Opinions - Lamson Litespeed or Ross CLA?

[pschwart00]

Any info would be helpful in regards to this decision making process:

Buying a new reel for the 9 weight. The reel will primarily be used from a boat, and usually in the NE (stripers, blues, albies) with a once a year voyage to Central America where it becomes the "permit rod."

I've narrowed my selection down to these two (please keep comments to these two models or if you have another suggestion keep it in the same price point range ~$250).

Have the ability to purchase last year's Lamson Litespeed Model 3.5 with the following dimensions:
Diameter: 4.00 in
Width: 1.38 in
Weight: 5.9 oz
Backing Capacity: 200 yds 20# for 9 wgt.

OR
The Ross Cimarron Large Arbor size 5 for
Diameter: 4.00 in
Width: 1.2 in
Weight: 58.1 oz
Backing Capacity: 250 yds 20# for 9 wgt.

Thanks in advance!

[Strat]

You are eventually going to have corrosion issues with both. I would look at Teton Tioga for a budget S/W reel. Next step up would be Bauer Superlite which is an excellent SW reel. Danielsson reels may been in your price range as well.

You really want 30# backing for SW (esp permit) so I would be wary of those capacities. The lamson has a very small plastic handle and the drag knob is hard to access. I have felt undergunned using mine on 35" bass...imagine what a 30# permit will do to you on the flats.

[Kuskus68]

Go with a Danielsson,they are a great reel for the money.

[JGH]

I've had a Litespeed 3.5 for three years now and have fished it hard from stripers to albies to bonefish. I like it a lot. My design complaints are that the reel handle and drag nob are too small. But it is a good reel. I had a corrosion problem (my fault, I'm sure, for poor maintenance), and sent it back and three days later they returned it with a new assembly. Great service from the folks in Idaho.

All that said, the next reel I bought was a Tibor, though that is a different price point.

[sweet+salt]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record: ASPECT RATIO! The well documented corrosion issues pale compared to the too wide, too shallow spools of some of these reels. Also, the draw-bar adjustable disc drag trio of Able, Islander and Tibor (alphabetical order) are suited to albies and permit and long-term reliability...nestled cones, plastic hub drags, perhaps not. A scratched up, refurbished Able Super at your price point; that's what we're talking about.

[uno]

Hello Sweet+Salt,

Does ABEL have a refubish program or do you just have to get lucky and find one up for sale?

[sweet+salt]

They do not. But in these forums or something like e-bay, used Able, Tibors, etc. are often listed. These reel are fairly indestructible; usually a good cleaning and re-lubing is all a used one needs. In an extreme equipment abuse scenario, these companies can replace the cork disc, broken/lost spring or whatever. Point is, one can often find a used or discontinued reel at a price favorable to a new second-tier product and have more fun fishing.

[MatthewP]

I fish my ross reels pretty hard. They'll take abuse. Sure, they're not as bullet proof as a Tibor or Abel, but for the money...

Every few years I take the drag assemblies apart and clean everything up - good as new.

[Kuskus68]

I just sold my Abel super 8 with a spare spool for $420.00 the reel was in excellent shape,I tried to sell it on this forum but because it was black with a copper spare spool spool people did not want it go figure.
I was abel no pun to bid on a super 11 brand new on Ebay and won it for $416.00!!! so I dam lucky .

[Onshore]

As Sweet+Salt said, I'd try to find a good used Able, Islander or Tibor. I have two Tibors and a Billy Pate (same mfg) , all with high mileage and no problems.

[ricochet]

There is an easy solution for all these reels that have the small handles that nobody seems to like. Orvis sells the handle assembly for all of $4.00. Unscrew the weenie version, replace with the Orvis, your done. Nice big handle with a flat profile. Orvis may be swamped if there is a run on these, so might have to be creative to get them to ship.