What are your Top 5 reels?

The purpose of this board is to discuss, ask questions about, and give answers concerning fly reels, their makers and their history.

Moderator: Ken M 44

glassfly1
Guide
Posts: 269
Joined: 02/02/15 08:10

What are your Top 5 reels?

#1

Post by glassfly1 »

These are mine. From left, a Hardy Perfect, a Hardy Uniqua, a Bill Ballan Trout model, a modified Meek 56 and an old Pflueger "Patent Pending" Medalist 1494.

Image

User avatar
cregb
Master Guide
Posts: 981
Joined: 08/06/07 18:00
Location: Western NC

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#2

Post by cregb »

Strictly trout:

Hardy 3 1/8" perfect
Hardy 3" St. George
Orvis CFO II/III
Bogdan- whatever you are targeting
Ross San Miguel

A mix of classic and modern.

Honorable mention to the Pfleuger 1494 adjustable.

Creg

User avatar
quashnet
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5203
Joined: 03/22/04 19:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#3

Post by quashnet »

1) Hardy St. George, 3", 3-screw from 1920s-1930s. By a
wide margin, the essential reel for my preferred freshwater fishing.
Image

2) Hardy Wide Perfect, 3-1/4". A recent discovery for me.
Also have the 3-1/2" version, which all by itself would be a good
excuse to take up Atlantic salmon fishing.
Image

3) Hardy St. George, 3-3/8", same characteristics as the 3" reel above.
Image

4) Hardy Uniqua, 2-5/8". I love my St. George reels but there's
something about the smallest St. George model, at 2-9/16", that
doesn't appeal to me. It seems overly detailed for its size. The
little Uniqua has cleaner lines and does all that I need it to do.
Image

5) Pflueger Medalist 1495-1/2. Tough, good-looking workhorse
that perfectly fits the PHY screwlock reel seat. I would probably fish a
1494-1/2 reel a lot if I didn't have the St. Georges.
Image
Please visit and bookmark the Paul H. Young Rod Database
Image
Other rod databases: Dickerson , Orvis , Powell

arfly
Guide
Posts: 154
Joined: 04/30/12 06:36

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#4

Post by arfly »

For me: Ross Gunnison, Abel TR, Ross Evolution LT1, Orvis Battenkill, Pflueger Medalist.

User avatar
ibookje
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5018
Joined: 12/23/04 19:00
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#5

Post by ibookje »

Ah, the the list again? ;)

Reels I use on boo are:
* Orvis CFO III
* Orvis CFO IV
* Sage 504L
* Hardy Featherweight
* Danielsson Midge

User avatar
Slate Drake 9
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1288
Joined: 07/14/07 18:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#6

Post by Slate Drake 9 »

I'll rank mine in terms of how often I use them:

Hardy Bougle 3 1/4"
Hardy Perfect (3 3/8" / 2 5/8")
Pflueger Medalist 1394 (converted to LHW)
J.A. Forbes Thistle
Peerless Model 7
Fishing with bait is like swearing in church.

User avatar
bulldog1935
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 8709
Joined: 12/20/04 19:00
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#7

Post by bulldog1935 »

Young pattern 15a (St. George clone)
Image

1928-34 Shakespeare Russell
Image

Pflueger Golden West
Image

Hardy Bougle
Image

Click-pawl Medalist
Image

User avatar
Lugan
Guide
Posts: 177
Joined: 03/15/07 19:00
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#8

Post by Lugan »

Mine are mostly modern-ish from the 1990s: Ross San Miguel, Islander IR, Abel TR, Abel Creek. The very new Douglas Argus has high potential to be the 5th on my list. They are very nice in every way so far, but ask me again in about 5 years.

unclehardy
Guide
Posts: 190
Joined: 06/01/13 08:53
Location: Germany

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#9

Post by unclehardy »

For Troutfishing
Hardy 3 3/8 Perfect
Hardy LRH Lightweight
Orvis CFO III
Young Beaudex 3
Hardy Princess

cheers unclehardy

User avatar
Zeddediah
Guide
Posts: 298
Joined: 07/15/12 11:56
Location: DFW, TX

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#10

Post by Zeddediah »

2 x Medalist 1494 1/2, 1 x Medalist 1492, 1 x Redington Drift 3/4 (modern reel, but simply beautiful and very light)
"Libertas et natale solum."
Or, as John Belushi might say, "Estne volumen in toga, an solum tibi libet me videre?"

Preston Singletary
Sport
Posts: 67
Joined: 01/07/15 11:32

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#11

Post by Preston Singletary »

I find myself, now, with the happy predicament of having to think long and hard about what reels I'm going to use. These are among my current favorites. L to R: a Pre-1938, spring-and-pawl 1494 Medalist, an early Dingley, an Army & Navy Store reel by Reuben Heaton, a Newport by Percy Scott (made in the Isle of Wight) and a stirrup-latch Hardy Uniqua. Image

User avatar
CrustyBugger
Sport
Posts: 45
Joined: 08/27/08 18:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#12

Post by CrustyBugger »

Hardy Golden JLH #5
Hardy St. George 3"
Godfrey 306
Sage 505L
J.W. Young 1505 Multiplier

User avatar
nativetrout
Master Guide
Posts: 678
Joined: 05/12/11 18:00
Location: Englewood, CO

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#13

Post by nativetrout »

Hardy perfects
Hardy (orvis) CFO's
Hardy Bougles
Hardy Marquis
Hardy lightweights

Pretty easy

jim royston
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1291
Joined: 08/20/08 18:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#14

Post by jim royston »

Tibor Everglades
Fin Nor #3 Wedding Cake
Hatch Finatic 3 Plus
Ross Evo 0
Last edited by jim royston on 09/23/15 19:02, edited 1 time in total.

alberta al
Master Guide
Posts: 515
Joined: 09/13/13 21:03

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#15

Post by alberta al »

Ross R reel in sizes 2,3,and 3.5
Hardy St. George 3 inch
Noel 150
Hardy St. John
Hardy Princess
Plus a bunch of Hardy Perfects

User avatar
Flykuni3
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3263
Joined: 12/21/11 14:11
Location: California

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#16

Post by Flykuni3 »

My favorite five, only two models repped, but they are what I like and need:

Three Sunbeams, two St. Georges. Has taken me years, don't know if I need more than these fine fellows. (I do keep 1492s and asst. reels as reserves, they are worthy too.)

Image

Quash, anyone, this is stamped in my 3" St. George, can you identify?

Image

User avatar
ibookje
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5018
Joined: 12/23/04 19:00
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#17

Post by ibookje »

Nice St Georges Flykuni!

adrien schnee
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 2346
Joined: 11/10/11 19:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#18

Post by adrien schnee »

alberta al wrote:Ross R reel in sizes 2,3,and 3.5
Hardy St. George 3 inch
Noel 150
Hardy St. John
Hardy Princess
Plus a bunch of Hardy Perfects

Hi Al! Good stuff here! Nice to see your lineup, some of my favorites too.
All the best, hope fall fishing has been good to you and you're able to get out for some birding soon also.
Adrien

User avatar
teter
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 4916
Joined: 12/21/04 19:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#19

Post by teter »

My most-used:

3 3/8" Perfect
3 3/16" Lightweight
3 1/4" Bougle Mk IV
Heddon Imperial 125
1494 Medalist

User avatar
creakycane
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 3878
Joined: 06/20/06 18:00

Re: What are your Top 5 reels?

#20

Post by creakycane »

Most used for trout

Hardy Featherwwight. Many of them
Hardy LRH. 3 of them
Peerless 1.5. 2 of them,
Hardy PErfect 3 1/8. 1930s. 2 of them
Robichaud 3in

Post Reply

Return to “Classic Reels”