4 wt. reel recommendation

[moon1284]

I bought a sage rod on ebay and it came with a new sage 3300d reel with it this winter. I ended up selling the reel because I don't like disc drags but it was a solid reel. Extremely smooth and extremely strong drag. I'd put that reel up against any high end disc drag reel made today. I ended up getting lucky and selling the reel for $250 (i bought a sage sp rod along with the reel for 300). The machining was very good also.

If the 3230 is anything like the 3300d I think you'll be very happy with it.

 

[ryansheehan]

bigjohn58 wrote:
Just curious why someone would need a higher end 3/4 weight? I can't see that light weight of a reel needing to do anything but hold the line especially with the way PA streams and trout are.

I often have my 4 weight reel pushed. In fact got near my backing on Sunday just before losing the fish. Now days people use long rods with light lines when nymphing. I could see someone wanting a very good 2 or 3 weight reel for this very reason.

 

[moon1284]

Some people like disc drags. I don't use them personally, but I think most people use them to fight fish. Going after big fish with light tippet means you need a smooth drag which means you need a high end reel.

I think most cheaper disc drag reels are junk and wont protect light tippet very well. If you have to set the drag on a disk drag too light and there is no check mechanism, you open yourself up to freespooling and tangles. I guess if you only target small fish you don't need a good reel.

 

[bigjohn58]

moon1284 wrote:
Some people like disc drags. I don't use them personally, but I think most people use them to fight fish. Going after big fish with light tippet means you need a smooth drag which means you need a high end reel.

I think most cheaper disc drag reels are junk and wont protect light tippet very well. If you have to set the drag on a disk drag too light and there is no check mechanism, you open yourself up to freespooling and tangles. I guess if you only target small fish you don't need a good reel.

I've landed wild trout up to 24" and stockies up to 8 pounds and never had to use the drag on a fly reel. Landed every fish I've ever caught on a fly rod by stripping them in.

I am building a rod for smallies and that rod is going to be paired with a decent reel but that's going to be an 8wt. Salmon, steelhead, bass, pike, musky, etc are way different then trout plus you aren't going to be using a 4wt or less for any of them.

 

[troutbert]

moon1284 wrote:
Some people like disc drags. I don't use them personally, but I think most people use them to fight fish. Going after big fish with light tippet means you need a smooth drag which means you need a high end reel.

I think most cheaper disc drag reels are junk and wont protect light tippet very well. If you have to set the drag on a disk drag too light and there is no check mechanism, you open yourself up to freespooling and tangles. I guess if you only target small fish you don't need a good reel.

What click and pawl reel can you recommend?

 

[ryansheehan]

bigjohn58 wrote:

moon1284 wrote:
Some people like disc drags. I don't use them personally, but I think most people use them to fight fish. Going after big fish with light tippet means you need a smooth drag which means you need a high end reel.

I think most cheaper disc drag reels are junk and wont protect light tippet very well. If you have to set the drag on a disk drag too light and there is no check mechanism, you open yourself up to freespooling and tangles. I guess if you only target small fish you don't need a good reel.

I've landed wild trout up to 24" and stockies up to 8 pounds and never had to use the drag on a fly reel. Landed every fish I've ever caught on a fly rod by stripping them in.

I am building a rod for smallies and that rod is going to be paired with a decent reel but that's going to be an 8wt. Salmon, steelhead, bass, pike, musky, etc are way different then trout plus you aren't going to be using a 4wt or less for any of them.

Real small rivers? I cant imagine being on the deleware, yough, north branch, etc and never had a trout onto a reel. In fact never having a trout onto a reel is mind blowing to me.

 

[bigjohn58]

ryansheehan wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:

moon1284 wrote:
Some people like disc drags. I don't use them personally, but I think most people use them to fight fish. Going after big fish with light tippet means you need a smooth drag which means you need a high end reel.

I think most cheaper disc drag reels are junk and wont protect light tippet very well. If you have to set the drag on a disk drag too light and there is no check mechanism, you open yourself up to freespooling and tangles. I guess if you only target small fish you don't need a good reel.

I've landed wild trout up to 24" and stockies up to 8 pounds and never had to use the drag on a fly reel. Landed every fish I've ever caught on a fly rod by stripping them in.

I am building a rod for smallies and that rod is going to be paired with a decent reel but that's going to be an 8wt. Salmon, steelhead, bass, pike, musky, etc are way different then trout plus you aren't going to be using a 4wt or less for any of them.

Real small rivers? I cant imagine being on the deleware, yough, north branch, etc and never had a trout onto a reel. In fact never having a trout onto a reel is mind blowing to me.

I'm in central/north central PA. Our trout streams are not huge. Pine Creek is on the larger size but I still don't get fish on the reel.

 

[ryansheehan]

Gotcha, well I've had plenty of trout takes go from hook set to backing in a few moments. Go fish the Delaware river system, listening to a reel sing is the best music of all.

 

[govtmule]

$200.00 3/4wt reels are a want, not a need. To each their own. Hell you can get a quality steelhead reel for that price and actually use the drag.

 

[Jessed]

Especially when the orvis battenkill goes on sale, can't beat that reel for the price

 

[moon1284]

TB-

I use cfos in size III, IV, and V. The III is for 4 wt and less, IV is 6 weight, V is 7 and 8 weight. I use the Vs for steelhead and salmon in the Niagara River. Doesn't get much bigger or faster than that body of water.

I also have a sage 506 and sage 505 I have 6 weight line on both. SA System 1 reels are like 30 bucks and I've caught plenty of trout in the delaware river on them.

I have an abel bg 1 I sometimes use in the niagara river and a SA system II 8/9 I sometimes use in the niagara. Salmon in the niagara are very tough with a click and pawl...

 

[moon1284]

ryansheehan wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:

moon1284 wrote:
Some people like disc drags. I don't use them personally, but I think most people use them to fight fish. Going after big fish with light tippet means you need a smooth drag which means you need a high end reel.

I think most cheaper disc drag reels are junk and wont protect light tippet very well. If you have to set the drag on a disk drag too light and there is no check mechanism, you open yourself up to freespooling and tangles. I guess if you only target small fish you don't need a good reel.

I've landed wild trout up to 24" and stockies up to 8 pounds and never had to use the drag on a fly reel. Landed every fish I've ever caught on a fly rod by stripping them in.

I am building a rod for smallies and that rod is going to be paired with a decent reel but that's going to be an 8wt. Salmon, steelhead, bass, pike, musky, etc are way different then trout plus you aren't going to be using a 4wt or less for any of them.

Real small rivers? I cant imagine being on the deleware, yough, north branch, etc and never had a trout onto a reel. In fact never having a trout onto a reel is mind blowing to me.

+1. Everytime I fish, my goal is to hear zzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[shakey]

i have way more reels than rods.but i'm the kind of guy that likes click and pawl reels .even tuna cans.

i often use a reel based on the sound of the drag.

one of my favorite reels is an (eagle claw)granger medallion.i usually get them under thirty bucks.i have the whole line.

if you know me from other boards,i use a pic of two of those reels as my avatar.haven't figured out how to do that here,haha

Posted on: 2012/7/3 13:04

 

[franklin]

bigjohn58 wrote:

troutbert wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:
Just curious why someone would need a higher end 3/4 weight? I can't see that light weight of a reel needing to do anything but hold the line especially with the way PA streams and trout are.

What reel would you recommend?

I just purchased a Piscifun Blaze 3/4wt for my 9'4wt I am building. I think it was like $48 and free shipping direct from Pascifun. I got it because I wanted a gold colored reel to go with this rod. I'm also catching trout up to 24" but never had to worry about a drag system. I hand strip all my fish in.

I also like the lower end Okumas too. Okuma builds a decent fly reel over all from what I hear. I have no complaints from my 5/6wt.

The Chinese are now making CNC reels that will compete with anything made. And they aren't that far behind on fly rods. Got to cast a few on my last trip over there and couldn't tell the difference between these rods and my Sages.

 

[moon1284]

franklin wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:

troutbert wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:
Just curious why someone would need a higher end 3/4 weight? I can't see that light weight of a reel needing to do anything but hold the line especially with the way PA streams and trout are.

What reel would you recommend?

I just purchased a Piscifun Blaze 3/4wt for my 9'4wt I am building. I think it was like $48 and free shipping direct from Pascifun. I got it because I wanted a gold colored reel to go with this rod. I'm also catching trout up to 24" but never had to worry about a drag system. I hand strip all my fish in.

I also like the lower end Okumas too. Okuma builds a decent fly reel over all from what I hear. I have no complaints from my 5/6wt.

The Chinese are now [d]making[/d] knocking off CNC reels that will compete with anything made. And they aren't that far behind on knocking off fly rods. Got to cast a few on my last trip over there and couldn't tell the difference between these knock off rods and my Sages.

Fixed the last paragraph.

 

[franklin]

moon1284 wrote:

franklin wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:

troutbert wrote:

bigjohn58 wrote:
Just curious why someone would need a higher end 3/4 weight? I can't see that light weight of a reel needing to do anything but hold the line especially with the way PA streams and trout are.

What reel would you recommend?

I just purchased a Piscifun Blaze 3/4wt for my 9'4wt I am building. I think it was like $48 and free shipping direct from Pascifun. I got it because I wanted a gold colored reel to go with this rod. I'm also catching trout up to 24" but never had to worry about a drag system. I hand strip all my fish in.

I also like the lower end Okumas too. Okuma builds a decent fly reel over all from what I hear. I have no complaints from my 5/6wt.

The Chinese are now [d]making[/d] knocking off CNC reels that will compete with anything made. And they aren't that far behind on knocking off fly rods. Got to cast a few on my last trip over there and couldn't tell the difference between these knock off rods and my Sages.

Fixed the last paragraph.

True on fly rods but not on reels. There isn't any IP in a reel. just machine to dimensions. The US made reels are likely made on Chinese CNC machines and use Chinese bearings.

On rods they have learned from US and Japanese companies that have been manufacturing there for years.