The rumors are over.  Sage has unveiled it's 2013 line-up with 4 new rods and a few new reels.  We'll have another post on the new reels, but here's a first look at some of the new rods.  An interesting note: Sage has completely done away with their 2-piece rods for 2013.  Photos will be posted shortly.

We'll be at IFTD this year and will be tweeting about all the new gear!  Follow us on Twitter

Sage Approach - $295

Replacing the Vantage, the new Approach is Sage's "Entry Level" fly rod.  It will feature a dark grey blank (which looks a little like the Hardy Zenith).

The 9-foot 5-weight (590-4) weighs in at 3 3/8 oz., and the 790-4 at 3 3/4 oz.  Both are just a hair heavier than the Vantage, which seems to contradict the direction the industry is taking for lighter = better.  Given this new weighting, I'd expect the Approach to be a little faster than the Vantage, but we'll have to wait and see.

The Approach will be available in a 4-piece models from a 7' 3-weight to 9' 9-weight.

Get it here.

Sage Response - $395

The Response replaces the ever popular Flight as Sage's mid-range, fast action fly rod.  It looks like Sage has kept the signature Orange/Brown blank for this series.  I thought the Flight lacked feel, but hopefully the Response will improve on that.

In terms of weight, the Response 590-4 tops the scale at 3 5/16 oz. - about 1/8 oz lighter than the Flight.

The Response will range from a 7' 3-weight to 9' 12-weight.  There are a few 9'6" and 10' models available as well.

Buy it here.

Sage Circa - $770

Sage is largely know for its fast action rods, but the Circa is designed for the caster with a slower stroke.  It replaces the ZXL (one of my favorites), but based on the press I've seen so far, it's going to be even slower - Sage calls it "Advanced Slow Action".  I think Sage has the Scott F2 in their sights with this release.

The Circa features a snub-nosed Half-Wells grip, olive blank and a gold rod tube (which screams fiberglass).  The Circa 589-4 (a throwback to the SP?) weighs 2 1/2 oz.  It will be initially available in models from a 7' 9" 2-weight to 8'9" 5-weight.

Buy it here.

Sage ONE Elite - $1,295 (really?)

After many complaints from the fly fishing community (or at least from me) about the components and build on the ONE, Sage has decided to release the ONE Elite.  The new ONE Elite will have all titanium guides, a titanium reel seat, and two tip sections.  It's really a thing of beauty, and it adds the excellent casting ability of the ONE.  Still missing alignment dots though...

To start, the ONE Elite will only be available in a  9-foot 5-weight.  This rod weighs a whopping 3 7/16 oz.  Over an ounce more than the standard ONE.  Ouch.

We have another exciting 2013 preview for you.  Waterworks Lamson has three new reels for 2013.  The Lamson Arx Fly Reel brings a new level of performance for Spey and switch anglers.  The Lamson Speedster Fly Reel mates classic Lamson performance with a much larger arbor.  Finally, the every popular Lamson Konic Fly Reel gets a makeover.

We'll be at IFTD this week!  Follow us on Twitter for live updates from the show!

Arx - $439

The Arx is all Waterworks.  It's the first fly reel designed from the bottom up for the Spey and switch angler. As Spey and Scandi lines evolve, the need for a reel that prevents line snagging has become more and more critical.  The Arx solves this problem with a full cage frame, while leaving a small section open to allow anglers to palm the reel.  Add a Vanquish-style drag knob and we might have a winner!

Speedster - $279

The Speedster is Lamson's first foray into "ultra-large arbor" fly reels.  Think Hardy Ultralight DD meets the Lamson Litespeed.  As most of you know, the larger the arbor, the faster the retrieve - which makes this reel aptly named.  It features a narrower spool, which was, frankly, one of the only things I don't like about the current models.  The narrower the spool, the less the need for a line winder, and therefore, less chance of line piling up.

The downside of larger arbors is the need for more drag.  For those of you who don't remember your physics, the greater the radius, the greater the torque.  Since the standard size conical drag has trouble in saltwater sizes, let's hope the Speedster will have a much beefier drag.  Wait and see!

Konic II - $139

The ever popular Konic has had a makeover for 2013.  It's now got a great two-tone skin, but it has maintained its entry-level price and buttery smooth Lamson conical drag.  I'm also hoping for a smoother finish and less noise.

All models will be available in mid-September 2012.

Check out the entire lineup of Lamson Fly Reels!

This is the review you’ve all been waiting for. The Trident staff finally got a chance to cast the new Sage Circa at IFTD, and we were definitely impressed. But we weren’t the only ones, apparently, because the Circa won the award for Best New Fly Rod!

This review is based on the 589-4, but the 4-weights should be fairly similar. What’s missing from this review? Since we were casting in an indoor pool, we didn’t get a chance to test it on the water, with nymphs, or trying to hit targets for accuracy.

The rod we cast was paired with Rio Gold line, and I would guess that your favorite trout taper (not a GPX or other half-size heavier line) would work just as well.

For those of you who haven’t been following the press, the Circa is Sage’s newest high performance rod. It features:

• ‘Modern’ slow action
• Konnetic Technology (just like the Sage One)

It’s available now in a 7'9" 2-weight through 8'9" 5-weight.

What is ‘modern’ slow action?

When I first read about the Sage Circa, I (incorrectly) assumed that Sage was attempting to make a fiberglass rod out of graphite. I guess I can’t be right all the time. The Circa is no noodle. We’re seeing a great trend in rod-building where manufacturers are seeking to create rods that are very accurate and cast far with a lot of feel. Which is exactly how I would describe the Circa’s action: a lot of flex combined with fast and accurate recovery. I did have to slow down my casting stroke a bit, but only slightly, and most won’t have to at all.

Look and Feel

The Circa is very much a Sage. It features a green blank that is a little reminiscent of the Z-axis and a snub-nosed half-wells handle – just like the TXL-F. What really shocked me is how slim the shaft is – much slimmer than any other rod on the market. Still no alignment dots… A guy can dream...

The Circa is also very light, the 5-weight tips the scales at 2.5 oz., but feels much lighter in hand.

Distance & Accuracy

I was really surprised here. I had no trouble casting the Circa out to 60 feet or so, and probably could have gone farther! Certainly this couldn’t be done with a glass rod. It holds up well even with a strong double haul.

I was also able to deliver flies very accurately time after time – I guess Sage’s Konnetic technology might not be a marketing ploy after all!

Presentation

Clearly the Sage Circa was designed for the technical presentation of dry flies – and it does so marvelously. Not as well as my TXL-F 000 (but nothing is), but definitely better than the Hardy Zenith or Sage One. There’s a ripple, but not much of one.

Other thoughts

The Circa replaced the ZXL in the Sage lineup, but when I picked it up, I immediately thought of the TXL-F, so naturally, I cast them back to back. There’s a lot of overlap here. While Sage has no plans to make the Circa in ‘micro’ light weights (000-1), I could easily see them discontinuing the TXL in the 2-4 weights.

Conclusion

For the dry fly aficionado, it’s the best Sage rod to date. If you like the feel of the ZXL, TXL-F, you’ll love the Sage Circa. It’s still a limited purpose rod, however, so if you’re looking for a one trick pony, check out the Hardy Zenith or the Sage One. Choose the Circa for spring creeks, mountain streams and other small waters.

Pros

• Buttery smooth action
• Terrific dry fly presentation
• Solid distance

Cons

• Sage price tag
• Hardcore Sage fans will probably miss the fast action

Check out all of our Sage Fly Rods!

Introduction

The Sage ONE is the other 5-weight that everyone was talking about in 2012. It’s Sage’s signature rod, and when Jerry Siem (Sage’s rod designer) designs a fly rod like this – he does it right. It’s all Sage. Fast. Light. Accurate. The feel was a solid upgrade from the Z-axis as well. Keep reading to for the details.

Here's what we were casting today:

• Sage One 9' 5-weight
• Hardy Ultralite DD 4000
• Rio Gold WF5F fly line

Fit and Finish

The fit and finish are top notch. The rod is adorned with a full wells grip, which I liked, Ceramic stripping guide and hard chromed snake guides. The reel seats on, and up to, the 5-weight have a wood/bronze colored aluminum finish. The 6-weight rods and up all have just a bronze colored aluminum finish. The blank is black which I also liked. All of this done on Bainbridge Island, WA!

Weight

The rod is listed at 2 ¾ oz.

The rod balanced well with the Hardy reel (which weighs in at 4.8 oz.). Swing weight was very light... but didn’t feel quite as light as the Winston BIIIX or the Hardy Zenith but very close. I immediately liked the feel of the Sage One in my hand. It was remarkably light and felt like it had good power without being overly stiff. A good start...

Distance

This is where the Sage ONE shined, in my opinion. As I started to work more line out I could really feel the power this rod has. I didn't feel as though I had to work hard at all while trying to cast further. The rod felt like it was doing the work for me. In fact, I almost had to ease back a little as I found it was creating very tight loops already. A couple hard lasers smacking the ground reminded me I had to do less. If you go to the Sage website it seems as though they are promoting the rods accuracy as its main feature, for me it was more about the "umph" it possessed. This "umph" in the rod would also help in fishing larger and heavier flies such as streamers and nymph rigs. Turning over the line would not be a problem. At times it almost felt like it had the power of a heavier rod. It had excellent tracking enabling accurate casts at longer distances. I really enjoyed casting this rod.

Accuracy

At shorter distances I didn't feel as though the ONE was as accurate as it was at longer distances. The stiffer feel, especially near the tip, made it made it tougher to hit targets less than 40’. As I tried to dial in my accuracy at short distances, I found it took a little while for me to adjust my cast and timing after casting my usual stick (which is a tad softer), but quickly felt comfortable throwing short to medium casts with reasonable accuracy. Nothing that was outrageously better than similarly priced rods though. In comparison to say the Winston B3X, the One was slightly less "finesse-able."

Flex & Feel

The Sage One is a good example of a “fast-action” rod. Certainly not as stiff as say the Sage TCX but it provided stiffness mixed with feel.

Nymphing

Again, some of the drawbacks to having less feel, at say 25', pay off with the ability to throw larger rigs and heavier flies. The Sage ONE would be a good nymphing rod while its substantial butt section would help in hauling up big fish in deeper pools. This same stiffness would help turning over multiple flies and an indicator.

Streamers

I like to throw streamers. One of the first things I thought while casting it was how great it would cast streamers. If I could have/design a 9' 5-weight rod strictly for throwing streamers to trout and salmon, this would be it.

Warranty

Lifetime warranty with a $50 shipping/processing fee if you need to send it back. http://www.sageflyfish.com/about/warranty/

Price: $775 (yes, the price went up)

Conclusion

The 5-weight class of rods is mainly a “do-it-all” group that usually sways toward one type of fishing or the other. In this case the Sage ONE's sway is towards distance and heavier flies. Although the accuracy was there, at short distances I felt I was simply aiming and hoping a lot more than usual (which is a lot).  I wish I had tested it with a half-size heavier line like RIO Grand or SA GPX. The superb tracking at longer distances did not work in its favor at shorter distances. If you find yourself throwing buggers more than caddis, this might be the rod for you.  I would also recommend loading it the SA GPX lines, which add a little more weight and will improve casting at short distances.

If you are also looking for a reel that would work well with the ONE – I'd suggest the lightest reel you can find. That's not always the case, but because the ONE has very light overall weight, I found the Hardy Ultralite DD to be a good fit here, as would the Lamson Litespeed.

Pros

• Very light swing weight, but doesn't lose power
• Good streamer/nymphing rod
• Lots of muscle

Cons

• Lacks feel at shorter distances with standard weight lines
• Sage price tag

The Winston Boron IIIx follows in the footsteps of it's predecessor, the BIIX. Both are light, medium/fast-action rods that not only set the standard for construction and finish, but also cast as good as they look. When Winston started designing the new B3x they intended it to be faster and more powerful than the BIIX. They succeeded.

Here's the outfit we were casting:

• Winston BIIIx 9' 5-weight
• Hardy Ultralite DD 4000
• Rio Gold WF5F

WEIGHT

2 5/8 Oz.

FIT AND FINISH

About as good (classy?) as it gets. They have a nice dark green finish, quality wraps, wonderful cork with solid nickle/aluminum reel seats.  Buyers also have the option of the more traditional box elder reel seat, which I prefer. The reel seat was optimally constructed with two up-locking screws (aluminum used in the 7wt and up). 7-Weights on up also have  a full wells grip. The small details like the quality of the stripping guide and the materials used in the top of the cork taper are what really stand out. Handwritten identification reminds you of it's American made roots and handmade construction.

DISTANCE

I would say that about 80 percent of my casting is of medium range of 30-50 feet. So when I picked up the BIIIX and started doing what would be my "usual" casts, I was extremely impressed. I would describe it as a "soft-fast" action. Meaning that it seemed to have plenty of power at these ranges, but also maintained its feel. Longer distances is where I felt a difference, though. A stronger double-haul was necessary to achieve longer distances in the variable wind in which I was casting. This is where the BIIIX suffered. At longer distances there was a lot more work involved and less confidence in where the fly was going to land. Putting out more than 60 feet of line resulted in bigger, less accurate loops. The BIIIX's soft tip tracked noticeably worse at longer distances than either say the Sage ONE or Hardy Zenith.

ACCURACY

Presentations at shorter distances were very good and delicate, again even in some decent wind. I casted up into the wind with decent loops and was able to present the fly quite delicately. Smooth. With it's softer feel, dry-fly presentation is ideal with the BIIIX. Feeling the rod load was very obvious and I felt less need to time my casts as I could feel it well. Yet, this same quality might give up points when trying to fish heavier flies or multiple fly nymph rigs. Although it's butt section with it's Boron construction is stiff, the mid and tip sections are softer which makes larger rigs seem a little sloppy while casting.

FLEX AND FEEL

Swing weight felt extremely light as well. Probably one of the lightest in it's class. Although without casting it, the BIIIX's tip felt very soft, it was noticeably stiffer than the earlier BIIX.

NYMPHING

Not many rods are great for both dry flies and nymphing, the B3x is no exception.  Although the solid Boron butt section felt good for fighting larger fish, casting and controlling a nymph rig would be tougher with the BIIIX that some other options. Also setting the hook on fish might prove more difficult with it's more forgiving tip section.

STREAMERS

Streamer weights can differ drastically and the heavier you go, the less the BIIIX could handle them. Again, it's softer tip would make it more difficult fishing larger streamers or anything bigger than bead heads.

DRY FLies

About as good as it gets. Dry fly presentation within 50 feet was effortless and deadly accurate. This is where the soft tip of the Winston really worked well. There was very little guessing as to where the fly was going to land and the ability to navigate delicate presentations even in some wind was easy.

WARRANTY

“Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee.” $50 for shipping, insurance, return packaging, etc. http://www.winstonrods.com/category/resources/warranty.php

Price - $795

CONCLUSION

The Winston BIIIX is one of the best rods on the market. Not only are you buying top notch American handmade craftsmanship that sets the standard for finish, you are also getting one of the best casting rods on the market too. The stiffer mid and tip sections of the rod compared to it's earlier version BIIX give the new BIIIX better capability in wind, longer distances, and somewhat heavier flies. Although that classic Winston feel has been updated to be a faster more “modern” rod, it still might not be as stiff and fast as some of it's equally price competitors. One of the best dry fly rods I've casted, the Winston B3X is a certified option when considering the lot.

PROS

• Great for dry flies
• Very impressive accuracy at short and medium ranges
• Beautiful finish
• Made in the USA.

CONS

• Suffers some at longer distances
• Lacks some of the versatility of other 5-weights in its class.

Introduction

If you’re around any fly shop long enough, you get to know the local gear junkies – the guys who really know (or want to know) everything about the latest and greatest tackle. These are the guys who hid paychecks from their wives to pick up the Hardy Zenith last spring.

And when it comes to saltwater – bonefish, stripers, redfish and so on – you hear all about the Sage Xi3, and the Hardy Proaxis. It’s not often that you hear them talking about a rod that costs 1/3 of the other rods. So, what did we do? Try it for ourselves!

Here’s the outfit we were using:

• TFO BVK 9’ 8-weight
• Hardy Ultralite DD 7000
• Rio Gold WF8F

Fit and Finish

This is definitely the weakest part of the rod. The green blank is charming enough, but the finish certainly doesn’t remind me of a Winston. It comes with a green carbon fiber reel seat and a full wells grip, with a fighting butt. The cork isn’t AAAA, but definitely nice enough (you almost never see bad cork these days). TFO’s tactical guides seem like a good match and are rock solid.

No rod tube…

Weight

The 9’ 8-weight BVK weighs 3.2 ounces – which makes it around half an ounce lighter than the Sage Xi3 and an ounce lighter than the G Loomis NRX. It also feels extremely light in hand – definitely a rod that you can cast all day.

Distance

I’m honestly able to cast this rod as far as any rod out there. Sure, there are cannons like the BII-MX that make it easier with lots of line out, but in general the BVK has plenty of muscle.

Accuracy

Need to hit a dinner plate? No problem with the TFO BVK. I was able to hit targets with nice tight loops even out to 100’!

Flex & Feel

Like all saltwater rods these days, it’s a fast rod. In the 8-weight spectrum, it’s probably right in the middle (The Winston B2-MX being about as fast as they get). Plainly put, it’s a pleasure to cast.

The tip is soft enough for short, delicate, casts to tailing bonefish, while the mid-section stiffens up to allow you to “put your shoulder” into longer casts. Finally, the butt section has enough muscle for a 30 lb. tarpon.

Warranty

TFO has the best warranty in the business. It’s got an unconditional lifetime warranty and a mere $25 for any returns. Better yet, they turn them around lightning fast.

Price: $249.95 – cheap!

Conclusion

BVK. It stands for Bernard Victor Kreh. Most of us know him as “Lefty”. He’s finally built a rod that is worthy of his name. Plainly put, it’s a great saltwater rod at any price. It’s an UNBELIEVABLE rod for $250. I’d take this rod anywhere – bonefish in the Bahamas, Silvers in Alaska, or redfish in Louisiana. Who won’t like this rod? Maybe those with very slow or very fast casting strokes.

It balances well with lighter reels, but could easily take a Hatch or Tibor reel as well.

Use it with standard 8-weight lines like Rio Bonefish, SA Sharkskin Saltwater, or even Rio Gold for the freshwater anglers out there.

Pros

• Fantastic Price
• Casts like an $800 rod
• TFO warranty

Cons

• Fit and finish feel like a $200 rod.
• No rod tube included.

New for 2013, the Redington Link replaces the CPX as Redington's "premier" rod.  Redington has updated the look and feel of the rod, as well as boosting its casting performance.

Enjoy the review? Buy it here.

Here's what I was casting:

• Redington Link 9' 5wt
• Hardy Ultralite DD 4000
• Rio Gold WF5F

Fit and Finish

This is a good looking rod.  There were three of us casting the Link and we all commented about how we liked the look of this rod.  The blank itself is black with light blue lettering (which looks nice) and white alignment dots.  Carbon fiber overlay not only gives it a nice visual touch, but is a factor in the rods construction/performance.  The reel seat on the 5-weight seemed on the cheaper side, though it looks like as you step up in weight they add better construction.  Cork seemed of OK grade.

Weight

The Redington Link is listed at 3.1oz.  The rod is light, but not the lightest in its class.  In hand, the swing weight felt felt light and had a good feel.

Distance

The Link's ability to cast longer distances was really dependent on double hauling.  The rod has a decent amount of power, but doesn't exactly give you a lot feel while doing so.  Long casts were possible but had to be based more on timing and creating line speed with hauling than they did on the response of the rod itself.  It's taper gives it a smooth power so throwing longer didn't feel jerky, but it lacked any sort of noticeable action.  It's stronger butt section not only helped with casting into the wind, but would certainly prove useful while fighting larger fish and lifting line off the water.

Accuracy

About as middle-of-the-road as one could imagine.  The Link's construction gives it good power and a steady feel, but very little in the way of delicate presentation.  At shorter distances it proved very average.  It would seem that the Link would be better suited for medium to longer distances than delicate 20' casts.

Flex and Feel

The Link has a smooth feel.  It doesn't feel overly powerful or stiff and no wet noodle either.

Nymphing

Digging larger fish out of deep pools would be a good task for the Link.  The strong butt section and steady taper allows for good control over a nymph rig and aids in mending lots of line in heavier flows.

Streamers

The Link would be a good rod for streamer fishing.  Above average power would help with heavier flies.  It should make a good bonefish or striper rod in larger sizes as well…

Dry Flies

Dry flies are not the Redington Link's strong suit.  I wasn't able to do much in terms of presenting a fly delicately.

Warranty

http://www.redington.com/support/warranty/

Price

$379

conclusion

Redington has put together a great new rod that's more than just a higher priced CPX.  The Redington Link fly rod is a solid performer in the mid-priced category, but never let me forget it was, in fact, mid-priced.

Pros

• Decent power and smooth at long distances
• Lightweight but strong enough for fighting larger fish
• Great looks

Cons

• Doesn't stand out in any particular category
• Feel could be improved across all distances

The Sage Response fly rod, new for 2013, replaces the Sage Flight as Sage's "entry-level", fast action rod. The Flight, and the FLi before it, was one of Sage's best selling rods and I was eager to cast it.

Help us keep posting great reviews.  Get this rod here.

Here's what I was casting:

• Sage Response 9' 5wt
• Hardy Ultralite DD 4000
• Rio Gold WF5F

Fit and Finish

Chestnut in color with chromed snake guides, ceramic stripper guide, Rosewood inserts and aluminum real seat (on the freshwater weights) give the rod a good "classic" look.  Overall, the Sage Response is built from high quality materials and is solidly constructed.  A more substantial reel seat with double uplocking screws gave it added bonus points versus similarly priced rods like the Redington Link or Winston Passport.  Half wells grip on the freshwater line weights (3-6) and full wells (plus fighting butt) on the 7-weight and heavier.

Weight

The Sage Response is listed as 3 5/16 oz.  It's a tad heavy by today's standards.

Distance

With a steady breeze blowing on test day, casting was a challenge but it gave me a good idea of how this rod would preform in varying conditions.  Casting directly into the wind seemed easier with the Response than similarly priced rods; the Response felt like it had better action, especially around the mid section.  This gave a decent feel at longer distances as well.  Although there wasn't a very noticeable load while casting, a stiff butt section helped with some added muscle.

Accuracy

Casting both the Sage Response and the Redington Link on the same day, the Sage was noticeably more accurate.  At short distances there was not much feel.  But, the more line in the cast the better the it got, still not a lot though.  Again, the mid section felt like it had good action and this helped with not only power but with accuracy as well.

Flex and Feel

Fast action.  Solid butt section which gave decent power and strength to fight larger fish.  But the rod lacked feel especially at short and medium distances.

Nymphing

Like many rods at this price point the Sage Response has a solid butt and mid section which give them good power but also the ability to dig fish out of deeper pools or turn over larger rigs while nymphing.

Streamers

Without the need for impeccable feel especially with larger flies, this Sage rod would be a good choice for streamers.  Swinging streamers across the current or fighting a big brown that wants to run in that direction would be well match with the Response.

Dry Flies

What the Response gains in distance and power in turn makes it less effective as a dry fly rod.  The lack of feel, although better than most at the price-point, would prove to be less desirable as a small creek and/or dry fly rod.  It also makes delicate presentations difficult.

Warranty

Sage's lifetime warranty: http://www.sageflyfish.com/about/warranty/

Price

$395

Conclusion

The all-new Sage Response brings Sage performance to an affordable price point.  Its a fast action rod that Sage fans will instantly recognize.  Fans of the Flight and the FLi will feel right at home with the Response.  Casters looking for more feel and a more forgiving action should look elsewhere.

Pros

• Stiff butt section creates good power and distance
• More flex in the mid section created better feel at longer distances
• Accuracy was better than most rods at this price point

Cons

• Lacked feel at short-medium distances

One of the most exciting new products of 2013 is the Lamson Speedster.  For those of your unfamiliar with Waterworks-Lamson, they produce some of the finest fly reels on the market and are unquestionably one of the leaders in design.  Lamson's newest creation is 2013 Lamson Speedster Fly Reel which combine's Lamson's silky smooth drag and lightweight design with a new, larger arbor.

Help support more reviews by purchasing this reel here.

Weight

Weight is always a top concern with fly reels, especially when fishing one of today's ultralight high performance rods.  At 4.25 ounces, the Speedster is certainly not heavy, but no lightweight either.

Drag

One of my biggest concerns (before testing) with the Speedster's new larger arbor was that the "standard" Lamson drag wouldn't be sufficient.  True, when compared directly with the Velocity, the drag is reduced, but you can easily dial in plenty of drag to stop that big brown trout.  It's also sealed to keep out dirt and sand.

Sound

As with all new Lamson reels, the Speedster sounds great.  It's got a click in both directions, which I prefer to a silent retrieve.

Arbor Size

The key feature of of the Lamson Speedster Fly Reel is the new extra large arbor, but how much larger is it? It's about 4/10th of an inch larger than the Lamson Velocity.  The largest diameter of the reel is 3.75 inches (measured with a digital caliper) versus 3.3 inches for the Velocity.  The base of the spool is 2.41 inches versus 2 inches on the Velocity.

What's the bottom line? You'll pick up line about 15% faster with the Speedster.

SPOOL

The other new feature of the of the Lamson Speedster is it's narrow spool.  This is one of my favorite features, as I routinely find myself having to use my fingers as a level wind.

Warranty

All Lamson reels come with a limited lifetime warranty.  As good as it gets in this business.

Conclusion

I haven't had a chance to fight a fish with this reel yet, but I'm betting the Lamson Speedster a fantastic trout reel.  Lamson also addressed one of my pet peeves by narrowing the spool so that you'll spend a lot less time wishing you had a level wind on your reel.

Pros

• Silky smooth Lamson sealed drag
• Great new narrow spool
• 15% faster retrieve

Cons

• Not as light as most Lamson reels
• Drag isn't as powerful as other Lamson reels

When I was planning my latest bonefishing trip to Long Island (the one in The Bahamas), I came across the Long Island Bonefishing Lodge which offers “assisted DIY” bonefishing.  Those who know me know that I’m a bit of a contrarian and this is a brand new concept in the world of fishing lodges, and probably the first change to the business model in 50 years.  Naturally, I set aside a day to check it out.

The Lodge

While traditional DIY bonefishing involves staying at a hotel/B&B/resort, the Long Island Bonefishing Lodge offers a true fishing lodge experience.  It’s situated close to the airport in Deadman’s Cay and only about 1 mile from some of the most productive flats on the island.  Further, it has one of the most beautiful locations on Long Island, with a deck perched over the bay – perfect for catching the sunset with a Kalik in your hand.

The rooms and dining area have all been recently remodeled and are on par with anything you’ll find on Long Island.

It’s also adorned with all of the fly fishing friendly features, like rod-racks :-)

The Fishing

What is “Assisted DIY”?  I asked myself the same question when I read about it.  It’s somewhere between a taxi to the flats and a full service guide.  The guides help you with fly selection (hint: they eat anything) and will even point out a few fish for the first timers.  It’s sold as the experience of finding and catching the fish on your own.  I can appreciate that.

Long Island is particularly well suited for this type of fishing.  It has 10s, if not 100s of square miles of walkable flats full of bonefish that have never seen a fly (for more on this, read my full post on Long Island Bonefishing here).

I got to experience both the good and the bad of assisted DIY as I fished with them on the worst day of my trip.  Rain was pouring down for much of the day and there wasn’t as much as a hint of sunlight.  This was the kind of day is challenging even if you’ve got the best guide pushing your boat, but especially challenging for the do-it-yourselfer.  Needless to say, I didn’t see many fish for most of the day.  We did manage to crack the code eventually, and I landed my only bonefish at the very end of the day.

All in all, it was a good experience, but I’m not sure where the lodge gets its cost savings from.  At 2-3 people per boat, the guides still spend all day with the anglers.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to go bonefishing on a limited budget, there are few options better than the Long Island Bonefishing Lodge.  For a little more than $200/pp/night you get all the bonefishing your heart desires.  If you’re looking for a fully guided experience, they offer that as well.  It’s perfect for experienced bonefishers and anglers looking to for a little extra challenge.  Your spouse will probably even enjoy the great surroundings.  If you’re new to bonefishing (or worse, fly fishing), or are have mobility issues, I might look someplace else first.

www.longislandbonefishinglodge.com

Already booked a trip?  Tell Nevin that Trident sent you.

The Sage 6000 Series fly reel has long been Sage's benchmark saltwater fly reel.  While Sage is well known for their fly rods, not a lot has been said about their reels.  With the 8000 Pro as the new flagship series, we knew that the 6000 wasn't likely to be their top performer, but we were still curious to see how it measured up.

8-Weight Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

7.5 ounces - about average.

DRAG

4.3 lbs. We were fairly surprised to see that the 6080 had so little drag, particularly when compared to the Sage 1880. Nevertheless, the drag is nicely sealed and delivers all of its power in one turn, which is a plus.

DRAG TEST GRAPH 

SOUND

Again, nothing to write home about, but not bad.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

The Sage 6080's spool was a little above average in terms of volume.  You can safely use it with 9-weight lines as well as 8.  Retrieve was nice and quick.

The spool is easy to remove and replace.

LOOK & FEEL

Whereas we never liked the look of the 6000 series in the past, the updated paint job and the new "Sage Black" coloration is actually pretty nice! The handle is nice as well.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $50 fee.

Price: $600

CONCLUSION

At Trident, we've never been a big fan of the looks on the Sage 6080, but the new finish has made us reconsider.  The reel was about average across the board, with a below average drag strength. If it's got to be Sage, go for the 8080 Pro instead.

Like our reviews?  Get it here.

PROS

• Updated looks are a big improvement
• Plenty of room for extra line

CONS

• Expensive for a reel that's made in Korea
• Drag strength leaves a lot to be desired

Not a lot of people have heard of Cheeky.  They are one of the newest reels on the market - but they are certainly making a splash. The Cheeky Mojo 425 is their "inshore" model, designed for 8-9 weight lines. The reel looks great, but how does it perform?

8-Weight Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

7.35 ounces - one of the lighter reels in the test.

DRAG

Unfortunately, Cheeky's drag was as strong as some of the top reels in this test.  At 3.67 lbs, it's plenty for freshwater and even steelheading, though. Cheeky's drag is also unsealed, which makes it less durable for saltwater use.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

The Mojo sounds great, but it's a little softer than I'd like.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

The Cheeky Mojo was near the top of the class here.  It's got a lightning fast retrieve, reasonably narrow spool, and plenty of room for 9-weight lines as well.  The spool is also easily removed for quickly changing lines.

LOOK & FEEL

No reel made today has a more "love it, or hate it" look than Cheeky.  Personally, we love it.  There's absolutely no mistaking it for any other reel out there. The colors are bold and certainly stand out in the crowd.  But more than that, the Mojo feels solid and has a great handle.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $40 fee.

Price: $380

CONCLUSION

Cheeky has done a great job on this reel. Amazing colors and a great spool design all for an entry-level price.  Take it to your local river now.

PROS

• Great looks
• Outstanding price
• Pulls line in FAST

CONS

• Missed the mark in terms of drag strength

Redington Reels are synonymous with value. The Redington Delta is the latest reel in their "big game" line, but will it measure up? Find out below.

8-Wt Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

7.85 ounces. A little heavy, but still in the right ballpark.

DRAG

6.9 lbs with low start-up inertia. It's got a lot of drag for a $200 reel. We were impressed.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

The Delta sounds just like the Rise... not bad, but not a hardcore saltwater sound either.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

The spool was a bit smaller than average, but the retrieve was a little faster - it'll definitely bring your quarry in, quickly. The spool is easily removed, and the retrieve is easy to change from left to right.

LOOK & FEEL

Like the Rise, the Delta has pretty good looks (though we prefer the newer color options on the Rise), but doesn't quite have that "saltwater feel" that we love on so many of the higher end reels. Oh, and your friends aren't likely to be impressed... until you reel in the catch of a lifetime.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $30 fee.

Price: $219

CONCLUSION

The Redington Delta is the "draggiest" reel made by Redington. It's definitely saltwater worthy if you're willing to forgo the security of a sealed drag. If you're looking for a wallet-friendly freshwater 8-weight, this would be a superb choice.

Help us review more gear! Buy it here.

PROS

• Great $-to-Drag strength ratio
• Good Looks
• Low Price

CONS

• Unsealed drag

The Tibor Signature is the latest creation from master reel designer Ted “Tibor” Juracsik. It's a landmark reel, not only because it's new, but also because it's Tibor's first sealed drag, but it's also the world's first cork sealed drag. Ted has one more trick up his sleeve - it's also the only sealed drag that can be taken apart at home for easy service. Here's how it stacks up.

8-Weight Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

9.3 ounces. Heavy. Only the Sage 8080 was heavier.  We were surprised to see it come in so heavy after that much porting.

DRAG

7.2 lbs on average.  Overall strength was adequate.  Unfortunately, the Tibor Signature exhibited a significant amount of start-up inertia.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

Perfect. It's a Tibor after all.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

The Tibor Signature has the smallest spool in our test.  Best case scenario, you'll be able to fit 150 yards of backing on with an 8-weight.  The retrieval rate was below average as well.  On the plus side - it's very easy to change spools - a great innovation from Tibor.

LOOK & FEEL

When you pick up a Tibor, you know you are picking up a reel responsible for more world records than any other reel.  The Signature is no exception.  It looks and feels great.  Add to that a great handle, 6 finish options and limitless custom engraving, and you've got one solid reel.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $25 fee.

Price: $775 - the most expensive reel in our test

CONCLUSION

Going into the test, we all thought the Tibor Signature was going to be one of the heavy hitters.  It's backed by a storied brand and it looks great, so we were disappointed to find out that the drag wasn't as refined as some of the other reels in the test.  In fact, if you don't need an interchangeable spool, we recommend the Everglades as it has a much smoother drag system.

Help us review more gear! Buy it here.

PROS

• Outstanding build quality
• Great Tibor look and feel
• Sealed Drag

CONS

• Drag had a lot of start-up inertia
• Heavy
• Expensive

"It looks like a spaceship!" That was what one of our customers said when he first laid eyes on the Lamson Vanquish fly reel. He wasn't wrong. It's futuristic and fun.  As the flagship model of the Waterworks-Lamson line - and one of our favorite trout reels - we were excited to see how its drag would perform.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to test the Vanquish 8, which has a much more significant drag than the designed-for-freshwater 7.8LT, so we're going to leave this one undecided for this year.  We've posted the drag graph below for your benefit, but won't be doing an in-depth review... yet.

8-Wt Challenge Full Results

DRAG TEST GRAPH

There's a lot to like about Ross Reels.  They're made in the USA, have made quite a name for themselves in the trout fishing world, and stand behind their products.  The Ross F1 fly reel is their flagship model and we were excited to get the inside story.

8-Wt Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

7.7 ounces. Not bad.

DRAG

The Ross F1 is advertised as having (near) zero start-up inertia.  It lives up to that promise  and then some.  It's got one of the smoothest drags we saw in the test, as well as a "constant pressure" drag adjustment knob, which is a fantastic feature and all of the testers commented on its ease of use.  Unfortunately, the Ross F1 only has 3.4 lbs of drag, which had it taking a big hit in this test.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

I didn't care for the sound of the F1... it's just a little too loud and metallic.  If you're looking for a click-pawl type sound, you might be more impressed. Definitely not a saltwater sound.  Check out the Momentum LT!

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

While the spool was a little on the small/wide side, the retrieval rate on this reel was amazing! The spool was one of the easiest to change in the test.

LOOK & FEEL

Like the villain "Two-face" the F1 seemed to have two very different personalities.  On the one hand, you have a great feeling reel, with carbon fiber accents that look great, and on the other... well we weren't a fan.  The drag-adjustment side seemed a little too machined for no reason.  A simpler ported design (again, see the Momentum LT) would have gone a long way here.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $20 fee.

Price: $575

CONCLUSION

No reel in the Challenge had a more love-hate relationship with the testers than the Ross F1.  On the one hand, it's got a top notch spool design, amazingly smooth drag, and a great price.  On the other hand, the look and feel could be further refined. Ross, we'll be on the lookout for a Momentum/F1 hybrid to win this test in a few years.

If you were to take one reel with you when you chuck streamers with Kelly Galloup on the Madison, this would be the reel you would want. For freshwater, its performance is second to none.

Help us review more gear! Buy it here.

PROS

• Amazingly smooth drag
• Retrieval speeds that would make The Flash envious
• Sealed Drag

CONS

• Not nearly enough drag power for this test
• Looks, feel, and sounds... well try them for yourself

Ross Reels have made a wave in the trout fishing world. The Ross Momentum LT fly reel is Ross's latest foray into the saltwater world.  It's got great looks and awesome sound.  Let's see if it's the next wave on the flats...

8-Wt Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

7.85 ounces. A little heavy, but still in the right ballpark.

DRAG

The Ross Momentum LT is advertised as Ross's "heavy hitter" in the drag department. While we knew it wasn't sealed, we did have high expectations for the Momentum in terms of drag strength. When the results came in at 7.26 lbs - about average - it left us wanting a little more. Curiously, the drag is a bit difficult to set and often requires more than a few twists.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

It's got a nice rolling click on the retrieve and a drag sound on the way out. It's great. One of our favorites.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

The Momentum is a true 8-weight in terms of size - I definitely wouldn't try to put extra backing on it. In a curious design choice, the Momentum has a smaller arbor than we would have expected, consequently, the retrieve was also slow. The spool is easy to replace.

LOOK & FEEL

The Momentum looks and feels great. It's top notch and comes complete with a comfortable saltwater handle.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $20 fee.

Price: $470

CONCLUSION

While the drag wasn't as strong as we would have liked the Ross Momentum LT is, nevertheless, a solid contender, though the test didn't show it. Its overall score was hurt by a lack of sealed drag and slower retrieve.

It's got a solid drag, a small price tag and great looks. We recommend it.

Help us review more gear! Buy it here.

PROS

• Solid Drag
• Good Looks
• Amazing sounds

CONS

• Slow retrieve
• Unsealed drag

Redington Reels are well known for their high quality and bargain price. The Redington Rise fly reels are their newest creation. We were curious to see if performance and value would "Rise" to the occasion.

8-Wt Challenge Full Results

WEIGHT

6.45 ounces. Light!

DRAG

At 2.98 lbs, the Redington Rise had the least amount of drag in our test. It's also unsealed.

DRAG TEST GRAPH

SOUND

It sounds fine, but more like a freshwater reel than a saltwater reel.

SPOOL & RETRIEVAL RATE

A little small, and a little slow. The Rise was a little smaller than average in terms of capacity, and the arbor was smaller than average, which resulted in a slower-than-average retrieval rate. The spool was easily switched.

LOOK & FEEL

Testers liked the new colors of the Rise... it looks great! Unfortunately, it doesn't have the same gravitas as the other reels in the test.

WARRANTY

Lifetime to the original owner + $30 fee.

Price: $189

CONCLUSION

Bottom line: Of all the reels in this test, no reel screamed "For Freshwater Use Only" more than the Redington Rise.  It's a great reel and would compete well in a freshwater test and probably in the grand scheme of reels as well. We recommend the Rise for any and all freshwater use.

Help us review more gear! Buy it here.

PROS

• Stand-out colors
• Great price

CONS

• Drag didn't measure up

One of the most interesting parts of our 8-Weight Challenge was the great data we got from Admet - which we translated into easily readable graphs.  Here's a quick guide to help interpret the graphs.

For each test, the initial rise is caused by the stretching of the line before the drag engages. Once it engages, the drag strength is easily visible on the Y-axis. Drag smoothness is also easy to see. Ideally, you'd want every drag to be a horizontal line, which corresponds to perfectly uniform drag force across the test.  In reality, we see some waviness.

Start-up Inertia

Start-up inertia is easily visible in the graphs. It shows up as an initial spike, followed by a drop. Keep in mind that these tests were performed at 40 inches per minute. At higher speeds, this effect is greatly exacerbated.

Why Rigging Matters

When backing isn't wound with enough pressure, it's very easy for the line to "bite" into itself.  This significantly decreases drag smoothness and performance. In fact, it has a larger effect than the quality of the reel itself.

Drag Clicks

Admet's testing machines were so accurate, that we could even see the effect of drag clicks. There's a slight change in drag strength as the clicking mechanism interacts with the spool

Still not sure what you're looking at? Ask us a question by leaving a comment below!

Fly reels have come a long way from the Pflueger Medalist you used growing up. Some weigh next to nothing, while others have enough drag to stop a truck. Manufacturers have achieved these new levels of performance by using new materials and cutting edge design. But how do you tell the difference between cork and Rulon drags? Is Delrin smoother than graphite?

Throughout the years a lot has been written about fly fishing equipment. Blogs, forums, magazines, manufacturers are full of information. There have even been several head-to-head tests of fly rods. Reels, on the other hand, have been virtually ignored. Why? Fly Reels are hard to test. It requires a lot of expensive equipment, knowledge, and time. We set out to break that mold.

We wanted the test to remain objective, so the first part of the test is purely scientific, and we’ll give you all of the raw data to draw your own conclusions. But, we’re also going to tell you which reels we like best.

Help us keep writing awesome reviews.  Buy your next fly reel here.

What makes a great saltwater fly reel?

That’s the question we asked ourselves when we conceived this test. We asked around. We wanted a drag that could stop a fleeing bonefish, yet was smooth enough to protect light(ish) tippets. We also wanted a reel that was light enough to cast all day long, and one that could hold enough backing (at least 150 yards) in case that baby tarpon turns out to be bigger than a baby. Finally, we wanted a reel that could pick up line fast with minimal level winding and withstand all of the rigors of saltwater use.

Testing Procedure

All spool measurements were taken using a digital caliper and weights were captured using a digital scale.

Testing the drags was the tough part. Luckily, we teamed up with the folks at Admet, the makers of the best universal testing machines on the market. They set us up with one of their fully customized eXpert 2600 Dual Column testing machines.

Each reel was then filled with backing and attached to the base of the eXpert 2600 via a custom machined reel mount. The backing was then attached to a hook which is attached to the load cell. We then set the machine in motion and measured the force nearly 1000 times per second. Richard Gedney, founder of Admet, explains this in more detail.

[Insert Video]

We tested all reels with backing only.  We found that when fly line was on the reel, it shifted around too much to get consistent results.  Rigging Matters.

Arbor Size and Retrieval Rate

When a bonefish turns and starts swimming toward you, you need to reel as fast as you can to keep the fish on. It also means fewer turns to bring in that trophy catch. Therefore, bigger IS better, as they say.

For those of you who don’t know, the arbor refers to the mid-section of the spool. Think of the hole in the donut. Following the analogy, the larger the diameter of the hole, the larger the arbor. All of the fly reels we tested claim to be “large arbor”, but we discovered that there was quite a variation between reels.

As you might expect, the classic Tibor Everglades was the smallest at 1.58 inches, nearly 42% smaller than the Ross F1 at 2.73 inches.

But what we really care about is line pickup, and therefore, that’s what we scored as part of the test. To get this, we needed to determine the circumference at 2.2 cubic inches. That’s how much space 200 yards of Dacron backing takes up. The formula is:

Not surprisingly, the results were very similar. The Tibor Everglades was the smallest at 7.57 inches, 23% smaller than the winner:

Winner: Ross F1 Fly Reel, 9.79 inches per turn

Spool Width

For many years, the trend in fly reel manufacturing was to make the arbors larger and the spools wider.  Why?  It helps keep the weight down and gives you a fast retrieval rate.  This comes at a price, however, which is you having to act as a level wind every time you reel in your line so that the line doesn't pile up.  A few reels have started to buck this trend - namely, the Hardy Ultralite DD, and the Lamson Speedster.  These reels have large narrow spools.  That's exactly what we were looking for.  The top four reels came in within a few hundreths of an inch:

Winners: Hardy Fortuna, Tibor Everglades, Tibor Signature and the Abel Super 8

Spool Volume

Bigger reels are more flexible. They hold more line and give you more options – like being able to put a 9 or 10-weight line on an 8-weight reel. We calculated estimated volume using the following formula:

This calculation isn’t exact because some of the spool designs featured arbors that weren’t flat, but it does give us a basic idea of reel capacity. While all the reels we tested were “8-weights”, there is clearly no standard here. 200 yards of 20lb Dacron takes up about 2.2 cubic inches when wound reasonably tightly. The largest reel could easily take an extra 100 yards of backing.

Winner: Sage 8080/Hatch 7-Plus

Side note: Because this category is about flexibility, and the Hatch 7 Plus also accepts a Mid-Arbor Spool, which is even bigger than the 8080, we decided that they would share the victory.

Weight

As fly fisherman, we’ve become obsessed with weight. Rods are pushing the limits, some weighing in at less than two ounces. Reels are getting lighter too. Why are lighter reels better? As rods get lighter, you need lighter reels to balance them. Moreover, when you’re casting all day a lighter outfit is easier on your arms. The lightest reels in this test were lighter than most trout reels, while the heaviest weighed in at over 9 ounces (over half a pound!).

Winner: Lamson Vanquish 7.8LT

Price

We tested reels from $100-$800. Prices don’t necessarily correlate with performance, the Orvis Mirage took 3rd place in our test, and cost hundreds less than the most expensive reels.  We were even more surprised when the Sage 1800 reel, the least expensive in our test, tied for 4th place.

So, what are you paying for?  The more expensive reels tend to offer a greater level of customization.  Abel lets you customize virtually every single part of the reel (even the drag knob and reel seat), and even offers hand painted options from great artists like Derek DeYoung.  Tibor offers custom engraving and some of the most beautiful metallic finishes ever created.

Winner: Sage 1880

Sealed Drag

A sealed drag is a key component of any good saltwater fly reel.  It keeps salt and sand away from all of the important parts.  But, there’s more than one way to solve this problem.  Classic reels like Tibor and Abel have proven this through countless world records.  By using very few parts, and making them easy to access/service, they’ve achieved great results without “sealing” the drag.

We weren't able to fully test the quality of various drag seals (this is typically done with a “freeze test”), but we do know that some drags are more sealed than others. For the purposes of this test, we scored reels with male/female connections lower than the drags with machined connections like Hatch and Hardy.  Note how the reel on the right requires you to insert a rod into the drag system, where the Hardy (left) attaches the spool directly to top of the drag.

Sounds

Sound is an important, yet often under appreciated, part of a fly reel. Drag sounds provide a lot of feedback when fighting a fish, which is useful, but they also add to the excitement of catching a fish that makes a great run. At Trident, we prefer reels that have both an incoming (when reeling in) and outgoing (when the fish is taking the drag) sound.

We knew that reels like Tibor sounded great, but we were surprised to hear (pun intended) how well the Ross Momentum LT sounded.  It's great!

Look, Feel, & Special Features

We can talk about fly reel performance all day long, but when it comes down to buying a reel, look and feel is just as important.  That’s why top reel manufacturers offer dozens of custom colors and 100s of possible combinations.  This is purely subjective, but there's unlikely to be many people who prefer the feel of a Redington over a Tibor.  So, we gave you our opinions on the matter.

A few of the reels also had some interesting special features, like the Sage 8000's "Dial-a-Drag", which allows you to pre-set your drag level as you pull off your fly line.  Abel also built their reel with VERY few parts, making it incredibly easy to service.  We gave these reels an extra point for ingenuity.

Want to know about spare spools and changing the retrieve?  Check out our reel notes at the bottom of the page.

Warranty

When you're spending half of your paycheck on a fly reel, it's important that you know the manufacturer is going to stand behind it.  Thankfully, every reel we tested came with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.  Unfortunately, there's a "handling fee" associated with it.  Except for Hatch.  They stand behind their product so much that they don't even charge you a fee if it breaks.

We scored this based on the % of the original purchase price the fee was.

Drag Strength

What differentiates a freshwater fly reel from a saltwater fly reel?  Drag Strength.  When you’re trying to stop a bull redfish, 3-4lbs of drag isn’t going to cut it.  Ideally, you’ll want enough drag to match your tippet size, less a few pounds of water drag (the force of the water on the line).  For bonefish, that means at least 8lbs.  Baby tarpon or big stripers – 10-12lbs.

We measured drag strength by averaging the force after the reel hit its peak (about 2 inches). Surprisingly, only two reels in the test had drags that exceeded 10 lbs of drag.  The winner of this category, the Hardy Fortuna, had over 30lbs of drag!!!!  We had heard the claims, but didn't believe it.  Watch check out this video of the Fortuna breaking 20lb Dacron:

Winner: (by a HUGE margin) Hardy Fortuna X

Start-up Inertia

If you troll the fly fishing forums, there's a lot of talk about start-up inertia - and with good reason.  But let's back up.  What is start-up inertia?  All drags work in essentially the same way - two plates create friction which slows the spinning of the spool.  There are two types of friction: static - when the drag isn't moving - and kinetic - when a fish is pulling on the drag. Start-up inertia is the initial force required to get the drag started. So, it's actually a bit of a misnomer.  It should actually be called "static friction".  So... who cares?

Because static friction is greater than kinetic friction, it causes a drop in drag force immediately after the fish starts pulling on your line.  Here's what it looks like on a drag graph:

You'll notice that this reel requires over 2 lbs of start-up force.  If we're using 8 lb test tippet, we now need to set our drag to a maximum of 5-6 lbs so that it doesn't break the tippet.  Effectively, we're losing 25% of our drag strength.  Because all forces are exacerbated at higher speeds, imagine how much drag is lost with a bonefish traveling at 15-20 miles per hour.

Needless to say, we were very surprised to find out that start-up inertia was actually fairly low for most reels, but a few reels really stood out.  The Hatch Finatic and the Ross F1 both had virtually zero start-up inertia.

Winner: Hatch Finatic/Ross F1

A Note on Drag Smoothness

When we saw how good Admet's machines were, we were planning on including a category for "drag smoothness".  When we tested it, however, we found that most of the drags were actually very smooth, and would have no impact on any real fishing application.  In fact, the testing machines were so accurate, that we found that the position of the line on the reel made more of a difference than the drag itself.  So, we didn't score it, but if we had, the Ross F1, would have been the winner.

The Winner

We weren't all that surprised when we tabulated the results and the Hatch Finatic 7-Plus turned out to be the winner.  Everyone that's ever picked up a Hatch fly reel knows that they are an incredible piece of equipment.  It's beautifully machined, and has a silky smooth, very well sealed drag.  They also have the best warranty in the business.  If we had to find something wrong with this reel, it would be that it doesn't have as much drag  as we'd really like to see.

Counterpoint #1: Which reel will I be taking tarpon fishing?  Easy. The Hardy Fortuna X. When drag performance is what matters most, Hardy is the unconditional winner.

Counterpoint #2: If you're only going to be using your reel in freshwater (or for relatively small fish), the Ross F1 offers the smoothest drag and the most protection for light tippets.

The Results

The raw data

Reel Notes and Drag Strength Graphs

1. Hatch Finatic 7-Plus
2. Hardy Fortuna X1
3. Orvis Mirage IV
4. Sage 1880
4. Tibor Everglades
4. Lamson Guru 3.5
5. Sage 4280
5. Sage 8080
6. Abel Super 8
6. Sage 6080
7. Tibor Signature 7-8
7. Ross F1 #4
7. Cheeky Mojo 425
7. Ross Momentum LT 4
8. Lamson Vanquish 7.8LT
9. Redington Delta 7/8
10. Redington Rise 7/8

We'd love to hear your feedback on this test. Please leave a comment below.

If you've gotten this far, I commend you - it's a novel.  Don't forget to check out the other posts in our great fly fishing blog.