2 wt brookie rod

[DavePa]

While reorganizing some tying material and moving around some of my rod tubes. Came across a Redington Tempt 7' 6" 2Wt rod.

I forgot I had purchase the rod back in 2013. I had intentions of making a brookie rod for some local small waters

What reel do you all recommend for the rod...

Thanks

 

[MD_Gene]

I have a J. Austin Forbes with 2 spools. I use one for my 6' 3wt and my 6' 2wt. Nice reel but a little pricey. Made in England. Like it a lot.

 

[Swattie87]

Quite honestly, the reel won’t matter much except for balancing the rod and making it comfortable to cast. It’s just gonna hold line while Brookie fishing, which I’ve found nearly all reels do an equitable job of regardless of price point. Drag and other features won’t matter.

For Brookie reels I go cheap. It’s gonna get beat up hiking and bushwhacking anyway. If the drag fails or doesn’t stay smooth, who cares? You never needed it anyway. Check out the bottom end house line reels for Cabelas or BPS in the smallest size they make them in. There’s usually something in the $30 range. For $40 or so you can get an Okuma Sierra…I have two of those for my Brookie rods. A Battenkill Bar Stock looks nice on a Brookie rod IMO, but you don’t need to spend $100+ to achieve the same functionality you get at $30 for what you’ll be using it for.

 

[Fishidiot]

Agree with Swattie - use whatever reel fits and looks good.

 

[troutbert]

I have an Okuma Sierra reel. The price is right and it's functional.

But I don't like it very much. The sound of it is high pitched and irritating.

And the drag doesn't work very well. The adjustment of the drag tends towards either:

1) too tight

or

2) too loose

It's hard to get it set in the right in between spot, and have it stay there.

If anyone has some good alternatives in the inexpensive-but-works-well category of reels, please let us know.

 

[DavePa]

Thanks guys
I'm looking for the inexpensive but functional reel for this setup.

I put a Allen Trout II on my 4 wt, overkill for the 2wt.

Doubtful I'll ever have the need to go against the drag on a 2wt but would be nice to have.

 

[DavePa]

Any other vendors I should consider?

 

[salmonoid]

troutbert wrote:
I have an Okuma Sierra reel. The price is right and it's functional.

But I don't like it very much. The sound of it is high pitched and irritating.

And the drag doesn't work very well. The adjustment of the drag tends towards either:

1) too tight

or

2) too loose

It's hard to get it set in the right in between spot, and have it stay there.

If anyone has some good alternatives in the inexpensive-but-works-well category of reels, please let us know.

Just curious - what exactly do you use the drag for on a brookie reel?

I have a Teton Tioga reel for my dedicated brookie setup. They are no longer made but I picked one up off Ebay a few years ago. Before that, I used a Pflueger Supreme. Most of the time, I find that I don't use the lighter rod setup, because I fish a lot of streams that are mixed brown/brook and I like a little bit heavier of a rod to handle the larger browns. But, before I switched, I did have a fun time catching a 21" brown on my 3wt at night, which is the only time I was glad to have some drag on the reel.

 

[sandfly]

martin tuna cans work great on small rods

 

[Tucker733]

I put a cabela's prestige , the smallest one, on my 2 wt. Second time out I fell on it and bent the spool. Took it home put it in the vise and bent it back. Best $30 I spent all year. I could loose it break it or give it away and replace easily. I don't need any more for a brookie rod.

 

[Longbow]

The Orvis Battenkill is a nice reel and under $100. I got one for my son and it is a nice reel for his 3 wt. looks good too.

 

[dryflyguy]

For my 7'9" 2 weight, I use and older Orvis Battenkill bar stock II reel.
I bought it used form another forum member. It balances quite nicely on this rod - and is very smooth

 

[Wild_Trouter]

I have a 6'6" 2wt and I went with the Okuma SLV 2/3 reel. You can get the reel on Amazon for $48/free shipping, and it will outperform reels twice the price. Super light, extremely quiet, nice drag. This was after I went with the Okuma Sierra (mistake on my part that was fixed when I paired it with a 7'6" 4wt). Research the SLV 2/3. Here's a link that may help:

http://www.amazon.com/Okuma-SLV-Diecast-Aluminum-Reel/dp/B001V7EUU2

 

[KeithS]

Cabela's Prestige Plus here. Cheap, functional and quiet.

 

[JohnPowers]

Smallest Medalist too heavy.

 

[Chaz]

An orvis battenkill reel with a click drag is all you'll need for a rod of that weight.
I have a J.Austin Forbes reel and had to get it repaired, it took months to even find out who to send it to and then another couple of months to get it fixed and back on my rod. I love the reel, but based on that wouldn't buy another.
You don't need a disc drag on a reel for that rod, assuming you are fishing tiny streams.

 

[sandfly]

Orvis Madison's are light and work well with the smaller rods

 

[BrookieChaser]

I have a Galvan brookie reel on my 3wt. I wanted to try it, I like it, but it's pricey.

 

[Skeet6]

Outfitting a little 6"-6" 3 wt Shu-Fly rod that I got at the Fly Tying Symposium in Somerset, I just bought a Cabela's Premier Prestige or some such, (I had a $25 gift certificate I received for Christmas, it was like $45 before the card. Should be all I need. It will be my one NON Orvis graphite rod/reel outfit, lol.
Mike B