[Riparian]

Originally Posted by JoshuaI

(LA marsh I'm guessing)

you have guessed correctly

thanks a great deal for your advice.

[flyvet]

There goes some good specific advice from Richard and Joshua who have had more experience than me or most others. Thanks! I have 3 Ables but only the newest is the new quick change one. They are impressive machines but I don't think they are really worth the high cost. My older ones irritate me sometimes because you need a screwdriver or at least a dime to change spools and then you run the risk of dropping the little nut. My Tibor Everglades is tough as a tractor and I have several Bauers that are nice but the early ones have the drag knob on the same side as the handle which is not as convenient or safe. I just bought another 8 wt. used rod so I am going to buy a Nautilus based on Joshua's experience.

[Neusewader]

There are quite a few Lamson fans here, especially for fresh water. If they work as well in the salt as in fresh, you'd be made! The new Lamson Vanquish is way mucho $$$ IMO

[JoshuaI]

Originally Posted by Riparian

you have guessed correctly

thanks a great deal for your advice.

Rip, thats my dream trip. I haven't got out there yet, but you can believe that my next destination will be LA. I love permit and tarpon in the Keys, but I'll take a big ole redfish over the both of them any day of the week (heresy! ).

[nu2trout]

has anyone used the Nautilus Featherweight series?
I was looking at them thinking it might go well with a 6wt for light salt water fishing.
Any thoughts?

[sightfisherman]

my tibor everglades is my favorite reel i own.

that said, i have had a ross canyon (3 or 4) for many many years, at least 8, that simply wont die. i would just rinse it down and leave it in the boat for days at a time and i fish in really salty water close to and in the ocean. it has taken an absolute beating and it still works like its brand new. really incredible durability

[briar]

Fresh water ,I have used a cfo and hardy for 30 years never had a problem. Drag 1 to 10..3
Salt water.
Its like casting with a block of cement but a Orvis ,Vortec 9/10 wgt is a great reel I was spooled twice in the Caymen Islands ,never came to the surface we were doing a bait and switch in 2000' had a hit and it was the last I saw of line and 300 yds of backing.Was in Mexico and did some major damage to my wrist after 9 hrs straight but did a slam,permit ,bone,tarpon,snook in one day.
I swiched to a smaller(lighter) Bass Pro gold cupIII 8/9 wgt and have good success with it on bones,snook, permit never had it out for tarpon.
Drag 1 to 10......11 a run of an 8 lb bone will rip it up if it is not smooth. Tuna think tow truck smooth
more later
Briar

[Silvercreek]

I wanted to mention Seamaster although 99% of fly fishers could never afford one. It is a reel that you can buy, fish for 10 years and then sell for more than it cost.

Before there was an Abel, Nautilus, etc, there was Capt. Bob McChristian and Seamaster. He not only invented the modern backplate cork drag used in most salt water reels, but he invented the dual mode direct drive reel, a direct drive antireverse reel that protects your fingers from the spinning handle. Before CNC machines Capt Bob used to machine each individual reel. He made every part except for the ball bearings. Those reels are now $$$$. At one timeover 50% of the world records for salt water fish were caught on a Seamaster Reel.

The dual mode is the best salt water reel made today if you can afford it. It was the first antireverse reel that is also a direct drive reel.

http://www.flyfishinsalt.com/techniq...ces-52606.html

http://www.stripersonline.com/surfta...d.php?t=542443

Seamaster is still made today by Robbie McChristian, the nephew of Capt Bob who has passed. Now they use CNC machines. There are no prices listed on the web site.

http://www.seamaster.com/

Here's a used Seamaster on Ebay at a starting price of $3000.

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-S-HANDLE-SE...b#ht_500wt_924

[ttas67]

While I love the lamsons, I'm having some doubts about their drag. Never had a problem with them for big trout and whatnot, but have had some issues with stripers. I borrowed a friend's velocity and it has LOCKED UP and grinded on every fish I've caught over 1bs with it. It does not do this with smaller fish, and I cannot make it do this by hand. He'd used it in the salt on many occasions, so I wondered if it didn't have some sand or something in it.

However, I bought a brand new Litespeed for my 8wt a few months ago and it's had some issues as well. It doesn't totally lock up, but If I get a 20+ lb fish on, it makes a horrible screeching noise. sounds like metal on metal. I don't know if this is in the drag, or not. could be the spool rubbing the frame. the lamsons have no mechanism to lock the spool on, it just "pops" on or off. I've never seen the schematic for this reel, but I believe there is some sort of rubber gasket which holds the spool in place. this could be compressing under the great force of a large striper taking off and causing the spool to rub the frame.

[Riparian]

Originally Posted by ttas67

While I love the lamsons, I'm having some doubts about their drag. Never had a problem with them for big trout and whatnot, but have had some issues with stripers. I borrowed a friend's velocity and it has LOCKED UP and grinded on every fish I've caught over 1bs with it. It does not do this with smaller fish, and I cannot make it do this by hand. He'd used it in the salt on many occasions, so I wondered if it didn't have some sand or something in it.

However, I bought a brand new Litespeed for my 8wt a few months ago and it's had some issues as well. It doesn't totally lock up, but If I get a 20+ lb fish on, it makes a horrible screeching noise. sounds like metal on metal. I don't know if this is in the drag, or not. could be the spool rubbing the frame. the lamsons have no mechanism to lock the spool on, it just "pops" on or off. I've never seen the schematic for this reel, but I believe there is some sort of rubber gasket which holds the spool in place. this could be compressing under the great force of a large striper taking off and causing the spool to rub the frame.

thank's

Anybody else having these issues with Lamsons?