okuma fly reels

[rubby]

are okuma fly reels a good value reel or should you stay away from them?

 

[Cricket]

I have an SLV and have not had any problems with it. Now keep in mind also that mine has not been fished hard, but from what I can tell by using it and looking inside of it, it is well made and sturdy. I would purchase another one without hesitation.
Sam

 

[Swattie87]

That's exactly what they are...good value reels. Definitely not high end, but very good for the price. I have two Sierras ($40) and one SLV ($60). Better than any of the BPS or Cabelas house line reels in the same price range...which are essentially their main competition at that price point.

I use the Sierras on my Brookie/backpacking rods where drag is completely not necessary. They're sturdy (no plastic) and have held up well to abuse and getting dropped/beat around hiking and fishing in close quarters. One was already several years old when I bought it from Squatch actually...works perfectly fine.

The SLV is on my 6wt WW/big Trout stream rod. Its drag is noticeably smoother than the Sierras, but still not what I'd call a high end drag system. Its worked pefectly fine on every fish I've landed on that rod before though...Smallies close to 20", and Browns and Fallfish up to 18" or so.

 

[bigslackwater]

I own 3 different sizes of the SLV and they are great! I also have an Integrity model for a 5/6 wt. It is supposed to be a model higher than the SLV, but I like the SLV better.

 

[elonDO]

I've got 4 okuma reels - Sierra 3/4, Sierra 5/6, & two Okuma Integrity 8/9. Overall great reels for the price. I have had these reels for well over 7 or 8 years with no issues. The Sierra reels are on my trout rods. Very dependable, decent drag, good sound.

The Integrity reels are on my 8wt reels for bass & steelhead. They are a little on the heavy side, but I love them. Very good drag system. I have the older version that had the adjustable star drag knob, I think all the new Integrity reels have a standard round knob. These were my first decent fly reels & have lived up to their value.

I would not hesitate to purchase an Okuma reel if you're looking for a quality reel that doesn't break the bank.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

My first reel was a Sierra 4/5. It served me well for about 18 years. I sold it not too long ago! Never had any issues with it, and I caught everything from natives to 20"+ brownies and 30" carp.

 

[albatross]

Maybe I'm just hard on equipment, but I found the SLV reels couldn't take a bump. They were fine reels, but a drop to the ground from waist height would fracture the cast aluminum. After 2 or 3 failures like this, I gave up on the whole line of reels. The Sierra's were sturdier, but heavy. I thinks the higher end Okumas are probably fine, but there are other similarly priced machined aluminum reels that perform as well.

 

[pwk5017]

At the time, I had a chance to buy okuma through a pro form, so I bought them 50% off. For $90-100, I didnt think anything else could touch their helios reels, so I bought one for my 7wt, and one for my 5wt. Sealed drag, pretty attractive looking, somewhat lightweight. They are 3-4 years old and served me very well. Steelhead on both reels with no problems. I wont mention other species, because if a reel serves you well for fresh chrome, then its good enough for big browns and smallies. All comes down to price. For me, it was a no brainer at that discount. They are quality reels, and I wouldnt hesitate to buy again if I needed another quality moderately priced reel.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

"Not my go to" fly reel. Spin Casting reels by them I enjoy.

 

[troutbert]

I wouldn't recommend the Sierra. It has been durable for me, but the drag is not so great.

The drag seems have two settings:
1) Too tight
2) Too loose.

It's hard to get the drag set to the "just right" sweet spot.

And the drag makes an annoying sound.

 

[Chris2P]

I have a Sierra that is about 10 years old. Has held up well in the saltwater (10w). I haven't had any problems with the drag that troutbert had. Maybe there was a quality/build problem with them at some time?

 

[Decker10]

I fished an SLV 8/9 hard for a few years on New York's Salmon River. It handled loads of salmon and steelhead until last fall when the drag seized up. Upgraded last spring to a Sage and won't go back. The Okuma's are a good value for the price and perfect for a starter outfit.

 

[JakesLeakyWaders]

I have Okuma Integrity 7/8 for my bass setup and its a great reel. Nice drag. I plan on picking up a Sierra for a lighter rod here soon.

Can't say anything bad about my reel.

 

[FNG_IN_AK]

I put an Integrity 10/11 on my 10wt for Silvers and Kings. Hasn't had a chance to tussle with a King yet, but it's beaten down a number of 10-15lb silvers, with no problems. Is the body as bullet-proof as my Hardy?...No. Is the drag as reliable as my Waterworks/Lamson?...No. Did it cost anywhere near what I paid for either of those two?...Not even close! Excellent value for the $$.

 

[henrydavid]

I love my SLV 8 wt for river smallies. I guess it all depends upon if you'll be fishing A LOT for salmon and steelhead or any drag ripping saltwater species, if not you'll have a smooth reel at a great value.

I'm not saying they can't handle steelies and salmon, just that my friends that fish for them A LOT have seen the limitations of the SLV reels.