Reel advise.....

[Pikefly]

I am about to buy two good reels for Striped Bass, that would also perform well on Tropical Saltwater and speedy targets. One should hold #8 or #9 line plus about 200 yds #30 and the other should hold about #10 or #11 plus about 250 yds #30.

I prefer both reel to have identical operations, drag knob on the back.

Worldwide dealernet is important in case of problems (if there are any) while travelling.

Currently my choices are Abel, Tibor, Danielsson/Loop LW/HD, Ross Canyon BG, maybe some others aswell.

For Striped Bass and Bluefish most reels will do, but I prefer the high end Drag for future, and if possible at a mid budget.

Maybe a slight pref towards the Ross, welknown, sound distribution worldwide, looks are good, but how is the drag compared to Abel, Tibor, etc.

Advise is welcome.

[SoundBoarder06]

Ross Canyon BG Is my choice. A bit less expensive, Super sturdy and simple. I have abels etc, and my choice is the Ross. I have tested it out on BFT and Ablies etc and have never had an issue. I am more confident w that then my Abel, I do admit however that the abel does have more stopping power, but I think they both have enough that you would not need more full on stopping power. I think Cork is overrated anyway, the ross feels great and I think is more simple than the cork.

[teflon_jones]

An Old Florida 6SA is what I ended up with when I was doing a similar search, and I haven't been disappointed. It's handled a 250 yd run from an 8 lb bonefish without any trouble.

[Strat]

Keep in mind the durabilty factor if you're making an investment. Abel and Tibor are the 2 brands that have withstood the test of time without corrosion or similar troubles. You may also have more confidence in these reels if you ever use them for tuna, tarpon, bones, etc.

For something in the $350 range I would go Bauer over Ross but the drag is on the handle side for the MacKenzie SL.

I personally avoid anythign with so-called "sealed drags" because my experience has been that they tend to seal water in and lead to corrosion.

My .02

[SamRiley]

I've only had it this season but I have been very impressed with the Orvis Mach. Drag is indexed which is handy and has put the screws to some nice fish including 30# Tuna. Cleaning is a snap. Soak in warm water and rinse.

[Ray]

Check out the Old Florida Nautilus reels!!!!

[MatthewP]

love my Ross reels. I have four. 2 gunnisons and 2 canyon big games. Drag on all of them is great.

[LandlockedinMI]

Ross Canyon Big game. No doubt. Get the 6 - it has a larger arbor than the 4, holds more backing and just 1/2 oz heavier.

I have landed big sharks, tunas, tarpon, albies etc etc on them and they have been bullet proof.

I've owned Orvis, Harris, Bauer and used Tibors. BG's are light and dependable. Service is unmatched. I lost 2 reels to Katrina and they sent me 2 demos to use on a recent trip. Ross rules.

[backwater]

Hello,

Of the reels you mentioned, I would suggest either the Tibor or the Loop HD models. I've used both reels and have no problems recommending them. Of the Tibor reels, it sounds like you're probably looking at an Everglades and a Riptide, both are outstanding reels. If you prefer a sealed drag, the Loop HD is one of the better choices out there. I think that you could use the HD 7/10 for both of your reel needs. It sort of falls between the Everglade and the Riptide on line capacity. Also, you can buy extra spools for the Loop HDs at terrific prices !!! Having one model that can serve double duty is a very handy thing. Either reel will give you many many years of hard use. Hope that helps.

Thomas Smith

[Pikefly]

Looks like I am going to have the best deal on the Canyon BG series, Tibor are great too now with their quick changing spools (but a bit above my price tag, especially the spare spools are). Also I think I would prefer the large drag knob on the Ross above the tiny ones on the back of the others.

On the other hand TFO will bring Terry Hayden Big Game reels at a very nice price tag soon.......

CU, Gerald.

[masssalt]

Gerald, the Hayden TFO fly reels should be shipping around the first week of November. They will look like this except they are gray Type III hard anodized, and have a TFO logo engraved on the bottom:

http://www.haydenreels.com/models_files/image001.jpg

Priced from $ 339-379.

[Pikefly]

That's a lot better than $500-$600 for the SAME reels from Hayden.....

[Count]

You don't need much of a reel for striped bass. Check out the Ross Cimarron for the 8/9 wt. reel, or you may find a used Gunnison on the market, which would be an oustanding reel. Both offer a lot of value and they're versatile reels.

For the heavier reel, check out the Ross Big-Game...I think the 6 is the model you want, considering the line/backing capacity you mentioned.

Abel and Tibor are great, but they're very expensive.

Good Luck!