What reel?

[newfly]

Thanks for the help with the rod. Now i need a new reel for my 7wt. I want to keep it close to, or under $100. here are some i have been looking at.
Redington GD on sale for $79
okuma sierra
okuma integrety - seems a little heavy
ross fly water
Does anyone have any ideas or info on these reels? It will be used once a year for saltwater too. Thanks

[Ivan]

You can't go wrong with the Okumas'. The intergrity may be well balanced on a 7 wt.
What rod did you settle on?

[jtysone]

I have a redington GD 9/10 and placed a order for the GD 7/8. Its a sweet reel IMHO. machined mid arbor for $79 good deal to me.

[Windknot]

If this was for bonefish, permit, stripers or tarpon I'd feel differently, but the reels you listed will work just fine for the application.

Buy whichever one floats your boat - they will all work. Your choice can safely be based on cosmetics.

[GUTHOOKED]

I've got some issues with the durability of all of them, but if you're only using it once a year, any would do. The Redington is, IMO, the best built of the bunch.

[Ivan]

I can attest to the durability of of the Okuma Sierra 56 it has been in Salt water at least twenty days over the last three years. It has handled bonefish. small snook (5lb) baby tarpon, small red, black drum and the fish I already mentioned. It of course has taken a few trout, Bream and Crappie. I fish year round weather permiting both river and pond. It has been in mud, kicked, dropped and step on. I'm quessing that I fish well over 100 days a year (Have several ponds in the neighborhood) excluding fishing trips. I use this reel 2/3's of time at some point in the day. I have three extra spools filled different lines and it like have four reels.
The bonefish and other salt water fish that I have taken proved to me that if nothing else this reel has a smooth reliable drag. For trout and bass you won't be tested in that fashion. You could wrap line around can because 95% or more of time the reel only serves as place to store line.

I forgot to add about 30 days of saltwater fishing when I was deployed to Ft. Lauderdale, Dania Beach and Miami for three months. I was stuck with the one reel and had to fish with what I had with me a four piece Forecast 6 wt and the same reel.

The reel is like a timex. It takes a licking and keeps on ticking! At $42 it has allready paid for itself. In fact just ordered another one in the 78 size.

http://www.troutlet.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=125

When I was growing up on Long Island New York the Surf Fisherman routinely battled 30 to 40 lb stripers (salt water and sand) in the surf using Pflueger 1496 and 1497 Medalist fly reels. Today those reels sell for about $25. and there are still some fisherman who use them for the surf. They hold up in the salt water with a little care and don't have one percent of the technology built into them that Okumas do (Stainless steel and teflon drag vs a piece of leather).

[GUTHOOKED]

You've definitely had better luck with the Sierra than I did. Mine felt as loose as a '75 Ford after only a year or so of trout fishing. I will say that it had a great drag, though.

[fishnpreacher]

Danny, whats wrong with a 75 Ford? A little loose here, a rattle there. Its all character man.
Don't go dissin my ride :cool:

[Ivan]

Danny there some lemons in every bunch. I Had the same thing happen to my Abel Tr after a year. After spending that much money and the slow customer service, it made me think twice about having multiple expensive reels when a less expensive reels would serve the purpose.

My favorite reels are the lamsons.

[jgrb]

My tan '76 Chevy Pickup has a lot of character, too. It doesn't have much more than that, but it gets me to and from Paces Mill most every Sunday. (Knock on wood) I'm posting this just in case someone sees an old, rusted out, tan pickup with a "I'm Proud of My Eagle Scout" bumper sticker that's stalled on the side of the road on a Sunday morning or late afternoon somewhere between Paces Mill and Hugh Howell Rd/Stone Mountain Freeway. That'll be me. Please stop and chat while I'm waiting for the wrecker. I have a lot to learn about fly fishing, fly tying and rod building. The money I could use to buy a new truck is going into this "hobby". I think it's an addiction, though.

[Ivan]

John Hows the rod building going?

[jgrb]

Ivan,
It's going slowly due to the Saturday honey-do list, taxes and Sunday's at Paces Mill. I've found the spines on all sections - with your help and advice - and am now working on the handle section. I reamed the cork grip, taped the blank for fitting the reel seat portion so my next step this weekend will be gluing those onto the blank. I may have been a little too aggressive with the reamer since the cork grip split a little at the end. I think I can cover that with the winding check and epoxy. After that I plan to do the tip top which should take no more than a few mintues. I found out from one of the web sites you suggested that I should trim/file down a little off the end blank section so that all 4 sections will be the same length when you add the tip top. I ordered a building kit with a turning motor from Cabela's but it did not come with a chuck to hold the rod. The chuck costs more than the motor. I've been checking the web for a make shift device and found several sites that suggested using PVC pipe, plastic screws, rubber bands and rubber grommets. I'm trying to get everything ready so once I get going I can complete it on a rainy weekend. The video that came with the Forecast kit was helpful but somewhat confusing to me as a first timer, particularly as it related to the spines and placing the guides. I had more questions on the process after watching the video several times. Your advice helped me. I really appreciate your interest. Of course, you got me into this in the first place and the bug has bitten me. Thanks again,
John

[GUTHOOKED]

Hey Bill, why does the phrase "dissin' my ride" sound so funny coming from you? :rotfl:

[Rabun Gap]

[B]In my way of thinking I thought that a fly reel was intended to hold the fly line and not much more. What and why do you pay Mucho Monies to hold fly line? I have been using and old South Bend reel for years and it has done all that I have asked of it, to hold my fly line!. It is not made of all these expensive metals but it works reel fine.

IMHO,
Rabun Gap

[Mike Smith]

What streams are you planning to fish? Are you gonna be combat fishing or standing up throwing?