reels

[jgduckhunter]

someone give their opinion on reels. i'm looking for 5 to 6 weight thats reasonably priced.

[kytroutman]

For a good reel at a good price, it's hard to beat the Orvis Clearwater.

[David Knapp]

If you think you'll be targeting any species where a decent drag is necessary, think about the Orvis Battenkill or Battenkill Bar Stock II reels. I used the Battenkills exclusively on large fish during my recent trip west and the drag didn't fail me once. They are great reels for the price...

[Gerry Romer]

Define "reasonably"...

I have the Clearwater, the Battenkill Mid-arbor, and the BBS II. All good reels for their respective prices. I find myself using the BBS II more than the others, primarily because of the weight/size. I fish the mountains more than the tailwaters and the BBS II is a better "fit" with either my 8' 3 wt. for dries, or my 8'6" 4 wt for dries, dry/dropper rigs, or nymphs. On tailwaters, I prefer the Battenkill Mid-arbor with my 9' 5wt.

So, for me, it's been a question of finding the right combination of rod/reel/line for the water I'm fishing. I'll have to defer to Plateau regarding the drag issue, since I have yet to encounter a fish large enough to test my drag.

If I had to pick one... BBS II

[flyred06]

I have 2 orvis battenkills mib arbors and they are awesome reels for an oustanding price. Great finish and suppereb drag

[jgduckhunter]

thanks guys i was already thinking about getting the battenkill. i have one and like it but i also wanted to test the waters here to see if anyone knew something i didn't

[BuckeyeRick]

Go to elkhornflyrodandreel.com - check out their "Web specials" and take a look at the T-2 for $129. I bought a T-1 (2/3/4 wt) and just got the T-2 (5/6 wt). The T-1 had 2 little scratches on it and I received an e-mail letting me know if I wasn't satisfied to send it back. The T-2 is perfect. These reels are like a piece of fine jewelry. The drags are great. Back in June, I landed 4 Carp, all over 7 lbs, on the 3 wt with no trouble.