# Reel suggestions



## ETibbs (Jun 20, 2013)

Looking to upgrade reel for salt. 8-10wt range. I've looked at Allen reels which seem to fit the budget. Not looking to spend over $200 since I only fish salt about 5-10 times a year. Any suggestions?

While the forum is open, I'm also open to rod suggestions too in case I do go up to a 10wt and a little more birthday money comes along. I like fast rods if that helps. Again, not a huge budget for it and I've tried some Redbone rods (closer to the budget I might have) but they seem a little slower than what I like.


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## PusherManB2 (Apr 11, 2015)

I have an Allen and it performs well but I would almost certainly not purchase another due to the lack of drag noise. It's practically silent. I really like the Lamson brand for the price and the Velocity is a really good model. You can find them used in your price range and/or buy the older model new. I have used these for a few years and have zero complaints.


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## ETibbs (Jun 20, 2013)

Which model do you have?


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## PusherManB2 (Apr 11, 2015)

The Allen is the Alpha II and my Lamsons I have the Litespeed 3 and the Velocity 3.5


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## FishFighter92 (Jul 10, 2012)

A new company that has emerged in the market is Taylor reels. I have a 7wt Array that has landed a handful of reds so far.


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## ditz (Apr 22, 2012)

I just went to the Taylor site and it says absolutely nothing about the reel drag. Just some hype but nothing concrete about the metal, drag, anodizing, machining. Poor advertisement IMO. I sure would not spend $100 to $400 on hype.


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## FishFighter92 (Jul 10, 2012)

The thing is that it's a sealed drag system so if you dip it in saltwater it's fine with a carbon fiber disk drag for less than $200. I'm not sure where else you will find those two put together for the price. When you're ballin' on a budget, that's just what you've got to do.


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## Snobbler (Jun 23, 2009)

I own 2 Allen reels, the Alpha III and the Kraken, and love both of them!! There are serveral good reels out there that will fall into the price range you are looking for and just as many opinions. What really sold me on Allen other than a quality reel is that they are a small company that really cares about their customers!!!!! Plus if you sign for their newsletter right now they will send you a code for an additional 15% off


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## testoner (Oct 18, 2014)

Take a look at the Orvis Access. It is $185 for the 9-11 weight Access V. Orvis support is pretty good, generally. Overall, I've been very, very happy with the reel. I own about 10 reels from 3 weight to 10 weight and this reel easily compares to my $500+ ones in most respects. The drag system is a carbon and stainless steel washer system, not the best on the market, but pretty darn good for a reel of this price.

What amazes me is that over and over I see people spend a ton of money on a reel only to 1) palm the reel when they get a fish on or 2) use their hand to control the line and play the fish. I've watched fishing buddies and just others I've fished with do that with their $1200 rod and reel combinations. They would be just as well off with a $100 Cabela's combination as their reel is simply a line holder at that point and nothing more. What you are really paying for with a good reel is the drag system. Get the best drag system you can and then use it when you get a fish on.


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## Maps (Apr 18, 2008)

For 21 years I used a Scientific Anglers system 2 on a no-name K-Mart rod. It worked fine because I took care of it but the drag wasn't anything special and I found myself palming it most of the time. After all those years (and saving my dollars) I finally upgraded to the Orvis Mirage and it was worth every cent and the time it took me to afford it. The difference is night and day. I never realized you could use the drag on a fly rod the same way you can on a spinning reel!
When I bought my system 2 there simply weren't other options out there and without the internet I was limited to what was in town.

These days there's a lot of good quality reels with drags that do the work for you. As others have said, look for a sealed drag and take good care of whatever you get.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

I have a Wright & McGill Sabalos, a Wright & McGill Khatnu (Alaskan version of the Sabalos), & an Allen Trout II. All three reels have killer drag systems that will handle large fish without any issues. The Wright & McGills have both put redfish up to 30 pounds in the boat without the drag skipping a beat! Those reels are $200, but if you check eBay every so often you may even be able to pick one of for $50-$70 less than that.


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