Need advice on a quality reel = not to expensive

[FishinBearcat]

I just puchased a Flextec 10' 7/8 Wt and am looking to purchase a new reel as well. I am a novice by every definition but I have been bitten by the bug. Looking for the steelhead this fall. any help wouldbe greatly appreciated. Thanks

[TheCream]

I just puchased a Flextec 10' 7/8 Wt and am looking to purchase a new reel as well. I am a novice by every definition but I have been bitten by the bug. Looking for the steelhead this fall. any help wouldbe greatly appreciated. Thanks

The reel I have on my 7wt is a fairly cheap Cabelas Prestige large arbor reel. I've not quite had it a year, but have zero complaints. It has handled 30" steelhead, 3lb smallies, the freak 26.5" saugeye I hooked into, two big smallmouth buffalo, and the drag performed beautifully on all of them. I was only using 6lb fluoro tippet on the steelies, which I realized after the fact I could bump up without issues, but it protected that tippet great on a couple of long runs from bigger fish. The spare spools are also pretty cheap, I bought one this spring and filled it with a sink-tip line.

[FishinBearcat]

Thank you, looks like the ticket...

[Flyfish Dog]

ross reels!

[Clayton]

I have to recommend Ross. They're more expensive than the prestige, but I love how smooth my flyrise is. And it can do this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/ingenexec/bigbrown.jpg

on 4x tippet. that's a 26" brown trout. I caught about 20 trout over 20" that day and never broke one off, on 4 and 5x tippet. I couldn't be happier.

The only reel I have that's more of a tank than that is the Sage 1650, which I am slowly burning the drag out of on giant fish, so I can't really recommend it anymore :( the first half of the drag doesn't even engage, haha. That said, it'll still protect 4x from 30" chrome steelies, so I guess that's a vote in its favor. I just know it won't last much longer before I have to retire it :(

[Flyfish Dog]

Best drag in the business is BPS Gold Cup and one of the best deals for $200 but it not as cheap as many others. You can get by a majority of the time on a under $50 reel though. I almost bought the Orvis Mirage reel the other day and it is one of the nicest reels on the market.

[Clayton]

I dunno about the Mirage... it's a great reel, but that is an awful lot of money period. You going for tuna? :D

[Ajax]

No body mentioned a Pflueger Medalist yet?

[fallen513]

I'm a huge fan of the Lamson Konic. Right around $100.

[Clayton]

I'm a huge fan of the Lamson Konic. Right around $100.

I really want to try one when my Sage dies, but I can't find them! Where'd you get one to try it out, or did you order it on faith?

[Flyfish Dog]

I dunno about the Mirage... it's a great reel, but that is an awful lot of money period. You going for tuna? :D

Sharks out of a kayak in the ocean.:)
I really like them but no I dont think will pay that much for one now.

[fallen513]

BassPro down here carries them in various sizes. Unique conical drag.

http://flydepot.com/flyfishing/images/tech_spindle.gif

Nice, cheap & super light. The 3/4 weighs 4.4 oz.

Super easy, pressure fit spool change. Nice baked on destruction proof finish.