Cabela's Traditional III & Wind River Reel

So, last night I got the opportunity to try out the Cabela's Traditional III 9' 6wt with the 5/6wt Cabela's wind river reel. The rod retails for $99.99 and the reel retails for $29.99. Very inexpensive combo, to say the least, but I must say that I was very impressed with it!

    It turns out that the Cabela's Traditional III fly rod is made of a blend of 42 million and 45 million modulus graphite, giving it a higher performance than most other rods in its price range. I've tried several rods in the $100 price range, trying to discover rods that would be good for a beginner to learn on but not grow out of too quickly. Many inexpensive rods would be better suited as pool cues due to their unusable stiffness or ,on the flip side, they may better serve as car as antennas because they are just that flimsy. The Cabelas Traditional III has a forgiving moderate-fast action that is easy to load(making it a great beginner option) and it seems to be built very sturdy. It's a little heavier than some 6 weights, but not so heavy that it's a problem. 

    Now let's talk about the looks of this rod... Aesthetically, this thing is beautiful! It boasts a nice cork handle, although not perfect. There are some filler spots, but who's complaining about that on a rod priced at just $99.95? Not I, that's for sure. If you've got the money to spend on a R. L. Winston Boron IIIx or a beautiful Orvis Superfine, those are beautifully appointed rods that fish like magic wands with reels attached. But that's not what this article is about. If you're looking for a good rod for under $100 that will likely last a long time and be fun to learn with, the Traditional III from Cabelas is a choice that's hard to go wrong with. It's got a beautiful green blank with tasteful burgundy wraps,  a wooden reel seat, and a nicer reel lock than what I've seen on some rods at three times the price. This rod is tough to beat in this price range. I can only think of a couple possible contenders, one being the Redington Classic Trout, but I'll save that for a later review. I plan to do an article on the Best Fly Rods for under $100 soon. So, stay tuned!

    Now for the Wind River Reel, also a surprisingly great value. At $30, you'll be hard pressed to find such a feature-rich fly reel. It's fairly lightweight, made of cast aluminum, has a decent disc drag, and it has a large arbor. What more could you want from a a $30 reel? Once again, this reel has few equivalent peers in it's price range. The only ones that come to mind are the White River Intruder and Hobbs Creek reels from Bass Pro Shops. 

    Long story short, for $130, I would recommend this rod for any beginner or anyone on a budget looking for a decent fly rod that's gentle on your wallet and easy on the eyes.

Reviewing the Redington Drift Fly Reel

 

    Many fly fisherman in today's high tech world of graphite rods and disc drag reels still harbor an affinity for the more traditional side of things. I'm one of those guys. While I appreciate the ultra-fast, line-shooting, cast canons like the Orvis Helios 2 and sophisticated reels like the Mirage, sometimes it's really nice to go back to the basics and throw a mid-flex rod with an old school click and pawl reel. There's a certain nostalgia that comes with palming that spool to bring in a big fish that takes your line on a run. I love that. What I don't necessarily love about most click & pawl style reels is the tiny little arbor that can lead to massive line memory and an a painfully slow retrieve. Well, now there's a solution that affords the best of both worlds: the Redington Drift.
    The model I'm reviewing today is their 5/6 line weight model, in titanium finish. This thing is a beauty! Weighing in at just 3.9 ounces, it's perfect for balancing an ultra light rod. What sets the Redington Drift apart from other click & pawl reels is it's mid-arbor and adjustable tension, two features that are not commonly found on many traditional clickers. While giving you that vintage-vibe of palming that spool, you still have some great modern performance aspects such as lower line memory and a considerably faster retrieve due to the mid-arbor design. Aside from great performance, it looks great, too. That makes it even sweeter. While it may not be the best choice for chasing 50 pound salmon in the Kenai River, I sure do have had a lot of fun catching bass and trout with it attached to the reel seat of my favorite 5 weight rod.
   One more thing I'd like to point out, not only about this reel but  Redington products in general, is Redington's incredible lifetime warranty and fantastic customer service. For just $100, you get a top notch, fully machined, aluminum reel that will probably last you a lifetime. But, you know what?... If it doesn't(under normal fishing conditions, of course), Redington will replace it. I've dealt with Redington's warranty customer service department in Bain Bridge,Washington on a couple of occasions and I've had nothing but good experiences with them. They won't leave you hanging with a broken rod, especially if it's an understandable case. Redington is a great company that offers great products at a great price point. If you can't already tell, I'm a huge Redington fan and I'll recommend their products to anyone looking to get into the wonderful sport of Fly Fishing without breaking the bank.
    So, in closing, if you want to try a classic-styled reel with some modern adornments, go and check out a Redington Drift reel. You won't regret it! Other click & pawl reels of comparable quality cost considerably more. Of course there are great options like the Orvis Access and the Orvis CFO. Both of those are fantastic reels, certainly, but they can't be had as inexpensively as the Redington Drift.


Taylor Nauta
The Southern Fly Guy

Allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Taylor Nauta, the Southern Fly Guy. I've been fly fishing since I was eight years old and I've thrown feathers and fur into the warm lakes, rivers, and ponds in Tennessee, the smoldering hot bayous of Louisiana, the inshore redfish havens, the Gulf of Mexico, and more. And I've fly fished out West, of course, but that's not what this blog is about. There are enough websites, books, and blogs about chasing rainbows and browns in the legendary Green River. But what about the swamps of South Louisiana? What about the warm rivers and lakes of West Tennessee and Kentucky? What about that forgotten cow pond in Mississippi or that little, urban creek that runs right through your neighborhood. Isn't there any good fly fishing to experience in these waters? Why, yes, there is, and I aim to write about it!
    When people think about fishing in the South, they think about bait casters and bass or trot lines and catfish. Fly fishing doesn't even cross their mind as a viable option. I mean,  "that stuff's for trout country, right?" Wrong. Fly fishing is for FISH COUNTRY, which, the South certainly is! After all, Louisiana is Sportsman's Paradise, and rightfully so. There's more fishable water in this state than anywhere. So why not chase those bass, bream, crappie(we call them sac-a-lait), catfish(yes, even whisker fish can be caught on a fly!), carp, gar, and all the other Southern fish with a fly rod?! I've come to find that bream tear up nymphs and dry flies in the right setting and that bass will whack those salmon streamers! Catfish and carp will munch down on a Wooley Bugger, and almost anything will hit a Clouser minnow! Anyone who has caught any of these fish on a fly rod knows well that it doesn't have to be a trout to be fun. If it has fins and is willing to be seduced by a fly, it's gonna be fun! It's my belief that fly fishing, whether in waters warm, cold, or salty, is the most fun a person can have with their clothes on! So, stay tuned for gear reviews, fishing stories, fly-tying tips, and great Southern fly fishing spots.
    That's all, for now, I'm headed off to the water!

Taylor Nauta
The Southern Fly Guy