Posted: Sun 01/16/11 9:51 am Post subject: 8-9 Wt Saltwater Reel
When I first bought my TFO TiCR 8 wt. for south Louisiana marshes, Florida panhandle flats,etc., the fly shop put me into a Battenkill Mid Arbor ... helping me stay in the affordable world initially.
I now wonder if I should be looking to upgrade the reel (the rod uplined to a 9 wt is great for my casting style!). What do you think? If I should consider upgrading, what might you suggest ... Ross Evolution or Vexis? Battenkill LA? Something out of the Sage or Lamson lines??
From my experience, if you buy a Ross reel, spare spools are always available from the manufacturer. Why is that important -- a few years ago I got an Orvis Vortex. Time went by and I wanted a spare spool for a different line. By then Orvis had discontinued the Vortex and was selling the Vortex II. Couldn't get a spare spool from Orvis; had to find one online. With a Ross, even if they discontinue the reel, they keep the specs available to them and can make you a spare spool. Reels are so expensive that it is nice to be able to get spare spools for reels you have and like, rather than buying yet another reel later. Something to think about.
Posted: Mon 01/24/11 11:13 pm Post subject: Fly reel
As far as upgrading the reel....first i would ask, how much do you fish? Here or there? Or, all the time? If it is just here or there, I would say save the $. Next, I would ask if you need a new reel, or do you just want a new reel? I know sometimes....well, a lot of the time I want things more than I actually need them, especially when it comes to fly fishing equipment. But, if you think you need a new reel, there are tons of great reels on the market today. I would say large arbor is the only way to go(in my opinion). And, as far as brand goes, it is a matter of personal preference. I have used Ross reels and I like them. They all were machined well, and felt really smooth. Personally, I like Galvan reels. The Torque is a great reel,is machined extremely well, it has a great drag system, and has a lifetime warranty. I have the Galvan Torque in a 5wt, 8wt, and 10 wt. They all have performed flawlessly, and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Check them out.
Personally, if I were you, I would go for a reel that is maybe a 9 wt size. It ill allow you to then not have 2 reels the same size, and would allow you later to buy another rod and have two full setups. It would add some weight when casting them 8 wt, but it would be minimal. An 8 is great! But a 9 is the most versatile saltwater rod you can have(in my opinion). It can handle some pretty big fish, and it light enough to cast all day. Good luck in your decision
Posted: Thu 01/27/11 10:06 am Post subject: Go Sage
I've got my sage saltwater 8 weight set up with a sage 1600 reel $100 and the extra spool was $40. in saltwater I like to over line to help shot through the wind, so I have a 9 weight line on it. the reel and drag are fantastic and you can't beat the price. the heavy downside is that the reels are made of some metal so when I droped it, it bent a little. Nothing a pair of pliers could not fix. Sage is putting out some awesome reels right now. in the last year I've caught everything from bass, carp, salmon, barracuda, tarpon, snook on this reel and it keeps kicking. if you are an everyday fisherman I would try the reels that have the heavier duty composit materials instead of the metal. numbered drag system is nice, reel detaches very easily and I think that sage is going to be here to stay in the reel department.
I also have a Ross reel in a 6 weight and it's fantastic, no issues in 6+ years. just expensive. My other reel is a 10wt orvis batenkill larger arbor. the drag seems to be a little weak, but I had no issues hammering 10-30lb tarpons 4 days straight in isla holbox last November.
Personally I like sage cause there affordable they they work. Ross will always be my top for streams but is very pricey. if your real serious and you fish over 100 days a year you should probably grab an able reel. they are built like rocks, have in my mind the best drag systems in the industry and cool to boot.
I'm chimming in on what gunner had to say as well. Picked up the Orvis Battenkill BarStock and Mid Arbor models a few years back. Very happy with them. Finally ready to get spare spools, well I should have when I bought them. They are now discontinued, real GD nice huh! So I guess its ebay time to find those puppies.
I must add, Orvis isn't the only one that discontinues spools when they discontinue reels; LLBeans does the same thing I recently found out. There are probably others that have the same practice.
Posted: Wed 03/23/11 8:21 pm Post subject: Like the LA
l picked up a large arbor Battenkill and spare spool with my Hydros 8wt. this past year for a bonefish trip to Oahu. I have the mid arbor on a trout rod, and was tickled pink with the large arbor. However, unless I have fish that are really burning out line and I need the extra pickup the large arbor supplies, I really don't know a lot of difference.
I have a two Battenkill LAs and I love them. They have worked well and they are a good price. I also have a lamson lightspeed and it is ridiculous. Super light, great drag and well made. Lamson reels are high quality and are all around just really good. A good real is a great investment especially if you are going to get a lot of use out of it. They make a difference.
The Guru and up are made in the USA, and the Konic over seas. The drag is fully sealed , and I found it to be much like the drag in a baitcast reel very smooth
Just got my new Orvis access switch 8wt rod and the Guru dosn't fit the reel seat, the foot is to thick. the ross, ans sage reels fit fine, I went with the Hydrose. Im not sure if this will be a problem with all Orvis rods, but its is with the access switch. This sort of sucks cause the guru is one nice reel for the $ and I think is made in the U.S.
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