Comments about Okuma Fishing Tackle Corp. xxOkuma Integrity Fly Reel - Spare SpoolsDisc.:

Bought this reel in size 8/9 for a "Beater" to use in the surf. Keep it clean and this reel is great. Into the second year and still no corrosion and the drag works great even on the occasional big fish I am able to fool. Also have a Helios which is a great reel for keeping up with the "snooty" trout crowd but you can get the integrity and several spare spools for the cost of the Helios alone!

Comments about Okuma Fishing Tackle Corp. xxOkuma Integrity Fly Reel - Spare SpoolsDisc.:

I have an Okuma Helios for my 5 wt. It is a fantastic reel. I wasn't sure how much I would use an 8 wt rod and reel combo, so I bought an entry level reel, the Integrity, also made by Okuma. Okuma seems to manufacture quality items, so I thought, "What could go wrong?" The first clue was that my fly line I put on the reel was more expensive than the new reel and the new spool combined. You get what you paid for.

In a nutshell, I was fishing for steelhead on the Trinity River. I did manage to land a nice fish one evening, but the following day when I had another on line, the fish dove and the drag was tight, jerky, and "squeaky," so I loosened the knob ever so slightly. Now line was spinning off the reel. I used my fingers to keep tension on the line, then reached over again to tighten the drag. Now the drag lurched to a stop. At this point the line snapped. Oh well...

Anyway, I think with lighter weight reels you can get away with these nuances. However, with bigger fish, any flaws get amplified. My lesson? Spend the extra money, and get a better reel.

Comments about Okuma Fishing Tackle Corp. xxOkuma Integrity Fly Reel - Spare SpoolsDisc.:

A bit heavy, and not all that pretty, but absolutely competent and dependable. You could spend a lot more and not get a better reel.