orvis battenkill barstock II
My motivation for this purchase may seem odd. As a little boy I would always look longingly at the Orvis catalog and hope that someday I could replace my pflueger medalist and eagle claw rod with an Orvis Superfine and a CFO reel. One day I walked into my local Orvis store after work and saw this little gem. The price was right (more than right!) so I plunked down the plastic and took it home. Since then I have just bashed this little bugger and it has been a champ. The drag is pretty smooth and it somehow keeps the sand out of the mechanism far better than my other reels. I did take a nasty fall in the Shenandoah a couple of years back and bent the frame. When I took it to the local Orvis dealer to show him my handiwork he replaced it stating that Orvis had a "satisfaction guarantee." I told him I was satisfied and had fallen down a cliff and it broke my fall and that I didn't think he should replace the whole thing. He just smiled and spooled my line on a brand new reel. It too has been flawless. A great product with a great company behind it. I wish every piece of gear could be so durable and offer such great customer support.
Just a note on this reel. The silver version could be a bit too flashy for brook trout fishing, I would recommend the black version to avoid spooking the fish. Do as I say, not as I do. Mine is the spiffy silver version. I just liked it because it is snazzy.
