Hatch reels closeout pricing!

[ausablebrown]

I've been wanting to get my hands on one of these Hatch reels for a long time now. Even at used e-bay prices these were still selling for $300+. Now thanks to their redesign, the "Monsoon" is giving way to the "Finatic", and their top-tier price has dipped into the $200's. I've heard nothing but praise for these reels; one of the biggest draws for me is the "completely sealed everything" design. -This is my only nit-to-pick with every high end reel that I've picked up. From tiny little wire springs, to little pawl teeth, and little plastic rings, o-rings etc...I just havn't found the "perfect" reel. I've had reels that worked great, but I always worry about these little fragile and loose-able parts. I just purchased a brand new 3+ on e-bay for $265

I just wanted to know if anyone was using these Hatch reels? Also to put the word out if anyone else has been wanting one they are going for $100-150 off on e-bay right now. From what Hatch says, they only redesigned the frames and spools to cut a little weight.

 

[MoscaPescador]

Even though I do not own Hatch reels, I have used them. For awhile, the local shop used Hatch reels for demo Spey reels. For a stacked washer system, it is the smoothest one that I have ever used. Either manually pulling line or letting a big buck steelhead make that decision for me, the line always came off smoothly. The drag system has a wide range from almost free spool to full lock up.

I know of one drag system failure. My former boss from the fly shop had his reel's drag system seize up. Current theory is that the hole where the set screw that locks down the drag hub got corroded after multiple Christmas Island trips. That changed the set screw/screw hole tolerance. Water got into the hub and rusted or corroded everything inside. Hatch replaced the reel at no cost.

If you can get one at a discounted price, get one.

Dennis

 

[sweetandsalt]

I was an early-adoptor of Hatch and fish 2 of them regularly, a 5+ on bigger trout rivers on a Z-Axis and a 7+ on my wading-among-the mangroves Scott S4s. Both have performed flawlesly. I do rinse all my saltwater gear down at the end of the day and thoroughly clean it upon my return from a trip. These are great reels with solid personalities and one of the few models that I feel I can unhesitatingly recomend to my friends.

I appreciate the new wave of sealed drags started by Jack Charlaton and built upon by Hatch...now everyone from Orvis to Hardy to TFO is in on this idea. This is fine but as I like to say,"if a Space Shuttle can blow up due to a faulty mega-buck 'O' ring, a sealed fly reel drag might too". Sealed is great but do not discount quality draw-bar reel's virtues (in big game sizes not for your 3-weight, Ausable). One can feild-strip an Islander-Tibor-Abel with no tools and have it back and running with a quick rinseout.

When I fish Abaco in a few weeks the Scott/Hatch rig will be in the skiff right next to an NRX/Islander set-up. Both #8's but with different lines, leaders, personalities and missions; they still guarantee redundancy just in case.