Ross Colorado if you can find one. The little Zero is one of the coolest reels I own.
JB
How about a Pfleuger 1492. New or used. They are everywhere.
I’m surprised nobody mentioned Hardy featherweight, what a classic, and talk about a nice sound, nothing sounds like a Hardy.
You know even with all the suggestions it is pretty crazy to think that click and pawl drags are definitely the exception rather than the rule these days. Kind of scary - 20 years ago when I started flyfishing there were very few disc drag reels: pate, fin nor, seamaster, the original ross reels to name a few. The standards for trout were hardy marquis and lightweights, orvis CFO’s and Battenkills, and Scientific Anglers System 1’s. Everybody seemed to catch plenty of fish without a drag strong enough to stop a truck. I’ve fallen into the hype just as much as the next guy. I use Galvans, Abels, Ross’s and Tibors. Next time I go fishing I’m strining up my Sage fiberglass with a CFO and go “old-school”, just for the heck of it.
-John
Redington’s discontinued CT reels fit the bill nicely. Well made and reasonably priced. I fish & love the 2/3 model. They’re often still available on ebay. Also check Traden Stuff at [url=http://www.tradenstuff.com.:0031c]www.tradenstuff.com.[/url:0031c]
I’ve owned many click and pawl reels. Some worked fairly well and didn’t cost much. The only one I still use regularly is my Abel Creek. While it is not inexpensive, it has a reassuring feel of sturdiness and quality that make fishing with it a pleasure and I don’t miss the disk drag.
Joe
C&P reels are my bread and butter for light line freshwater. I use an Orvis 3/4, Ross Colorado 0, and a White River Classic UL. These 3 reels will never leave my arsenal because they are what I use 90% of the time.
Climax (Cortland) used to make a nice reel called the Epic and the smallest one was my first fly reel. I still wish I never sold that one as it was a very sweet reel.
Look on Ebay and you can find many click reels that are no longer being made.
Lou
Found a brand new in box Orvis Battenkill for $40. So I’m all set.
While I own both C/P and disc drag reels I set the tension just enough to prevent over travel (backlash) when I strip line while fishing or casting. If I hook a big fish that requires more braking to slow or turn it it has never entered my mind at the time to adjust the drag with a fish on. The excitement of the moment does not lend itself to trying to turn a drag knob.
There are built in drags from friction of the line thru the guides or even the water itself or the weight of the line which make a fish work harder…and I can palm the rim or apply pressure as the line passes thru my hand.
My point is disc drags are not only not necessary but they add weight and increases the price as well.