Quote Originally Posted by Prairieschooner View Post
I own and regularly use six Orvis Battenkill Bar Stock reels. They are lightweight, with a decent drag, and very dependable. They are a rather traditional reel, as I just haven't been able to see the advantage of mid or large arbor reels; plus I prefer a more traditional look. They are reasonably priced, which is important to me. If I needed reels for more specialized fishing (ie big game or salt water) this reel might not be my first choice, but for the type of fishing I do I think the features, quality and price make them one of the best reel values out there. They ae sized from the I which works very nicely on my 2 and 3 weight rods through the V for 9-11 weight rods; the IV's work well on my 7 and 8 weights. I have other reels also, but all my Winston rods wear Battenkill Bar Stock reels.
For the same reasons, I prefer the Battenkill Disc. Price, traditional appearance, function & durability. Unfortunately they have discontinued them. If I needed another reel, I'd either step up in cost to the Battenkill Barstock, or step down in cost to the Hobbs Creek by Bass Pro Shops.