I keep it honest with my reviews. For example, an upcoming wader review will discuss a leak development that should never have happened. When it comes to the Redington i.D fly reel, it’s really all good things.
Are there better reels out there? Absolutely. Do they perform well and cost less than 100 bucks? Most do not. Personally, I’m not one to drop more than 100 dollars on a trout reel. I’ll put more cash behind a steelhead, salmon or saltwater setup where the drag is tested daily. That said, the drag is tight on this reel and I would put the 7/8/9 model against most anything in freshwater.
The i.D has a great price point and a drag system that is more than adequate for trout and will have no issues with most other freshwater species either.
Admittedly, I haven’t put the drag through anything crazy. Lots of 12-20 inch trout. A few that put some heat to it and one bull trout that made 3-4 solid runs. It’s spring in Montana and most have been on foot. Fishing from the drift boat tends to require more drag but the i.D will have no problems there.
The drag is really easy to adjust on the fly and it’s sensitive as well. You immediately notice the change in tension. The spool size on the 5/6 is perfect for floating and sinking lines. It has plenty of space on the large arbor and a nice weight to it that balances my rods well. There are lighter reels around but this one isn’t weighing anything down.
The grip on the handle is also really nice. I’ve never had a reel that has an actually grip on the handle. Overall, the construction and performance is great.
The look is a major attraction to this reel. The flat back and decal options are really cool. It comes with a decal out of the box but you can order from other designs as well. You could use the decals as a labeling system for different lines if desired. It’s nice to have a fresh look and add art to fly reels. I’m a big fan of the trend and hope to see similar concepts from more brands.
I don’t do star ratings but this is a great product and an incredible value for the price. It looks great, performs great and comes with a lifetime warranty. I bought 4 of them which is a pretty good vote of confidence.
