Valentine Fly Reels

[RoyB]

Looking for a saltwater anti-reverse reel I've stumbled across the Valentine reels. Any info anyone would have on them would be appreciated. I can't find anyone online that sells them. Know of any dealers in my area? (Southeastern Mass)

[Catch22]

Roy, the only Massachusettts dealer listed on their web site is:

Bear’s Den Fly Fishing Shoppe
98 Summer Street - Taunton, MA 02780
508-880-6226

If that doesn't work for you, go to www.valentineflyreel.com
You can e-mail them for more dealer info.

[David Churbuck]

That's a good reel. A friend has had his Valentine anti-reverse for nearly a decade and it's stood up to all sorts of abuse, little to no maintainance, and it really nice when the knuckle-busters (bonito, false albs, bonefish) get into the backing.

I have a "direct drive" Valentine I bought at the now-defunct Fly Shop in West Barnstable. It too is ten years old and gets the job done. Only beef was the too-small drag knob.

(actually, scroll down on their site and you'll see two more dealers in Mass)
Bear's Den in Taunton stocks and sells it, so does
Old Salt Outfitters
3 Otis Street - Hingham, MA 02403
and
Tackle Shop
120 Long Pond Rd - Plymouth, MA 02360



here's the address and phone:
Val-Craft, Inc. PO Box 95 Chartley, MA 02712 - ph(508)285-8432

[uncle4]

I too bought a Valentine from Chip -- WAY back... love the reel. The gripe about the small drag knob was fixed when the reel was upgraded about 4-5 years ago. I'll tell you a story:

I wrote ValCraft because my Valentine reels were going to become house reels (I've since found a reel I'm in _love_ with), and I wanted to convert it from a right-hand crank to a left-hand crank (which requires a kit). Mr. Valentine not only sent me the conversion kit gratis, but sent me a test-sample of a new drag system (their stainless steel spring drag) and asked me to try it out. I loved it, and wrote back saying so, and mentioned that the drag knob was small. Shortly afterwards I received upgrades to spring drags for all my other Valentine reels and a note of thanks. Later he increased the size of the drag knob :)

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!

A good friend fishes an anti-reverse Valentine and loves it. Just be warned: I don't think you can catch a world record fish on this reel: The retrieve is > 1:1, and IGFA (I think) requires a reel with 1:1 retrieve ratio...

Lastly, with all the hooey going on in internationalization, I like giving business to American companies, and since I live in Mass, I esp. like to give business to Mass companies (Which ValCraft is).

Hope this helps....