Saltwater: "Any Reel Will Do"

Way back in 1987 (even before the advent of Tarpon Wear and before anyone knew what an Abel or Tibor was) Nelson Bryant recorded his observations on the “not-very-popular” sport of saltwater fly fishing in The New York Times. “Any decent fiberglass, graphite or graphite-boron fly rod capable of handling a No. 9 or No. 10 line is suitable for blues and stripers. The reel for these species need not be a costly custom-made job, but it should have room for at least 150 yards of backing plus the fly line. The venerable Model 1498 Pfleuger will do the job, as will the Martin Reel Company’s new and similarly-inexpensive MG-9 reel. The Martin reel has an excellent drag and will hold a 10-weight line and 300 yards of 18-pound test dacron backing.”