What reels are you guys using....

[BobG]

....on your 3-4wt rods?

I'm planning on putting together a 3-4wt for small river and stream fishing this spring. Since a reel on a rod this size is essentially just a line holder, and I doubt any of these fish will go into the drag, is there any reason to spend an exhorbitant amount of $$$ on an expensive reel, or will a modestly priced one suffice?
I'm open to all suggestions.

TIA

[sped]

I bought the smallest Battenkill Barstock from Orvis for my 2wt......I's one of my favorites.....around $100.......Sped

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?dir%5Fid=758&group%5Fid=768&cat%5Fid=7627&subcat%5Fid=7643&pf%5Fid=44KY

[teflon_jones]

I see no reason to spend anything more than $40 for a reel for an outfit this size. I use an LL Bean Streamlight 3/4 that cost me $35 plus another $15 for a spare spool on my $350 Orvis 4 wt. Like you said Bob, they're just glorified line holders! I fish for big trout, smallmouth, and landlocked salmon with this setup without any issues.

I do have very occassional times that I wouldn't mind having a disc drag as opposed to the click and pawl, but I've noticed that LL Bean now offers a disc drag on their reel that replaced the Streamlight and the reel is still only $29-$39! (depending on the size) They've also shifted to a large arbor design for it.

Though I haven't used one, I would highly recommend one of these reels based on the features you get for the money, and my experience with LL Bean fly fishing products in general.

[Eddy Merckx]

On my 4 wt. I use an old 50s-era Medalist handed down to me by my late uncle. I know he smiles every time I catch a fish using that reel. :)

You can still get an old-school style Medalist for about 25 bucks new, it'll do what you need it to do. (Old Italian fisherman mojo not included. ;) )

[Strat]

Orvis CFO - buy it once and never buy another one!

[Jim Miller]

Orvis CFO disk drag (green). Although the drag is kinda overkill. But, have even caught small steelhead on it! (and some nice bows and browns)
It's 12-13 years old and still looks and works like new. Have it on a 9 foot Orvis 4 wt.
BTW: got both for short $ at our local Orvis outlet store. :brow

[Trout77]

Totally agreed Bob,

I fish a 3/4 wht almost exclusively these days, and I have NEVER needed anything more than a click&pawl type drag. Disk drag just isnt needed to bring in a 10 inch brook trout.
The only reason I have a reel with drag on it (in my case a Mid-Arbor Battenkill from Orvis - 100 bucks) is to straighten out the line on cold days as I pull it off the reel...

As for getting a CFO for a trout reel... I feel it is comperable to buying a Lexus over a Toyota...or a Hummer over a pick-up... Its just a status symbol...Nothing more. When a reel, has a "signature click" as one of it's attributes in the catalog, you can tell that it is about fashion, not function---or reality (#$119)

If you are lucky enough to tie into a landlocked salmon, or steelhead, spend the extra scratch... NEVER go over 200 bucks though!! I have landed many crazed bluefish, and big stripers on my Battenkill 9 wt. (That reel was only 120 bucks at the time...)

Function and sanity should always come before fashion and status... especially if you cant keep your flies out of the bushes and trees anyway!! :rolleyes:

[SherpaT]

I use a CFO on my 3 weight. It was a gift, it's very lightweight, has never given me problems(12 years now,) and I DO like the "click" ;) , though in small stream situations, I'd recommend a clickless reel for stealth. I'm seriously considering swapping this to another rod for that reason.

I use a Battenkill Bar Stock on my 4 weight. I REALLY like this reel, especially for the money. The drag is smooth, and has come into play on some large fish. I need to see if I can disable the click pawl, though, for reasons mentioned above. I have a battenkill mid-arbor too, which is on e-bay at this moment. :brow Hardly used. Nice reel, but I like the BBS much better. Check it out if you're interested. my ebay name is tim2montana and it's ending Saturday.

On my 5 weight, I have a Galvan Standard. A little more pricey, but the smooth drag is worth it, though at twice the price of the BBS, it may not be THAT worth it.

[seatrout]

I have never needed anything with a drag in fresh water other than steelhead, muskies and pike. For trout fishing I use old Hardy, Orvis, and even Daiwa reels. I buy them well used, and they are great. The fish just are not that demanding, including a 7 1/2 pound brown I caught on the Cape with a well worn Hardy Princess.

[bdowning]

Your instinct is right Bob. Fishing for stocked trout doesn't put any demands on the reel. It's essentially a line holder. Of course, then there's that occasional broodstock salmon that hits your 3 wgt when you are going after 12 inch rainbows ;) . Then you'll have to relearn the "finger drag" in a hurry :brow .

-bd

[mdrew9]

I would doubt reels really matter, all they do with 3/4 is hold line. You don't need any type of substantial drag.

[benmed]

Although you rarely need to use your reel to land a fish on a small trout stream it is worth getting something small and light weight to balance the rod. Some of the older heavier reels seem to make the rod unbalanced in my hands. I like the low end Ross and Lamson reels. Just my 2 cents...

[SherpaT]

I agree that in light tackle the reel is less critical in that it is not going to be a stopper, and you're not worried about getting spooled, but I've been in plenty of situations with my 4 weight, where a smooth drag coupled with the bend of the rod has saved some good fish by protecting a 6X or 7X tippet. In these cases, a disk drag isn't really essential, but the click/pawl system usually has a very narrow adjustment range and isn't much help. Another plug for the $100 Battenkill BS!

Tight lines

Tim

[Jed]

I suggest an Okuma Magnitude. Its magnesium so its light weight. Has a very nice drag system that has worked for 4 years of constant use.

My concern is less about the drag than the ability for it to break inertia when the reel is tugged on. Better to break the inertia of the reel than tippet at the end of the line.

cost is about $65, less at some of the shows coming up.

jed

[FishHawk]

Every once and awhile you have to treat your self to a nice piece of equipment. So if you can do it get yourself a nice Able reel. You don't really need a reel like this but what the heck if you can go for it. --127-3- FishHawk

[DAQ]

I use a Reddington AS 3/4 as my line holder, $50 or something like that when I bought it. I never need the drag but it's nice to know that it is there in case a carp meandering around.

If I was to buy a reel today I would probably pick the Ross Fly Cast, for less than $40 it seems like a good deal (annodized with a drag).

D

[Kuskus68]

I have a 9ft 3wt sage xp with a 1.5 lamson velocity great reel not to expensive I even catch schoolies on it.

[dlangan]

I have one of the original Ross Reels - when they only made one model in different sizes. The serial number is somewhere about #350. Discontinued over 15 years ago. Trout fishing without it wouldn't feel right at this point.

Love the reel and Ross Reel service is just great. On this reel I had the delrin pin replaced twice. Also, after 15+ years the fly line started to put a groove in the metal from stripping line off the reel to cast (really). This was repaired as well. All my reels, but one, are Ross.