Hello all - not sure if this should go here - but not sure where else to put it.
I’m looking for info on the Sage 5000 series reels.
I’ve got an abel no 2 big game reel that I don’t need. I need a lighter line reel. Have been offered a new sage 5200 in exchange. I like the look of it. Very much like an abel. But I can’t find any info on this reel. Was this part of the series made by Hardy?
How fair is this trade? I can’t find a reliable guide price for this reel.
Sage made the 5000 series reels in the mid to late 1990s and discontinued them several years ago. I have several of the reels in different sizes and have had good luck with them. Some owners of the 5000 reels had a problem with the drag knobs coming loose of falling off, so Sage came up with a drag knob that included a screw to hold it in place. That seemed to fix the problem. I think the 5200s have recently sold in places like eBay for around $175-200. Abel 2s are larger, sturdier, and generally demand higher prices than the Sage 5200.
Personally, I’d trade you one of my 5200s for the Abel 2 in a flash, and throw in an extra spool to boot. You may want to see if you can get some cash or an extra spool from the other party to make the trade more equitable.
Though very nice reels, the Sage 5000 series were never quite equivalent to the Abel reels. I love Sage products, too, and very much like these reels, but mickmcco gave you some great advice.
If you’re looking for a reel for a lighter line rod, do you need the level of drag that the Abel Big Game series (like your #2) or the Sage 5000 series offers? If not, you might want to consider selling your Abel to buy another (light line) reel.
There are a ton of great reel options out there right now. I live in country (the Northwest) where there could be times when drags are sorely tested, and when fishing my 5 weight in conditions where I should be using a 5 weight, I haven’t experienced (yet!) a situation where drag was the deciding factor on whether I did or didn’t catch a fish. My (Sage, by the way) 5 weights have brought in some nice pink salmon and summer steelhead . . .