Orvis Battenkill Bar Stock -- FW & SW?

[perfectloop]

anyone have experience with this reel in the 4/6 version? the specs make it seem fairly light and durable for both fresh and saltwater use which is what i plan on.

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take him fishing

I use the BBS III and I think this is a great reel for the price. As a matter of fact, I just ordered my second one for a different rod. They are light, sturdy, and like I said, the price is right. One of the virtues to this reel is that you get a good reel for the price, but is also very feasible to purchase multiple extra spools. Some of the other reels out there are just too expensive if you plan to assemble an arsenal of different fly lines. This is a really nice reel, and I am real happy with mine.

[djo]

I have fished one on my 4 wt for a year and a half and was so impressed that I just purchased one for my 5 wt. This is an amazing compliment because my wife and kids will tell you that I am an astonishingly cheap SOB. They are as good as or better than anything else I have ever seen for the money.

David

[perfectloop]

i just fondled a Ross Cimmaron 3 earlier today at my local shop and liked it's feel. the spool fits the back better than my Tioga Teton LA. the guts are all metal i think, which was better than the Flywater which i also considered. any thoughts on the Ross? i have heard good things about their durability and i know it's good for saltwater. thanks for the replies.

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take him fishing

[tailingloop]

I have used the basic Battenkill in the salt for ten years with no problem. The bar stock battenkill seems to have the same guts on a machined frame and spool and should hold up as well if not better.

I have been using a pair of Cimarron C-2 reels in fresh and light saltwater for 6 years with no problems whatsoever. The Cimmaron is a good light SW reel, often overlooked as such.

Has anyone used the BBS4 or 5? I was looking at it for steelhead, salmon and pike.
Anyone know how well they hold up for such fish.

[rickie]

The BBS is a great reel. A lesser expensive machined reel that has a smooth feel. I have mine set up for my 3wt, 4wt and 5wt rods with extra spools.

For SW applications? As long as you keep it clean, it should work fine.

[Rawthumb]

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.