I know this video is 5 mo old and I'm a little late to the party. I own several Okuma SLV reels in sizes 2-3 and 4-5 that I have fished heavily for over 10 years. Of course, I think they are great reels and wouldn't be writing this comment if I thought otherwise. Back when I purchased them I paid $40-$50. Now, you can still find them in the $55-$65 price range. Well worth taking a look at in your next budget reel evaluation.
I purchased a 3/4 Piscifun Sword after watching a review from one of your previous videos. I paired it up with my 6'6" 2 wt from Maine Fly Co for small creek fishing for brookies here in the Northeast and couldn't be happier with the purchase. Very good quality and a great value.
I like the two TFO NTRs I have as much as my Bauer and Ross reels. The NTR is smooth, light, durable, and has a great drag. I just ordered a Maxcatch Avid Pro 5-7 for Sea Run Cutthroat. It's slightly heavy compared to higher end reeels, but it balances really well my 10'6" two-hander.
Good timing here too! I watched your budget rod vid and was looking at the Matchcatch Premier rod. They have a bundle with the Avid reel for 110 or their Toro reel for 123, Avid with a bunch of lines for 128. Think I'm going with the 128 bundle as my 1st setup.
Unless you are fishing; Skagit, Spey, for Salmon, most saltwater species, pike, musky, lake trout and the like: You should expect to spend no more than 30%-50% the cost of the rod. I currently have 15 reels after 50 years of fishing and fished probably twice that many (even a Pflueger automatic I bought years ago as a joke for 40 bucks) and I will say that Orvis reels are absolutely the best in the business.
Super cheap (but able to afford expensive) fly guy here. For about $50 I think the Maxcatch Avid is the best all around reel by far (I have several Maxcatch reels, including Avid, ECO, Tail and classic clicker). I'd follow this by the Piscifun Sword (I have several including Sword, Sword II, Aoka and Aoka XS). Honestly for 5 wt and under, you shouldn't need to spend more than $75. But the best cheap reels I have were from a guy, Jonny K (rest in peace) that ran Angers Roost in NY. Unfortunately, he and his shop are gone but he had the best $50 CNC reels, in black, silver and titanium. I can't find them anywhere since. Closest reel would be the Maxcatch Avid.
Yep. Getting a great Sage reel for $165 is still budget and worth the upspend. Anything under $175 is budget for a reel these days, although we tried to keep most of the list under $100. $200-$300 ish is midrange and $300-$500+ is topend in the freshwater reels category IMO
Most of expensive brand flyreels are made in China, - or parts of them, - I agree. So I bought some reels by TEMU for freshwater fishing. Only one of five comes in with a little problem - the ball-bearing in false way out. Ideal for an left hand caster. TEMU accept exchange, problem solved.
Dont buy the max catch eco... I bought 2 of them. 3-4 weight and 5-6 weight.. pieces of shit.. they both fell apart when casting. Had to retrieve all my line by hand on several occasions.. absolute piles of scrap.
this is surprising to me. I’ve personally ordered probably 6 or 7 maxcatch reels over the years and never once had an issue like that. They aren’t Ross or Shiltons no. but for $30 it’s pretty insane how long mine have lasted. sounds like a manufacturer defect you had. did maxcatch send you a replacement?
@@intoflyfishing I never chased it up. To be fair I got them off Amazon.. I didn't think it was worth chasing up once the exact same thing happened to the second reel... The spools don't lock in place.. I just put them down as pieces of crap... Get what ya pay for I suppose. Lol
@@Bannflyfisher damn! Sorry to hear that. At the very least it shows there might be an issue with consistency. Out of all of mine and the team's we never had an issue so we had to go by our own experience. If you still want a super cheap real, the Piscifun or the upgraded Avid is a better option.
Wait... the sound of my 1/1 platinum plated diamond encrusted orvis reel doesn't bring in more fish???? I thought fly fishing wasn't for the poors. What the fuck tom.
looking to get a scott wave 6wt rod and i was thinking a 6wt ultralight for my needs but after looking at the weight between both rods its only 2.83 grams difference , i dont think ill even notice a difference.... 3.5oz vs 3.6oz ... i have a 6wt predator rod thats 4.1oz and already feels light but that rod loves to be over lined up so it feels more like a light medium beefy 7wt now that i see the specs on the scoot wave rods... im more in the mid range upper budget but i just cant see myself spending over 1000$ on a fly rod/reel im sure i will one day thoe this fly stuff is crack to me pretty crazy how they can make this rods and reels lightweight now but you are going to pay the price for a lightweight set up and we all fish to have fun get that nice fighting feeling.. i fish for boonefish all year at my place and our bone fish is under 2 half pounds mostly maybe 1 pound , then we got bay bass,bonito, halibut can be up to 15+ pounds which ill be in trouble with a 6wt/7wt but its doable just have to fight it ..we also have mullets can be up to 5 pound, so lucky to have lots of game fish here in south california .... good info on the vids
I know this video is 5 mo old and I'm a little late to the party. I own several Okuma SLV reels in sizes 2-3 and 4-5 that I have fished heavily for over 10 years. Of course, I think they are great reels and wouldn't be writing this comment if I thought otherwise. Back when I purchased them I paid $40-$50. Now, you can still find them in the $55-$65 price range. Well worth taking a look at in your next budget reel evaluation.
I purchased a 3/4 Piscifun Sword after watching a review from one of your previous videos. I paired it up with my 6'6" 2 wt from Maine Fly Co for small creek fishing for brookies here in the Northeast and couldn't be happier with the purchase. Very good quality and a great value.
That's awesome. Really good to hear and thanks for taking the time to make the comment. Cheers and tight lines!
I feel like the lamson liquid should be on here also
We've reviewed it. Could've made the list, but we wanted to not have too many over $100 and already had a couple better ones IMO.
@@intoflyfishing ah makes sense
@@intoflyfishing you ignored the reel that dominates this price bracket in sales?
Should have made the list. @@intoflyfishing
@@tannervanasten Which is?
I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was.
I like the two TFO NTRs I have as much as my Bauer and Ross reels. The NTR is smooth, light, durable, and has a great drag.
I just ordered a Maxcatch Avid Pro 5-7 for Sea Run Cutthroat. It's slightly heavy compared to higher end reeels, but it balances really well my 10'6" two-hander.
NTR's are quite good.
The Maxcatch premier combo is a really nice set up. It’s easily comparable to more expensive set ups. The free line they give you….not so much😂
Totally agree!
Good timing here too! I watched your budget rod vid and was looking at the Matchcatch Premier rod. They have a bundle with the Avid reel for 110 or their Toro reel for 123, Avid with a bunch of lines for 128. Think I'm going with the 128 bundle as my 1st setup.
I subbed because you asked nicely and the content was great.
Perfect timing. I’m deciding on a new reel. Good review. Just subscribed.
You did the research and it feels like what little follow-up I have to do is just to decide which...
Unless you are fishing; Skagit, Spey, for Salmon, most saltwater species, pike, musky, lake trout and the like: You should expect to spend no more than 30%-50% the cost of the rod. I currently have 15 reels after 50 years of fishing and fished probably twice that many (even a Pflueger automatic I bought years ago as a joke for 40 bucks) and I will say that Orvis reels are absolutely the best in the business.
Super cheap (but able to afford expensive) fly guy here. For about $50 I think the Maxcatch Avid is the best all around reel by far (I have several Maxcatch reels, including Avid, ECO, Tail and classic clicker). I'd follow this by the Piscifun Sword (I have several including Sword, Sword II, Aoka and Aoka XS). Honestly for 5 wt and under, you shouldn't need to spend more than $75. But the best cheap reels I have were from a guy, Jonny K (rest in peace) that ran Angers Roost in NY. Unfortunately, he and his shop are gone but he had the best $50 CNC reels, in black, silver and titanium. I can't find them anywhere since. Closest reel would be the Maxcatch Avid.
Great reviews. Well done
I just got a cheeky preload 2.0 300. Any experience with it?
Okuma SLV ..B has a large center shaft, light weight and a great drag $48.99 at Bi- mart in size 7/8 🎣
i have and seen 20# cut throat caught on this reel.
sorry have to edit this remark the Helios SX is what I have fished spoke too soon. still can not beat it for $105
My max catch avid just had the drag disk disintegrate after fighting some medium sized snook
Good Collection produk
Piscufun reels are hard to beat, great value. I fish the Sword in 3 sizes.
I want to buy one and pair it with a maxcatch premier rod. Do you know if These will work well together?
I am fishing a Piscufun 5/6 reel with a Max Catch 10/3 Nymph Rod. A 3/4 reel wood work fine but I prefer the diameter of the 5/6.
It’s Picifun, sorry
why no semi automatic fly reels??
Because they suck, lol.
Do the same for salt water reels
Will work on it
Sage as budget?
Yep. Getting a great Sage reel for $165 is still budget and worth the upspend. Anything under $175 is budget for a reel these days, although we tried to keep most of the list under $100. $200-$300 ish is midrange and $300-$500+ is topend in the freshwater reels category IMO
Most of expensive brand flyreels are made in China, - or parts of them, - I agree. So I bought some reels by TEMU for freshwater fishing. Only one of five comes in with a little problem - the ball-bearing in false way out. Ideal for an left hand caster. TEMU accept exchange, problem solved.
Dont buy the max catch eco... I bought 2 of them. 3-4 weight and 5-6 weight.. pieces of shit.. they both fell apart when casting. Had to retrieve all my line by hand on several occasions.. absolute piles of scrap.
this is surprising to me. I’ve personally ordered probably 6 or 7 maxcatch reels over the years and never once had an issue like that. They aren’t Ross or Shiltons no. but for $30 it’s pretty insane how long mine have lasted. sounds like a manufacturer defect you had. did maxcatch send you a replacement?
@@intoflyfishing I never chased it up. To be fair I got them off Amazon.. I didn't think it was worth chasing up once the exact same thing happened to the second reel... The spools don't lock in place.. I just put them down as pieces of crap... Get what ya pay for I suppose. Lol
@@Bannflyfisher damn! Sorry to hear that. At the very least it shows there might be an issue with consistency. Out of all of mine and the team's we never had an issue so we had to go by our own experience. If you still want a super cheap real, the Piscifun or the upgraded Avid is a better option.
Wait... the sound of my 1/1 platinum plated diamond encrusted orvis reel doesn't bring in more fish???? I thought fly fishing wasn't for the poors. What the fuck tom.
looking to get a scott wave 6wt rod and i was thinking a 6wt ultralight for my needs but after looking at the weight between both rods its only 2.83 grams difference , i dont think ill even notice a difference.... 3.5oz vs 3.6oz ... i have a 6wt predator rod thats 4.1oz and already feels light but that rod loves to be over lined up so it feels more like a light medium beefy 7wt now that i see the specs on the scoot wave rods... im more in the mid range upper budget but i just cant see myself spending over 1000$ on a fly rod/reel im sure i will one day thoe this fly stuff is crack to me pretty crazy how they can make this rods and reels lightweight now but you are going to pay the price for a lightweight set up and we all fish to have fun get that nice fighting feeling.. i fish for boonefish all year at my place and our bone fish is under 2 half pounds mostly maybe 1 pound , then we got bay bass,bonito, halibut can be up to 15+ pounds which ill be in trouble with a 6wt/7wt but its doable just have to fight it ..we also have mullets can be up to 5 pound, so lucky to have lots of game fish here in south california .... good info on the vids