The birth of a new reel company

[David Lehmann]

Follow this link:
https://pilotonline.com/sports/outdoors ... 498e7.html

[Ron Mc]

these reels have been around for about 9 years now, and have a huge fan club on every coast in the world.
One of the biggest youtube contributors for them is in the UK, and there are videos of big fish caught from Cabo to the Great Barrier Reef.

I posted this on the Future of Collecting thread

fwiw, there are still reels being made today that are worth collecting - worth fishing, too...



this particular Virginia reelmaker established his reputation using two other dba's and lost both in legal challenges, making both of those trademarks collectible (Release and Truth).

this diminutive 2" narrow reel fits over 400 yds 30-lb braid, delivers 30-lb drag, and only weighs 10 oz

lifetime warranty, and unlimited gratis cleaning and repair by the maker - they are also priced very competitively in the market.

Here's one at work on the TX coast
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... 8&t=249977
Glenn's using the wider SG
yes, manly sport - Glenn makes it look easy

[Wayne B.]

This company is about three miles from home and I never knew they existed until I read the article in my paper this morning. Got to get over there!

[Richard Lodge]

Am I missing a link to the company's website in this thread? I'd love to see his fly reels.

[Richard Lodge]

Never mind. That Google thing helped me out:

https://www.seigler.fish/collections

[Ron Mc]

Richard, they're pretty proud of the fly reels, but they do look Fine.

[john elder]

Sexy little reels and it looks like the big game versions have drags that will stop a truck! Prices look very competitive and even the fly reels in big game size range aren’t all that high. I wonder how the BG reels size up to Accurate reels?

[Ron Mc]

I would assume the performance is pretty close, and Avet is probably the choice if you're cutting cost.
And you'll find the opinions split 3 ways
https://www.thehulltruth.com/sportfishi ... aptor.html
The Seigler lever drag does have notches to count. I'm fishing 30-lb, so I'll never set the drag higher than 7 or 8 lbs.
If you've ever set a drag with a spring scale, 5 lbs is a heck of a lot, and more than enough to tear up mackerel mouth.

Before I made the choice, I reviewed all the youtubes I could find - here's Seigler and some big fish in there
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... gler+reels
(down the page, Glenn has kings, cobia and jacks - his videos are pretty smooth)
Honestly, I started shopping expecting to buy an Avet, but the little SGN stuck with me - I like the narrow spool and the light weight - and I had 10% discount at Tackle Direct burning a hole in my pocket.

[Harry Verdurchi]

Reasonably priced if you consider the machining in today's market .

[Ron Mc]

Harry, the price is excellent when you consider what you're getting compared to an offshore import. Of course the machining is CNC, but there's still a fisherman sitting at a bench assembling the reel. A reel designed and built by fishermen to be used by fishermen.

I like to use this example of a China-built fly reel, sent to me for repair to improve the stiff drag
- it looks like it's supposed to


arrived from the maker slathered with enough Daiwa blue lube for a hundred reels


aside from a poorly designed overly stiff caliper spring, at least part of the stiff action was because the drag gear was self-machining the back plate (how's that for a thrust bearing) -
no understanding of how a fly reel is supposed to function, from design and including the assembler's bench, but can make it look right from the outside


That said, there are a lot of good products coming from China, and I do own a couple of Tica reels (their fly reels are terrible, but they make most of the spinning reels imported to the US and sold under other brands) - though I'm not much of a consumer, and do my best not to add to the bulk of offshore imports.

One thing's for certain - neither the Tica spinning reels nor the ZYZ fly reel will ever be collectible.

ok, and my 400-yd 20-lb back-up-trolling/ jigging rig is a Tica level-wind
(had the reel, didn't like it for inshore casting, so put it to use here)

[Harry Verdurchi]

Harry, the price is excellent when you consider what you're getting compared to an offshore import. Of course the machining is CNC, but there's still a fisherman sitting at a bench assembling the reel. A reel designed and built by fishermen to be used by fishermen.

I like to use this example of a China-built fly reel, sent to me for repair to improve the stiff drag
- it looks like it's supposed to


arrived from the maker slathered with enough Daiwa blue lube for a hundred reels


aside from a poorly designed overly stiff caliper spring, at least part of the stiff action was because the drag gear was self-machining the back plate (how's that for a thrust bearing) -
no understanding of how a fly reel is supposed to function, from design and including the assembler's bench, but can make it look right from the outside


That said, there are a lot of good products coming from China, and I do own a couple of Tica reels (their fly reels are terrible, but they make most of the spinning reels imported to the US and sold under other brands) - though I'm not much of a consumer, and do my best not to add to the bulk of offshore imports.

One thing's for certain - neither the Tica spinning reels nor the ZYZ fly reel will ever be collectible.

ok, and my 400-yd 20-lb back-up-trolling/ jigging rig is a Tica level-wind
(had the reel, didn't like it for inshore casting, so put it to use here)

I never heard of the Tica Reels til your post and IF I were to buy a new Reel I prob would opt for the Tica over the Seigler for the price difference and The Tica has a levelwind,thanks for the info on the Tica's.

[Ron Mc]

my Tica Cetus SS500 has fished salt XUL (4lb) on a Japanese rockfish rod for 9 years now, and the Libra SX is the hands-down best buy in salt spinning.
I've sight-fished 22" and 23" specs under the lights on the little Cetus - the drag is flawless
The Tica distributor sells direct on Amazon, and though I've only bought spare spools and the handle swap, Tica USA customer service is good over the phone

Others who've bought both reels on my recommendation have been very happy - especially the XUL.

About the LW - the narrow Seigler SGN spool arbor is shaped to lay line with almost imperceptible cone.
The reel lays a natural intimate level wind from wind side toward back plate - you push it back across with your thumb, and you end up with a backlash-proof level wind.