Every few years I watch this video and love it as much as I did the first time.

This guy should make different videos. I've never fly fished in my life but this no bullshit talk is refreshing to watch.

10 out of 10 presentation. I caught my first Atlantic Salmon in Feb 1984 in Ireland and I have had many many epic battles since. It has always amazed me how anglers associate big fish with big drag. It is actually the opposite, if its big let it run and let it run smooth. I could go on and on but once again my compliments to Kelly for telling it exactly like it is. Well done.

Wow, a fly shop owner that tells the truth about equipment. I am a fan and if I'm ever near the Madison River in South-West Montana I will visit your shop. Thanks for sharing all your fly fishing knowledge.

HOT DAMN! a man that is honest, i love it lol. great job

Kelly, I've been watching your tying videos, great stuff, and just saw this. Right on! I've been fly fishing for over a half century, and you hit the nail on the head. I still fish with my first reel, a 1938 Pflueger, I have new reels and a few pricey reels, but I still like the feel and the sound of the old style. My grandfather was a guide and we learned to fish with bare minimum, "if you can't catch fish on this, you can't catch fish!"

Appreciate your blunt honesty approach. It's refreshing.

I've been fishing an Orvis Clearwater 5wt full flex rod with a Bauer reel for over 15 years. Same rod , same reel , cork drag , and I've caught everything from trout to pan fish to bass and pickerel, and I've never had issues with the rod or reel. Crazy high drag pressure isn't needed. Great video and no BS.

Thank you for honest and transparent videos like this one. Newer fly anglers like myself can appreciate information like this! I sure do! 👍

Great video, i can watch them all day, have a great day Kelly

Back in the 70’s when I was in my early teens Bill Kiene told me something I remember well to this day. I was learning how to tie from him and while we were tying one evening we were talking about reels. He stated “ people put too much importance on reels, reels hold the line.” Back then I used Pflueger Medalist reels for everything from very small streams to bigger rivers. I’ve no idea how many Trout, Grayling, Steelhead and Salmon were landed with those reels holding the line! I still have those old Pflugers and a couple of Shakespear Medalist clones. They see little use as back in the early 80’s I picked up a SA System One 456 and never looked back. I have several of those old reels and still use them for the vast majority of my fishing. Great video! God bless!

so refreshing to see such an honest down to earth opinion on tackle, fantastic well done Kelly tightlines.

I have watched several of your videos today. I really like the "matter of fact" attitude and cut all of the glitz. It is humorous at the same time educational. I am lucky I have found you and your shop as I will be on my semi-annual several week road trip next summer and will in Montana again. I am subscribing to your channel as just find it enjoyable and I have even learned somethings. Keep fishing.

I need to hang out and drink beers with this guy. He’s awesome along with his no-nonsense information.

Thanks for the video Kelly. No b.s. or trying to push a certain reel is much appreciated.

Thanks for your common sense explanation if reels, and all the other fly gear you've done videos on. We all get sucked in to marketing BS, so it's good to have the opinion of a real/reel expert, as opposed to a magazine writer.

Old video, but still accurate. Personally a HUGE fan of the Orvis cassette reels. They are just fantastic. I agree on the sound too, I can't stand throwing textured lines for that reason.

You sir are right on the money! Great segment!

I am so with you on the heavy reel. Most of the reels I use are 50 years old plus and they're heavy and I love it.

thank you for a real discussion about reels! I'm new to the sport and had similar observations and figured I didn't know better. thanks!

Kelly, your videos are the best! You get to the point without the BS!

This video is awesome. Love the honesty.

Straight up, just as it is. Thanks for keeping it real Kelly!

Your honesty is refreshing! And outta all these guys on here giving advice....i know you know what the deal is.

Damn, that was a 12 min Master Class. I was looking to buy a reel for my brothers old 5wt...This definitely helped cut through the BS...Thanks!

Love your videos. Great advice on small trout reels, thanks! After seeing cast molded reels break, I have a hard time trusting them. I do agree that extra cost on high end reels is aesthetics and maybe a little extra performance for stopping salt water monsters.

Good information. I had to watch it a couple of times. Thanks.

I have been fishing since I was 8, I'm 45 now and never knew this, hell I just heard of you but let me tell ya I impressed! It's a pleasure to learn from ya. Cause my reels make more noise then Johnnys lmao!

Very refreshing to hear the truth. I just bought a Sage Spectrum 7/8 and if I believed the reviews (especially from the guys in the northeast) it would be fairly useless due to the 3lbs of drag. Most of the time I don’t even get a fish onto the reel, and this is fishing sea run cutthroat and small salmon with my 9ft 7wt. Having something that’s durable and waterproof and saltwater friendly is far more important for me. That the drag is smooth and numbered and very adjustable is a nice bonus, for sure, but it’s not very often that I get a fish peeling line with my drag tightened way down. Kudos to Sage for not falling for the drag hype and instead providing me with a lot of fine adjustability in a range I actually use.

Your opinion on drag is spot on brother!!

Best fly reel is the one given too you! Seriously, I still use the same fly reel, I got in 1968. It still works great. It's a Pflugger Medalist

the Sage Clik , is the lightest, finest, reel I ever thought possible , for my set up , truly amazing

I’ve been going out to Montana in July the last two years and have been driving past your shop everyday going from West Fork Campground to West Yellowstone. I’ll have to stop by the shop when I go this year!

One point about what Kelly says about the balance. IMO if the rod + reel with zero line out is perfectly balanced where you grip it then any weight of line you have out can be felt in the hand. This is good feedback for casting accuracy. That's not to say that you couldn't do as well with extra ounces reel side. Maybe even better if the extra weight perfectly balances the line you have out at a given distance, but that is always variable and so the weighted feel when casting would be a bell curve. Heavy at fist, getting lighter, then perfectly balanced then getting tip heavy as you get more line out. If the rod+reel is balanced the load should be felt in a linear curve as you get more line out. Probably boils down to preference and how you learn. But if you have more than one rod/reel combo with different balances then they are going to feel very different. Theory says go balanced and reduce the variables. In practice people can learn to throw anything.

Martin or Pflueger have always served me well for most applications in freshwater. I do like the large arbor, the best function in modern fly reel design. Go Johnny go!

Finally, somebody talking about fly reels like he knows what he's talking about.

Wow makes sense. I have friends here in Colorado who spend a lot of dough on reels. I have a Lamson and an Okuma 5/6 and am quite happy with them. Under $100.00 ea w Rio line. I am relatively new to the sport (5yrs) but have caught monster trout of up to 7-8 lbs without issue. Love the video,makes sense. Wish I would of seen this years ago.

Quality. Thanks for the video

love my remix the step up from the liquid but so good at the price point. the redington zero is the best click paw reel for $80-$90

Great talk. Completely agree. If you want to see bad tolerance, get one of those old plastic redington crosswater reels. The spool would flex off the housing so much my 8 wt line could slip in between them.

Very insightful, thats a sub from me. Just getting into fly fishing - hoping to try it out for the first time once the ice thaws. Between you and mad river videos I think im set!

I love my click and pawl reels on smaller water. The Cortland Rimfly and Pflueger Metalist. Simple...and durable as hell. It's what I started out with many years ago , so there's lots of great memories attached to them. Not that I'm immune to the new large arbor reels. I have one on my 8 wt. for Stripers and Blues. It's pretty much a necessity for big fish making those long runs.

Great video Kelly I agree with you on pretty much all the points you brought up especially the balance point thing. I personally think they started that to sell the lighter reels. I have Abel, Sage, Redington, and a cheap Chinese knock off and they have all caught plenty of fish and the biggest fish I ever caught was on the knock off. As for drags I would be a liar if I said I ever touched the drag while fighting a fish even in salt water. I fished for Stripers a lot off the rocks and jetties and would definitely suggest a powder coating finish in those environments due to the nicks and bumps from falling on the rocks. As for the large arbor vs narrow arbor I have used both and didn't find any difference with performance but I will concede that a big floating line will fit better on the large arbor. Another great video with plenty of common sense and no hype thank I enjoyed it! Roger,

I'm late to the party here, but this guy needs to make more videos. He's phenomenal.

I've quickly grown to respect your opinions. I also confess I don't fish a ton. Like you and your guides do. On this...may I humbly offer a different view? I enjoy casting. I'm not a performance person. I'm more of a dance with the cast person. People have complimented me on my casting. I tell them it's only because I really enjoy it. It shows. I recently bought a rod I really love. It has tons of feel. Extremely accurate. It's a fishing rod. I tried it out with my reel. Then worked with it a little. Think my reel was a little big. It was getting in the way of the rod's feel. Added torque to my casting. So I went and bought a lighter reel. ... I admit, partially influenced by your advise. I avoided the glitzy ritzy expensive reels. This is not a new reel on the market. Bought it much cheaper. Avoided dropping too much money on one. It was marked down. Some advertising it was on close out. I've had guys advise I might have done better in the used market? Also get guys telling me my rod deserves better aesthetics in a reel. I didn't buy my rod for aesthetics. Didn't buy it for performance. Bought it because it's a beautifully feeling, working, fishing rod. I could have spent on the rod. Spent only half of what the most expensive ones do. I also admit. It's expensive making reels the way some of them do. That's just not for me. Not needed.

lol! I love this video. I totally agree, the manufacturing processes have gotten so good, it's hard to find a "bad reel". Hey if you wanna pay for glitz then why not, but let's be honest about it. I personally like to buy USA, but if you're on a tight budget, totally agree. Especially about the drag

This guy is awesome this is a great video I never feel the need to comment but this guy is the man 👍🏽nice vid

Truth! 40 years of fly fishing, you are correct! I've caught 25lbs Bullreds on a Click Pawl Salmon fly reel and I tend to like my reels around 10oz.

I am not a good fly fisherman, but I love it, and I couldn't agree with you more. I have Orvis, Fenwick, Sage rods, and Cortland, Orvis, and Daiwa, and many inexpensive reels and I can't tell the difference!!

A really interesting video. I'm a great fan of Lamsons 🐠

Perfect honest info. I’m tired of buying expensive shit I don’t need.

Anything he reviews, anything he ties, and everything he said is truth, straight up!

"It's $230, it is a great reel and it is cheap." Really puts into perspective the insanity that fly fishing can become.

about twenty years ago, I came to the simple conclusion that for 80% of my fishing the only thing a reel does is hold the line. On the otherhand I love using two and three weights for pan fish. Like big red ear. I use an old J. Ryall because I can control the load on the tippet and there is no hard breakaway. Yet I also fish for some big stuff, and honestly I can't ever remember a fish even slightly getting close to the backing. Perhaps a tiger musky or big northern. There you learn to play the drag, but only after the hook up. I still don't use an expensive reel, but chose capacity.

Solid video, and the discussion is pretty darn refreshing, but I have a couple of rebuttals or points... Harry Lemire and his crew also liked gear and pawl reels for the simplicity; they are reliable and hardly anything to fail. Those systems just work, Even the ‘sealed’ drags of very expensive reels allow water intrusion, which eventually can cause operational issues. Great to have a lifetime warranty, but that doesn’t do much good when your reel fails on a trip or it’s in the shop. Also, Kelly at 5:45 says the Liquid as ‘the same drag’ (he means compared to the other more expensive Lamson, I believe a Speedster, he had just held up as a super light reel). The lesser expensive Lamson reels have the same STYLE of drag as their more expensive siblings, but not the same drag. I bought, literally, into that marketing prose and bought a Liquid for my 8 weight. Used a short time, it’s gone out of my inventory. Minimal drag adjustment, ramped up quickly, sticky startup - not even close to the performance of my other more pricey Lamson reels. For trout I appreciate the simplicity, which also translates to lightness, of some of my older gear and pawl reels. I’m fortunate to have acquired some nice ones over the years - Sage 500 (Hardy made) series, Orvis CFO, Ross Colorado series. I have done vintage Heddon 300 series reels, knockoffs of Hardy reels, that work fine. Gone the high tech route, but have come full circle back to keeping it ‘reel’ and opting for simplicity. For salt, different story. Reliability and imperviousness to elements is huge. For bonefish, I don’t need a reel that generates 18 pounds of drag - I need maybe three, enough that it applies s wee bit of pressure and, most importantly, the reel doesn’t overrun when the fish takes off. And, the drag needs to engage smoothly. Need more pressure? Palm the spool. Pretty similar comments to big salty fish, but I do want a sturdy frame reel with a stout reliable drag. I guess the consistent word through all this is “reliability”. We all want stuff that works, whether one is a guide putting in 250 days per year or some who gets out once a year. I don’t want my waders or my jacket to leak, I want my floating line to float, I want my sink tip kind to turn over without hinging, I want my rod to make good loops and deliver the fly to where I speed up and stop the rod, I want a fly that swims or floats properly, a sharp hook to penetrate the fish’s mouth, and a reel that is reliable and doesn’t fail. Thanks Kelly for a solid video.

Been needing to change a reel and came here for the no bs commentary. Agree with a lot, smooth drag most important thing especially being able to rely on consistent change up and down. Yep too much can send the fish off on a goose chase. But 5, 6 pound tension and light drag? Kelly I wonder if you have fished in New Zealand since you did this. And if that might have changed your mind

Oh my goodness! I have all of these fly reels and I have a Pfluger Medalist in a 7/8 that I could use on my 5/6 rods and it would be everything!💡

Suuuuuper helpful , thank you! If I am ever in your area, I promise will spend what you just saved me in your shop! :)

3 yrs later $37 chinese reels are at par to $500 reels when you made this video lol. I sold my 4-5 $$$ reels and bought 2 rifles and a 1/2 dozen $37-$52 reels... not disappointed one bit and I do not notice any difference in the performance.

TOTALLY agree with you on drag. I also never put backing on my large arbor trout reels anymore because I NEVER get into my backing... I'll catch slack for that I know...

Very good job young man helps me a lot I'll be by your shop to get some this spring Kelly Smith Baker Mt

Great advise for fishing *rivers* .... In lakes and salt water a person will have to decide to go cheaper with a rim control reel or spend to get the quality drag. .... that is if they plan on hooking large fish. Other than that, reels have become fishing "art". Buy what you enjoy looking at. Personally, I've fished a very cheap old Martin disc drag for decades. It had a feature I loved that allowed you to turn off the click sound. It works well when you are catching big fish and you don't want other lake fishermen to notice. The *only* reason I am upgrading my reels is because we are starting to lead some very high value adventures this year and many dudes might look at you funny if you are sporting a dime store reel. If you are not fishing open waters, you can depend more on your feet to reduce the length of backing required. Run Forrest run!

Spot on but so typical … calls out the fact drag isn’t required for trout and yet not a single click-pawl reel on the table amongst a bunch of unnecessary sealed drag reels!

this made me think in the beginning when you gave your drop shot talk and said, my dad would go wait you are telling them how to not loose so many flies...that is bad for business :-) buy the basic reel, its a good deal and does the job... ha why are classic Ross reels so much on ebay...they get the job done (and are "mythic") -- love the point on weight in golf this is the swing weight of the club what gives you the feel and what creates the balance is more important than 3oz less...if it isn't then fish more and build those tyrex arms up a bit

Awesome video. That helps alot

You’re wonderful, no bullshit. Thanks, Kelly!

I’ve agreed with everything you’ve said out of all the videos I’ve seen and listened to. I’ve also learned a great deal as well. I’m thinking about seriously getting into fly fishing. I’m from Michigan too and live to fish, I just don’t care to post pictures or let anyone know about it like most anglers nowadays. Anyways, is there a limit on what type of species you can effectively/practically target. I take my saltwater fishing as seriously as I’m able to, without being divorced and I’m confused in regards to your ideas on drag pressure in saltwater. I can say without any doubts, that some of those fish can only be stopped with heavy drag pressure. I don’t know if I’m understanding what you said wrong or what, and I don’t mean to stir the pot… I just know that some saltwater fish will literally just go and go and the only thing that will stop them is heavy drag. You can hook someone up by the belt with line attached to a big game reel and have that person walk at ease under a couple pounds of drag, they’d be able to walk all day. Push the drag forward and ask that person how long they could keep trying to move forward, as they’re clawing at the ground and lunging to gain just a few feet.. answer is some of those saltwater fish are just that badass and will simply spool you. I had to realize a few years ago, it’s not about how much line capacity you have it’s how much drag pressure you can put on the fish, obviously in line with what your gear and line is capable of. Those fish don’t just notice they are hooked, then freak out making a mad dash while you wait to just drag them in after they’ve exhausted themselves. It’s more like all of that in the beginning of the fight, minus the fact that they don’t stop… but rather they reach a point where they are still moving fast but pacing themselves almost, and they simply do not stop. So, this is way more long winded than I wanted it to be and I’m not much of a writer. Back to my original question. Does the drag pressure not matter with a fly reel because some species are off limits, or are you just assuming people would be in a boat and not chasing saltwater fish in deep water that can spool you going down? And seriously, I’ve always been around fly fishing my entire life but never wanted to get into it for a few reasons but after watching and listening to you talk it was more appealing. Unlike the guys I see on the Pere Marquette chucking lead back and forth with a triple fly rig to half dead salmon in 8 inches of water. Seriously, most of these guys look like they walked right out of an orvis catalog, and they look at me going by them on the bank or on my drift boat like I’m some low class person or unethical because I have a spinning reel. It’s unreal, not saying all but a lot of them. And I just don’t get along with anyone that got into fishing by only just fly fishing. It’s like there’s a damn disconnect on what’s actually effective, versus doing something just because of trying to stay in the fly fishing lane. I never cared about anything other than what the most effective way is to catch the fish. I don’t know if what I’m trying to say makes sense but back here in Michigan more and more people I see that fly fish are just swatting the water whether it’s some low life in the city on the Grand River or a dude with a feather in his hat on the fly’s only stretch on the PM. I know there’s real fly fisherman all over it’s just there’s a lot of clowns that first get into fishing of all ages and they get into fly fishing and it’s almost like they sign themselves off to learning nothing other than showing up to salmon camp every year to strip their line out to a measured length and then start plopping shit into the River…

I spend a few extra bucks on a spinning reel but my favorite fly reel is also my cheapest. It's quiet and smooth and so simple. I landed a really big foul hooked catfish on it. Never really used the drag, mostly fingers on the spool.

You gave me exactly the information I needed .just got a 5 wt and was really looking hard for reels getting lost in details. I am an inshore offshore fishing guide that recently moved away from the coast. I like lamson liquid or guru. Is that a tall skinny reel or do you know one that would be a better fit?

Super informative and you are super funny thank you so much for the information ....

Great video

I just acquired a Helios 3d 5wt for a fantastic price. I'm new to fly fishing but not fishing and am curious about matching up a reel for this thing. I've looked at the Orvis Mirage series and noticed the website pairing it with the II rather than the III. Since the II is a 3-5 rated and I'm eventually going to add a 7wt, my thought is leaning towards the III since it's rated a 5-7 and use it for both. Any suggestions or feedback on this headache creating dilemma I'm in?

Very informative. Im new to fly fishing and am looking to get a 10ft 4 wt for trout fishing and I am trying to decide what reel to get. Lamson liquid is at the top but am unsure if I should go with the -3+ or the -5+. I fish small streams to larger rivers.

Good comment on the backing. Just how much backing do I need for a 3/4 or 5/6 reel? Over 30 years fishing, I have never seen my backing unless I am changing out fly line. Is 25-30 yards okay?

Finally somebody who isn't trying to sell a reel because it is capable of catching comets!

Kelly loved this video on selecting a new reel. I have the Ross CLA with amazing free spin. I wanted to get the Animas but noticed the free spin was much less. Can you recommend a reel with a lot of free spin like the CLA? Ty

Hi Kelly, The reel you liked the sound of that you were spinning with your palm. It seemed really smooth, you didn't mention the brand or model. I was reading the comments and not sure if it is the D Sully Ross Evolution 3. I do like the way you explain everything I think I've watched all your videos now and it has helped me to understand a lot more about this great sport. I am using an Orvis Silver Label TL Mid Flex 6.5 8 1/2 ' 3 1/8 oz rod 5 wt line. Would that reel compliment this rod well? Thanks in advance, Marty Vaughn

Do any of these reels or any other fly reels, free spool? I'm currently using a Ross Flow for float fishing. But want to try a fly reel with a Drag

Thanks Helps a lot you just saved me money and frustration.

Great video! Thank you for the info :)

Hello Kelly, I want to buy a new reel for my Orvis Helios 2 10feet #5. I do like the new Ross animas and the LTX. I've also seen the Orvis Hydros. What do you recommend? greetings to you and tight lines

Hey Kelly, Not a machinist by any means, but I am a fabricator, welder, and do have a strong knowledge of machining and metallurgy to some extent. On the note of castings and tolerances, I'm certain that the tolerances are identical to say the full machined bodies of the billet reels, as castings in themselves are still machined after the casting process, and with modern CNC technology, I'd be willing to bet every cast spool and reel from Lamson is coming in with a +- .001 tolerance all day, every day. Hardly noticeable without the right tools or knowledge. I think the real difference you'll find with the cast reels is in how much less abuse they'd withstand before breaking apart. Casting processes leave a light, porous structure, and a brittle grain in the materials that are notorious for not being able to with stand shock impact in the same way that forged materials are. Shock forces are not friends of castings. I have learned a bunch from watching your videos. I do appreciate them a lot!

I have 2 Orvis Helios and Recon fly rods. I bought a Stradalli from Whiskey creek outfitters , It was a lot cheaper than the Orvis rods so didnt mind using it as a as rough and tumble boat rod . After 2 years of constant use an abuse I prefer the action of the Stradalli . The Orvis rods stay at home and I keep choosing the stradalli.

I got a little confused at the end when Kelly spoke about 3 and 4wt reels. Am I understanding correctly that he prefers, say, a 6wt reel for a 5wt line? I am trying to find the right reel for a trout spey setup so I am looking at large arbor, wide spool reels capable of storing fatter shooting heads and running line, and as I understand it, for a 2 or 3wt trout spey rod that equates to about a 5/6wt single hander, and thus a reel designed for 5/6wt line. In that case using his +1 bump system, would Kelly go for a 7wt reel for use on a 2/3wt trout spey setup? Thanks to all the experts out there for the guidance!

I'm just curious. I understand that everyone has their own preference. But, Kelly - what reel would you consider for a scott g2 906? (Before 2017 update) my choise is sort of stuck between lamson guru, speedster and nautilus x. I really don't need drag, just something that can store my rio gold line. Greetings from norway, great and educative videos as always! :-)

Just started fly fishing this year. This guy keeps it honest. Got any info on Thompson Reels? Got a 500 and cant find much info

In my mind, a reel is just a place to hold my line!!

I love this video, just like all the others of yours that I’ve watched - so educational and sensible. I’m trying to make sure I get the point about how the click and pawl reel’s lack of drag keeps the fish from taking off downriver. Are you saying that, in the absence of drag, the current pushing the line downstream keeps the fish from sensing it’s being pulled upstream and therefore stays put or heads upstream? Do you them fight it from below? Fishing with a 9 wt rod and a Lamson Konic reel with the drag set moderately on, I’ve experienced mature Atlantic salmon taking off downriver into the backing on occasion. My guide has never suggested a different way to set the drag that might reduce the odds of this happening or suggested a different type of reel.

Kelly, whats your take on using drag in lakes fishing from a belly boat?

All I can say is.....I wouldn't wanna be Johnny.

Great video and I totally agree. What was the reel where you free spooling at 8:25? Or one that you would recommend, that free spools that smooth?

Spot on- honest review, glitzy stuff is mostly a bunch of marketing bs to run up price....those overpriced glitzy reels are perfect for the 'LOOK AT ME' anglers out there with more money than sense. Get a large arbor reel that's smooth line off the reel and slap spools and picks up line fast for big fish when needed. Ya'll keep your super light airframe aluminum reels that bend/warp/break to easily with just a little slight accidental drop, or a novice angler client falls on them and that renders them useless. Good review by Mr. Galloup.

Correction, Do any of these reels or any other fly reels, free spool slightly? I'm currently using a Ross Flow for float fishing. But want to try a fly reel with a Drag

Amazing video! I'm not sure if you check these comments still.. but I need some help and you seem like the most knowledgeable oldtimer I know on the internet. (no offense on the old timer thing). I have two setups. One is a 5wt rod with a 4wt LL bean Quest #1 reel and 4wt DT line. I have noticed my fly line gets wrapped around my reel knob and my line has loops in it when I reel the line in sometimes preventing me from reeling in. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Is it something I am doing or should I get a taller skinnier reel? Thanks in advanced! Oh.. I wade for brown trout 10-15" along the Pere Marquette river in Michigan. If that makes a difference lol

Hi Kelly, thanx for another great video! Have you tried the kinda new Loop Q Reel? I'ts pretty good priced and supposedly it's got the same core braking system as the pricier Loop reels. /Håkan

well put...on " there aren't "reel-e" any bad reels today ! so true

Excellent “NO B.S.” information.

Bryce, Most of them are really quite good. A good deal of the reels you see on the market are imports and sold under a lot of different names, they are almost all Chinese or Korean imports and because they are sold under so many different company names and made over seas they are cheaper and yet many are really good. Flip a Sage reel over and you will see it is a Korean reel, don't think they would put their name on the reel if it was junk. bottom line is there are some really great cheap reels out there and nowadays it is not necessary to spend a ton to get good quality

This guy is awesome lol. Straight to the chase.

looks like click and pawl reels are making a big come back this year !