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Bryon Anderson

A Reel Quandary...

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Okay, so, here's the situation: I need a new reel with at least one spare spool for my 9' 6 wt. This rod is primarily used for smallmouth bass fishing, and (maybe 2 or 3 times per season) heaving giant streamers around for big browns. Therefore, the reel is primarily a line-holding device. Right now I have a floating line and a sink-tip streamer line. I'm thinking of adding an intermediate line as well, but I'm not married to the idea. The drag would be set just heavy enough to prevent line over-spooling 99% of the time. It wouldn't need to protect fine tippets, even in the unlikely event that a big fish took some line. It won't ever be used in salt water, nor will it be used in freezing cold temperatures. The reel does need to be reasonably durable, since this 6 wt. is my workhorse and sees more action than all but one of my other rods put together in a typical season. It also doesn't need to be pretty, just not butt-ugly. :) It also doesn't need to be super-light.

 

With that in mind, then...which of the following makes the most sense?

 

Option 1: Cabelas Prestige Plus -- currently on sale for $41.99. At that price, even though they don't make spare spools, I could just buy 2 (or even 3) of them, use one frame and the other spool(s), and lay the additional reel frames by to be pulled out in the event something happens to the first one. I'd have 2 or 3 complete reels for $80 - 120.

  • Pros - good value (probably) for the money, versatility, having a brand-new reel instead of a used one.
  • Cons - don't really know anything about these reels -- user reviews seem pretty good but have never used one myself--whereas Ross reels (particularly the Gunnison) have a long history of reliability and durabililty.

 

Option 2: Ross Gunnison G-2, post-1998 model, used but in good condition, basically just minor nicks and scratches in the finish. Reel with one spare spool for $165.

 

  • Pros - history of reliability and durability in this particular reel; I've never owned a Gunnison before but have had several Cimarrons and they were pretty much bomb-proof.
  • Cons - more expensive, no warranty, difficulty-to-impossible to find another spool for it if I wanted to add a third one down the line, don't know the provenance of this particular reel -- no way to "get the CarFax" so to speak.

Thoughts?

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Im going to through a wrench in here and recommend the lamson liquid set, great drag comes with case and TWO spare spools for like $140

 

Only downside is its cast aluminum not machined but same drag as all their reels and great warranty.

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thanks josephcsylvia and FIN-ITE 34; I have considered the Lamson Liquid 3-pack as well. The 6 wt. version is $160, so right in the same ballpark as the used Ross. Do either of you own a Liquid? If so, how has it worked for you? Any negatives? I know the famous Lamson drag is the real selling point of this reel, but I don't really need a killer drag, just one that will work reliably and not give me problems.

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I got the Lamson liquid 3 pack I've been happy with it so far, not really sure what I'm going to do work the third spool, I use it for the same kind of fishing and trout. For sink tip I just add a versa leader to my regular line so I only need two spools.

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Bryon let me give you a different option. This reel right here http://theanglersroost.com/products/fly-reels/202m-aluminum-med-arbor-fly-reel-silver1/ I own two of those reel myself in both 5wt and 7wt size, have owned them for a few years now, and I can tell you that the quality is really nice, the drag is solid and smooth (disc drag) they look great and the price is unbeatable. I have owned a reel from almost all the manufactures out there today at some point in time and yet these days I use these reels in the link for probably 90% of my reels. Only time I go with something else if for VERY large fish such as salmon then I dig out the ol' Harris solitude or something super beefy. IMO though the reels in the link preform just as well as many of the big name brands out there yet at about 75% less cost.

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Thanks Steve for the link and the tip! I will have to give the Angler's Roost reel some serious consideration. Looking around on their site, it doesn't look like they offer spare spools for it, but at that price, just as with the Cabela's reel, I could just get 2 or 3 of them and still be right at $150 or so.

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Okay, I just read several more rave reviews for the Angler's Roost 202M reel, and come to find out they offer it in black, gold and titanium as well as silver! It's the 202M for the win. :) Thanks again Steve!

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No Problem. The owner of Anglers Roost (Johnny) is an older guy and he's in the hospital till January 16th so if you order you can place the order but you probably won't hear from him for another 6 days till he's back on his feet and open again.

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Byron... if it isn't too late to comment...... I really prefer to have the reel and line balance the rod weight.... so that when all 'strung up' ... the center of balance is about where my thumb rests. I've determined this 'center of balance' either when the fly is in the hook keeper or if there is a little.. just a foot or so... out the tip top.

 

THAT is the reel that I like the most... matched with a rod. Therefore .. I can't tell you what reel would do that.. but... just wanted to share what I thought.

 

BCT

 

p.s. (edit add)... oh.. and matte finishes... or dull colors... that said.. I have a (1.. only 1) "GOLD" reel.. (sighs).. it's a long story... lol

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Oh well... I've used Cabela's prestige plus reels for many years- freshwater, saltwater, sand, rocks, and they are amazing value for the price. The drags are perfectly fine for any fly reel too.

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Oh well... I've used Cabela's prestige plus reels for many years- freshwater, saltwater, sand, rocks, and they are amazing value for the price. The drags are perfectly fine for any fly reel too.

6 and under I find the cheapest reel I can find, usually a cabelas. They just had the prestige plus reel in sale for $21 right before Christmas.

 

I do have a Access III that was a gift, recently found a new spare spool for $50. Normally I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a reel.

 

That said, for anything over 6wt I have the Lamson 3-packs, sometimes you can find them on sale for $130ish.

 

I am intrigued by the reel Steve posted.

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For any who might be following the side conversation here about "value" reels--at the bottom of this post you can see the reel and spare spool I'm going to be replacing with the Angler's Roost model 202M reel that Steve turned me on to. If you've shopped for reels on eBay at all in the past couple of years, you've seen these--direct from China, $27 for the reel, $19.99 for the spare spool. I bought it because I liked how it looked--specifically the color. I wanted a red reel to match the trim on the rod, but couldn't find another one anywhere for under $200. I figured as long as it worked without jamming up or falling apart, it would be just fine for my purposes. It did just fine until I went to switch out spools in the field for the first time...there's a little sealed bearing that sits on the spindle just under the spool attachment knob. When I pulled the first spool off, it caught on the little bearing and sent it flying, never to be seen again. After that, I had to use the bearing that came with the spare spool for both spools, which meant I had to a) be super-careful not to let that one fly away, and b ) tweeze the stupid thing up out of there and re-fit it on the spindle every time I changed spools. I'd say on one out of every three spool changes, the bearing would get knocked out before I could grab it. Luckily I found it every time, but it just got to be a pain. I'm selling the reel and spool on e*ay for a song as I write this; that's how I happen to have a photo of it handy. smile.png

 

Given that experience, I was reluctant to go for another "value" priced reel without getting a recommendation from someone I trusted, which is what led me to post about my situation on this forum. I am very excited to get my hands on the Angler's Roost reels. I will post up some pics and commentary when I've had a chance to play with them a little.

 

Bryon

post-36073-0-84131400-1484079641_thumb.jpg

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