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

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.

Scud,

Islander all the way. Love the drag settings.

Ken in Tn
Acts 16:31

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:


(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.

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.

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

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!

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

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

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.

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

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).