Some of them do have counter weights, like the CFO V Salt. Which is a nicer reel than the new CFO III IMO. My new CFO III is now sitting a shelf, looking nice, but collecting dust.

I have a CFO III probably made in the 1980's sometime - I purchased it used about a decade ago. It's a great reel - a perfect match for the Scott 4wt F rod I usually pair with it. My opinion on counterweights - I don't miss them where I use smaller reels and lighter lines.

Jrod88:

I can't speak to the new CFO, but I own all three of the Abel versions and all three fit just fine on the rods I pared them with, all with downlocking reel seats which is a good thing because I won't buy a rod with an uplocking seat.

In my lifetime, the only rods that gave me reel seat trouble were custom rods with custom inserts. Factory built rods have never been a problem. After those issues with custom rods I always send rod makers/builders the dimensions of the reel foot for the reel I intend to use and in the case of cap & ring reelseats and HOW FAR in the cap and HOW FAR I want the ring to slide over the foot.

I never had a problem after taking this precaution.