Budget US made, independent reel company?

Wildfish

Wildfish

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Joined
Sep 4, 2009
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427
Ross was bought by 3M right? Are all of their reels (including the cheapest) still made in the US?

Lamsons are assembled in the US, but not manufactured here right?

Abel and Tibor are out of my price range. Aspen is US, but doesn't make a 4wt. Anything else I should consider if I want a 4wt for less than $200 from an independent company that produces everything in the US?
 
How about right at $200?
Great reel. Great drag. Made in California, USA.
I own 4 of them.
http://www.stillwaterflyshop.com/estore/details/2597/0/386
 
Only Ross USA reels are made in the USA. The cheaper reels (Flystart etc) are made overseas. Lamson's site says that their reels are assembled here from parts made by their USA machining partners. They are quite clear about the Konic being made overseas.

I'm sitting on two new Abel TR reels. They were impulse buys, and can be had for less than $200.....
-Rich
 
Check out Allen (right side of every page)

They are designed and sold in the us, and just machined in China (I believe). Nice reels, great price. I have several.
 
Colton - design, made, and sold in the USA. Dingmans Ferry, PA to be exact.
 
Trowpa can you find any documentation to back that up? Not saying they're not decent reels but I have my suspicions as to their origins of manufacture.

Typically most companies who actually produce their product in the USA make sure to stamp it on the product and put it on their website. This is not the case with Colton.

Not bashing their stuff at all I'm just not sure they're made in the old stars and stripes.

EDIT

So their Torrent series states designed and built in USA and USA is stamped on the reels seat with that model.

The GRGII series in the price range wildfish was looking for doesn't have any of that info associated with it.

FYI
 
Wildfish wrote:
Anything else I should consider if I want a 4wt for less than $200 from an independent company that produces everything in the US?
Click to expand...

You can occasionally find Tibor Spring Creeks or Abel TRs for right around $200 on certain auction sites.

I have a Ross CLA on my 4wt. Its a nice reel however, I have never had a need for the drag on it.
 
It's not really about need. If at all possible, I feel somewhat obligated to buy US when it comes to things I don't "need." Hobbies are paid for with disposable income--why not keep it at home kind of thing.

That said, I don't have disposable income. So the CLA might be my best bet.
 
Wildfish wrote:
It's not really about need. If at all possible, I feel somewhat obligated to buy US when it comes to things I don't "need." Hobbies are paid for with disposable income--why not keep it at home kind of thing.

That said, I don't have disposable income. So the CLA might be my best bet.
Click to expand...

Interesting thought - do you only burn gasoline extracted from USA oil wells when you travel for your hobbies? I applaud those who try to buy American, but the reality is we live in a globally connected economy, and I think its impossible to buy a USA made product that wasn't constructed from parts or supplies that are from overseas. I guess it depends on your definition of "made". Perhaps the reel was assembled in the USA, but it most definitely the bauxite that was mined for the aluminum didn't come from here :)

They are out of business (imagine that), but the original Teton reels were USA made. I think a company bought their assets and are now operating under the same name. Allegedly made in the USA; unsure of the quality of the new reels. You can pick up the old models on Ebay from time to time.
 
While the U.S. imports bauxite for the production of aluminum, we are still one of the world's leading alumina producers. It's better to be the manufacturer of a finished product than it is to be a supplier of raw materials....IMO. Would you rather mine coal, or work in a machine shop? Would you rather work at WalMart selling made in China Pfluegers, or work for Abel Automatics?
 
Of course. It's not an all or nothing thing. Or a hard and fast rule. It's also a new rule for me, mostly having to do with the unemployment rate. Even companies that roll their rod blanks here are using graphite from somewhere else, etc etc.

 
StudentofTheStream wrote:
Trowpa can you find any documentation to back that up? Not saying they're not decent reels but I have my suspicions as to their origins of manufacture.

Typically most companies who actually produce their product in the USA make sure to stamp it on the product and put it on their website. This is not the case with Colton.

Not bashing their stuff at all I'm just not sure they're made in the old stars and stripes.

EDIT

So their Torrent series states designed and built in USA and USA is stamped on the reels seat with that model.

The GRGII series in the price range wildfish was looking for doesn't have any of that info associated with it.

FYI
Click to expand...


Correct - i have a Torrent and it is clearly Stamped USA and advertised as such. As for the CRGII - i asked Bob about that..and he confirmed it was made in the same NE Pa location as the Torrent. So all i have is the owner's word.

As for documentation or explanation why the CRGII doesn't have a stamp on it, I don't know.

Wildfish - feel free to give Bob Filger (owner of Colton) a call or email if you are considering the CRGII. I found him very accessible and willing to answer any questions.

Go to the horse's mouth - get his explanation then you are free to believe him or call him a liar.

Also - he is very active on the saltwater forums (SOL, bassbarn, etc) so look him up there as "foulhook".

Good luck in your search - i will say that as i get older it is more and more important for me to care which businesses i support.

 
reel_013.280134457_std1.jpg


I had a chance to meet the guy who built this reel the other day and got an up-close look at one of his reels. He's put a lot of thought into his design and in my opinion he has a nice looking product. If you're in the market for a "local" reel, I don't know if you can get more local than this in PA.

http://www.tightlineflyreels.com/work_in_progress
 
that's uniquely hideous and oddly appealing. except it blows past the 200 budget.

 
I love that reel.

I'm a fan of orange.

That's it. That reel would look hot on my Fenwick. I'm saving up for one.
 
Wildfish,

Here ya go.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Teton-Tioga-4-4RA-Fly-Reel-Black-3-5-wt-lines-Excellent-/320777901116?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aafda543c

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-WATERWORKS-LAMSON-GURU-1-5-FLY-REEL-3-5WT-FREE-SHIPPING-/300608939704?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fdb066b8

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ross-Evolution-LT-2-Fly-Fishing-Reel-Grey-Mist-fly-line-and-backing-/220875965538?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336d3bc462

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterworks-Lamson-Velocity-Fly-Reel-2-NIB-/150676566650?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231505f27a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GALVAN-OB3-OB-3-OPEN-BACK-FLY-REEL-RIO-WF4F-FLYLINE-/230688004853?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b6139af5
 
The Simplisity reel on longer blows past the $200 dollar mark, it's been reduced in price to $195 do to a newly purchased machine that cut production time in half. And yes it is 100% center county made by a USA VET. God Bless America.
 
What about the Nautilus FWX.
Just a bit more then $200 but a sweet reel.

T
 
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