I've got a BBS IV. I bought it on the cheap at an Orvis traveling clearance sale, and it is marked as a "DEMO" (but who cares). It is an English made reel, and I am comfortable with it for all rainbow/brown/brook trout applications. It is currenly lined for 5 weight for dry fly applications on bigger fish, ie. San Juan River. Even the BBS IV is incredibly light on a 5 weight Sage RPL that I purchased recently from a member of this board. Very light with high backing capacity and start-up circumference for pick up, which is what I want in a situation such as San Juan where you stand a high probability of catching a big fish on a dry. In all candor, I have not been taken to the backing on the SJR by the common 4-6 lbers as I have in Alaska by the bigger fish, but I hope to someday.

I tend toward Orvis and Ross reels, with Orvis for lower range applications and Ross for higher. The Orvis reels deliver a lot for the money, including disc drags, and at lower weights, I don't have the need for large arbor in most instances. (Some rivers like the SJ are exceptions). The Battenkills that I have are all English made, and this talk of Korean production on some models, at least the mid-arbor to wit, will have me thinking. The Ross reels I reference are the Gunnison IV and Canyon large arbors. Ross reels are too expensive/perceived relative value for me in the lower weight, smaller fish applications. In addition, I like the smaller profile drag controls on the smaller weight/application Orvis reels relative to the Ross reels (e.g. Gunnison).

For the Steelhead in OR/WA, I would be more inclined to go with the Ross reels I have. BUT, let me tell you that I caught some monster AK rainbows on an extended trip on lighter rods and smaller Orvis reels. It took a while to land them, but sometimes it's more fun than man-handling the big boys on an 8 weight. For example, I caught up to an 8 lb AK bow on a Rocky Mountain that I have that is principally kept for east coast 4 weight applications in cold and warm water fro small trout and panfish (just a place to store line in those instances). I had a six weight on it and I was a little undergunned, but patience prevailed. I used the bigger reels as a matter of course, but dabbled with the little ones just to see. Just because it worked doen's make it adequate or optimal.

For my next San Juan trip, I will use the Canyon for a 7 weight, also a Canyon spare spool with a 6 weight, a Battenkill LA III for a 6 weight, and the BBS IV for a 5 weight.