[CastAndStep]

I was wondering if anybody knew about Islander making a spey reel? I remember seeing one in a local store many months ago, a spey sized click and pawl model, but I don't see anything on their website.

I know they have smaller click and pawls, why not a big one anymore? I emailed them asking but no response.

 

[buff]

I have seen one...but then I have also seen a Sasquatch...

I have actually seen one of the Islander Classic Spey reels in a display case in a Victoria tackle shop. Size is unknown...the face of the spool is turned away from the front of the case and the case is locked. I don’t know why they don’t show up on the Islander website. Is the site not updated? Are the reels still in production? Who knows. Anyway I expressed some interest in the reel in the case. The shop employee was busy sucking on a two gallon 7-11 soft drink and wasn’t interested in doing much else...he wanted some assurance from me that I would buy the reel if he took it out of the case. Honest to Dog truth. I wonder if they sell many...the idea was to produce a common open frame with a R/L reversible spring and pawl click check for three reels...the line capacity determined by the spool. All three spool diameters are the same, but the arbour sizes are different. They originally listed a 6, an 8 and a 10 in spool sizes. One US shop just across the water shows the 8 and 10 in their product listings. Price quoted is $499.00 US, with spools for $250.00. That is what I know. Cheers, Buff.

 

[CastAndStep]

Interesting. Maybe he wanted you to buy him another slushie before he would waddle over and open the case :chuckle:

I handled one at troutwaters in Kelowna while visiting a friend. Seemed decent enough. I wasn't ready to pull the trigger though, and the next day the reel was sold anyways.
To be honest I thought the reel wasn't the prettiest thing around, but was nice to see a Canadian made reel. I wish they could just "upsize" one of their IR series clickers. They are a nice looking reel and I might pick one up for my 6 single hander.

 

[xgolfman]

had one that i donated to a fund raiser...

They are all the same size (4") but you can change the spool to make it 3 different sizes....light weight and strong..

Very Hardy Marquis looking on back...

The click and pawl was one of the better ones i've seen on any modern ones...if I remember correctly they doubled the spring so it's strong and the range of tension on the dial works well all the way through, on high it's very strong which i like...

it's a homely reel but IMHO for function the best i've seen or tried at that price...I wish the abel spring was that strong and it's much better then say the kingpin performance wise...

 

[SpayDoc]

Saw one in a local shop but not on Islander's website so I called Islander. I was told that the spring needed more work so they have engineers working on the problem and they hope to have it sorted out by Spring. I was told to wait until the re-worked ones are available. Nice looking reel.

 

[CastAndStep]

Just received a reply to my email this morning. Same as what SpayDoc said above.

"Thank you for contacting Islander Reels.We have stopped production on our "Classic fly reel" due to a drag spring issue which we are currently working on. We will be testing the "new" drag spring extensively before we re-release it to get it to Islanders highest standards.

The LX 4.5 is the next reel in our line up that has a cork drag system that I would suggest for spey fishing. Please check them out on our web site."

Seems we will have to wait and see.

 

[Grayghost2]

Lx4.8

I have a couple of the LX 4.8 reels that are great on longer spey rod. I don't see them listed anymore either.

 

[Tubefly]

i have no issue with the spring tension on my Islander classic G&P so not sure what people are complaining about? if one needs stopping power from a drag why not just by a disk drag...

 

[buff]

Impressedby the QC...

Just received a reply to my email this morning. Same as what SpayDoc said above.

"Thank you for contacting Islander Reels.We have stopped production on our "Classic fly reel" due to a drag spring issue which we are currently working on. We will be testing the "new" drag spring extensively before we re-release it to get it to Islanders highest standards.

The LX 4.5 is the next reel in our line up that has a cork drag system that I would suggest for spey fishing. Please check them out on our web site."

Seems we will have to wait and see.

After I read the two posts with the replies from Islander, "...sorry but the springs aren't up to our standards, so we have put a stop on sales until the problem is corrected..." I have to admit that I was impressed by their candor and by their reaction...sell no more Spey reels until the problem has been dealt with. So much different from the situation arising from the over-baked springs from that shop in Green Bay...defective springs shipped out in their reels for quite a while, apparently... Islander Reels showed a very high degree of integrity.

 

[Cutthroat1954]

I own one of the Spey reels. Have been very happy with it to date. My springs seem fine. It is very loud! (Maybe too loud?). I particularily like the fact that I can use it in salt water with only minimal maintenance.

I was told that due to low sales, they were taking the LX 4.8 out of production. I see the odd one in stores, but fewer and fewer as time goes by. Their really big sellers are their mooching reels; MR2 and MR3. I also own one of their small click and pawl reels. Great little reel. Wonderful for SW use!

 

[CastAndStep]

I did notice how loud the reel was! I am sure its quite the sound when a fresh steelhead takes off with that reel..

 

[CastAndStep]

In case anyone was wondering..
You can see what I assume is the new design of the reel in their catalog online
http://www.islander.com/images/downloads/IslanderPrecisionReels_2015_Brochure-sml.pdf

It's at the end. Looks pretty similar with a new handle that I think looks pretty nice. Reel is maybe a tad on the heavy side I think though. An email to the company forecasted a few months before they release them again.

 

[buff]

Thanks for the update. Interesting to see a sort of snake handle screwed to the spool face. Not one of their greatest design feats for sure. I could see that method of attachment being a problem in the long term.

 

[CastAndStep]

I'm not sure if this is the final reel or not, just what I noticed on the website catalog. They could change it again I suppose.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the update. Interesting to see a sort of snake handle screwed to the spool face. Not one of their greatest design feats for sure. I could see that method of attachment being a problem in the long term.

+1

It just doesn't look that durable.

 

[CastAndStep]

Curious, but wouldn't it be just as durable as having a regular knob?
I would think that it's screwed to the spool under the knob(handle) ends as well as the middle. I have never used a reel with that type of handle but I don't see why you couldn't do that. When you look at the one pic it looks like it sits completely flat to the spool, I see it as a regular handle reel with the s handle as decoration. Again maybe I am missing something as I have never used that style.

 

[sevilla315]

I'm not sure if this is the final reel or not, just what I noticed on the website catalog. They could change it again I suppose.

You're right, the handle and counterbalance are as per a normal reel, and the spool release plate just has two extra arms which connect to them to emulate an S-handled reel. It's not an S-handle which is held in place by the two screws.
Interesting but it doesn't add that much to the visual aspect, and I wonder if water can get under that "S-handle"?

Can be retrofitted with two handles if desired.

 

[CastAndStep]

Not sure if water could get under that handle. Looks like it sits pretty flat, or perhaps there is enough room for any water to dry. Overall the reel looks pretty bomber to me, at least the old one did, not too much changed I don't think other than the springs and handle. Looks like a solid option if your looking for a made in Canada reel.

 

[underachiever]

I've had the first iteration for 6 months or so and have really enjoyed it thus far. Haven't noticed any thing odd with the spring while fighting fish up to 12lbs thus far.