For the past 18 years I've been using Bauer Rogue Reels on my R.L. Winson Boron III flyrods. I used them heavily on many fish Bass, Trout, with Alaskan Salmon weighing in at 63 pounds. Never had any issues with these Bauer reels. The drag is extremely strong, smooth, and fully water proof. Bauer Reels are being sold now by R.L Winston Rod Company who purchased the reel company started by John Bauer in Oregon. These are now made at the R.L. Winston factory in Montana. I was very surprised that Bauer Reels and Able Reels were not included in your review. Why not?
I used Waterworks lamson lite speed reels for about 8 years and in that time there wasn't one of them that didn't need at least 2 or 3 drag clutch replacements. I fish saltwater and the fact that they are sealed was attractive but in practice saltwater gets inside and they disintegrate from the inside out. I switched to unsealed Galvan Rush light and Torque reels and have had zero issues with saltwater in the last 6 years of use. I've never had to have them serviced once and they still work as good as the day I bought them. I just rinse them after use and repeat. Absolutely bulletproof in my opinion. FYI The Galvan website clearly claims that both the Rush and the Torque are saltwater safe. The torque drag components are stainless.
best fly reels.... you missing out on a few reels thats way better than the ones on the list... like Vosseler, Hatch, ALFA, Einarsson, LOOP etc etc etc... i can go on for quite some time :P
yes a subjective list of 7 is always going to be limited. 😀 Shoot over some specific reels and we'll see if we can get our hands on them (if we haven't already). This list will be updated each year. Cheers
Sorry but LBK is so right. There’s so many great reels at different price points. it’s frustrating when people rely on these videos and the list is based on what you’ve tried.
The Hardy Ultralight ASR cassette reels are amazing. Cheap spools so you can carry lots of different lines ans sizes and comes already with 3 spools in a Neoprene case. It looks stunning and is super easy to use and the drag is both sealed, and super smooth. I've started playing all my fish off the reel now. I love it.
I have 3 Tibors -2 Everglades and a Riptide that are going on 20yr old and still going strong ! Not a bit of trouble with any! That being said, I will use a sealed drag reel like the Nautilius or Galvan Grip for surf fishing over the Tibors.
What constitutes the best reel? Is it quality, cost, amount sold globally, and who is your target market for the video? I'm missing Shilton, Wade, Tibor, Mako and hardy in your review.
and loop, Danielsson. c`mon.. top 10 fly reels without a single loop reel.. haven`t check 100%, but it seems the top 5`s / 10`s are mostly american brands??
I recently bought a Maxcatch Avid Reel with their V Gold rod for a Christmas present for my son. I am very pleased with their qualities and will get myself one next spring in preparation for the next's season's fishing.
My favorite reels are the SAGE Spectrum and Spectrum LT. I have them on all my SAGE fly rods and in weights from 3 to 8 and on my Switch and Spey rods, also. Love these reels! Jerry Hubka
Dude, most of your ratings is based on a biased opinion.. This sounds good It looks good This doesn't sound good It doesn't look to good You can't give something 'the top 10' over everything else based on subjective opinions
Thanks for the comment. We use and test the rods and reels and we can review them how we want on our channel. There are always other channels you can watch if you don’t like how we do it. 👍
Ross Gunnison for 5 or 6 wt. Okuma SLV 7/8 for 8wt freshwater. Orvis Battenkill for 3 or 4wt Loop-Q for 7wt Hardy Princess onto a light Bamboo Rod. Abel or Tibor for saltwater.
I have a Maxcatch reel. It's OK for the price, but the drag knob feels flimsy and takes loads of turns from slack to tight and can be jerky under load. It's a 9/10 and states a #10 with 110 yards of 30 ibs backing. It doesn't take anywhere near that and I had to load gel spun backing which is expensive, in order to get my #10 Pike fly line on it. And when casting the drum of the reel rotates which is annoying. Sometimes you do get what you pay for. Greys, Airflo and Hardy all make superb reels. My go to is the Hardy but the Greys GTS500 and the Airflo Switch black reels are brilliant too.
Hell yeah i love maxcatch i bought one of their $80 combos mainly for panfish but I will take it over my $200 TFO any day if you are wondering what model I went with it's a 8'4 foot 3 weight 4 piece it has 9 guides so casting will be perfect the full name is Max catch extreme and I have caught up to a to 2 pound rainbow trout on it handled it perfectly
I plan to get into fly fishing and I think my combo would be the piscifun sword reel with the redington crosswater rod as it'll be a nice starting point from what I've read whilst still being dependable. I appreciate the lists and keep it up.
Yeah the clearwater reel is good. I'm not crazy about the Encounter reel, but the clearwater is better quality. Having said that, Danny has both and likes both of them so it's subjective. Either way for the price and getting an Orvis rod / reel combo, it's hard to beat.
Yes, these old Hardy's just keep on clicking. I have owned literally all of the lightweight series -Featherweight, LRH lightweight, Princess, Princess multiplier, and 10 weight Marquis, all of them with spare spools. Bought most of them in Toronto in the early 70's when they cost about 32 bucks, and the spare spools were 12. I am gradually moving them on to my son, along with my 2-piece rods, in favour of 4-piece sticks and large arbor reels. The anodizing on these old Hardy's is not particularly durable, nor is the aluminum particularly hard. They need to be kept clean, oiled, and dried out after use, or the anodizing will corrode, even in fresh water. The cases don't last forever either. The one keeper that I have no plans to sell is a 3 3/8 perfect with two spare spools - these things are just elegant with their captive ball bearing race. A bit heavy compared with the lightweight series, but they make up for that in durability. The princess multiplier was a brilliant reel too, so useful when you need to recover line quickly. I wish today's manufacturers would come up with a high quality, lightweight multiplier - there is still a niche market for those of use who appreciate their unique virtues.
Imo this list is incorrect. You cant compare an entry budget reel to high end stuff. You should describe more your criterias and ideas behind your choice because it makes no sense to me.
It’s for all anglers not just those who have $500 to spend on a reel. But duly noted. We are making a “Best Top End Reels” video soon once we get all the reels in hand.
You are completely off base on the Galvan Torque as a saltwater reel. The drag systems on these is one of the best designs on the market for saltwater fishing.
My rod was just stolen , had a nice old dragonfly bgf 375. I liked the cassette system, so I got the grey's 5/6/7/8 , on sale 129 cdn . It went up against chum last weekend and was great, on a 7wt rod
Remove Maxcatch and Picifun reels from this list. Some of the top reel manufacturers have lower price tier options to buy from with better quality. I'm very surprised you left out Ross, Abel, Hatch, etc. Also, how can you rate a reel as the best for saltwater, but say the drag system is lacking for larger game fish? This video should have been a review of the reels you have only used personally and not an attempt to classify them into categories as you did. The one I will agree with is the behemoth. There isn't a stronger drag system for that price on the market.
Thanks for the comment! Yeah I agree with a few of those other brands, but disagree about Maxcatch. I actually love the Maxcatch reels. They're good quality and I've had mine for quite a few years now. Also love Abel but didn't make the 2020 list.
What do you think about the Sage Spectrum 5/6 wt. for trout fishing. It is on sale for Black Friday at $210.00. What rod would you recommend pairing it with?
I have that reel and love it. Check out our review on the channel. It's lightweight, nice drag on it and a great design. The only downside is that the coating isn't so chip resistant but I'd say for $210 its a steal.
@@intoflyfishing Thank you for your reply and help. I have one more question. After I did some research, I wonder what you think about a Waterworks Lamson Guru S -5+ paired with an Echo Carbon XL 9' 5 Wt. rod?
Yep. I messed up on that. Sorry. It’s not my reel it’s one of our team anglers who owns it and rated it on the blog. Oops! Unfortunately youtube won’t let me edit the video
the Galvan Rush and Torque reels aren't sealed but it doesn't really matter they are bulletproof and just need rinsing after saltwater use. The new Galvan Grip is the one that is fully sealed. The Torque and Rush light are "saltwater safe" as claimed on the Galvan site because the drag components are stainless steel but they aren't sealed like thee Grip. I've never destroyed either of my Galvan reels in 6 years of saltwater use.
We have overarching lists including many products of different categories and price ranges, then individual lists for each of those categories to specify.
Great question! We have a blog post all about the best 6-weight fly rods (video coming soon) as well as a guide to fly fishing for bass. We have a barbell guide coming soon as well. For now, here are those posts. You've given us an idea for a video so be sure to subscribe so you'll be notified 😀 intoflyfishing.com/how-to-fly-fish-for-bass/ intoflyfishing.com/best-6-weight-fly-rods/ We'll be coming out with a best bass flies article and video soon as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Hey Great idea! Thanks for the comment. I had an epic sage reel way back in the day before the other manufacturers improved so much that they left sage reels a bit behind for the most part. I'll look into that and see what older reels our team has used & tested. Cheers!
Older model reels/Brands like the Pfleuger Medalist, Orvis Battenkill, Billy Pate, Bill Ballan, Seamaster....Alnwick Made Hardy Models as well as Loop etc....would be cool to see. Many legendary all time greats there for anglers to consider.
I think the Redington Run coming in at just 109.99 , with a lightweight design and outstanding Carbon fiber drag should be on your list... The colors/and look are right there with how good this reel is.... Also another entry point Reel, of outstanding value, Sage Spectrum C @ 150 dollars, with a number and clickable sealed drag system is just off the charts value wise ... I think these 2 should at a min be honorable mentions
Duly noted! We definitely have to make more lists like this as it's hard to narrow them down by "all fly reels" when there are different weights, uses and budgets.
Im not entirely sure when or why drag sound has become a primary concern in fly reels, I've seen this featured in quite a few reviews. Surely its so far down the list of priorities its hardly worth mentioning (?) Not a criticism of the video (indeed thanks for posting), more of a genuine question.
Having a nice sounding reel is like having a Rolex that glides or a nice exhaust on a car... it's not necessary, has no practical application, and yet it makes a difference to some. There's just something about it.
Im here because I want to get my boyfriend a reel. He loves fly fishing but I can't tell you more than that. Hahah Which one would you want your girlfriend to get you?
The Hardy Ultralight ASR cassette reel. If he has lots of lines then a cassette reel is the way to go . He will save a fortune on expensive spare spools for the reel . The Hardy is stunning , but expensive . There are cheaper cassette reels on the market though .
Well that definitely depends. I wouldn't go on a trip of a lifetime for GT or Tarpon with a $150 reel. For trout, yes you can get a good reel for $150.
Hey thanks for the comment. This isn't a review it's a list of the reels in our team's kits, but we must've slipped on this one. Thanks for letting us know we'll fix it if the torque makes the 2021 list.
@@Laminarman1 yes it's a great reel for sure. I don't have it but Danny, one of our team members does. I can't update the video with the correction as RU-vid doesn't allow that, but I'm updating the blog post now, which is here if you want to check it out: intoflyfishing.com/best-fly-reels/
@@intoflyfishing Loop Opti, Evotec G4 and Q (Q for budget), Danielsson LW, FW, HD (great reels at a good price point). Danielsson Original for that "nostalgic feeling".
Match catch are garbage. This list is based off your experience. Ever stop a resident tarpon in the VI with a screaming Hatch reel? Ever get totally smoked by a mako? Matchcatch would come apart under that stress.
We have reviews for Makos, Shilton, and top saltwater reels too. Not everyone has $650 to spend on a reel. Maxcatch make decent trout reels that get people into the sport who otherwise would be putoff by the budget barrier of entry. This is a good thing. Watch our other videos. We have 5 guides constantly reviewing gear from $50 - $1500.
