I used to think my only gear addiction was to fly rods, but a friend recently pointed out that I had filled two large drawers in a storage chest with fly reels and spools and that my habit is both wider and more ridiculous than I admitted. I argued, albeit rather weakly, that it wasn’t that I’d never met a fly reel I didn’t want. It was simply that I’d wanted, bought, built, and traded for so many fly rods that I needed reels to go with them. Wouldn’t it be wrong for them to become mere closet queens, never to be bent by line or fish? And having reels for all of my rods — or almost all of them — also let me outfit a wife, stepsons, and friends when their own puny gear collections, or lack thereof, fell short of some serious angling need. So it’s really necessity and a generous spirit that governs my acquisitions, even as my storage containers fill to overflowing and my wallet grows thinner than a vegan in the Arctic. And with that rationalization on the table, let’s look at what’s new for 2015 in reels.
Reel Trends
Three trends seem to be governing fly-reel development these days. The first is lightness, arguably to balance better with today’s increasingly light fly rods, but I’m guessing also just to prove that it can be done. The second, particularly in the saltwater segment of the industry, is the quest for a truly effective sealed drag, one that prevents water from entering and potentially confusing or corroding things. The third is the trend toward more fly-reel bling — cosmetic touches that do nothing to improve function, but rather provide a reel with a Look: an engraved talisman that honors a species, perhaps, or a color or finish that makes a personal statement. Abel Automatics, a company responsible for the first widely successful premium disc-drag reels, has embraced all three trends. New models have become increasingly lighter, and now the cork drag for which Abel was famous may be on its way out in favor of a new sealed drag system of stacked Rulon and aluminum discs, protected by a proprietary gasket seal that completely locks out moisture. The sealed drag is at the heart of Abel’s new SD models and was created in collaboration with Oregon fly-reel guru Joe Saracione. It features 30 clicks of adjustment, using a draw-bar tightening system, has both incoming and outgoing clicks, very low start-up inertia, and enough resistance to stop whatever eats your fly. SD models will be initially available in sizes SD 3/4, SD 4/5, SD 5/6, and SD 6/7, ranging in price from $550 to $675. Larger sizes will be available beginning in winter 2015.
As far as bling is concerned, Abel has long offered a variety of custom colors (13 of them today), fish-scale-graphic anodizes, and limited-edition finishes based on the work of angling artists (21 of these), all for extra money, of course. Whimsy seems to be partially in control here: last year, we got a Grateful Dead “Steal Your Face” skull finish. This year, it’s another Dead finish featuring the band’s iconic dancing bears. I suppose if these things didn’t sell, Abel wouldn’t keep doing making them.
Tibor, another outstanding performer in the big-game category, is now offering colored drag assembly hubs, which includes all the parts to the drag, on reels in their Signature series, for which six different reel/spool colors and a number of engraving options were already available. Customize your new Signature reel (priced from $685 to $865) with one of those basic colors, then choose one of half a dozen hub colors, including “Lime,” “Aqua,” and “Violet 3D.” The colored hub shows through the porting on the drag knob side of the reel, so you’ll want to be careful to make sure it’s the side that shows in your hero shots. And if you already have a Tibor Signature reel, you can swap out your old, bland hub for a new colored one for a price, of course: $125 to $135, depending on the size of the reel.
Staying with saltwater reels, the next interesting introduction is by Nautilus, whose existing CCF-X2 reels feature an excellent sealed drag and an impressive 20 pounds of maximum resistance. New for 2015 is the CCF-X2 “Silver King,” a 5-inch-diameter, narrow-spool model that picks up a bit over 14 inches of line for each turn of the handle. At 9.1 ounces, it may also be the lightest reel of that diameter on the market. Suitable for both the big-fish flats and big-water Spey fishing, it won Best of Show in both freshwater and saltwater fly-reel categories at this summer’s dealer show. It’s $685, wherever toys are sold. What about bling? The basic reel is available in either black or a handsome soft silver, with a blue drag hub, but Nautilus offers a rainbow of extra-cost color options that let you fly whatever freak flag amuses you.
Orvis’s new Spey reel is an addition to its existing click-drag Battenkill line. New Battenkill IVs and Vs, with 3-3/4inch and 4-inch diameters, respectively, are “classic” reels, which in Orvis-speak means they are traditional small-arbor models with lots of attractive, weight-reducing holes in the spool face. The machined frames and spools are heavier on IVs and Vs than on the trout Battenkills and have heavier click-and-pawl parts. Outgoing spool tension is adjustable to four different levels by turning an eccentric cam, against which the spring that bears on the pawl rests. You do this from the inside, rather than with an external knob. When you want more drag, you palm the rim, while the reel makes a very satisfying sound. The IV will hold a weight-forward 8-weight floating line and 200 yards of 30-pound Dacron, while the V will hold a 10-weight floater with the same amount of backing. They are quite affordable at $139 and $149, respectively.
Sage’s new reel line, the Domain, offers large-diameter, large-arbor reels with full frames that minimize line pinching when using small-diameter running lines or backing. Fully machined, they are highly ported and use Sage’s sealed carbon drag, activated by a one-revolution drag knob that has numbered settings. Diameters are large, and line capacities are generous, making Domains well matched with most switch and Spey rods. The 3.6-inch Domain 5 holds a weight-forward 6-weight floating line and 100 yards of 20-pound backing; the 3.9-inch Domain 8 holds a WF8F and 100 yards of 20-pound backing; and the 4.3-inch Domain 10 holds a WF10F and 200 yards of 30-pound backing. Each model is available in three hard-anodized colors: “Platinum” (a light gray), “Stealth” (a dark gray) and — bling alert! — “Lime.” Prices are a reasonable $340 to $380.
For 2015, Lamson has discontinued two models and introduced two new ones. Gone are the Konic on the low end and the Vanquish, a high-end big-game reel that never caught on with anglers, or rather, with buyers. The new Liquid series are inexpensive large-arbor reels with cast spools and frames at $99 to $129. The Remix series are similar-looking reels with heftier machined frames that use the same cast spools as the Liquid line, at $159 to $169. Both reels use the same well-tested conical drag system that Lamson uses on the company’s more expensive reels, and both are available in sizes from 3-weight to 10-weight. Another new offering is a three-pack that features a Liquid reel and two spools in a soft nylon case for $149 to $159, depending on the model. Lamson also wants anglers to know that high-quality fly reels don’t have to be made offshore, which is where two-thirds of all fly reels sold in the United States are sourced, regardless of price, and where every reel priced under $200 is made. The pressure-cast frames and spools for the Liquid series are sourced offshore, but the Remix frames and all the rest of the parts for both the Liquid and the Remix models are made in the United States, where both reels are assembled. That’s 50 to 80 percent U.S. manufacturing content. Kinda heartening, when you think about it. Finally, for some bling on the cheap, Lamson offers a brightly anodized sleeve for $9.95 that goes over the drag housing of these reels and shows in the space between the arbor and the spool housing.
Ross Reels made great reels independently for years before being sold, first to Scientific Anglers, then to Orvis, and now, one hopes finally, to Abel. For 2015, Ross has introduced its new, competitively priced Animas series. These are large-arbor reels machined from 6061 T6 aluminum alloy, with highly ported frames, easy left/ right conversion, and a smooth Delrin/ Teflon-impregnated polymer drag system. Reels are anodized in either black, with a moss-colored spool handle and drag knob, or granite, with brass hardware. They’re available in six sizes, from 3.1 inches for a 3-weight line to 4.6 inches for a 12-weight. Suggested retail prices range from $225 to $325. Initial delivery will begin in December for Animas trout weight models and extend through March for heavy-line models.
Galvan, which quietly and consistently produces some of the nicest reels on the market, slipped a new light-trout model into their lineup in 2014 with virtually no fanfare, so let’s consider it new for 2015. The Brookie is a minimalist, large-arbor design with a devilishly simple click-ball spool tension mechanism that you adjust with an Allen wrench and that’s perfect for ultralight trout fishing. Set it for the tension you want to prevent overruns, then forget it, though I suppose you could augment it with palm pressure on the rim if you feel the need to stop a charging 12-incher. It’s available in four sizes, from a 2.5-ounce, 2.75-inch-diameter 0/1-weight model to a 3.2 ounce, 3.45-inch-diameter 4/5-weight. Structurally strong despite their lightweight, they’re modestly priced at between $200 and $230. In black only.
At the beefier end of the reel spectrum, the new RX models from Bauer Fly Reels refine the company’s carbon fiber drag to provide greater pressure with less strain on parts and move bearings from the spool to the frame’s sealed hub. The look was also updated with teardrop-shaped porting that calls to mind the appearance of earlier Bauers. Initial models were aimed at the steelhead/bonefish segment of the sport, but for 2015, Bauer has extended the size range to include trout weight reels. Seven models are now available, for lines from 3 through 11/12, at prices from $395 to $745. The bling-conscious can get them in multiple spool and frame colors with a contrasting color for the hub.
Trends in Fly Lines for 2015
Trends in fly lines also seem to be scurrying along three paths. First, a number of companies are moving toward low-stretch polyester cores to establish a quicker connection between hand and fly. There’s also a slightly different and to me more positive feel when casting than with nylon-core lines that stretch. I suppose one could argue that the decreased stretch makes break-offs more likely, but I’ve not noticed much difference with long trout leaders or with the shorter saltwater leaders I fish, which are generally pretty beefy, mitigating my ham-handedness. Second, a shift away from AFTMA line specs, established in the early 1960s, continues as line manufacturers introduce more “aggressive” lines for indicator and streamer fishing, with head weights that exceed what’s normal on a traditional line. (And if I suggest that “aggressive” lines will lead to the proliferation of more stiff, “aggressive” rods, am I simply being antediluvian?) Finally, multicolored fly lines are bringing bling to string, with sections of a fly line each shaded a different color to allow the angler to quickly distinguish between running line, head, and tip.
RIO’s new offerings pretty much embrace all three trends, beginning with the low-stretch core that RIO calls Connect Core and signaled by the name In Touch on fly lines that use it. The new In Touch Gold is RIO’s top-end technical trout line, with a long head and rear taper for line control and a front taper meant for presentation. The line has an olive tip, a gray handling section toward the back of the head, and a yellow running line. It’s available in weight-forward floaters for 4-weight to 8-weight lines at $89.95. The new In Touch Xtreme Indicator line is just that, with a short head and powerful front taper meant for heavy payloads or quick casting from a boat. The running line is yellow, with a tan handling section and an orange tip that lets you track your leader and indicator. It’ available in weight-forward floaters for 5-weight to 9-weight lines at $89.95. Where the WF5F In Touch Gold that I’ve been using has a head (the first 30 feet) weight of just under 150 grains, the In Touch Extreme Indicator WF5F’s head weighs 185 grains. Those two lines are clearly going to load the same rod differently, and you’re going to have to cast them differently. I suppose you could call the 185-grain line a WF7F, but then you’d be less likely to buy it for your 5-weight trout rod, wouldn’t you? Finally, the In Touch Level T is simply RIO’s fast-sinking tungsten coating applied to Power Core in level lines at 8 grains per foot (T-8), 11 grains per foot (T-11), and 14 grains per foot (T14). For $29.95, you get a 30-foot head of any weight with loops on both ends, while $249.95 buys you a 500-foot roll.
Scientific Anglers, now owned by Orvis, has been pushing textured fly lines for the past half a dozen years or so, arguing for their superior floating, line-pickup, and shooting characteristics. It began with Sharkskin, whose gritty surface rubbed some people, or at least their fingers, the wrong way, then progressed to Textured, with a somewhat smoother surface, and now to Sharkwave, which has a Sharkskin tip section in one color, a non-embossed Tactile Reference Point handling section in another color, and a Textured running line in a third — a nice way of offering a textured line. For 2015, the Sharkwave lineup has been expanded to include “aggressive” Sharkwave Siege and Saltwater Titan lines. Sharkwave Siege, SA’s aggressive-head line for throwing big flies, won a Best of Show at the recent dealer show.
As with other such lines, the head is quite a bit heavier than the AFTMA standard. The first 30 feet of a WF5F Siege weighs 210 grains, equivalent to an AFTMA WF8F. The Sharkwave Saltwater Titan has an aggressive, front-loaded taper and is built on a high-strength core that tests about 50 pounds breaking strength. It also has a stiffer surface coating specially designed for slickness and wear resistance that features the same three different textures for head, handling point, and running line as the Siege, and it is available in weight-forward floaters for 6-weight to 12-weight lines. Once again the head weights are higher than the normal AFTMA standard, though not quite as heavy as those for the Sieges. Both lines cost $99.95.
Not surprisingly, Orvis took advantage of its new relationship as owner of Scientific Anglers to redo and upgrade their own fly-line offerings, though they won’t be available until January. At the top, at least of the company’s marketing literature, are the new Hydros Textured HD lines. These lines have only two textures: a diamond texture similar to the Sharkwave’s in the belly and a dimpled texture similar to Textured’s for the running line, each a different color. Eight different lines are available, named Trout, Power Taper, Easy Mend, Bonefish, Igniter, Bank Shot, Switch, and Depth Charge. With the exception of the Igniter, a line that’s intended for fast deliveries to the target, the names pretty much make clear the various lines’ uses. Orvis also has a full dozen new smooth-finished lines covering the gamut of fly-fishing uses. There’s even a double-taper trout line, for those of us who still prefer them in some situations. The new Textured HD lines are $98, while the new smooth lines are $79.
Cortland, under new ownership for the past couple of years, has quietly been revising and improving their lines. New for 2015 are an updated Trout Boss line built on a thinner core for better performance and two new saltwater lines, all manufactured with Cortland’s new HTx surface coating. Cortland says HTx provides an extremely low coefficient of friction for shooting long casts and for minimal surface disturbance during line pickup. The new Blitz saltwater line has a clear intermediate head and a blue floating running line, and the new Deep Salt line has a Type VIII, 27-foot sinking head integrated to a blue floating running line. Prices for all three are $80. There’s also a new Competition Nymph line at $60 for the Czech nymphing crowd.
Fishing pros Kelly Galloup and Bruce Chard, who’d lent their talents to Scientific Anglers for design work on specialty freshwater and saltwater streamer lines, respectively, switched their affiliations to Airflo when Orvis bought SA. The result is that Airflo now offers a Bruce Chard Tropical Punch line ($84.99) that’s described as a “go-to” saltwater line for the flats. There are also four new Kelly Galloup freshwater lines: a nymph/indicator line, a floating line for fishing streamers, and two sinking streamer lines, one an integrated headline with an intermediate running line, the other with a shorter sinking tip. All are priced a $79.99. Taper specs for these lines are, of course, unique to each line, but the basic idea here is that a heavy front taper is needed for turning over heavy flies, and it’s mated to Airflo’s Ridge surface of longitudinal grooves for ease of handling and shooting and a low-stretch Power Core for quick hooksets. The floating lines are fabricated with the company’s Super Dri technology, a permanent compound of nanoparticles of water-repelling PTFE (polytetraflouroethylene) for high floatation and easier shooting.
On the double-handed line front, Airflo has two new integrated floating switch lines for shorter double-handed rods. The Switch Float and Switch Streamer both utilize Super Dri technology and are priced at $99.99. The Switch Float has a compact head and is intended for use with floating or sinking poly leaders and light sink tips. The Switch Streamer has a short, heavy head for tossing beefier sink tips. Exact specifications are still being worked out at the time this was written.
Next issue: new accessories and soft goods for 2015.
