# Salmon/Steelhead fly reel



## luckyshorts (Oct 11, 2011)

Any suggestions for a good fly reel for salmon and steelhead? I'm in the market. Replacing a Lamson Konic that I haven't been happy with


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

Pfleuger Trion 1978. Best large arbor reel for the price bar none. About $130 just about anywhere.


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## bowhuntordie (Mar 24, 2007)

How much are you looking to spend?

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## STEELHEAD JUNKIE (Feb 20, 2010)

If your willing to spend it its hard to beat a ROSS momentum for a Salmon reel. 

Those Salmon can be rough on the gear.


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## OH-YEAH!!! (Jun 18, 2009)

My Pflueger Trion 1978 has caught hundreds of fish and has never given me any issues despite me not being very careful with it.

$130 and I can count on it more than my other fancy reels that I fish with mainly due to vanity...


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## flyfisher4life1 (Sep 5, 2011)

Okuma Helios 8/9, great reel with 100% sealed drag, and it's really light and cheap.


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## BeanOFish (Jul 28, 2003)

If you have the money go with a Hatch (pricey but it's the best drag on the market), if you're looking to spend a little less you can't go wrong with a Bauer Rogue (I love mine), for much less it's tough to beat a Ross CLA.


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## luckyshorts (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks guys. Would like to keep it under $200. I might give that Plueger a try. I have a Plueger bait caster that I've had for 10 plus years and still end up going back to it despite owning much nicer reels.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

luckyshorts said:


> Thanks guys. Would like to keep it under $200. I might give that Plueger a try. I have a Plueger bait caster that I've had for 10 plus years and still end up going back to it despite owning much nicer reels.


Take it from OH YEAH and myself, I have used the Pfleuger Trion since it has been on the market, and I can attest to all of the steelhead and salmon my son and I have brought to net. This reel is the best for its price by far. Spare spools are very hard to acquire, however. But the reel is cheap enough to carry two of them with different line weights. Don't think about it, just hurry out and buy it. Satisfaction guaranteed.


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

U will be hard pressed to beat a Ross CLA for what u r looking for. Great reel/great price/very good drag/bomb proof and life time warranty. 

I have a CLA 5 on my 7wt switch rod that I use for steelhead. 

Hope this helps,
J- 

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## bowhuntordie (Mar 24, 2007)

X2 on the Momentum but for under $200 it's not what you are looking for. I'm sure there are a few out there that will meet your needs. I have a Orvis Clearwater reel on my 7wt streamer stick and I hooked a steelhead on it this year and it actually handled it very nicely, I was surprised. I believe it was $80 and a spare spool is $40. I have one set up with my sinking line and now have a spool with floating line on it as a back up steelhead rod. 

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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

jjc155 said:


> U will be hard pressed to beat a Ross CLA for what u r looking for. Great reel/great price/very good drag/bomb proof and life time warranty.
> 
> I have a CLA 5 on my 7wt switch rod that I use for steelhead.
> 
> ...


I can buy 2 Trions for the price of 1 Ross CLA C5. I would call that a better deal by far. The Trion will do everything the Ross will for a lot less money.


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## swaprat (Oct 1, 2011)

the cla is not as good as the momentum for sure the spools are not as tight on the cla and tend to wobble i know the pfluger trion is great picked one up and have played with it. here is one i am wondering about cause it fit his price range and have not touched it yet! any ways here is a ink to the sa system 4 reel in a 7/8 weight for 158.99 at cabelas.com only other i can think of is the tfo bvk reel or the large arbor. any ways i never liked the ross after i bought a tibor light back country wide way better tolerances on the construction of the reel. not what i expect from a ross. any ways it just a suggestion i think the sa system two was made better then the ross my self the standard arbor! in the two models.. here is a link to the system 4 at cabelas.com for $158.99


http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fish...=SBC;MMcat104793480;cat104721480;cat105572880


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

I have several S/A system 2's, both in the L/M series and the standard. Have been using them for years on salmon and steelhead. The L/M series works well on everything from 4wt to 9wt's. The drag system although being unsealed is easy to clean and has always worked well for me. You can find the system 2's online for a very reasonable price.

D


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## StonedFly (Feb 24, 2012)

I run a lamson guru 4 on my switch rod and love it. Smooth. But i have only had it 6 months so i have yet to fight salmon with it. 

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## STEELHEAD JUNKIE (Feb 20, 2010)

I also own a Guru and love that reel. No prblems in 2 years.


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## rcleofly (Feb 18, 2012)

I don't personally own a trion. But, I have a couple friends who use them religiously. I go threw reels every couple years. In some cases even faster. Both my friends who use trions never ever have problems or replace the reels they use. The trions seem to just keep on going fish after fish. My all time favorite reel I own is a Ross cla2. I haven't used every reel on the market so I can't say for sure. But, for what your looking to spend go trion.
Now yet again I'm asking myself why don't I own one lol.

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## steelheader2002 (Oct 25, 2011)

Ive got 2 trion 1978's. One is close to 10 years old, its been used and abused, just normal maintance every year

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## rcleofly (Feb 18, 2012)

steelheader2002 said:


> Ive got 2 trion 1978's. One is close to 10 years old, its been used and abused, just normal maintance every year
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Yeah boy them reels have been beat to piss. Time out, wait a minute, did I see that right? Is this steelheader2002 lol? You made a post, holy crap. If this guy actually commenting on a topic doesn't show you how tough a trion is, nothing will. 

Let me know when you want to go get that new rod. 

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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

skipper34 said:


> i can buy 2 trions for the price of 1 ross cla c5. I would call that a better deal by far. The trion will do everything the ross will for a lot less money.


ok 

j-


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