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