Lamson Konic 1.5 Reel Product Review

Photo from Flyshopcloseouts.com

As a guy who loves to research the nuances of products before forking over his hard-earned cash, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that when it comes to fly fishing, a reel's comparative value belongs towards the bottom of the list of gear that matters most. Your line, rod, tippet material, flies, and so on, all matter more than the reel, at least in my way of thinking. As a result, I have long delayed replacing my old, American made Pflueger Medalist Reel. While I love this reel and it holds deep sentimental value, having to constantly tighten the screws on the outer frame, worrying about bending the frame from a fall, or its overall impressive weight, left me looking for a replacement.

After some research, I stopped in at Cabelas and picked up the Lamson's Konic 1.5 model for less than a $100. Lamson's Konic represents everything my Pflueger isn't. It's:

·         Lightweight

·         Modern looking

·         Simple drag system

After a week's worth of outings on the Provo, I have some mixed feelings for the reel.

The good:

Combined with my Sage VXP 5W 9' rod, it balances well.

I like the design of the Konic and its pop-off spool approach. Makes it easier to clean and inspect.

According to their site, nearly all of the parts are from the USA and South Korea. All of the parts are assembled in Idaho--a great State!

Price. Do guys really pay hundreds upon hundreds of dollars for a simple fly reel, whose main job is to just hold the line? This reel goes for $100 or less. 

The bad:

At the lowest setting, the highly "acclaimed" drag system has only been useful when playing the LARGEST or feistiest fish on the Provo. Many decent-sized fish don't give enough pull to trigger the drag and that's with the current factored in. In my book, this is a significant strike against the reel. Unless you manually let out line, it's you versus the fish and often that doesn't play out well. If the drag could be loosened a bit more, it would be ideal and would seem to meet its intended purpose (4wt/5wt).

 Removing the spool. For me, it's not that difficult, but I have read from a number of online reviews that many individuals struggled mightily.

***November 28, 2012 UPDATE****
The reel's drag system has broken in some. Whereas within the first couple of weeks, only large browns would activate the drag system at its lowest settings, I now find myself having to increase the drag setting when playing larger fish.

Final verdict: A so so  buy overall. Would be a GREAT buy if the drag system allowed me a lower drag setting.

Originally a so-so buy, but with the loosening of the drag setting at its lowest point, I'd say that the reel qualifies as a  great buy!