# Help me decide which reel to buy.



## randallbob (Mar 13, 2011)

I think the title for this post says it all. I'm putting this out there because I know there is a lot of knowledge on OGF. My price point is $100 or less. I know there are those out there that will say, "You get what you pay for". And don't get me wrong I'd love a $500 Sage or Orvis but that's not in the cards for me right now. 

I bought a 4 piece 10 Redington Pursuit a while back for steelhead fishing. But have not got a reel for it yet. My questions are: Does anyone have experience with the following reels? Which one of these would be the best buy for the money?

Available at Cabelas.

	Cabelas RLS+ Fly Reel 7/8wt. on sale for $79.99. It is a large arbor reel with a Rulon disc drag system. Note: free shipping is available.
	Echo Ion Fly Reel 6/7 wt. for sale at $79.99. It is a large arbor reel with a Rulon disc drag system. Note: free shipping is not available.

Available at Bass Pro.

	Sage 1600 Series Fly Reel 7/8/9 wt. for sale at $99.00. It is a large arbor reel with a premium sealed graphite drag system. Note: free shipping is not available.

I am leaning toward the Cabela's RLS reel.

I would like to use this outfit for steelhead and carp. Ideally, I would like to buy American made but that doesn't look like it will be possible for my price range. In addition, I still need to buy backing line, fly line, leader, and tippet. So that is going to cost more money.

Thanks for the advice...
-Randy


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## christianfishn (Apr 23, 2011)

I don't have the other but I do have the Sage and love it! I would definitely go with it if you can. Bass pro will actually have it for $79 on friday, so that kind of makes it a no brainer for me. 
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...ID=206&template=daily-specials.cfm&storeID=11


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## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

Its silly to ask anyone to tell you what to buy---do the research and decide what fits your application----save your money and buy what you decided. 

If you dont like the reel that we suggest, you might leave and we wont know why.

I happen to like Hardys for freshwater , I would rather find a used Hardy than a new blah blah blah, but i went through a bunch of junk before i decided that I liked Hardys.

Everybody that has done this for any length of time has a bunch of stuff that was a bad decision at the time. I have reels that were stamped and were junk out of the box---others that the finish fell off---some too small and some too big, another has a spool that flies off when i catch a bigger fish.

Buy something that you can afford and start catching fish and join in on the fun.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I believe in design innovation. 


Of the 3, only 2 represent a unique design...vs. a Chinese mimicry chosen from some shoddy catalog.

Between those 2, it is a complete toss up.

I'd go with the Echo, which represents a company that is innovative and stands behind their products 100%. Sage is a great company as well.


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## nitsud (May 22, 2010)

Don't know much about the Echo or Cabelas models, but I have a 1600. I had some issues with it:

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?p=1508969#post1508969

but I still like the reel, and after cleaning up the defect in the paint, I've dunked it a number of times with no ill effects.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I have owned 2 Echo fly rods. The first was stolen 10 years ago. I missed that rod ever since. They are the most forgiving rods for steelhead I have used. End of last year, Craig at Erie Outfitters had the Echo Ion rod in 10ft 7wt on sale. I bought it. I love it even more than the first generation. I would bet on the Echo product. I just don't need a reel right now.

I will tell you, the 2nd steelhead reel I bought in 2002, still works great. I paid 100 bucks for the Redington 7/8wt at Backpackers. I bought a second one a year later. Now this reel won't work during freezing conditions well, and neither will any other reels that don't have seeled drag system, but I still use it in Spring and on Lake Erie. Solid Reel for the money. I just have to find a way to replace the cork drag on the original.

I like the large star on my Redington for easy adjustments while into a fish. I keep it light at first, then when the fish tires I tighten the drag to get them in. I would think they are all similar to each other. Erie Outfitters may carry the Echo that you can get a look at it in person. Plus he is a great guy.

Have fun with the purchase.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

The Orvis cleawater LA is $79 and works fine for steel. The 1680s were a great reel for the money as well.
the only problem I tend to have with less expensive reels is the cast aluminium they are made of, not as durable as the machined reels, however its difficult to find a well machined reel for under 200.


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## crazypoultry (May 18, 2009)

I have 3 ion reels (2/3,6/7 and 8/10) 
And plan on adding a 4/5 soon. Great reels never had an issue with any of them.

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## NiceCatchAustin (Jan 20, 2013)

I personally don't own any of the reels that you mentioned. My gut instinct would be to go with the Sage 1600 simply because of the sticker (Sage makes great fly fishing equipment), but I can't offer any first-hand experience. But in terms of reels under $100, I honestly don't think you can beat the Allen ATS. And if you're willing to do a bit of digging, you might be able to find a Lamson Konic for <$100 (I'm a big Lamson reels fan).


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

Marketing is an interesting area. I myself like click and pawl. Use rod angles and apply pressure with your finger to apply additional drag, if needed. Seems to have worked for old tyme steelhead fisherman. Most of the time, disc drag users set the drag once and never give it another thought afterwards or if they do they panic and re-set the drag too tight during the heat of the moment and "Pop!". Doubt the steelhead have changed that much over the years to require a "drag that will stop a train". Sharks, Atlantic stripers, or coba may be a different story...

To answer your question, go to ebay and bid on a "vintage" pflueger medalist for less than 30 bucks. Apply new lube to it and you have a classic and solid designed reel that will connect you to the fishing, not the equipment. 

http://www.flyfishohio.com/Anglers_Guide_to_Pflueger_Medalist.htm


That's my 2 cents.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

NiceCatchAustin said:


> I personally don't own any of the reels that you mentioned. My gut instinct would be to go with the Sage 1600 simply because of the sticker (Sage makes great fly fishing equipment), but I can't offer any first-hand experience. But in terms of reels under $100, I honestly don't think you can beat the *Allen* ATS. And if you're willing to do a bit of digging, you might be able to find a Lamson Konic for <$100 (I'm a big Lamson reels fan).


Allen is one brand I would steer clear of. They may have good customer service, but you're going to need to use it a lot. I've only found one place that actually raves about their stuff, and I think that Allen is the major sponsor of that forum. I'm not the only one to feel this way... *Buyer beware*.


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## BradS (Apr 7, 2004)

Echo Ion.

http://www.flyfishusa.com/reels/echo/echo-ion-reels.htm

Brad


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## ttbnate (May 1, 2012)

If you haven't already made your purchase, I'd give the Flyrise series by Ross a try. They're in your price range, and are certainly of sound quality and functionality.


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