I have a Heddon 540 Princess clone. Love it, but it sits on a smaller glass rod and never see’s big water. Great reel, but I always wondered why it was that Hardy didn’t incorporate a palming rim on the Princess, being it’s the largest of their lightweights and really meant for heavier lines?

I agree, you will lose the occasional fish managing line by hand or palming vs an advanced drag system. I just prefer the connection with the fish a bit more. Even with big bass in cover, setting the hook with a popper and playing the fish by hand makes it feel like you’re connected directly to the lip of that bucket-mouth. Especially when they leave the water.

I have one rod, my light salt and steelhead rod, that has a disc drag reel on it. But I’m already eyeing up a suitable replacement. It will probably be replaced by a 6wt glass rod and an Orvis Battenkill IV.