Daiwa New Era Cartridge reel for saltwater - opinions?

Gallah · Post by **Gallah** » Mon May 14, 2012 4:18 am

Graeme, check out this reel. Looks the goods at a very modest price. Fully machined and fully sealed drag. Reputable fly-fishing brand too (although not known as a reel manufacturer...)

http://tinyurl.com/7cqysko

Gallah · Post by **Gallah** » Mon May 14, 2012 5:52 am

P.S. came back to edit that link out, but it seems it's too late.

sms · Post by **sms** » Mon May 14, 2012 9:24 am

Most cheap reels have IAR bearing based design. The IAR is often not sealed and often is constructed on a plastic frame. Stay away. I think the Airlite is one of those - I tend to open all possible reels I get my hands on. My Hardy Ultralite DD has the same handicap - I would not take it to serious SWOFFing.

Regarding the Leichi V8, I think the -1 variation was done based on Zane looks. But the design is the same as Vosseler S series on all V8 reels. I think and hope that the Vosseler is the egg, but I cannot know for sure - it could be the chicken. Btw, compare Meiser reel with V8-3.

If you want a new reel, you might want to take a look at Sea Level Tempest. It basically Abel/Tibor design but made in far east.
http://sealevelflyfish.com/sea-lev....st-reel
The good thing is that it is not that expensive and it is a tested design. The bad thing is that it supports work transfer from the west to east and you never know how long you can get parts if you need them.

Personally I would keep my eyes open in ebay and look for Abel and Tibor. Or Nautilus CCF (NV would probably be too expensive even as 2nd hand), Galvan (Rush/Rush LT is the same reel as Torque, just different style machining), Hatch, Bauer...

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Mon May 14, 2012 12:03 pm

The tempest reels used to be Albright Tempest, built in Korea I believe. Ray Hutcherson bought the design from Albright and sells them as sea level now (the Sea Level and Albright parts are interchangeable). He promised to do his utmost to keep spare parts available. Cork is absolutely not a bad way to go imo. The Bauer JM I mentioned earlier and also the old Redington Brakewater spring to mind. The TFO Hayden is also a cork drag reel that has caught me some very good fish. Islander is another very good reel that might be worth investigating.

Cheers,
Jeroen

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon May 14, 2012 11:01 pm

sms wrote:Most cheap reels have IAR bearing based design. The IAR is often not sealed and often is constructed on a plastic frame. Stay away.

Indeed. I have had trouble with anti reverse bearings in cheap reels used in saltwater. They rust. I have never had one fail - has anyone else?

The good news about them, however, is that the bearings are usually very easy to get replacements for. Replace bearings, replace drag washers, almost as good as new!

Graeme_Hird · Post by **Graeme_Hird** » Mon May 14, 2012 11:19 pm

Gallah wrote:P.S. came back to edit that link out, but it seems it's too late.

As far as matching your criteria for getting a decent reel within a tight budget, I think it meets the mark. It would be worth a punt.

(I wonder why the 9/10 version is more expensive than the 11/12 one?)

Cheers,
Graeme

Graeme_Hird · Post by **Graeme_Hird** » Tue May 22, 2012 1:55 pm

As I noted earlier, I ended up ordering the Allen Alpha II reel (Size 9/10/11) from the US, even though I had already ordered a Sage 4210 from a local supplier here in Perth.

I ordered the Sage about 10 weeks ago and I ordered the Allen two weeks ago. The Allen arrived yesterday and the Sage turned up today.

First impressions of both: The Sage is smooth and well finished, while the Allen is not so smooth on the drag (yet) but also well finished. (I think it will become smoother with use as the CF drag beds in.) The drag on the Allen can be set to a higher tension than that on the Sage, which really surprised me. I think both would be able break a 20lb tippet, but I still need to test that aspect.

The Allen is silent during retrieve and has a very muted drag noise when that's active. The Sage is a noisy American both ways. I'll see which I prefer when I've fought fish on both, but right now, I'm preferring the understated voice of the Allen.

Both came with neoprene pouches.

The Sage cost $198 more, even with a 10% discount from the Saltwater Flyrodders Club membership.

I'll reserve judgement on which reel is better value until I've had a chance to test the reels under drag. (I'm yet to test the drag with the backing tied to my son's bike …

) If the Allen cracks under pressure, then it's not good value at any discount. I doubt it will, though.

Given that I can get a second spare reel from Allen Fly Fishing plus a shooting head and still be in front of the Sage, I'm leaning heavily towards the Allen right now.

cheers,
Graeme

Gallah · Post by **Gallah** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:31 am

Cheers Graeme, that's useful info.

I still haven't bought a new reel, I just can't afford it right now, especially when I'm not actually catching any fish (apart from the odd fish-finger sized trout). There's no point.

However, I'm leaning heavily towards the cheaper Lamson reels.

formula1 · Post by **formula1** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:27 am

Fly reels cost more for a number of reasons. One is that they really are of higher quality than the Shimano spinning reels you will buy - they take a lot more of a beating and continue to run year after year. Second it comes down to economics of scale. More people spin fish and so a spinning reel is made in much greater number on a mass assembly line, cutting down the cost significantly. Fly reels made on a CNC to high quality standards typically have a fair amount of human involvement even with the machining process that drives up the price.

I've also been told many stories of low-end and mid-range reels that fail under pressure of fighting a big fish. Seen it a few times as well. Spools bending and hitting the frame. Drags going into free spool. Handles coming off. I've never had that happen with a Mako, Charlton, Tibor or Abel. To be fair though, the Tibor and Abel cork drags, IMHO, are cr*p as they tend to lose drag force after a few season. Every Tibor I have started life being able to crank out 11-12# of drag and after 4-5 years can only put out 5-7#. Of course replacing the cork drag restores the drag but when I pay $800 for a reel I do not think I should have to replace drag washers every few years.

Someone mentioned the Colton reel - that is one of the few reels in the under $400 range that I would take a serious look at for big fish. The guy that makes them is well known on one of the US saltwater sites and is a stand up guy who stands behind the product and quite a few guys have been having good results with his reels on big fish. I've not used them so I am only relaying information I've gotten from people I personally know and trust.

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 4:27 am

when I pay $800 for a reel I do not think I should have to replace drag washers every few years.

I don't understand that argument to be honest. I have used bikes (and still do) that have cost me 5000 euros and have never been surprised about the amount of parts I have to change due to normal wear and tear. It is part of the game. You could however argue IMO if a manufacturer should supply you with a standard spare set of cork washers with the initial purchase.
I have used a Redington Brakewater a fair bit and was quite happy with it. When I bought it, the standard package included a spare cork washer, which I think is logical.

Cheers,
Jeroen

formula1 · Post by **formula1** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 5:33 am

Jeroen as always you make good points. If cork drag draw bar reels had no other competition I would accept it as such and put up with replacing washers. However there is a fair amount of competition in that price range these days and other reels that essentially require no parts replacements that have gotten me to use the Abel and Tibor reels in my collections strictly as backup reels for the last 5 years and nothing more. I don't think I've made a serious cast at a big fish with either of those makes in the last 2 years since my primary reels never seem to fail me in any way.

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:08 am

That is fair enough F1. It is a good thing that newer, more refined materials and mechanics, seem to be less subject to wear.
In biking that has not always been the case. Lighter alloys and the use of carbon fibre in nearly all areas of the bike.

wcb · Post by **wcb** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:15 am

Just get a Nautilus and be done with it

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 8:25 am

I have a Nautilus CCF and I am very happy with it. But recently a mate of mine saw a Nautilus NV freeze up on a fish. Couldn't be restored.

wcb · Post by **wcb** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:51 pm

I have to say i have never heard of a NV freezing up before this and i have sold hundreds.
Has he had it sorted?

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