Recommendations for decent, inexpensive reels for backup rods

[Kms]

Can anyone recommend decent, durable 5wt reels for ~$50 or less for my backup rods? After my Orvis Clearwater rod broke, I went to Sierra for backup gear. I bought a pair of TFO 5wt 8’6” Signature IIs and two packs of 5wt SA Mastery Trout line for $170 total, but balked at spending $180 more for a pair 5wt Lamson Liquids.

Does anyone have any feedback on those? The Okuma Sierra and SLVb, and the Redington Crosswater IV seem like contenders. Are there any others I should consider? Thanks in advance!

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Mason, there are fans of the Okumas out there. I would add Lamson Liquid to the list too.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Kms,

Check out the Piscifun Sword fly reels on Amazon. You can get a reel with line and backing for $ 60.00. Maxcatch is another brand you buy on Amazon and they are even less money. I have reels from both of them and they work just fine for me.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Kms]

Mason, there are fans of the Okumas out there. I would add Lamson Liquid or Remix to the list too.

Lamson reels are definitely nice, but even discounted are more $ than I want to invest in these rods.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Get one 100 dollar reel with an extra spool is another option too.... You can sometimes find Lamson packages.

 

[Kms]

Dear Kms,

Check out the Piscifun Sword fly reels on Amazon. You can get a reel with line and backing for $ 60.00. Maxcatch is another brand you buy on Amazon and they are even less money. I have reels from both of them and they work just fine for me.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Thanks. I always wonder about such “other” brands on Amazon. I was going to mount my barely used cheapo Quarrow reel, which I (unfortunately) respooled before I looked inside and saw the gears looked like this. ugh. Just look at that beautiful spool job. 😑

 

[Kms]

Get one 100 dollar reel with an extra spool is another option too.... You can sometimes find Lamson packages.

I thought I wanted *two* reels, but maybe I’m thinking about this wrong. Do folks pack extra naked (reel-less) backup rods, or do you always have a reel on there?

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear KMS, I almost forgot my favorite el-cheapo fly reels, the STH cassette reels. This reel with 3 cassettes cost me $ 55.00 delivered to my door from eBay. It will handle 5 to 7 weight lines with backing too. Regards, Tim Murphy 😊

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I thought I wanted *two* reels, but maybe I’m thinking about this wrong. Do folks pack extra naked (reel-less) backup rods, or do you always have a reel on there?

The average 3 weight reel is also a 4 weight and may even support a 5 weight spool, and so on. It varies by manufacturer. My 5 weight reel is also my 4 weight reel with an extra spool. You def don't need a reel for every rod you own.

 

[coyoterahn]

I thought I wanted *two* reels, but maybe I’m thinking about this wrong. Do folks pack extra naked (reel-less) backup rods, or do you always have a reel on there?

Pack a spare reel along with that spare rod. You just never know. It takes up virtually no extra room in your vehicle.

 

[jeffroey]

Can anyone recommend decent, durable 5wt reels for ~$50 or less for my backup rods? After my Orvis Clearwater rod broke, I went to Sierra for backup gear. I bought a pair of TFO 5wt 8’6” Signature IIs and two packs of 5wt SA Trout line for $170 total, but balked at spending $180 more for a pair 5wt Lamson Liquids.

Does anyone have any feedback on those? The Okuma Sierra and SLVb, and the Redington Crosswater IV seem like contenders. Are there any others I should consider? Thanks in advance!

Almost my entire reel lineup is made up of SLVs. They check all the boxes for me: cheap, durable, smooth, cast aluminum (can't see why anyone would pay for anything else), easily maintained, easy access to parts if needed and durable (just in case you missed it the first time I said it). Okuma will tell you the difference betweenthe SLVs and the SLVbs are manufacturing tolerances but they're entirely interchangeable. Only P/N difference is the drag disc material but the reel form factors are completely identical and interchangeable. I have a couple of both and swap bodies and spools all the time:



For a while you could find an SLV complete reel cheaper than a spare spool so I'd just pick them up when I wanted to spool up a new line.

I've done a fair share of "field testing" these with very good results and never had to make a corrective repair. I highly recommend these esp if you can find them for half the price as a Liquid, even when discounted.

Full disclosure: I do subscribe to the line of thinking that a reel doesn't do much more than hold line so I never invested $$ into buying one (only exception was picking up a System 5 reel to match a System 5 rod) and I probably only had to put a fish on an SLV drag 3, maybe 4 times but even with that, I'm highly confident of its performance. Pretty smooth by all accounts. They come highly recommended.

 

[Kms]

Almost my entire reel lineup is made up of SLVs. They check all the boxes for me: cheap, durable, smooth, cast aluminum (can't see why anyone would pay for anything else), easily maintained, easy access to parts if needed and durable (just in case you missed it the first time I said it). Okuma will tell you the difference betweenthe SLVs and the SLVbs are manufacturing tolerances but they're entirely interchangeable. Only P/N difference is the drag disc material but the reel form factors are completely identical and interchangeable. I have a couple of both and swap bodies and spools all the time:

View attachment 1641236680

For a while you could find an SLV complete reel cheaper than a spare spool so I'd just pick them up when I wanted to spool up a new line.

I've done a fair share of "field testing" these with very good results and never had to make a corrective repair. I highly recommend these esp if you can find them for half the price as a Liquid, even when discounted.

Full disclosure: I do subscribe to the line of thinking that a reel doesn't do much more than hold line so I never invested $$ into buying one (only exception was picking up a System 5 reel to match a System 5 rod) and I probably only had to put a fish on an SLV drag 3, maybe 4 times but even with that, I'm highly confident of its performance. Pretty smooth by all accounts. They come highly recommended.

Thanks. That checks all of my boxes, especially durable 👍

 

[Kms]

Almost my entire reel lineup is made up of SLVs. They check all the boxes for me: cheap, durable, smooth, cast aluminum (can't see why anyone would pay for anything else), easily maintained, easy access to parts if needed and durable (just in case you missed it the first time I said it). Okuma will tell you the difference betweenthe SLVs and the SLVbs are manufacturing tolerances but they're entirely interchangeable. Only P/N difference is the drag disc material but the reel form factors are completely identical and interchangeable. I have a couple of both and swap bodies and spools all the time:

View attachment 1641236680

For a while you could find an SLV complete reel cheaper than a spare spool so I'd just pick them up when I wanted to spool up a new line.

I've done a fair share of "field testing" these with very good results and never had to make a corrective repair. I highly recommend these esp if you can find them for half the price as a Liquid, even when discounted.

Full disclosure: I do subscribe to the line of thinking that a reel doesn't do much more than hold line so I never invested $$ into buying one (only exception was picking up a System 5 reel to match a System 5 rod) and I probably only had to put a fish on an SLV drag 3, maybe 4 times but even with that, I'm highly confident of its performance. Pretty smooth by all accounts. They come highly recommended.

Fyi, if you need any more 23b reels, Okuma is selling them direct for 50% off ($23).

SLV

The Okuma SLVb fly reel series represents the latest in affordable, high-quality tackle. These die-cast aluminum reels feature a super large arbor design for blazing fast line retrieval, making them ideal for use with the fastest fish species. The precision machined stainless steel spool shaft...

okumafishingusa.com

 

[Bamboozle]

Why buy a junker reel or rod as a back-up?

Save your money until you can buy another decent rod/reel and take that with you as a back-up and as an added benefit you have TWO nice combos.

FWIW - I always take at least two rods & reels with me just in case, although they are typically never the same length, line weight or reel as the outfit I plan to use. Usually it is a heavier line weight option in case it is windy when I get to my intended destination.

If the worst happens and I have to use a 8'0" 5wt instead of a 7'0" 3wt...

Who cares as long as I am fishing...

 

[Swattie87]

Okuma reels are plenty good enough for starter set ups IMO. I have 4 fly reels, 3 are Okuma (2 Sierras and 1 SLV).

The 2 Sierra’s are on Brookie rods for the most part and have pretty rough lives. The SLV is on my WW setup.

Unless you’re planning on floating the D and/or the Lehigh a lot, they’re fine.

Edit: By “starter”, I meant primary setups you use regularly, not starter as in “beginner”.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I use a Redington iD on one of my rigs on occasion. It's for an 8 wt., so I've actually used the drag. It works fine. (Can't say I have any particular attachment to any of my reels.)

They're aluminum, which I prefer over the plastic composite or whatever on the Crosswater. Looks like they're about $60 right now.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Oh, also, if you buy a Redington reel and they pre-spool it with Rio line for you, as they like to do, just strip that line off the reel, tie it around a large rock, and sink it to the bottom of the nearest body of water. That's where the first two feet of the tip is going to head anyway if you try to fish it.

 

[Fishmore]

I have a couple of SLVb’s and like them. Have other brands too (more $$) and am never hesitant to pick the SLVb, depending on what I need. I actually like the concave shape and semi- grippy material of the retrieval knob and the drags are pretty linear in adjustment. Have ‘dunked’ them a few times and the drag continues to feel fine after a shake out.

They are a solid bargain in my limited experience. Don’t hesitate if they are in your budget.

I ordered one direct from Okuma and had good service.

 

[Kms]

Why buy a junker reel or rod as a back-up?

Save your money until you can buy another decent rod/reel and take that with you as a back-up and as an added benefit you have TWO nice combos.

FWIW - I always take at least two rods & reels with me just in case, although they are typically never the same length, line weight or reel as the outfit I plan to use. Usually it is a heavier line weight option in case it is windy when I get to my intended destination.

If the worst happens and I have to use a 8'0" 5wt instead of a 7'0" 3wt...

Who cares as long as I am fishing...

i bought decent rods (TFO Signatures) and good line (SA Mastery Trout) but I don’t see value - for ME - spending much on fly reels. But I also don’t want actual junk like to Quarrow reel I have (pictured above).

For spin fishing I go the other way: I’ve paid up for Daiwa reels and slick braided line, but only buy Ugly Stik rods.

 

[Kms]

Unless you’re planning on floating the D and/or the Lehigh a lot, they’re fine.

Why would they not be ok for these larger rivers?