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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 07 Aug 2005, 13:56 • #1 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/08/05
Posts: 3570
Location: Western PA
I'm guessing that like me, lots of you are click/pawl reel users. I'd like to know what your favorite click/pawl reel is. Any "bargain" favorites or top of the line favorites? I've a couple JW Youngs I use ... I recently got the Islander IR1. I'm very impressed. Unlike the settings on a lot of click/pawls, the reel has five "locked" settings. They aren't too stiff either. I was on the middle setting while fishing with 8X today. What's your favorite? Ross Colorado? Hardy? Abel? SA? Redington? ...
Also; curious to know what you like about the click/pawls that you prefer over disc drags. I like the reliablity. Never had the drag fail `cause it got wet.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 07 Aug 2005, 14:46 • #2 
Emeritus
Joined: 06/10/05
Posts: 612
Location: US-MI
Scud Dog,
My favorite reel is an Abel TR-2. It's a click pawl reel and very nice. It has a strange hex nut adjustment for the drag. very smooth and looks good on my steffen brothers 5-6. Abel has them on closeout for $160. Pretty good deel as they used to be $230 or something.
Thanks
Paul


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 07 Aug 2005, 21:03 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2069
Location: Monroe, WA
i love the Abel Creeks. unfortunately, they're not on sale anywhere. the large narrow arbor has pretty quick pick up and they're a pleasure to fish with. i like that the reel is precisely engineered and machined, yet i still have no complex drag system to rely/depend on. i love slowing down a running fish with my little finger. it's a lesser pleasure, but one of the many things i do enjoy about having a fish on. there's my 2 cents.
-mike


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 08 Aug 2005, 03:14 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/05
Posts: 1008
Location: US-NY
I like the Orvis CFO. For a low-cost reel, I like the Martin MC classic series, back when they were still being made in the U.S.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 08 Aug 2005, 04:50 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
My bargain favorites are some cast LL Bean "Streamlight" reels of a couple of years ago. Green in color, about $30 -35, but may have changed recently. But whatever Bean is currently selling in that range is, I'm sure, a bargain, with an unbeatable guarantee.

Bob


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 08 Aug 2005, 13:23 • #6 
New Member
Joined: 07/09/05
Posts: 16
Scud,

Islander all the way. Love the drag settings.

Ken in Tn
Acts 16:31


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 11 Aug 2005, 03:31 • #7 
Sport
Joined: 06/12/05
Posts: 68
Bargain Hardy knock-offs that I like:

Heddon Daisy 310, used, cost $10.00 when I bought it

Olympic 320, new/unused, $12.00

Roddy 320, new/unused, box, papers, bag $14.00

The Olympic and Roddy appear to be out of the same factory, and are machined better than the Heddon.

90% of the fishing I do doesn't require a sophisticated drag system. For the salt and Salmon I use Medalists and never had one fail.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 11 Aug 2005, 04:02 • #8 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
JW Youngs - I collect these, my favorites are the prewar reels, the narrrow drum and standard grade reels.

the narrow drum became the postwar Beaudex, Pridex, Condex series.

The standard grade became the postwar Farlow's reels:
Image
Image
(looks like I just sold both of these Farlows reels)
the postwar reels were built when fiberglass rods were in their own ...

I also like Martins. 67A. Their click-pawl works very well. My first flyrod was an Orvis Fullflex A 7-1/2' HCH with a marked Orvis "1911" reel, which was a Martin 67A. Very light rod, 2-3/4 oz. with glass-to-glass ferrules. I had given this rod to my nephew for his first fly rod. I recently found the rod - another one, mint - and matched it up with a MIB Martin 67A.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 15 Aug 2005, 02:15 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 06/22/05
Posts: 185
The Hardy Marquis with a few scrapes on it can be had for around $100 especially if light weight is what you are looking for. Get it one size larger than the line weight you plan to use.

M


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 18 Sep 2005, 11:30 • #10 
Sport
Joined: 07/01/05
Posts: 92
I like Hardys too, for sentimental reasons mostly. Here is a quote from William J. Schaldach's 1944 book Currents & Eddies;
>
" In brief, the fly reel performs one important function: it holds the line and keeps it out of a fellow's way while he manipulates it with his left hand in casting and much of the time while playing his fish. This being true, it is apparent that the simpler a fly reel is the better."
>
Ol' Bill would never have dreamed of needing a disc drag fly reel and would probably have scoffed at it as unnecessary on his Vermont trout streams. I'm with him on that one. He was a bit harsh on the venerated old House of Hardy, as the next quote shows (i forgive him though since his book is so cool ... full of beautiful prints done by the author). On page 70 he states;
>
"It should be a narrow spool, single action affair, of rugged construction with a fixed click. Years ago we used to think that the only fly reels fit for use came from England. They were beautifully macined things with a genuine agate-ring line guide, gun metal finish and the name of a saint engraved on a silver plate. The cost was pretty close to a quarterly interest installment on the mortgage~for one reel, i mean."
>
It seems that people griped about the cost of Hardys even back in 1944! Anyway! There is one more reason to use single action, click & pawl fly reels. If you get the chance, read that book. It is a favorite of mine.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 20 Sep 2005, 08:33 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 06/08/05
Posts: 307
Wow - Hardys have really dropped in price compared to real estate. Now they are only about 1/4 a monthly house payment or less.

The rest of the quotes are pretty totalitarian, as if trout fishing is the total of fly fishing. There are some times in flyfishing when a decent drag comes in handy.

Vinnie in Juneau


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 20 Sep 2005, 09:20 • #12 
FFR Founder
Joined: 06/07/05
Posts: 792
Location: US-MA
Actually, I really like the Hardys, and have a few of the lightweight series - LRH, flyweight, princess. They are pretty "trouty", and I'm a sucker for the old traditions. As for more affordable reels, the little Ryobi 255MG magnesium reel is a favorite - a perfect 1 or 2 weight reel. Lamiglas had a series called "stillwater" that was awful nice - now unfortunately discontinued, though there is a Bass Pro shop reel with which it bears a striking resemblence.
What I really like, and what I like about the Hardy's, is a reel with no rim-control. I honestly don't like rim-control, and finding a reel without it is getting hard.
Vinnie's right about a good drag of course. I wouldn't chase stripers without my beloved Valentine single actions. (No rim control!) Tight lines! Alec


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 20 Sep 2005, 15:28 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4966
Location: US-MT
Glad to hear somebody else does not like rim control. Many, many moons ago I thought maybe I needed more than my old 1495 for steelhead fishing, I bought some Cortland disc drag rim control, used it for a while, kept trying to convince myself to like it, finally gave up and went back to Medalists.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 16 Oct 2005, 14:34 • #14 
Sport
Joined: 07/01/05
Posts: 92
Vinnie,
Spoken like a true sourdough! Your understatement has been noted and i would imagine that there are many, many times when a good disc drag comes in handy where you are. Actually, the author of that book isn't all that bombastic. There is a great story about a young man he came across on his home water and a disabled WW2 vet he saw a couple of years later on the same beat that turned out to be the same guy. I guess that most people didn't travel all that far to fish back then which made Shaldach's fishing world a smaller place. Probably part of what made Hemmingway special since he did travel far to fish. BTW what makes those rainbows of your's pound for pound the fightin'est creatures on God's green earth anyway? I do feel that there are other species worthy of the fly rod, such as Steelhead! lol lol!


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 19 Oct 2005, 13:48 • #15 
New Member
Joined: 10/19/05
Posts: 3
For some reason this has been a big year for me to acquire click pawl reels. I've picked up a couple of U.S. made Martins, a Korean Martin, a Berkley 540, an LL Bean Streamlight 3/4, Daiwa 706 and, just recently, a SA System 1 456 (new style). None of the reels are dogs. The Streamlight is a nice reel, the Martins are solid, with the Korean being the tightest of the three, and the Berkley goes well on my little 7' St. Croix Double-Power. But by far the best reel is the SA 456. Its as tight (if not tighter) as my $150 Orvis Battenkill LA and its drag adjustment is the most functional of any of the click drags I've owned. I use disc drags on my bigger reels (and some of my smaller ones) but I would consider the 678 as being more than adequate on the fish here in Wisconsin, even muskies.

fishskicanoe


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 21 Oct 2005, 02:13 • #16 
Sport
Joined: 07/13/05
Posts: 32
Location: US-IN
My first real trout reel was a Ross Colorado 2. I still use them along with the Colorado 1. Very reliable. Great service. I had a spring break on an old one after a couple years of hard service. I wrote Ross if I could buy a replacement. They sent me 2 in the mail within a week ... FREE even though they do not make them anymore.

HC


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 21 Oct 2005, 08:23 • #17 
Sport
Joined: 10/20/05
Posts: 31
Location: US-PA
fishskicanoe,
What model Korean-made Martin reel do you have that you like so much?. I have only seen the cheap ones at Wally World so far. I love my USA Martin 67A's.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 22 Oct 2005, 00:20 • #18 
New Member
Joined: 10/19/05
Posts: 3
I have the Classic 5/6. Its a nice reel. I also have a mint MG-7LS which I'm saving to put on an South Bend 59 cane smallmouth rod thats being rebuilt for me. The other American Martin is a Trophy MT4/5 which I think was built in the Zebco plant in Oklahoma (the 7LS was made in Mohawk NY). All of these reels are fine its just the Korean one is made to a little tighter tolerances. OTH the new model Martins are pretty junkie. I had a Mountain Brook and gave it away as it just was an extremely sloppy piece of work.

The Korean reel has a one piece open frame and a matte black finish as opposed to the riveted, full cage frame of the Classics that were made in Oklahoma, if I'm not mistaken about that. The Korean reel also lacks the racing stripe on the palming rim of the earlier American reel.

hth

fishskicanoe


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 22 Oct 2005, 12:09 • #19 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
My favorite is a Martin MG-7. I have one with two spare spools and it is solid, has a pleasant click and is nice quality for a high production reel. I don't know much about it but I have the spools lined for 5, 6, and 7 wts to use on my vintage rods. It is clearly a step up from the Martin 65 that I have.

paveglass


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 22 Oct 2005, 15:24 • #20 
Sport
Joined: 07/01/05
Posts: 92
Horton, I know what you mean about Ross. I have an older Gunnison that has the plastic drag gear that wore out. That model was still in production but they had changed the design. I emailed Ross and told them what had happened and they also sent me 2 of the drag gears within a week for no charge ... not even postage. They are a great company. It is my understanding that they make wear parts for all of their out of prduction reels but to have them just give them to me was very impressive.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 27 Oct 2005, 01:11 • #21 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
paveglass, the Martin MG-7 is the first update of the Martin 67A. The differences are the drilled alloy foot, drilled frame, and gray paint. (I have a fairly complete NIB Martin collection up to the MG/MM series.) The 67A introduced the standard design Martin click-pawl, which works very well and is reversible. The 65 has a simple horseshoe spring and caliper, which it shares with the old tuna-can reels (oh, and the new tuna-can reels, FTM).

White bass spawn here (S. Texas) in March, and charge out of the reservoirs up the rivers in force. A sinking line and a long cast is necessary, and these fish follow to your feet before they strike, so you have 60' or so of sinking line to pick up before the fish is on the reel. I fish Martin MG-10 (single click-pawl) and MM-11 (dual click-pawl) multipliers for this and, IMO, these are without doubt the sweetest reels Martin made.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 27 Oct 2005, 14:39 • #22 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
Yep! You described the MG precisely. It is a nice reel and it is perfect for my vintage rods--looks good, works good, sounds good.

paveglass


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 08 Nov 2005, 16:47 • #23 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/08/05
Posts: 3570
Location: Western PA
Had to ask; what's a good lube for click-pawl reels? My tube of "Penn" is running out. I was wondering what may be better.


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 09 Nov 2005, 05:32 • #24 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19077
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Quantum Hot Sauce
This is NOT the cheap stuff, but it does not break down and does not absorb water.
check Cabelas.
I use the Grease on the drag gear.
Every place else gets the Lube (light oil - except for worn spindles, which will also get Grease).


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Click-Pawl Reels
Post 14 Nov 2005, 09:06 • #25 
FFR Founder
Joined: 06/07/05
Posts: 792
Location: US-MA
I just read that the Hardy Princess has been dropped by Hardy. What a dissapointment. It is a great reel. Here's a pic of me with mine (sorry, the rod ain't fiberglass - but at least it's IM6 :D ) Alec

Image


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