Cabelas Lsr Reel
- Thread starter dmoliver
- Start date
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
Re: Cabala's Lsr Reel
Hi dmoliver,
I have never used or even seen a LSR reel so keep that in mind with my comments.
I posted a picture of the LSR reel so everyone knows what you are asking about. It says it is a machined reel so I assume it is cast/machined. It appears to have a draw bar, sealed drag. It is a Mid-Arbor reel and should be a good trout reel. What did you think about the construction? The price will be hard to beat. Maybe someone who is more familiar with the reel will post. Let us know if you buy one.
Hi dmoliver,
I have never used or even seen a LSR reel so keep that in mind with my comments.
I posted a picture of the LSR reel so everyone knows what you are asking about. It says it is a machined reel so I assume it is cast/machined. It appears to have a draw bar, sealed drag. It is a Mid-Arbor reel and should be a good trout reel. What did you think about the construction? The price will be hard to beat. Maybe someone who is more familiar with the reel will post. Let us know if you buy one.
Frank, asking me what I think about a reel is a little like asking Paris Hilton what she thinks about nuclear physics, I am just getting into this fly fishing thing and am feeling my way along, I dont have any experience with good or bad reels so I am not sure what to look for. I was hoping someone on this forum could tell me a little about them because the price seems so right but if they are junk I would rather spend more and get a little better quality.
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
dmoliver,
Cabela's sells some very well made reels. A good way to evaluate reels is to compare workmanship. Cabela's sells Galvan and Tibor reels. Look at the machining on these reels and see how smooth they wind. Remove the spool and look at the inside of the reel. If you can see the drag surface compare the size of one to another. See if you like the outgoing click and the incoming click if it has one. Then look at the reel you are interested in and compare the features and workmanship to the other reels. This will give you a good idea of how well the reel is made but not how well the drag works under fishing conditions. How well a reel fishes comes from fishing experience. That is where this forum comes into play. I am sure that one of our posters has this reel and will give you their feedback.
Cabela's sells some very well made reels. A good way to evaluate reels is to compare workmanship. Cabela's sells Galvan and Tibor reels. Look at the machining on these reels and see how smooth they wind. Remove the spool and look at the inside of the reel. If you can see the drag surface compare the size of one to another. See if you like the outgoing click and the incoming click if it has one. Then look at the reel you are interested in and compare the features and workmanship to the other reels. This will give you a good idea of how well the reel is made but not how well the drag works under fishing conditions. How well a reel fishes comes from fishing experience. That is where this forum comes into play. I am sure that one of our posters has this reel and will give you their feedback.
Oliver,
Which Cabelas did you see the sale at? The website has it listed on sale starting at $105. Could the $65 price be for the spare spool?
I have read good and bad things about these on other forums. The good news is that the folks who had trouble also received great customer service from Cabelas to remedy their problem.
Which Cabelas did you see the sale at? The website has it listed on sale starting at $105. Could the $65 price be for the spare spool?
I have read good and bad things about these on other forums. The good news is that the folks who had trouble also received great customer service from Cabelas to remedy their problem.
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
Hi Burns,
Thanks for the information. Can you elaborate on the problems the reels had?
Frank
Thanks for the information. Can you elaborate on the problems the reels had?
Frank
ezamora
Well-known member
i'd like to hear burns' take on the cabelas reels too. i'm not exactly challenging burns. i would just like a reminder since i too have run into reviews or related instances where people have had enough problems with cabelas reels which has led me to think in the back of my mind that i would never buy one since there are so many other reels in the same price range which appear to work better in the long run. was that a run-on sentence??? ;-)
online remarks or reviews are always potentially misleading i think though. overall, in the field of reels i would be interested in, there are very few reels which i have never heard of any problems associated. certain ross reels and all galvans fall into that rarified class of say... under $300 freshwater trout reels.
eric
fresno, ca.
online remarks or reviews are always potentially misleading i think though. overall, in the field of reels i would be interested in, there are very few reels which i have never heard of any problems associated. certain ross reels and all galvans fall into that rarified class of say... under $300 freshwater trout reels.
eric
fresno, ca.
Gents,
I was thinking of buying one awhile back and I looked on several forums but I don't really remember which ones. However, if you go to cabelas official website, click on that reel, and read the user reviews you will see many good comments and also several very negative ones. The reason I payed attention to the negative comments was that most of them touched on the same issue - the drag "binding up." For example,
"What a drag!, December 9, 2006
By TheSwinger from Lowell, OR
"I recieved the LSR 3 reel and was initially impressed. The drag knob felt a little loose but otherwise it seemed like a nice reel. However, on the first outing the reel got slightly wet and the drag started making an awful screeching sound. There was also added resistance. This is the second Cabelas reel that I have been dissapointed with. I upgraded to a Ross Cimmaron. I already own one for a 5wt. rod and have had no problems at all. I will say that the customer service at Cabelas deserves a 5 out of 5 as they have been very accommodating. I will continue to purchase from them in the future."
Just not that good, November 5, 2006
By Flyman from Hawaii
"This fly reel seemed good for the price. Had to return reel twice for the same problem, poor drag. the drag was not smooth and would bind alot. Only used each reel once or twice, didn't even hook-up, good thing, and the drag started to bind.
Returned the reel for credit.
Model purchased was LSR Flyreel #4"
tippa82, October 27, 2006
By tippa82 from Waymart , PA
"I purchased a LSR reel for salmon/steelhead fishing. The drag system did not work. It would hold then all of a sudden would just let loose and the fish was peeling off line. Totally disappointed in this product!!!!!!!!!!!!"
LSR Reel, June 25, 2007
By Jetpilot
"Reel looks nice, but it has a strange sound when stripping out line to cast. Almost a grinding noise. I'm hesitant to use it on
large or strong running fish. Caught several very large German Browns during Hex. hatch and it worked fine, but the noise when fish made a run was disconcerting."
Drag Problems, July 15, 2007
By BillfromOhio from Ohio
"Have used this for three years, and as others have noticed, the drag binds up severely when it gets wet. Not good when steelhead fishing! Drying it out helps, but still......."
After reading those comments, I was discouraged. It may be worth a shot for $65 though, if that is the price. There were far more positive comments than negative ones and it looks like Cabelas accepted the bad ones back. Either a percentage of these reels are bad, or some people just don't get them wet. There is also the possibility that Cabelas competitors got on their site and posted negative reviews - you always have to consider that possibility.
On a positive note, I just received my 6'6", 2-weight Cabelas "Traditional" rod and RIO DT 2-Weight line yesterday and took it out on the creek next to my office for casting and it was fantastic. It hits the water so incredibly soft! The bonus is that I got it on sale for $49 and the line for $38. I put the line on an old lightweight click and pawl and I'm all-in for $87.
This was one scenario where the user comments were dead on. The overall look of this rod is very nice, especially the Evergreen threading on the blank, the reel seat, silver hardware and cork handle. All the Traditional rods are on sale now, and the user reviews (there are about 20) are very positive.
I was thinking of buying one awhile back and I looked on several forums but I don't really remember which ones. However, if you go to cabelas official website, click on that reel, and read the user reviews you will see many good comments and also several very negative ones. The reason I payed attention to the negative comments was that most of them touched on the same issue - the drag "binding up." For example,
"What a drag!, December 9, 2006
By TheSwinger from Lowell, OR
"I recieved the LSR 3 reel and was initially impressed. The drag knob felt a little loose but otherwise it seemed like a nice reel. However, on the first outing the reel got slightly wet and the drag started making an awful screeching sound. There was also added resistance. This is the second Cabelas reel that I have been dissapointed with. I upgraded to a Ross Cimmaron. I already own one for a 5wt. rod and have had no problems at all. I will say that the customer service at Cabelas deserves a 5 out of 5 as they have been very accommodating. I will continue to purchase from them in the future."
Just not that good, November 5, 2006
By Flyman from Hawaii
"This fly reel seemed good for the price. Had to return reel twice for the same problem, poor drag. the drag was not smooth and would bind alot. Only used each reel once or twice, didn't even hook-up, good thing, and the drag started to bind.
Returned the reel for credit.
Model purchased was LSR Flyreel #4"
tippa82, October 27, 2006
By tippa82 from Waymart , PA
"I purchased a LSR reel for salmon/steelhead fishing. The drag system did not work. It would hold then all of a sudden would just let loose and the fish was peeling off line. Totally disappointed in this product!!!!!!!!!!!!"
LSR Reel, June 25, 2007
By Jetpilot
"Reel looks nice, but it has a strange sound when stripping out line to cast. Almost a grinding noise. I'm hesitant to use it on
large or strong running fish. Caught several very large German Browns during Hex. hatch and it worked fine, but the noise when fish made a run was disconcerting."
Drag Problems, July 15, 2007
By BillfromOhio from Ohio
"Have used this for three years, and as others have noticed, the drag binds up severely when it gets wet. Not good when steelhead fishing! Drying it out helps, but still......."
After reading those comments, I was discouraged. It may be worth a shot for $65 though, if that is the price. There were far more positive comments than negative ones and it looks like Cabelas accepted the bad ones back. Either a percentage of these reels are bad, or some people just don't get them wet. There is also the possibility that Cabelas competitors got on their site and posted negative reviews - you always have to consider that possibility.
On a positive note, I just received my 6'6", 2-weight Cabelas "Traditional" rod and RIO DT 2-Weight line yesterday and took it out on the creek next to my office for casting and it was fantastic. It hits the water so incredibly soft! The bonus is that I got it on sale for $49 and the line for $38. I put the line on an old lightweight click and pawl and I'm all-in for $87.
This was one scenario where the user comments were dead on. The overall look of this rod is very nice, especially the Evergreen threading on the blank, the reel seat, silver hardware and cork handle. All the Traditional rods are on sale now, and the user reviews (there are about 20) are very positive.
Frank Whiton
Most Senior Member
Hi Burns,
Thanks for your interesting post and the report on the Cabela's rod. After you get to use it a bit more you might let us know if you still like it.
Frank
Thanks for your interesting post and the report on the Cabela's rod. After you get to use it a bit more you might let us know if you still like it.
Frank
I went to Cabela's today and happened upon the the LSR reel. I do not beleive that there is a better reel in the $50 price range. These are a steel!The drag was incrementally adjustable . The drag system is sealed so as to keep it free of debris. The reel itself was of machined aluminum. It has a carbon-fiber disk drag. Also, I have met the principles who make and import this reel. The manufacture supplies other companies with the same product, different design. You may already have one. I bought two of them, one for a 3wt and the other for a backup 5-6 wt. These are not $300.00 reels but they are a very good deal. If you snooze you loose.
They Had The Reel Both In Omaha And In Mitchell Sd, I Too Saw Them On Line For Around 105.00 And The 7 Weight Reel Is On Sale For 69.99 In The Stores The Next Smaller Reel Was 65.00. What Was Interesting Was Extra Spools Were 64.99 So It Would Seem To Me To Make More Sense To Just Buy Another Reel Instead Of An Extra Spool. The Salesperson In Omaha Told Me If I Wanted A Differnt Size He Could Order One From The Distribution Center If I Didnt See The One I Wanted.
I own the lsr for an 8wt line. I like it. the handle has plenty of grip. they are reversible for left of right retrieve. i fish mostly saltwater and i clean it every time I go. When I take the spool off, it is pretty clean. For the price, very good reel