Fly Fishing with Doug Macnair: Product Updates: How About a Real Reel Value?©
By Doug Macnair

Have you ever found yourself wondering whether or not any good values remain in these United States, particularly when it came to your favorite sport we call the gentle art of fly fishing. Like me, I would presume you’ve watched the price of a new rod and fly reel sky rocket. It’s sort of hard to believe the cost of a named graphite rod has now soared into the $650.00 plus range with companion reels following right along. Of course, you can now get pretty pictures etched onto your reel but what that does to help you catch more fish eludes me. Neither the fisher nor fish can see the pretty picture, only the person standing to one side. Amazing!

Take heart! There are some great values remaining … With Christmas approaching, let your imagination run wild … how would you like to open a box containing a reel that is every bit as pretty as any Abel you’ve ever seen. In fact, you might even think that someone somewhere has made a huge mistake, either that or someone’s playing out a Christmas trick.

Taking the reel in hand you first note the finish. It’s hi-gloss black! Pretty isn’t it? Next, check the tolerances of fit of spool to frame – pretty damned close as you will undoubtedly find. Finally, take a close look at the drag. Yes, it is a caliper-disk drag, but do you find it is extraordinarily smooth? I do! Whether this drag will stand up to Jaws, The Great White, is a different question. If it did, Jaws would likely circle round and eat you. What a novel thought!

As you take an even closer look at the reel and its box, it dawns on you that the reel carries a name you have likely never heard of and, even if you have, doubtfully ever handled. It’s an Argus.

I would suppose you will sit quietly for awhile turning the crank one way or another, removing and then replacing the spool, twisting the drag up and down and testing its smoothness. In the end, I think you are apt to say, “this is one neat reel.” And it is!

How much does it cost? At Christmas time that’s always a good question, especially when so many folks go into debt trying to select just the right gift for their loved one. In this case the answer is, “Not too much!” How about a typical price of between thirty and thirty-four dollars, depending on the size of the reel.

By the way, the name of this reel is the Argus Flite III HS series. It’s made of cast aluminum and features ported frame & spool and quality brass & stainless steel parts. The HS is available in 3 sizes: the HS 240 (lines 2-3-4), HS 560 (lines 5-6-7), and the HS 780 (lines 7-8-9). And if isn’t enough to make your mouth water, think about this: spare spools are very inexpensive.

MODEL	LINE WEIGHT	BACKING	PRICE
HS240	2-3-4	100 yds/10 lb	$30.25
HS560	5-6-7	100 yds/20 lb	$31.00
HS780	7-8-9	150 yds/25 lb	$34.00
Extra Spools
SHS240			$18.40
SHS560			$18.80
SHS780			$19.50

Sort of makes you wonder about the last Abel you bought, doesn’t it? (You know, of course, I have a reputation for telling the truth and not being anyone’s man.)

There are those who frown upon cast aluminum construction. They claim that a cast reel can be broken into useless rubble by simply dropping it on a hard surface such as asphalt and concrete. But dropping reels, whether made or cast or machined aluminum is something that I frown upon. I guess that’s why I advocate preparing for action over grass or an absorbent material. Accidents do happen – especially at the wrong time.

For those who prefer a fly reel machined from bar stock aluminum, there is more good news. Just think for a moment about a pretty gold or black machined reel with a center disk drag that really really works... (I can’t help it, at Christmas time, I will never forget the ad that always contained the words, “and it really really works!”) That’s exactly the way this one works. Incidentally, it’s also made by Argus and is called the Argus AF Lite series. Precision tooled, hand polished, ported, with easy switch left to right hand retrieve, this reel is no doubt the best value I have ever reviewed. The drag is very smooth, the spool to frame tolerance is extraordinary close rivaling reels in the $400+ class.

I’ve played with two of the Lite series, a 560 and an 870. Both have reflected consistent quality in manufacturing precision, quality control and performance. So how much does this beauty cost? Glad you asked!

MODEL	LINE WEIGHT	BACKING	PRICE
AF340	3-4-5	75 yds/20 lb	$65.30
AF560	4-5-6	100 yds/20 lb	$68.70
AF780	6-7-8	125 yds/20 lb	$71.05
AF890	7-8-9	200 yds/25 lb	$79.30
Extra Spools
SAF340			$32.40
SAF560			$32.40
SAF780			$32.40
SAF890			$36.00

In sum, this is one helluva reel. Who said that fly fishing is only for the wealthy? If you don’t happen to be driving a Porsche and want a great present for Dad or Gramps, this reel will not disappoint him…

So where do you go to find one of these reels? There must be several sources but the only one I know about is The Global dorbeR Group, Inc., PO Box 1196, Flippin, AR 72634. Telephone 1-888-483-2780, email http://www.dorber.com.

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