I personally think that the drag on the valentine is very good. Maybe I got a good one or one of the newer ones but it's very smooth and I've fallen on the rocks with it and it doesn't have the exposed rim that will bumm you out if it's all chipped up.
Secondly, if you do ding it up pretty bad, you can always get a part, like the outside rim to replace it and all you do is screw it on. The new price increase is, in my opinion the downfall, because when I bought the thing I thought I would only have to pay around 65 bucks for a spool, but $130 for that makes me just want to go out and get a whole new tioga for the same price.
I think I just might buy me a Phleuger 1498 and put the drag screw from my 1598 on it and have a reel that I don't care about when I take that dive off the slippery rocks again.
I certainly don't want to be looking like the victim of conspicuous consuption on the jetty.
And another thing, while I'm fairly smashed at 3am... You don't need a $400 rod to cast well, just tie your knots and use the right fly.
Wally