[Frank Whiton]

When buying reels I look at them as an investment in my favorite pastime. The only reason to buy a low cost reel is to save money. I bought my first fly reel in 1954. It was a Medalist and I still have it. Haven't fished with it for years but still have fond memories of fishing with it. Low cost reels can work well but I would spend a little more and get a reel with more features or lighter weight. A reel with a ball bearing shaft is a joy to use. A sleeve shaft will do the job if that is all you are concerned with. I would say that reels from $50 to $150 would be a low cost reel. Reels from 200 to $350 would be mid priced and reels from $400 and above would be high priced. One thing I look for in a reel is that it does not have an in-coming click. There are several very nice reels that I wouldn't consider because of the click setup. I play all but the very smallest trout from the reel. If you fish big water there is always a chance to hook a big fish. Big fish are better played from the reel. If you strip retrieve all the time I think you can get some bad habits of landing fish. Frank