SA System 2, 7/8 , and I bought an extra spool for it too. Originally used for NJ inshore and then subsequently caught larger trout in MT, steelhead in Alaska and ID, and now a few snook on it in SW FL. Bastard of a reel works fine and with basic care just won‘t die.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

mt hwy said:


> I was reading through this thread chuckling to myself thinking about my 30 yr old SA System 2, 7/8 , and I bought an extra spool for it too. Originally used for NJ inshore and then subsequently caught larger trout in MT, steelhead in Alaska and ID, and now a few snook on it in SW FL. Bastard of a reel works fine and with basic care just won‘t die.


Thanks, yea mine has an extra spool. Hang onto it it won't fail


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## Miles813 (Jul 1, 2021)

I think Seigler should be in the mix too, especially for larger species like Geets and Tarpon.


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## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

Miles813 said:


> I think Seigler should be in the mix too, especially for larger species like Geets and Tarpon.


Yes let’s throw a 8wt at a GT, then again that’s the type of stupid crap I would do


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## Miles813 (Jul 1, 2021)

Flyboy said:


> Yes let’s throw a 8wt at a GT, then again that’s the type of stupid crap I would do


I did lose the thread there, but honestly you could put the Seigler MF on an 8 wt and then also have it for your 10 wt when you do want to go after a GT. I think Gallup says he uses a reel two sizes larger than the rod wt he's pairing it with, so there's that, lol.


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## Mdees88 (Jun 23, 2021)

I currently have a Seigler MF on an 8wt rod until I purchase a 10wt. It's very heavy compared to 8 weight reels but it works.... The Seigler SF is an actual 8wt reel and much lighter and should have enough drag to fight big Jack Crevalle but I'm not sure how well an 8wt rod would fair....

That said I do think a Seigler SF should be thrown into the mix strictly because of the versatility of the lever drag system. Most people fail to realize the benefits of a lever drag but there are many and it's even more beneficial to a fly reel than a conventional reel to be honest. Not saying it is the "best 8wt reel" I'm just saying it is probably one of the most versatile.....


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## Jim A (Sep 17, 2019)

Its pretty hard to stay In Business if you produce a “ bad or sub par “ reel 
I spend about 60 days yr on the salt. . I like the new light wt light speeds. Lamson …and Ross evolution LT 4. Prefer USA made. ..I just never know what’s in the offshore internals …
Also depends on your rod. The newer lightweight rods. Balance better. I think - with the new lighter reels. My older ross momentum’s and islanders were too heavy for the newer rods. Hope that makes sense


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## Ericb1130 (Sep 16, 2020)

I love my Ross evolution ltx 8wt! Though I’m sure any of the new mid-high end reels would do great. I’m interested in a hatch or nautilus for my next reel.


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## mpk1996 (Aug 6, 2020)

Trident fishing did a pretty good shootout where they at least tried to quantify different factors. Like drag strength, spool size, warranty, etc. they they had some other, more objective areas like fit and feel. It’s a good place to look, and you can look at the raw numbers and if a category doesn’t matter to you, exclude it.
I have a Ross evolution R salt and nautilus ccf. Both are great reals. But so are the hatch, abel sds, tibor, etc

some of this will come down to your budget. Some to the looks you want (Abel custom graphics do look awesome!)


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

Hank said:


> You will not go wrong with the through drawbar and cork disk of the classic Abel or Tibor.


Add Islander to that list...


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## Chuck Aikens (Aug 19, 2019)

Take a look at a Shilton SL 5 or an SR9. They are newer to US market and are in the same class as aTibor. I fish for False Albacore, Reds AND Stripers. The SR9 and SL5 have landed many Albies. That said for the best Reel for an 8 Wt I think about swing weight and arbor diameter for quicker pick up. As others have said there many good reels out there. I just ordered a Lamson Force for my 7 wt top water Striper set up.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

btpeck14 said:


> I've got a Tibor Everglades and a Hatch 7+. Both are great. I grab the Hatch if I'm wading, the Tibor if on the boat,


Why the difference? Is it a function of the rods, or...? Aren't those reels pretty close to similar weight?


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

Chuck Aikens said:


> That said for the best Reel for an 8 Wt I think about swing weight and arbor diameter for quicker pick up. As others have said there many good reels out there. I just ordered a Lamson Force for my 7 wt top water Striper set up.


I very much agree. A rod that has a relatively high swing weight will benefit (balance-wise) from a heavier reel, where a lighter (relative) rod will benefit from a lighter (relative) reel.

For pickup, folks mistakenly consider the size of the arbor as that which impacts the faster retrieve; it's the diameter of the reel that affects the rate or retrieve. Two reels with both the same diameter and width spools, but one with a standard arbor and one with a larger arbor, will have the same rate or retrieve, up until the end of the backing.


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## EbMaps (11 mo ago)

Islander LX's keep going. Own a couple that had seen 3 years of year 'round saltwater guide boat wear when I bought them 10 years ago. Can't get much simpler, and seem to hang in when overloaded or abused a bit better than the aerospace alloy sealed units that I've blown up.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

EbMaps said:


> Islander LX's keep going. Own a couple that had seen 3 years of year 'round saltwater guide boat wear when I bought them 10 years ago. Can't get much simpler, and seem to hang in when overloaded or abused a bit better than the aerospace alloy sealed units that I've blown up.


I love Islanders! Built like a tank and will last as long. A friend of mine once opined "If you're building a house and lose your hammer, you could use your Islander."

What 'aerospace alloy sealed units' have you blown up?


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## Oldsenilegoat (11 mo ago)

Hope it is not just me, but every high end salt water reel I have ever bought has been awesome. So long as they have sealed bearings and a decent drag (that said, I prefer to palm my reel), the rest is just a storage space for my line. Am I missing something here? I know everyone will have their favourites, but honestly, if it is a quality reel they all seem to do the same job admirably.


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## EbMaps (11 mo ago)

richarde206 said:


> I love Islanders! Built like a tank and will last as long. A friend of mine once opined "If you're building a house and lose your hammer, you could use your Islander."
> 
> What 'aerospace alloy sealed units' have you blown up?


Hatch Gen I - water intrusion salt & fresh water units. 
Orvis - frame flexing under high drag/load => binding. 
Forgot which ones - handle binding.
Numerous brands - unrepairable in the field deformation
The last one is a total operator error, incidental damage to the spool or frame from "minor" impacts - rod rack bouncing in T tops, spool falling off of a bench, bait station being a bad place to leave a reel in seas, etc.... All can damage any reel, but tight tolerances and more malleable (lighter?) metals can increase the incidence of fatality of those mistakes. 

Obviously, avoiding those mistakes can give you a fantastic piece of kit that lasts generations. I may be a luddite but somewhere between stone age technology and bleeding edge, where innovation and improvements can be found, is a good place to spend limited resources for good gear.


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## tailwalk (Nov 20, 2016)

tailwalk said:


> The only real test I've ever put an 8 weight reel through is bonita on my galvan t8. It was flawless. Loved the smoothness and the drag knob is super easy to adjust on the fly. That said I love my Everglades cause you know, tibor.


I need to amend my previous answer. after a week of Bonefishing in every scenario from walking beaches to the bow of the skiff to way back in the bush and testing my everglades at every turn I now say with confidence the Tibor takes the cake. smooth startup, pretty decent retrieval, and oh man that sound!!


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

Mnigro said:


> I think Mako/Charlton would take the top spot of any “best reel” list but there’s probably another 6 to 8 reels that would tie for 2nd place if you looked at actual statistics for % failures - not that this data is available.


That is so true. I have a Ross Cimarron II reel that uses a drag system which Ross indicates, as of a few years go, only 5 reels returned for drag issues, and there were something like 70,000 reels out there using that system. It's not a sexy drag system or flashy reel, but in more than gets the job done and is super tough and reliable.


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

Mnigro said:


> Cork draw bars from Tibor or Abel have been around for a long time. I trust my Everglades will outlive me.
> 
> I hooked a monster bonefish in HI that may still be running for the horizon - broke me off on the reef edge. My Galvan Torque performed flawlessly on that fish and dozens more before and after. I’d buy another for sure.
> 
> ...


I know a guy who lived in/guided a bit in HI that has similar stories to this. I was with him on Hickam when he hooked a bonefish that took off for Christmas Island and cut him off on the reef edge. The guide, Terry, was using an Echo Salt 9 weight and a Torque 10 weight; the fish didn't even think about stopping.

I like the design, using what I think are important in reel design, what Ross has done with that LTX, and in my opinion it is nearly a perfect bonefish reel, except... it just has no sound on the outgo! I love hearing drag when a fish runs, not silence, and that LTX is pretty silent. I like the Litespeed sound...


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

tailwalk said:


> I need to amend my previous answer. after a week of Bonefishing in every scenario from walking beaches to the bow of the skiff to way back in the bush and testing my everglades at every turn I now say with confidence the Tibor takes the cake. smooth startup, pretty decent retrieval, and oh man that sound!!


Which Tibor?


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## richarde206 (Sep 9, 2021)

BestofTexas said:


> So I’m everyone’s opinion, if I mostly fish off the boat, the Everglades is the one? As I said above, I have a Hatch, an Abel SDS, and a Tibor Signature.


If you have a Hatch, an Abel SDS, and a Tibor Signature, are these reels not getting the job done for you? Or is just time to add another to the rotation which, is the answer, I surely understand!


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## OrFish (5 mo ago)

I bought my billy pate bonefish back in the 1990's and no reel made has ever surpassed it. Lighter reels (basically every other 8wt tell made) exist, but the Billy is still unstoppable


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