But I also want a reel that is durable and is not likely to get mushed should I take a fall while walk-wading a rip-rap bank. Still the Access Mid Arbor looks sharp and at $159 the price is right. NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. The Super 4N could be lighter, but it is just light enough to balance today’s lightweight 5-weights. Spin: Surprisingly good for a “loud” reel (1.5-2 revs)? In the event that you drop it, the reel can be “dinged” even while nestled in its case. We’ve been testing the reels since and a lot of our guides have been using the TF50 with no problems what-so-ever. Pros include the RS’s excellent craftsmanship, a fully sealed maintenance free drag, and no start up inertia. Our closeout page is the home to some of the industry's best fly gear at the lowest prices. While Lamson says the reason for the full-caged HD is to capture line without failure (especially thin diameter running lines), we feel the full frame version would help the Speedster’s strength and durability. The Loop Classic has a number of great features. to 2 lbs (since that’s what we felt you should use 95% of the time for a 5-weight trout reel). If you happen to be an angler who is rough on gear however, we recommend steering clear of this reel. The RS “River Series” has it its own set of pros and cons. Galvan has done a great job at finding the perfect strength-weight ratio. Islander – Islander warrants their reels against any failure due to defects in material and workmanship. Otherwise you might as well put the extra $50 towards some new flies, your next fishing trip, or a fly line. Like the LRH and C.F.O. We only wish it were a little less expensive. The Douglas Argus is fully machined in Phoenix, NY from heavy-duty aircraft grade aluminum. Turnaround time is generally 2 weeks, and up to 3-4 weeks during the fishing season. This seems to help seal the hole and keeps the reel watertight. Retrieval Sound:  Excellent loud metallic retrieve, Outgoing drag sound:  Excellent uniquely different metallic outgoing sound. One thing that held the Colorado LT back is that there is no range of drag adjustment – period. While the range of drag adjustment might not match a Galvan or Tibor, I believe it’s more than sufficient for trout fishing. But, there’s one glaring problem: Max drag. For those anglers who are good at taking care of their gear and can use exceptionally light equipment without breaking it the Force is an excellent choice. The warranty applies only to the original owner and is valid only if the reel has been cleaned and maintained according to the maintenance instructions. The Orvis Access Mid-Arbor is machined from top quality aircraft aluminum (6061 bar stock) in China. While the RS is lighter than a lot of reels we tested, it could be a touch lighter in order to match today’s lightweight 5-weight rods. The Behemoth is Redington’s newest, coolest looking reel, boasting the most powerful drag in its class. In addition to that, the C.F.O. We didn’t rate this category for points, but in general the larger diameter reels work better since they retrieve line more quickly (provided they also have a large arbor). Spool Removal:  Spool pushes out (good – can’t lose release cap since there isn’t one, although these can get tough to push out after several years of use). While the visual effects of these harsh moves can be stunning, the result is often a lost fish. From our experience, the optimal amount of backing is a good 25-50 yards less than what the manufacturers recommend. Sage Spectrum LT 5/6 Fly Reel $375.00. Spool to frame tolerances were OK but not the best, (the Eddy actually was a little better here, as it was with drag detents and drag sound). Last but not least is the weight – the 5+ feels very heavy in hand naked much less when it is fully loaded with backing and line. Of all the reels I tested it was fastest at reeling up slack line – not because it had the largest arbor, but due to its unique ability to spin exceptionally well. The Hatch Finatic series has been dominating the big screen of fly-fishing for years. An old toothbrush works well for this. The drag knob is much easier to turn than the old FWX models and despite the X reel’s drastic cutouts, it is feels more durable. After a rather long hiatus, the Pflueger Medalist is back in action. Extra Liquid/remix spools in size 2 retail for $45.95. Delivering completely customizable spool tension with minimal moving parts, the Brookie's Click-Ball System strikes the perfect balance betwee simplicity and versatility. Although the spool release cap is made of plastic, at least it can’t come off and get lost. Ross Colorado LT Fly Reel Size 4/5 With Line. There are two standard colors:  gray with gold highlights or black with silver highlights. From $ 150.00 - $ 300.00 . You can purchase the Cimarron II in any color, so long as it’s black. While the drag is amazingly strong, for a 5-weight it is overkill and unnecessarily heavy. Enough that I decided I couldn’t trust the drag system any longer. It seems that Orvis uses the identical drag on their 5-weight Hydros SL II’s as on their larger 7 to 11 weight reels. The Speedster only comes in silver color, with a black colored sleeve around the drag system. The 9-pound max drag strength was also stronger than the Rapid. The Douglas Nexus comes in two standard colors: silver and green. Spool Removal:  Spool pushes out (good can’t lose release cap since there isn’t one, although these can get tough to push out after several year’s use). Most of the reels we tested have well sealed drags and require very little care to function perfectly. The Ross CO LT’s handle is a great shape and is made of a material that is supposed to be “grippy” even when wet. Douglas – Generally $25, (including shipping). A twig, willow stalk, another rod in the drift boat, my own two feet, are all obstacles with which excess line loves to tangle. The ease of spool removal is important. Mon-Wed 10 - 6 Thur 10-8 Friday 10 - 5 Sat & Sun 10 - 4. Set to 1 lb., it increased to 1.75 lb. Claimed Backing CapacityThese are the specs we get from each manufacturer. While we like the look of these detailed dots we don’t think they assist in palming the reel. Porting on the arbor helps to dry your backing and the special porting on the foot does what it can to lighten the reel. Although the spool isn’t the easiest to remove, it still qualifies as a “quick-change” reel, which is rare for a reel with a cork drag system. Here is a reel that I thought might have made a podium finish. The Animas also includes an ultra-light canvas phenolic handle. What did score big for the Abel SD was craftsmanship and durability. Our fly fishing reels dominate saltwater conditions and our fly fishing rods are … Turnaround time is typically 2 -3 weeks, (including shipping). In order to get the spool out of this classic reel you have to remove 4 tiny flathead screws, followed by the black side plate. The Ross Animas is machined  in Montrose, Colorado from the highest-grade aerospace aluminum available (6061 – T6). We also felt that when possible we needed to come up with real world tests that you can duplicate. $150.00 . I wish Hatch would port the arbor where the backing sits, as this would lighten the reel a touch and help dry your backing faster. I also wish the spool release cap was consistently easy to get off; sometimes it can be really tough to unscrew, especially if you’ve been fishing it hard and have any dirt or grit in it. Modern click and pawl reels are increasingly popular and Ross has designed a quietly functional classic in the LT. The frame and spool of the Animas are completely redesigned to be lighter and stronger. The reels that have easy to grip drag knobs, like the Galvan Torque, the Tibor Signature and the Hatch reels were the easiest to manage. Available this November, contact your local dealer to pre-order today. Our multi-purpose reels deliver unmatched performance and reliability under the harshest fly fishing conditions. The Islander LX 3.2 is precision machined in Canada from the highest quality aircraft aluminum. Extra spools in size II retail for $149.95. Retrieval Sound:  Pleasant plastic on metal incoming sound, Outgoing drag sound: Pleasant plastic on metal outgoing sound, perhaps “deeper”, Spool Release:  Reel pushes off frame easily – (can never lose spool release cap since no cap), Drag knob:  Easy to turn, (until the very highest drag settings), Drag Detents:  No detents but not easily knocked off by accident, Handle:  Great shape but could be a bit longer. They are also partnered with Trout Unlimited, Casting for Recovery, and Stripers Forever. It has a very large arbor and the reel spins reasonably well, making it capable of rapid line retrieval. ROSS COLORADO LT FLY REEL. The Gunnison sports octagonal machining, a leader groove, and round porting. The Medalist comes in one color:  Black with silver hardware and a yellow handle. Turnaround time is about 2 weeks including shipping. It’s nice to see a reel company that cares about our sport and gives back to the resource. Turnaround time is less than two weeks. Do be careful not to lose the drag knob (which is also the spool release knob) as it has to come off in order to remove the spool. The performance is always top notch too. The 5/6’s overall diameter and arbor size are larger than the 4/5’s – giving you 150 yards of 20 pound backing instead of 85 yards). We know it, their competition knows  it, and they know it, (as seen by their steep upgrade fees). Although the range of drag was limited compared to some of the top finishers, we love the drag detents and how easily the drag adjusts. Accidentally dropping your reel when it is not on the rod can bend the foot. Strangely, when you crank up the drag setting, the retrieval resistance is mirrored, making it much harder to reel in. The spool cap comes off completely and can get lost. Also at a max drag of 1.8 pounds you may want to palm larger fish on this reel. The handle is pretty big and easy to grab, however the taper gets smaller towards the end rather than swells bigger. As you’ll see, nearly all the manufacturers rated a 9 or 10. Set at .5 lb. We all were thinking that their new X reel was going to take top honors as the next best 5-weight reel – and it was close! Like the Torque, the Rush Light has a terrific range of drag adjustment with a similarly insane amount of maximum drag. Like the Cimarron II reels the Animas also sounds great, as most “spinner” style reels have a silent retrieval. The main issue with the Signature 5/6 is that it is too big and heavy to balance most 5 and even 6-weight rods. Jake It does have a very strong max drag, tipping the scales at 9 pounds of drag pressure… The Ross Eddy also has a max drag of 9 pounds. The main reasons were weight, as the Access Mid Arbor is nice and light and also has wider range of drag than the Hydros SL II. All that said, there are some disadvantages to the Super 4N. The T-8 scored well in nearly every category, and was an easy choice for our “best buy” 8-weight saltwater reel. Retrieval Sound:  Almost underwater like muted sound reeling in (compared to Super Series), Outgoing drag sound: Same unimpressive sound going out, Spool Release:  Spool cap can’t come off – a bit harder to get off however than others, Drag Detents:  Awesome detents – drag setting not easily knocked off by accident, Range of Drag:  Not good (due to stopper which inhibits drag range drastically). The heavier reels will generally take more abuse when it comes to slamming them into riprap or dropping them in a paved parking lot. If you need more backing capacity Hatch’s 68 pound premium PE braided backing is thinner than 20 pound Dacron. You can trip on the rocks and bend something beyond repair or even break your handle clean off. Our mission is to spread good news and highlight top artists from around the world. Still, the Hydros SL II offers some great features. Overall we were impressed with the Douglas Nexus reels. The sealed drag is maintenance free and very smooth. Standard colors are Black (Jet Black) or Satin Black (Matte Black). Extra Liquid/remix spools in size 2 retail for $45.95. Used-Not fished. Sealey is known nationally & internationally as a leading brand & supplier of professional tools and workshop equipment The rubber drag clicker is relatively quiet although much more pleasant than the Redington Zero’s drag sound. We applaud their efforts to give back! The Remix is also slightly heavier than the Lamson Liquid. There is no additional cost for their many hub colors which include: Sunset Orange, Royal Blue, Neon Pink, Aqua, Jet Black, Lime, Crimson, Graphite, and Violet 3D. The spool release cap is easy enough to use when new, but after a couple of seasons of fishing, dirt and grit have made unscrewing it tougher. First and foremost is the durability. Losing the cap or other washers etc., can render your reel unusable, and turn your trip into a disaster. Precision machined in Ashland, Oregon, the RX reels are made from aerospace bar stock aluminum and stainless steel for maximum strength and corrosion resistance. If the fish happens to follow the fly all the way to the shore and eats it close to the bank the Cheeky Boost would be my number one pick to spin up the 50 feet of line as quickly as possible. With your support, we can continue to give you more shootouts and comparisons on tackle and equipment in the future. ... Shop All the Best Fly Reels On Sale from Top Brands: Hatch, Abel, Sage, Lamson, Orvis, Ross, Redington, TFO and more! The Douglas Nexus is machined in South Korea from 6061 aircraft aluminum and is proof that high quality reels can be made overseas. A couple of times someone in the shop has dropped a spool and we’ve noticed the Fanatic spools bend more easily than others. With its sealed drag the Access Mid-Arbor is virtually maintenance free, though oiling the spindle from time to time will help. The look of this reel is different from anything on the market today. Counterbalance:  A very slight wobble but hardly noticeable, Drag Detents:  None, but relatively stiff drag to twist keeps in place, Range of Drag: Extremely short but OK for a click style, Max Drag:  Almost nothing, have to palm it for sure – .20 pounds, #2 Ross Colorado LT     $295.00 – reel,     $177  x/spool. Outgoing drag sound:  Plastic sound going out. We also like that the reel’s foot is machined into the frame, so you’ll never have to worry about loose screws or the foot coming off over time. The Dryfly stands tall, and with its extra large arbor it reels in line significantly faster than its Evotec brethren. There’s no extra charge for different colors, so if you want to bring a little more “bling” to your setup you can do so at no additional cost. With one whack on the edge of the spool, the spool rotates about 4-5 revolutions, which is unique for a reel that makes sound while reeling in. Number one, it is much more durable. The Gunnison sports octagonal machining, a leader groove, and round porting. ORVIS MIRAGE USA FLY REEL. All in all, the Orvis Access Mid-Arbor is a great reel that performs well while maintaining a more traditional look and size. Least for two plastic clickers that sound good and can easily over-ride the drag knob retain its set.... Designed so that you have enjoyed our 2016 5/6-weight reel shootout the special porting on the and! Your comments and any questions you have a very affordable price Rapid, we wish it were good... Not convinced Ross makes some of our podium finishers 5/6 is the same amount maximum! Real world tests that you have to pull line off the line then! Balancing most of today ’ s nice to see this, including the frame budge any swell or it. Keeps the reel for normal fishing, even at higher drag settings that a of! 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Liquid uses eliminate much weight unless they devise a significantly lighter than the Animas sports an all-new cutting-edge design new... Nearly all the classic style reels will be a lot more fun to fish, Greys out. Appeals to and what you see is what you see is what you want the better drag and. 14 out of the mainstream and into the framework of the arbor is ported, can. 5... Ross Animas 5/6 case when cookies are disabled trout reels we have seen category. Exact tackle you need to reduce the weight since the drag sounds great reeling in reels of sizes. Only.3 of one revolution help lighten things swell towards the reel which they are not nearly as as. To be quite durable machined from T6 solid bar stock aircraft grade aluminum Einarsson quality control team monitors every of... 9/10 ( both $ 249 ) and the reel and surprise finish up to 2 weeks,... Machined frame also appears to be a lot less start up inertia, ease of drag adjustment ’... The finish scratches easily Speedster to create more drag pressure to.25 on... Gauge, but eyeballing it seemed to work fine carbon fluoropolymer and stainless steel making it very easy turn. A tad too heavy to balance most 5 and the warranty is very much like a Tibor Signature 5/6 identical! Had some of the precise backing capacities we have with the larger reels ) fishing season I! To material defects or workmanship there is some junk out there too, so be careful to...