**Fly Reels**

[CoqTrophys]

Has anyone heard of "Chinook fly gear"? I was at riverside fly and tackle in poco and they had these reels for sale. They look and feel great for the price and they have a good warranty but I haven't heard too much about them. Does anyone have any experience with them?

[warnniklz]

I personally would go Dragonfly.

[835]

BFR
Same price and last forever. Multi cartridge system that works very well.

Sorry, to awnser your question, no. I have not heard of them. And that in it self says something to me. Now i have not seen the reel to look close at it BUT! 70-100$ BFR all the way i have had a couple of them and they are bomb proof,,,, well to a point, You cant run them over with a 35" mudder


http://www.highcountryflyfisher.com/images/photos/misc/reel29.jpg


That is att there is to them, simple drag system. The cartridge comes off the back easy and the spool just pops off that.

[CoqTrophys]

Thanks for the opinions guys! What I am after is a nice looking 5/6 reel with a good drag and warranty for under $100 and this seems to fit the bill. Another bonus is that they are a local company. I was hoping someone here owns or has used one so they can give me a little review. Thanks and keep it coming!

[Dirty]

Wow. This sounds like a shameless plug for the company. Why dont you buck up and buy a sponsorship.

[warnniklz]

The most fun I have fly fishing is, when you're on the water in your belly boat. You're trolling your favourite fly. You've had a couple giv'r pops... but you don't have to drain the main vein. Clear blue day with no wind pushing your doughnut all over the place. You're working in perfectly between a patch of lilly pads and a drop off. You feel 2 little bumps. You stop kicking and slow down a little. At the same time thinking to yourself "come on you ****ing little ****head ***hole fish, take the G** d*** ****ing thing" Sure enough your rod tip touches the water, you pull back setting the hook(even though the fish has taken it hard enough you don't have to. But you're excited), your reel is screaming and you see this bar of chrome, 6 feet off the surface of the water flickering in the sun. Everything after that doesn't matter.

[CoqTrophys]

Well said Warnniklz! So what your saying is buy it and forget about it!

Dirty - Sorry I asked. I didnt realize gear review/info on a company was such a touchy subject.

[Iron Glove]

Bah, a fly reel is just a fancy place to store your line. :)
I've got everything from Hardy down to Walmart Specials, they all work well enough for me.
Mind you, my fish average less than 12" :cry:

[warnniklz]

Well said Warnniklz! So what your saying is buy it and forget about it!

Dirty - Sorry I asked. I didnt realize gear review/info on a company was such a touchy subject.

Exactly... This is my favourite rod reel set up. A dragonfly Journey 3wt rod with the 3/4 reel. I fish a SA 4wt line and giv'r.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/320593_10150827861310387_566510386_21009499_631163 980_n.jpghttp://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/320593_10150827861310387_566510386_21009499_631163 980_n.jpg

[CoqTrophys]

Nice little set up man! I baught the Chinook classic today and will post some pics once i get my outbound on it.

[chainsaw]

I got one and love it, used it hard last summer with no probs at all. Id highly recommend one to anybody. Go see Gary at riverside he'll look after ya.

[sakofinnlight]

I worked as a fishing salesman for over 1 year! In my opinion the amundson tsx is the best real for around 100 bucks! check it out you will be amazed

[Gumsehwah]

I like the pfleuger reels myself, but okuma makes a very passable reel as well.

Still have my dragonfly bfr nock-offs that I've hadfor years, and they still do yeoman service for me.
Get one with a good drag if you fish 'nookies or chromers.

[warnniklz]

I like the pfleuger reels myself, but okuma makes a very passable reel as well.

Still have my dragonfly bfr nock-offs that I've hadfor years, and they still do yeoman service for me.
Get one with a good drag if you fish 'nookies or chromers.

Trion are beauties... but you start wading deeper to the $200 mark. But worth it.

[835]

Bah, a fly reel is just a fancy place to store your line. :)
I've got everything from Hardy down to Walmart Specials, they all work well enough for me.
Mind you, my fish average less than 12" :cry:


You only think that because you stopped at Hardy! you need an Islander!




Just kidding i have a Hardy lightweight on my 4#..... I like to wake up the neighbours!
I do however, to a point aggree with you. A reel just stores line. But when you get obsessed and good at it Better reels are way nicer to use. I did not start buying good reels until i was 5 years in to flyfishing, and had not touched another rod. Now there is three Islanders and a Hardy in the family.

When you fly fish for big fish regulairily, Salmon, steel head, Bull trout or even if you are using a 3# for 2lb bows. You need a reel that will recover line fast and has a drag system that can handel it. Last summer i had a 15lb bull on my 8# on The Wig Wam,,,,,, I was reel glad i had my Islander.....


Moral of the story, If you like the reel and the price is right give it a try. Dont listen to the online pro. If you dont like it or it breaks buy a different reel!
i posted BFH because i used them for 5 years, the same 2 reels. And Their price point is such that they sit in the same area.

[Gumsehwah]

Islanders ARE Awesome!!!

:-D

[835]

And their service is the best.

[Philcott]

And they have great guys working for them.:roll:

[835]

Phill,
You guys should sponsor me for all the plugging i do here!!!!
Course i do it because i believe it! ,,,,,,,,,, See there i go again!


Any way it looks like the OP went with his heart and got the reel. Im sure it will be a fine choice.

[Philcott]

"Word of mouth" is the best (and sometimes worst) advertising we can get. There are many who own the reels that feel like you do. Myself included.

We all need to make decisions when purchasing sporting equipment to pursue what we love. I'd much rather see someone buy "any" reel so they can get on to the water to fish than sit at home watching sportfishing BC wishing they were out there themselves.

[Philcott]

Phill,
You guys should sponsor me for all the plugging i do here!!!!
Course i do it because i believe it! ,,,,,,,,,, See there i go again!




Didn't I give you a key fob? Maybe you wife has it now.

[835]

No i got it on my key chain!

[huntcoop]

One day I'll be able to afford an IR3 :icon_frow

[835]

Huntcoop,

There are ways when you have some determination! Part of which is saving money for it and part is looking on Used Vic. The beautiful thing about Islander is if you buy a used one and some parts are wore or abused ( cant really abuse them ) you can walk right into the Plant and have them fixed, And 9x out of 10 they wont charge.

I have stod infront of and handeled a large amount of high end reels. I shopped for my Wifes IR3LA quite extensivly. Looking for other reels that were similar quality and price. And here is the "Flow" as i see it

Sage: same price as islander but they have plastic parts.
Lampson: Same price but again plastic parts
Hardy: bit cheaper and i love my Hardy, no plastic parts

I looked at others but what i found was the bearing system in most all reels with drag were plastic, Clickers in Click n' pawls were plastic. They were all around the same price, some were 100$ ish cheaper. If the reels broke the service desk was in the States, where as Islander is in Sidney. So when you have this 280$ reel in your hand and see plactic parts, remember 100$ more puts you with a far superior reel made locally with support and service better then any other reel.

Now i did not start with Islander I fished many reels before i got there that i loved and served me well. But fly fisherman that believe a reel just holds line has not fished with an Islander. No i dont work for them! Yes i love them, no they arent for beginners and there are a lot of reels out there that are great.
A rod casts the line and fishes it well on the water, but the reel lands the fish.

All above is My Opinion and thats it. That the beautie of fly fishing, compairing opinions and reasons. It can be done for ever

[warnniklz]

I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't throw a shout out to Ross Reels as well.

[Benthos]

A few years ago I got a wicked deal on some new orvis reels. I love'em.

[FishandHunt]

Just do it the 3rd world way and wrap your extra line around a 2l Coke bottle.