Reel suggestions for a Sage Z-axis rod

[sarah]

So I bought my husband a fly rod to travel with - a Sage Z-Axis series, 590-4 (4 piece, 9 foot rod for a 5 weight line). Now I need to get a reel and I am overwhelmed. I was looking at a St. Croix Legend reel 5/6 weight on sale for $99 simply because it seemed like a great deal. But I wonder if I should get him a 4/5 weight instead since he already has a 5/6 weight Orvis reel...

I know this is a wide-open question, but I know very little about fly fishing equipment. So any suggestions regarding particular reels I should consider, or what to consider when choosing a 4/5 weight vs/ 5/6 weight reel would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

 

[mrfzx]

You already bought a Cadilac of a rod, so don't hang fuzzy dice from the mirror! I recommend a Lamson reel. I think the new Lamson Guru G2 is a good reel, and of course you can always get a Sage reel....say the 3850. Both are very light weight, and neither should break the bank.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi sarah,

Welcome to NAFFF. Thanks for joining and I hope you or your husband become an active member.

To be honest there is no reason he can't use the same Orvis reel he now has. If it doesn't have a 5wt line on it you can buy just a spare spool from Orvis to fit his reel.

It is really hard to recommend a new reel with out knowing your budget. If you are looking for another good deal then you should consider the Allen Fly Fishing reel sold here on NAFFF with a special price for members.

If you have a higher budget there are many reels that would be appreciated by your husband. So if we know what you want to spend I am sure you will get a lot of good suggestions.

Frank

 

[peregrines]

Sarah, welcome to the forum.

As Frank suggested, let us know your budget, I'm sure folks will come up with good suggestions.

One thing i like to do with reels is to get duplicates, (assuming the rods have similar line weights) so that spools will be interchangeable from one reel to the other. In this case it would mean buying your husband the same model Orvis reel he has now (assuming he's happy with it). You might consider that as well.

 

[FrankB2]

Abel TR2, Ross Evolution LT in size #2, and that's all I can think of. If you
are buying a line, Scientific Anglers GPX line works very well with the Z-Axis.

 

[MoscaPescador]

Hi Sarah,
Nothing says "I love you" more than a fly reel. Well, that's what my girlfriend thinks. Her birthday is coming up, and she has been hinting at solid purple Abel Creek 2 large arbor reel ($385).

The reality is that there are a lot of good reels that would be good fits for a 5 weight Z-Axis. How much would you be willing to spend on a reel for him?

Here are some options.
Cost is not an object - Abel 5/6 QC ($625 and up depending on finish)
Cool looking with a Z-Axis - Galvan Spoke 5 ($335 w/olive spoke spool)
Just a darn reliable reel - Galvan OB-4 ($305)
Reel from a company with best customer service - Ross Evolution LT 2 ($275 - the olive color matches the Z-Axis nicely)
Sage reel to match Sage rod - Sage 4550 ($390)
Great bang for the buck - Lamson Guru ($189)
Goin' Old School - Hardy LRH Lightweight ($249)

MP

 

[Bigfly]

Welcome Sarah.
I fish a Galvan Torque-5 on that rod. Nice folks to deal with, and a drag that will gently stop a train. Ross reels fill the bill as well. The Orvis extra spool is a good approach. Price being no object, style being the object, the Able fish paint jobs are sweet.
As MP said matching green is very nice.
I'd shy away from too shiny. Don't want to spook'em before we catch'em.

Jim

 

[tightliner]

Why not go with a pflueger medalist? Time proven and in-expensive. A true classic. Been using them for years from brook trout to Atlantic salmon. They have never let me down.

 

[Bigfly]

Sarah, you should know we all love to give a shout out to our favorite reels! But, just say no to a pawl drag. It's like drum brakes vs. disc brakes.
I prefer a silent drag when a fish is on (no sense advertising), the scream of the reel, isn't for me. Nor, can it have as subtle braking adjustments.
No offence meant to tightlines. It is an inexpensive and classic reel that's hard to wear out. I still have one.
But a state of the art rod (I think) deserves the same level of technology in the reel..
Esthetics and all..... then again, it just holds line, till you meet a big one.....

Jim

 

[ddombos2]

Why not go with a pflueger medalist? Time proven and in-expensive. A true classic. Been using them for years from brook trout to Atlantic salmon. They have never let me down.

No to the Pflueger because it just doesn't do the rod justice. My short list would be:

Ross Evolution LT 2: $275.00
Lamson Litespeed 2: $299
Nautilus FW 5: $250

Several Places you can order from will offer free fly line with these reels up to $70.

 

[tightliner]

Lol, didn't know that fashion was part of the equation. As far as the drag, i have had no trouble stopping fresh run steel and varying types of salmon here in the great lakes region, though i will admit that disk drag reels make for better wenches.

 

[Bigfly]

Tightliner, glad you get into those G-lake steelies, they are so great looking !!!
Style is always an issue to some, but isn't the only consideration, just added value (and price).
Like I said, no slander about the older reel. We don't see them much, out here, except for yard sales/ and the used rack at the shop..
But there will always be a place for them, and folks that are loyal to'em.
Just thought the best rod deserves the best reel. In a pinch my medalist still comes out for an extra/rental/client reel.

Jim

 

[ddombos2]

Lol, didn't know that fashion was part of the equation. As far as the drag, i have had no trouble stopping fresh run steel and varying types of salmon here in the great lakes region...

Really? Which bodies of water are you fishing? I work in St. Joseph and live near Kalamazoo. My first fly rod was a 5wt pflueger with a 1400 series medalist reel. I can't honestly say I had a high opinion of that reel. It would always want to unscrew itself. For those of you unfamiliar, the frame of the reel could be described as "fully-caged." The back and the rim around the spool are separate parts with struts around the circumfrance which are secured by screws. Those things were constantly coming loose, which made for an awkward and apprehensive fishing experience.

...though i will admit that disk drag reels make for better wenches.

I think you mean "winches."

 

[tightliner]

Haha...spell check strikes again!

I would say my home water is the Huron in the Dexter area. I also fish the usual suspects up north in the Au Sable, P.M, Rifle, etc...I grew up in N.E Wi and get up that way a few times each summer as well.

As far as steel, i enjoy swinging up north, but my greatest success has come in Oh. In the winter i would call the big V my home water, though i have been known to venture east and fish Elk a good bit.

I know what you mean with the pflueger unscrewing them selves! Fortunately lock tight solves this problem. One would think that pflueger would do this for the angler however at $25 what can we expect. I would not say they are the best reals by any stretch, but i would say they are great value and i would be lying if i said i didnt like the nostalgia of them.

 

[Fly2Fish]

. . . just say no to a pawl drag. It's like drum brakes vs. disc brakes. I prefer a silent drag when a fish is on (no sense advertising), the scream of the reel, isn't for me. Nor, can it have as subtle braking adjustments.
No offence meant to tightlines. It is an inexpensive and classic reel that's hard to wear out. I still have one. But a state of the art rod (I think) deserves the same level of technology in the reel.. Esthetics and all..... then again, it just holds line, till you meet a big one..... Jim

Bigfly, I beg to differ. I've got a Z-Axis 10' 7-wt. that my vintage Hardy Marquis click-&-pawl goes quite well with. I admit that the scream of the reel when a big one is on is either something you like or don't, but for me that sound when I'm servicing my reel and line off season always reminds me of when I usually hear it - with a big rainbow on the other end. Actually, I prefer my click-&-pawl reels for my lighter rods, because, say, on a four or even five weight, fishing as I do tailwaters with very light tippit, I find that "palming" the spool works the best for drag that is instantly adjustable to slow the fish without risk of snapping off the tippit.

 

[Bigfly]

Fly 2 fish, I know better than go sideways about gear with guys on line.
It is pointless. As my daddy said, "there's no accounting for taste".
There are folks that drive a Pinto, there are some in ferraris. Both go point A to B.
There is no "best" reel out there. There are new expensive ones, older less expensive ones, and everthing in between.
I, personally fish to enjoy fishing, and don't give a hoot what anyone else uses.
But the question was what was good for a new $750.00 rod. My thought was spend the money. No slam intended.

Jim

 

[Fly2Fish]

Jim, never took it as a slam. Like you said, different strokes for different folks. And you're right that if you pay $750 (which I didn't) for a rod, it sounds kinda silly to be low-balling on the reel. Actually, it does seem to me that the click & pawl reels with capability for palming work best on lighter rods - say, 5-wt. and under. For that reason, I think reels on the lighter end of rods are mainly for parking line so for me it doesn't make a lot of economic sense to put big bucks into it. But on rods heavier than my 7-wt. (& maybe that as well), you really do need a good drag system, and that means a more expensive reel.

Neil