04-18-2010, 02:36 PM
There are a lot of factors that go into what you should look at in a reel. What are you going to be using the reel for? What rod is it going on? If it is a 5 wt or lower that is to fish the rivers around Utah, drag is really unimportant IMO.
Honestly, even on bigger fish around here, when was the last time someone had to get to their drag to fight a 16-20 inch trout on the Provo, Weber, or Green? If you say "all the time" I call BS or say you just simply need a refresher course on how to land a fish quickly and unharmed. I don't mean that to be rude, just honest.
There are species and situations where drag is extremely important. On a 5 wt in Utah, those situations are very limited. If you're fishing for the species where drag is very important, you're not using a 5 wt.
Budget is also an important factor. For me, "not spending much money" for a reel might be $150. For someone else, "not spending much money" for a reel could be $400. It's a matter of perspective most the time.
So, tell us a little more about what you're using the reel for. That way more specific recommendations can be made.
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Honestly, even on bigger fish around here, when was the last time someone had to get to their drag to fight a 16-20 inch trout on the Provo, Weber, or Green? If you say "all the time" I call BS or say you just simply need a refresher course on how to land a fish quickly and unharmed. I don't mean that to be rude, just honest.
There are species and situations where drag is extremely important. On a 5 wt in Utah, those situations are very limited. If you're fishing for the species where drag is very important, you're not using a 5 wt.
Budget is also an important factor. For me, "not spending much money" for a reel might be $150. For someone else, "not spending much money" for a reel could be $400. It's a matter of perspective most the time.
So, tell us a little more about what you're using the reel for. That way more specific recommendations can be made.
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