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[bobby b]

So ..... I currently use a Dragonfly 'Kamloops' DK ( cassette ) reel on my 5wt ( generally used for trout ) .....I hate it....ok hate is a bit strong... I have ...um..grown to dislike it.

The drag was ok when I first got it ( 8-9 months ago ) but now is just weak beyond words even at the highest setting. I take care of it , try to keep it clean, ease off the drag when not in use, not dunk it etc.

I am now trying to decide on what to replace it with.

The Kamloops is a 'cheaper' reel and I dont really want to break the bank but am ok with shelling out  200 ish on something that will last.

There seem to be many options out there but .....hard to tell if the 'longevity' is going to be there... even this one seemed ok when new.

Talked to guy at one store and funnily enough he hated this reel too....even though the shop had it for sale.

He showed me the new Pfluger medalist and suggested that this would be a great trout reel. I have never used a click/pawl fly reel, but from what I have read, this 'new' Medalist is the cats meow. I get that the click and pawl drag prob wont be as strong as a good disc drag but at least may be consistant and will last.

Opinions.... or other suggestions in this price range would be appreciated 

thanks

[BNF861]

I'm a click/pawl fan myself. Simple and very little to go wrong.

I prefer a lighter drag and apply any extra pressure myself.

On a 5wt, most of my fish aren't played on the reel anyways, and any that are don't need a drag capable of stopping a tuna anyways.

[sbc hris]

I have a growing collection of Amundsen reels. They seem like a great bang for the buck, and they look stylish. I hear their warranty and repair service is great and speedy too, but I haven't had to deal with them myself.

[Fish or cut bait.]

When I was a kid the only thing that dragged was my feet.
I have several reels with drag but rarely use it.
It is a cool selling feature though.
And get closer bearing if you're fishing salt.

[RalphH]

It's been some time since I bought a fly reel so I am not up on what's on the market these days.

Frankly in the $200 range for disk drag reels one is pretty much like the other. Currently I have Redington Rise & Pfleuger Trion in that price range. The Rise has been replaced by the Rise 2 and the Trion isn't made but you might find one. I think both are good for the $.

If it was me I'd be looking at a Pfleuger President.

I've got mixed feeling about click and pawl reels. I have a 30 year old Hardy Golden Prince which has served me well.

I can't tell you much about the Medalist. It was a post war classic because it was cheap, tough and serviceable. You didn't seem much of it in BC since Hardy's were reasonable $ then. US folks loved them but they were heavy and had limited backing capacity.

You might have a look at the Cabelas Prestige Premier. I have one and while I haven't fished much with it it looks like a great value - a large arbour spool, a carbon fibre drag disk  and the spool mechanism is similar to the Lamson - you just pop it off and push it on - no springs or latches etc. On sale for under $100 right now.

Their WLXII reels use the Lamson Conical drag and are under $200.

As for buying a reel I usually go at least a size up -  you gain a lot in backing capacity and suffer little in weight gain.

[clarkii]

Take a look at the lamson liquid 3 pack.  $190 canadian or so out at freds for the reel and two spools. Don't know about other shops however but I got the 4wt size.  Need to fish it more but quite enjoy it so far.

I haven't tried the new medallist nor will I.  For the most part a click pawl reel is lighter weight then a disc drag which is great for lightweight rigs.  They also are more fun to fish and sound better,   the medallist though is on par with a disc drag for weight though so you are losing the weight advantage and fish fighting capability (honestly you can just set a disc drag low if you want to palm).  There are better clicks out there with those specs in mind (redington zero, orvis battenkill for example).  If you want classic the battenkill is the way to go but if you want modern look zero (price point negates hardy and others).

[Knnn]

I have a similar reel and after 3 years of abuse it looks like a POS.  However, as BNF681 suggests on a 5 wt you don't really need any drag and the reel is only there to hold your line or to wind it in so it does not tangle around your feet.  It's always nice to have a bit of bling, which works with jewel like precision,  but you might want to save your money for a better reel on a bigger 7-8 wt rod where you will make use of a decent drag system.

[RalphH]

As good disk drags long ago ceased to be expensive - I don't agree that any fly reel need not have an effective drag or just functions to hold the line. Once you hook a 3 to 4lb trout on an interior lake you'll feel different as well.

In my past experience click and pawl reels are a maintenance headache - like they need service every year or two depending on how much they are used & they lack the range of adjustment you can get from a disk drag. I've owned disk drag equipped reels that functioned maintenance free for 20+ years.

In my experience the problem with click and pawl reels is the riveting of the pawl to the reel frame. The vibration of the spring tension drag works the rivet loose. I had maintenance people epoxy them to the frame, 'spread them' on a machine press  but none of it worked. Look at almost any quality metal work these days - none uses rivets unless it's to keep costs down. If you can get a pawl mounted without rivets - the Golden Prince mounted the pawl on the spring and riveted the spring in place - still works fine after 32 years - that may be a way to go.

[Animal Chin]

Take a look at the lamson liquid 3 pack.  $190 canadian or so out at freds for the reel and two spools.

X2

I'm no expert. From my experience, almost all drags are good enough to get the job done..and you can always palm it, but spools are normally (well with Sage anyway) half the price of the reel.. if I was to do it again, I'd get the Lamson 3 pack.

[bobby b]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots of good info for me to consider
I will look into the lamson 3 pack.

[dufflayer]

Echo Ion.
-Under $100
-Bomb proof
-Durable
-Buttery smooth drag

[RalphH]

Echo Ion.
-Under $100
-Bomb proof
-Durable
-Buttery smooth drag

Solid recommendation & worth a look! I have the 8/10 -a bargain light spey reel

[pwn50m3 f15h3r]

The drags on those dragonfly reels tend to get looser over time. I remember fixing mine a few years back by unscrewing the screw on the drag knob and CAREFULLY removing the stuff inside and washing the oil and grease out of the drag inside. Then put everything back exactly the way it came and the drag should be better. (There is a tiny metal bead which is what is used to set the drag and you have to take care of where you place it.)